In June of 2005, Irina and I traveled to Montana to reunite her with her orphanage best friend, Emily. The two girls were together their first 3 years, and then separated through their adoptions in 2000. The girls were fortunate in that their parents found one another through the internet and are working hard to make sure the girls do not lose touch.

The girls were first reunited in the summer of 2001 when they had each been home a year, and the girls picked up where they had left off, but in English. The same thing happened in June of 2005. The girls hit it off immediately, as if no time had passed. Our days with them went by quickly, and the girls shared a tearful goodbye through a plate glass window at the airport.