New Mama Brain Fog

It is the most amazing thing. I have these complex amazing thoughts now.... I think. At least I'm pretty sure I do. But by the time I realize I'm having them, they're already gone. :0)

It's so funny. I have to tell you how blessed I was by some very special people. We got home and when we walked in we saw that our house had been stocked. The counter was full of all the essentials, the fridge had been cleaned out and stocked and the stove top was cleaned. There were signs welcoming us and a breakfast casserole in the fridge that just needed to be baked. We even have an Easter Basket compete with fresh flowers. I can't even express what all this meant to me and still means to me. Pam and Paula, Thank you for doing this!! To our small group- the meals are so awesome. I didn't think we would need them- but I didn't know about this thing called brain fog with a new child either.

Here is my profound thought that I actually wrote down so I wouldn't forget. Here it is.......

Longing for the future has made me cherish the present so I don't regret the past.

It is an amazing concept I hope I can keep at the forefront of my brain. As I'm busy trying to get our bags unpacked and clothes washed and meals cleaned up and all the other stuff that goes with day to day living, I realize that this is such a precious time with my child. He won't always want to spend time with mama playing with him. All too soon he'll want to go off with the big boys and their toys and mama will be left behind, baking cookies, hoping for a small morsel of love being expressed from this young man who used to sit on my lap and want to play with me. So, I set aside the laundry. It can wait. I leave the dishes in the sink. They can wait, too. I put aside my thoughts of reorganizing the shelves so I can be more efficient with meal preparation. And I do the important thing for this time. I sit on the floor and play with my son. I marvel at his little personality. I bask in his smiles and wonder what God feels like when we look at Him like that.

So, I am opting to spend every moment I can with this precious gift from God while I can.

May God so bless your life that your priorities are set by Him.....

March 30, 2008

After 12 hours sleeping, Eli was ready to go on Saturday. It was a good day. While Papa went to get his hair cut, Mama and Eli went outside for a walk. Debbie mentioned, just before our referral last fast fall, of some 200 bulbs that she had planted and how tried she became. During the planting, she thought that her time doing gardening may be limited if we ever got our referral. She, also, went on to think that she should enjoy the time she had to do it. This was the day before we got the pictures of Eli.

During our last days in Moscow, we were walking on one of our many explorations for food, and we passed a lady selling daffodils. I said to Debbie that her bulbs would be poking out of the ground for some sun when we got home.

So, Debbie and Eli, while walking around our house, discovered her bulbs were poking out of the ground. What a pleasant surprise. The labor of planting and waiting. Not just for bulbs and flowers, but for something far more. We plant seeds in the ground with the faith that something marvelous will come from that tiny seed. God planted in our hearts the tiny seed of faith and hope, and at times, we began letting our faith wane and hope fade. But God’s word will not come back void. What he says, he will provide. And He gave us a son! And He gave us His Son. What two wonderful gifts.

Last night we decided to head over to Columbus and have pizza with my crew at the firehouse. Saturday night is always something we look forward to at the firehouse, because Saturday is pizza day. We make pizza and everyone always eats too much. What a job I have!:) So, the trip was a total success. Eli was a traveling trooper. He was sitting high enough in his car seat to see through the FRONT window. When he wasn’t looking out, he was sleeping. On the way home, he slept all the way home. About an hour drive. Being the caring parents that we are and not wanting to awake a sleeping giant. We decided to change the diaper and put on the sleeper, skipping the bath. Good choice. He slept until around 0700 today.:) I think he is getting the hang of it.

We had such a good day on Saturday; we decided to make our first trip to church. Thinking we would sort of lay low and not over whelm him with lots of people, we headed upstairs to the sound room in the mezzanine. This worked until the music stopped, then Eli thought he would continue the singing. Debbie headed back down stairs to the lobby with Eli. I followed shortly to help keep the noise level to a minimum. We walked all around the lobby area ending up at the east exit doors looking at the cars driving by through the window. I was holding Eli at this point, looking through the window, not really paying any attention to him, when all of a sudden I hear this click.

Now, in my mind, I know exactly what has just happened, even before I look. But, this can’t be. I would never allow my child to do such a thing. I turn my head and look at Eli’s head holding the fire alarm pull station. Keep in mind the church service hasn’t ended…yet? Debbie is trying to fold the handle back into place, all of the strobe lights are now flashing and the horns are issuing a sound similar to that of stepping on a duck. I still can’t believe that my son has done such a thing. I have responded to many of these type alarms, only to find that a child has been responsible. Now, my child is the responsible party…or maybe…I am?

So, being of sound mind, I run to the phone and dial 911, talk to the dispatcher and explain the source of his impending call from the monitoring company of the fire alarm system. Meanwhile, the church service in now over, all of the attendees are now filing out of the building along with, nursery and children’s church. The strobe lights still flashing and horns blaring.

It takes me a few moments to find the keys to reset the pull station, and then back to the front of the building to silence the blasted duck! Good times!!:) Welcome to parenthood. (for those wondering about my actions with the fire alarm. I happen to be the Assistant Fire Chief and Fire safety inspector having jurisdiction over the church)

After visiting with many folks, that now know that we are in attendance and our son is the responsible party for the shortened version of church, we head off to my families annual Easter dinner.

Following a short nap on the floor at the church we were meeting at for dinner, Eli is ready for action…or eating…his favorite past time.

We visit with family for short period and drive home. Play with our new source of entertainment. Feed him again, bath and off to bed. He goes to sleep without any extended protest. Another successful day of parenthood.

Does this look like the face of one that induce panic?

Look out Mr Potato Head- you have some serious competition here....

March 28, We are home

Ok, so we are finally back in the “Good ol’ USA” in the “Great state of OHIO”. I think it was yesterday that we flew home. After being awake for more hours than a day should be, you sort of loose track of time.

We awoke around 0630 Moscow time (2330 EST) Thursday morning. We wanted to start the day with a good meal, so we went to the Gratzi restaurant, in the Marriott Tverskaya for breakfast one last time. We have been doing this every day since arriving back in Moscow. After figuring out how to eat within a budget, we were comfortable having breakfast daily. This went off without a hitch. As usual, the porridge was a hit with Eli and the pancakes were a hit with Mama and Papa.

We went back to the room to finish up packing. Most of this was done during the course of the day on Wednesday. Mama is quite efficient making things fit. She was even able to pack a smaller suit case to ease the transfer at our transfer in Atlanta. Anyway! We were to meet with Vladimir at 0830, so we went and checked out a few minutes earlier to avoid any delays.

Vladimir arrived on schedule, packed the small station wagon with luggage and passengers, the Swingle family 3, and we were on our way. After having some “issues” with motion sickness with our new family member, we were very much prepared with the usual bib with crumb catching pocket, not for crumbs, and zip lock bag (for overloading, if you know what I mean).

The traffic wasn’t too busy early on, but soon slowed to a stop. The normal driving methods still being utilized, darting from lane to lane, and occasionally, driving through parking lots, to “get ahead”. Debbie was very good at keeping Eli’s gaze focused through the front window. Having him looking at the “bashoy (big) and malinki (small) machineas”. As the trip grew on, so did his eyes, and just as we were arriving at the airport, he fell asleep. That didn’t last very long when transferring to stroller (very handy) and into the terminal. Praise God!! No Puking!! It’s amazing how not riding in the “back of the bus” can do for motion sickness.:)

Vladimir was very helpful getting us to the correct line, which was very long, for our 1155 Delta flight. Saying goodbye to these people that have crossed our path was very difficult. Were met so many Russian people that made our Journey soooo much easier. We were never left being unsure where we were supposed to stand, be, or go. Vladimir was no exception. Even though he was difficult for me to understand with his broken English, he was very friendly toward us. Always calling us “Timothy and Debra”. Very had saying goodbye. But we did.

We got our luggage cart, full of baggage, along with our “special package” into the long line. After standing for few minutes, an employee motioned for us to get out of line and to come to the front of the line. Did we mention these people really take care of the children? There must have been close to one hundred people in line to have their baggage scanned. Very nice!

After scanning the bags and talking with authority concerning our passports, airlines, and luggage, we were told to go to the far tables to have our checked luggage examined. Now, after traveling through Moscow a couple of other times and watching other passengers, we were well aware they really take their jobs seriously. I told Debbie if they opened our luggage, they were going to be in trouble (we sat on them to get them closed). I was placing the baggage on the table, and before I could get them on the table, the guy says they are good and have a good flight. No delays trying to close the bags.:)

The remainder of the check in was uneventful. The lady at the ticket counter moved us through quickly. Passport control wasn’t busy, and we were through quickly. On to the terminal entrance holding tank. Off with the shoes, everything on the belt and off with your belt, through the scanner and open carry on luggage for inspection. Those that travel know the routine. Then we sit and wait. Approx 90 minutes. Eli was very good, running all over the place keeping Mama and Papa busy. Welcome to parenthood.:)

Onto the aircraft we went. Again we were allowed to board quickly. We were in the center three seats in the middle of the rear section of the aircraft. This was to be our home for the next 12 hours. WHAT!!! The next how many hours?? You must be kidding? I thought this will be a nightmare. I have been, very much, not looking forward to this part of our “Journey”. How can a 22 month old child be expected to sit in a seat, in one spot, for 12 hours? This will have to be a leap of faith. God will have to handle this…to much for me to process.

I can see now how people say that children adapt very well to new things. This was the case for lil Eli. Everything was an adventure. The tray table was one. He must have put that table up and down a hundred times during the flight. I felt sorry for the lady sitting in front of him. He kept banging the table up and down, while she was trying to sleep magazines were great sources of entertainment. Mama was prepared (again) for being “confined” for a long period of time. With books, small containers of cereal (this kid ate for 12 hours straight I think) and different toys that were “exposed” very strategically. Did he sleep you might venture to ask? Oh yes he slept. Maybe 90 minutes total out of 17 hours. The only time he made much noise was when we tried to get him to sleep. This was only attempted twice. The first time it worked. The second time, not so much.

After 12 hours of flying we were in Atlanta. Now was the interesting part, I thought. Our son is now a US citizen. Just like that! We landed on US soil and he is a citizen. Of course we had to go to US customs and have our I-94 customs for and passports inspected. The officer asked if we had “the package”. We answered, with big grins on our faces, “yes”. He wasn’t as friendly as we were hoping. No “welcome home”. No congratulations. Just very official. “You will have to pick up your bags and go to another Customs counter.” Don’t put the “package” away we would need it later.

We pick up our luggage and were told where to go. Lane 2 all the way around. We pushed our cart and stroller around “land 2” and were met by more Customs officers. They took our “package” and told us to have a seat. We sat for a few minutes, it was sort of refreshing to sit and rest a moment. An officer came and got us. He opened the envelope and reviewed Eli’s medical report. Told us to expect his citizenship document in 3 to 6 months, sometimes a little sooner. Asked us if we had any questions and we said we didn’t. He then told us which way to go, and we were on our way again. He told us congratulations, but no “welcome home”. How disappointing.

We quickly dropped our luggage off for rechecking, our baggage was never inspected with us present this time either. Again we entered another long line, but were quickly brought to the front of the line. Very nice! Off with the shoes, everything on the belt to be scanned, off with your belt, through the scanners and we were on our way again.

We found another chair to sit and let Eli out of the stroller and stretch a bit. Then we headed onto Concourse D via the tram. We found some “American” food at the Burger King and pigged out. That was the best tasting hamburger I have had in more than a month.

We went on to our gate and waited some more. Eli was running all around, exploring all these new things he had never been exposed to before we came along. He was having a great time on 90 minutes sleep. Our next flight to Columbus was at 2115 (9:15 pm). We walked out on the runway toward our plane. The temperature was very mild in the mid sixties. Onto the aircraft we went and found our seats. Eli wasn’t sure he wanted to sit this time around. Debbie asked me to sit next to her until we got underway since we purchased a seat for him on all three of our flights from Krasnoyarsk to home. Our extra seat was across the aisle. Eli didn’t want to sit on either of our laps. I said I was going to move to the other seat to allow him to sit in his own seat. He sat for little while, but was in Mama’s lay during “take off”. Within minutes he was down and out for the count. He slept all of the 1 hour and 15 minutes flying.

At Columbus we picked up our curb checked stroller and headed into the building since it was raining. Eli, still sleeping, was placed into the stroller once we were up the stairs. All of the carry on luggage carefully placed for towing, and we headed to baggage claim. We were about half the way to baggage claim when all of a sudden Debbie exclaimed, “did you get the passports out the seat back pocket?” I said no. Dropped all of the bags, turned around and started running back toward the gate. As I got there, the crew was just coming up the stairs and I said “I left our passports on the aircraft”. An airport employee turned and swiped her badge for the door release and opened the door to the stairway. I didn’t ask permission, I just ran through the door, down the stairs and onto the tarmac. I ran over to the aircraft and the stairs were still down. I ran up the stairs to be greeted by a totally dark aircraft cabin. Let me tell you. The inside of an aircraft, at night, with the lighting turned off, is very dark. My first thought was, “how am I going to find which row we were in?” I ran down the aisle and stopped about were I thought we were sitting. I leaned in very close to the overhead bins to try to get a visual on the numbers. The lights, gleaming off the wet runway through the window provided just enough light that I was able to see the number “10” on the tag. We were in number “9”. “Thank you Jesus” I exclaimed. I reached into the seat back pocket were I had placed the passports, and put my hand right on them. I pulled them out and headed up the aisle and down the stairs. A worker saw me coming down the stairs and asked if he could help me. I said I had forgotten my passports. He said ok, that no one had called to let him know someone was coming back onto the tarmac.

I ran back to Debbie, picked up the bags and headed on down to claim our checked luggage.

Paula, my sister, volunteered to pick us up at the airport. I called and told her we had retrieved our luggage and we were ready to go home. She quickly arrived. I loaded all the bags. We loaded sleeping Eli into the car seat and head home. The trip home was longer then normal. I am usually very well adapted to the 1 hour drive, since Columbus is were I work. I was very thankful that Paula was driving; I couldn’t keep my eyes open. Debbie and I hadn’t been able to sleep on any of the flights.

We arrived home without a hitch around midnight on Thursday. It felt like the “day that would not end”. We quickly brought the bags into the house, took Eli upstairs and changed him into his PJ’s. He awoke briefly, but Mama put him to sleep. We showered quickly and headed off to bed around 1:00am. Debbie decided to sleep in Eli’s room. He decided that he had slept long enough round 0400 this morning. So, Mama is sleeping in her bed now and tonight is my turn to sleep in Eli’s room. I’m hoping for a different result. Sweet dreams my son!

Quick Update

Hey all, just a quick update. Our WiFi ran out, so I'm on the free computer on the 4th floor. But it's for everyone to share, so I can't stay on for long.

WE are done!! We have all the paperwork. We are officially parents of Elisha Sergey Swingle, registered in Moscow, and who will become a US citizen as we touch down on US soil. We are looking forward to that moment, let me tell you!

We leave tomorrow, Thurs, around noon Moscow time, about 5am EST. We'll all arrive home in Ohio around midnight. That will be a long day- I'm hoping our son will sleep soundly through much of the trip. Our first flight is 12 hours long- I am so glad that we were able to get a child's meal ordered for Eli. That should be great for him- wonder what is in it? I have a lot of snacks lined up, in case it isn't palatable to him. Second flight only a little less than 2 hours with a 5 hour layover in Atlanta. Hopefully we'll be able to relax to get to the needed gates and get Eli through customs and ushered into citizenship.

We have found he likes KFC. The chicken better than the fries :)

I had a **difficult** situation today at naptime *wink*- It is so hard to be the Mama when they are so stinking cute. He laid down and was crying a little. Then he looked up and smiled and "fake" closed his eyes. I turned around and he was standing up looking at me with a grin. This game continued a couple of times. Then I laid down on the bed across from him and told him to lay down. He did. Then popped up, and was playing peak-a-boo with me through the playpen. It was so cute, I almost couldn't keep from laughing at him.

But I knew I had to be Mama, not partner in crime. I think sometimes we'll be able to have fun together, just not when I've told him to lay down for his nap :0)- Can't wait to get home and get in a routine.

Sooooo, until next post- from the other side of the world----

PAKA Russia!! Preeveet USA!!!

3/25/08

Last night was pretty uneventful. We skyped our parents-wishing Tim’s mom a happy birthday and sharing video of our precious son with both sets of grandparents. How cool is that? Video from halfway around the world! I’m so glad we have this so we can skype my parents a lot when we get home. Half way around the world or 150 miles away- it doesn’t seem to matter. We never get to see them enough. Hopefully they’ll be able to get over to see us soon so we can introduce our son to them in person.

Today was a day of goodbyes. The Dinis and the Bradshaws left today. We are a little jealous, wishing we could go home, too, but we don’t live close enough to a Russian consulate, so we are here for a few more days to get registered. We may be the only adoptive family here right now. Quite a change from a week ago, eh?

Not a very exciting day, as far as excitement goes. We did the “little piggies” today for the first time that he would watch and interact with it- and also patty cakes- he loves it with the feet. The room continues to get smaller as the energy level of our son increases and ours wanes. As the ebbing tide of the ocean- at some point twice each day the energy levels are the same. I think that holds true for us………….. at naptime and bedtime…… :0)

We just got back from TGI Friday’s just about 4 blocks up the road from the Marriott Traverskya. It’s just about a block up from the Marriott Grand- same side of street. Kinda hidden- look close or you’ll miss the sign. You then climb about 3 flights of stairs, but it was well worth it. We had cheeseburgers and fries, tortilla chips and salsa and were surrounded by signs in English and American music. It was kinda nice to feel almost as if we were home. Eli really enjoyed and is enjoying the big balloon they give.

If you look closely at the sign in the first picture, you'll see it says Athen's Steam Laundry- Athens, OH. If only we were only 45 min to an hour from home. I need to find a pair of Ruby Slippers.........(If you put your curser over the picture and click- the picture will come up by itself and you can see the details) The Used Cow sign is one that we see in Kentucky when on our way to TN.

So, back in the room. Looking forward to completing this process and getting home so we can get into a schedule at home and learn who our son really is.

Day 2 in Moscow- last flashback 3/21/08

3/21/08 Flashback.....

Hey, hey, hey- I'm finally getting caught up!!

Today was pretty uneventful. We were up about 4:30 because Tim smelled the strong eu de toilet of our young son in the room. He was quite ripe. So, we looked at each other and said should we wake him? We determined that would be the "humane" thing to do...... :) lol

So, we gently got him up and laid him on the floor to change his diaper. Wow. This one almost met the limit listed on the bag...you know the 10-14 KG. hehe- he was full from front to back- but, happy to report, no escapees- but it took many wipes to get this one cleaned up. Amazingly and with much rejoicing, he went right back to sleep and slept until a little after 7. Children are so amazing- especially mine (now is that spoken as a true mom, or what?)

We called Jerger's for breakfast and went to the hotel restaurant. We had such a great conversation with Adam and Lori. Why is Florida so far away from Ohio?

We hung out in the room, ran all over the hotel, had snacks in the room, tried to get Eli on the potty- still not working very well and finally around 2, while Eli was asleep, Tim was able to go to the lobby and get the extra bag and stroller. Eli woke up around 3 and we went to the lobby to check on a new room. Yeah! they were able to move us all the way up to 710. The room was much bigger- 2 double beds. The American families were going to a fancy restaurant for dinner to celebrate successful medicals and just have fun together.

Eli was very, very fussy. We put the ducky in the tub and filled it up and he had another screamfest, meltdown so another quick bath. We got him out and lotioned up just as Adam and Lori came by for us to join them for dinner. While I was talking to Lori and Adam I heard a commotion in the bathroom where I had left Papa and Eli doing the lotion thing. Eli let it rip and sprayed urine all over the bathroom floormat. I knew that Eli didn't have anything left in him, no more sitting still or trying to cope in a restaurant, so I sent Tim out with the other families- giving him some time away and a break as he was able to fellowship with all these other adoptive families.

Eli went right to bed- no fuss, no fight. He was soo tired. He's adjusting to the time change- but it's so difficult on his little system-[ and he doesn't know what is going on.

Tim came back- had a great time- and we again joined the sleep of the exhausted.

So end the flashbacks- hopefully, we'll be able to keep up with the rest of our trip :)

PS- remember the comfortable beds? They aren't bolted down to the floor- so we have a HUGE bed now, since we pushed them together. :P)

First flight/ Baby's medicals 3/20/08

3/20 Flashback

We got up at 4:00, got dressed, got Eli up about 4:15 and headed down to the lobby to take off. On to the next leg of our journey. We were hoping Eli would sleep on the way to the airport- Yeah, no barfing- we sat up front:)

We got to the airport and found out they do have all the liquid restrictions. So much for the frozen apple juice/water mix we had with us for Eli. Only things purchased- marked for baby consumption are allowed in.

Our bags (they weigh the carry-on's, too) were over the limit- but computer and camera equipment don't count, so we didn't even need to take those items out. Yelena and Serge were with us the whole way through. We got pretty close with them this trip. We'll miss them. They joked that we'd be back soon to get a little sister for Eli. HHHHmmmm. God would have to give a really clear calling on that for us to repeat this process.

We sat over in a corner waiting to get everything processed, then we had to go through the screening. Tim had to remove his computer and the camera bag so she could rifle through them. Eli was being very helpful, putting the trays our shoes had been on back in the right place. They did allow us to keep the activa yogurt drinks for Eli. Yeah!!

The we found a place to sit off to the side of the airport holding area. We were some of the last folk out the door to get on the first bus to take us to the plane. I thought my arms would break from holding Eli, so I was so incredibly blessed when a man stood up and motioned me to take his seat. The culture here is so different. They treat people with children as so special. We go to the front of the lines in most places. I love it.

The people mover took us to the plane and we again were ushered up to the front and were able to get situated quickly with only one carryon below our feet- in front of Eli. It was another new Aeroflot plane. Blessings were abounding today!

It seemed to take forever to get everyone boarded and out on the runway. Eli did watch through the window as we approached take off. I know he is too young to have any clue what is happening, but I'm glad he was able to see this.

They served breakfast pretty quickly. But just before they came around, we thought we smelled a dirty diaper. So the boys headed off to the bathroom. They were gone for a while. You'll have to ask Tim about that experience :) I asked if they had food for the children- she said only if you asked in advance. Soooooo- warning to all, when flying with children, be sure to have your agent request a child's meal when booking your next flight. We'll try to get that for our 12 hour flight on thurs.

Our only struggle during the flight came over breakfast. Our little guy is hungry, tired and cranky and I made the oatmeal (I had a packet and got hot water from the stewardess) a little too thin. So, I'm trying to feed him so it doesn't get everywhere. That was challenging.

After that, things went smoothly. We had snacks and played games with the snacks. They brought a little backpack with activities in it when we first boarded and about an hour into the flight they brought an infant pack- with diapers, wipes, bottle, etc in it. I took out the bottle, which had a tight fitting lid, removed the nipple and we had a rattle that served snacks- this made a handful of snacks last almost an hour. He kept getting more and more comfortable sinking deeper and deeper in my lap until he finally lost the fight for wakefulness. He then slept til we arrived in Moscow. What a great trip. I can only hope our 12 hour and then the 2 hour trip back to Ohio go as smoothly.

We got off the plane and went down to the luggage area. Eli was a little bit of a bear at this point- so very ornry. We waited while Papa went and got the 2 bags we had checked. Then began the most difficult part of our journey for me so far. The few hundred feet with me trying to carry him and pull a bag. I thought my arms would break. For those of you in the waiting- start lifting weights!! bulk up those arms ladies!!

Max was waiting for us just on the other side.

We loaded up the van and took off. Tim, Eli and I ended up in the back seat. We weren't sure what was happening next. We assumed we were going to the hotel. Rest up and regroup. That was not to be. Looking back, I can see the wisdom in this- we couldn't check in the hotel yet, and we needed to get our medicals done- so we headed off to do that. It took forever to get there. Probably seemed much longer that it actually was due to the barf fest going on in the back seat. Our poor little guy. One minute singing, the next minute barfing. We had the bag in place, but his little hands came up in automatic reflex and he pushed it aside for just enough time to cover him and Papa in his snacks from the flight. After 2 or 3 more spasms, he seemed to calm down. So I took him while Tim tried to clean up his clothes a little bit. We started to change Eli's clothes- I did have a change with me.

We got the pants on and I felt him tighten up and got the bag there just in time. SO, we left the shirt on and put a bib with the crumb catcher on. He just kept heaving. I felt so bad for him. It was all bile by this point. He didn't even whimper though. I just kept loving on him, trying to keep the bag closed when he wasn't barfing so he wouldn't need to smell it. I am so glad no one else in the van joined him.

We finally got to the office. We quickly dressed him and headed on in. He was subdued for a little bit, and then he wanted to get down and play with the Dini boys. Tim and Greg were filling in our paperwork for the Embassy.

After a little while, Eli and I headed back to the doctor's office. She was very nice. Her English was pretty good and she was great with Eli. She went through the medical info we had been given for Eli and wanted to know if I had any questions. Then I stripped Eli down to his diaper and she did a pretty thorough examination of him- listening to heart- she was able to detect a murmur--but not problem she assured me. Listening to lungs, checking head circumference- weight ( I think 11.8 Kg) and height. She did an abdominal exam while he was lying on the table- squeezed his belly and said he eats too much.... lol

We got dressed and came back out. Since both Dini children still had to be seen (Thomas has had a pretty nasty cough and fever off and on for the whole trip) and I knew Eli hadn't eaten much today, I went out to the van and got the diaper bag and Eli had a snack of pureed baby carrots. He loved it. I liked it the first time.

The second time, on the way back to the visa photo gallery, I wasn't so glad to see them. We were ready though, with the bib in place- caught it all, even the dry heaves. Good thing- didn't have another clean change easily accessible. Good times in the back seat :P

The pics were funny. They took 2- one was goofy serious, the other he was smiling. guess which one they chose for the visa? Yep, the serious goofy one. We laughed.

We finally got back to the hotel. The rooms weren't all available yet, so they put us in a smaller room with the option of changing rooms the next day if it was too small. It was pretty nice- but it was very small. We had a small amount of floor space, so we figured we'd change the next day. So we got what we needed out of our bags and left the rest packed.

We went to lupper at the hotel dining room. Hamburgers and fries..... MMMMMmmmmm was it ever good!! The kitchen staff was great and heated up Eli's canned food so we could feed him, too.

We went back to the room and all laid down for a nap. I think we could have slept forever. I got up at one point to turn the music down a little and was right next to the phone when it rang. Our friend, Lori Jerger, knew we were in the hotel and wanted to touch bases with us. It was sooo nice to finally meet her and Adam face to face. We'd been talking for so long via email and phone.

WE Didn't do much more that evening. One point of interest- Eli now throws a fit when we try to put him on his potty chair. And the ducky- he's terrified of it. Our room was a handicapped room and had no bathtub- only a walkin shower. So bath was abbreviated with him screaming his head off the whole time. Who knows?

We finally all got into bed and drifted off to the sleep of exhaustion. What a day!

American Embassy

Max and Phillip showed up to pick us up right around 1:00pm- 1300 for you military time folks. We sat up front this time and I kept Eli's attention out the front of the van. We were all prepared- bib tied on, plastic bag ready, prayers in place. The trip was pretty short (Thank you, God!!) and no puking on this trip~ He did fall asleep.

When we pulled up, Phillip said we could take nothing with batteries in it. No cameras, no flashlights, no toys with batteries, etc. So we pulled out the camera and little pen light I carry to amuse Eli and got ready to go in. How sad. I wanted to take a photograph- guess I'll just have to paint it with words......

As we approached the building, there was a long line of people already there. We walked to a side entrance and Phillip greeted the security guard. He gave him our passports and a paper that had our invitation on it and we were ushered forward. Eli slept through all this, cradled in my arms as an infant.

The security guards waved their hand held scanner/wands over us and looked through our bags and we entered this nondescript building. We had been looking for an American flag, or some other symbol of America- just a metal door in a concrete building. We had been looking forward to seeing the flag out front.

The room we entered was all white, with high vaulted very plain ceilings in which you could see the ductwork and not much in it (the room). It seemed almost like a converted factory- like you'd see in the movies. A guard desk and the scanning equipment, the "doorway" you walk through to scan for metal. The guard asked if we had anything with batteries in it. We didn't. Then we had to remove our jackets and place them along with my purse and the diaper bag on the belt. Tim had to take off his belt since it set off the metal detector. He helped me remove my jacket while holding Eli and they said we did not need to take off Eli's jacket. This was great since he was still asleep in my arms.

Phillip came through with us and went over to the machine (looked like a parking garage ticket dispenser) and got some tickets from it. We then headed down the hallway. There was a large "holding tank" of people waiting there. They suddenly all got up and surged forward. Oh boy, I thought, we'll be here forever. But Phillip lead us straight past them and off to the left. Come to find out later, these people were waiting to get U.S. visas. Adoptive parents, once again, must get special treatment. Thank you God!

There was a smaller room here. We all sat down. We tried to take Eli's jacket off carefully, but he woke up :( We had hoped for a longer nap, but were content with the 1/2 hour he did get. Tim went up to the first window and paid for the visa. Phillip told us to wait for a little bit and someone would come up to the window #6 and we would need to give them our receipt and # slip he had gotten for us. Once we dropped off that info at desk #6 (actually a window- like at a movie theater- or for those of us in Ohio- like going to the Secretary of State's office), we would need to wait about half and hour and they would flash our number, or call our name at the windows on the other side of the room.

By the time our name was called there were about 8 or 10 other families there. The children that had been adopted were all different ages. Some were the same age as our son- about 2- but many were older- maybe 6-10 or 12 even. It was so wonderful to see the older children finding families!!

We had our "interview" with the agent. Is all info correct? Are we aware of all health concerns? Tim signed a couple more papers- Will you make sure child gets all vaccinations required once in US? Is the spelling of his name correct? Apply for American passport when back in states. He must be aware that he could be conscripted to serve in the army once 18 if he comes over with his Russian passport. He gave us a stack of papers. Be sure not to lose these- keep in carryon- we need them to prove he is our son and to get an American Passport. If they are lost or misplaced, we would have to come back to Russia to get another copy.

After about another 20 minutes, there was a mass rush to the other window. All the families were apparently finished at the same time. Tim went over and got in line and they handed him a manilla envelope. THE manilla envelope. The one that everyone is supposedly going to want to open, but the seal must remain intact until we reach immigration in the Good Ol USA.

The agent had been very nice. He explained during our interview that in Atlanta we take Eli through the domestic line and they will direct us where to go once we get there. We hand over the info- they break the seal and it may be a few minutes, it may be a few hours depending on staffing and how many other families are there ahead of us. When we step foot outside the door, Eli is a US citizen. How cool is that?

Well, we got jackets back on, went down the steps, to the left and out the turnstyle to the outside. We came out right next to the parking lot (to the left) and saw Phillip, Max and of course, our constant travel companions- the Dini family. How great to have this last outing behind us.

We came back to the hotel- again- no barfing. Thank you, God~! Thank you to all who were praying for us!! Phillip talked to us for a little bit in the lobby. He's going to the Russian consulate, so he took our son's passport and info (not the manilla envelope- the other info) and he'll register us. He's coming back to meet us on Wed around 4 or so.

We have been amazed at how well taken care of we are with our agencies. Our facilitators have taken over the Paperwork maze that we have had for so long. It seems all we've had to do since coming over here has been sign here, sign there. What a relief. Though the lack of control in not knowing our schedule more than a day in advance has been a bit challenging, now that we are caring for our son, it is so nice to not have to worry about any of the details.

So, we got back to the room and Eli's pretty tired. Almost 4:30- and we were starving- so, we got the stroller, Eli and all our cold gear and headed on out to the KFC. It was just right around the corner. And sooooo cool. It was all set up as a train- there was a big train- the door was the toilet entrance, the tracks were what you followed to lead up to the ordering area. MMMMM- good and fast.

We stopped at the grocery store on the way back- need more diapers. Go figure! I think Eli is regressing a little. He doesn't want to sit on the potty at all now. So, we aren't forcing it. Hopefully we can pick it back up once we get settled in at home :)

Tomorrow is yet another free day. Whhoooo HHHooo. It's also Babuska Mamaw's birthday. Happy B-day Mamaw! The Dini's are leaving tomorrow- please keep them in your prayers. They've had a family emergency and need to get home as quickly as possible. Oh- I did realize today that tomorrow will be the 5th Tuesday we've been in Russia. Amazing, isn't it? Unbelievable!

Who knows, we may try out Arbat st tomorrow. It's only about a 4 mile round trip. Keeps the shopping down, knowing that we'll have to carry all that we buy back to the hotel. And, Tim says, pack it. Hey, we have an extra bag;0)

Don't think we'll buy internet tomorrow. It's pretty expensive- so we may have to wait until we get home to post again...... we'll see.

No flashbacks now- this post is already too long.

3/24/08 and double flashback....

Ok- so I'm sure by now you've figured out that we posted about 5 days worth of blogging info last night. If not- and you want details- be sure to keep reading.

Yesterday was the strangest Easter I've ever had. I mentioned about my growing appreciation for tradition. So, even though he can't understand English yet, I told Eli all about what Easter is- well in Toddler language.

We went out for dinner last night and were able to keep Eli on schedule all day. Today was pretty much of the same. We meet with Phillip, our translator and go to the American embassy today. I would tell you what we are doing there, but I don't exactly know yet. The letting go of any planning has probably been the most difficult part for me, and part of why I am trying to get it all down for future reference- for us to remember, and for other families coming along to have at least somewhat of an idea of what to expect.

Ok- I'll pass this tidbit on from Lori and Adam Jerger. When eating breakfast in the fancy hotel restaurant, if you only want a little bit of breakfast, order what individual items you want instead of opting for the buffet. This can cut your bill for the parents down from $80 or more per breakfast to only $40 or $50. Have I mentioned that Moscow it the most expensive city on earth? It's true. We're experiencing it.

We got the internet for 24 hours (thus all the posting we've been doing off line for the last several days) so I'll be able to give an update on how this afternoon goes. Please pray with us that Eli doesn't get motion sick again. He has yet to travel for more than a few minutes without vomiting. We're going to try sitting up front this time and see how much that will help.

Flashback 3/18/08

Pretty much the same as any other day. No real exciting things happening. Stuck to schedule again. Tim is feeling better and able to get out of the room a little more.

I got the boys down for a nap again and went grocery shopping again. Well, I must admit, my friends with children weren't kidding on the amount of diapers one consumes when parenting a small child. Wow!! We are always happy to vacate the room so Housekeeping can come in and empty the trash. Even with the cute scented bags- phew!!! We are very excited every time he poops in the potty- that much less stink when we open the trash can :)

Room service again was wonderful. This time we both got fried chicken. I think it may taste so good because it is familiar to us. No strange seasonings. No bizaare presentation. Just good old fried chicken. Can't wait to get home and have our own home cooked meals~!

Lena came by and we were able to settle our debt with her. That was very nice. Before we were handing over our money in the van just out side the airport before they dropped us off. It felt so wierd and clandestine. This was much better. She also gave us the paperwork we needed to give Phillip. I can't wait to get that back- all the court decrees and official paperwork.

Flashback 3/19/08
(Ok- Tim and Eli have been gone for a while now, roaming the halls of the hotel- maybe playing with one of the other children here in the hotel......so I'll keep going to get caught up......)

Wednesday was our last day in Krasnoyarsk. Tim was feeling much better. Thank you all soo much for your prayers and thank you God for your divine intervention.

After breakfast, playing and a snack, we headed back to the toy store to exchange the boots we had purchased for Eli- they were too small. The ladies were so helpful. They made sure the shoes fit well- we even got a wee bit too big, so maybe, just maybe, they'll fit next winter. Probably not- but they are cute!

He doesn't want to walk at all now. We've spoiled him, I think. Uh Uh Uh with the arms upraised. Universal for pick me up, mama~~

Well, since we knew we were leaving at 4:30 the next morning, we thought we'd try to throw his schedule off a little. Great idea in theory. Not so nice in practice.

We got back and fed an early lunch and put him down for a nap. His little system knew it wasn't yet nap time- even though he was pretty tired. He finally fell asleep- after quite a while, and then we woke him early to head out for a late lunch with Sherri. She had gone to a restaurant with our friend, N, just up from the toy store, kinda like the Mongolian grill. It was pretty tasty. Our son was pretty testy. We headed back to the hotel for a fun afternoon of a cranky toddler.

We tried to put him down early, thinking he would sleep, since he'd be soo tired. Are all you seasoned parents laughing at our reasoning now? We are, in retrospect. He didn't actually go to sleep until almost 8:45. After an exhausting 1/2 hour -45 minutes.

Then we started packing. I was so brain dead at this point, it's amazing we got everything packed. We still had a lot of time left with the internet, so when we finished packing, we called parents and friends- around 12:30am we finally hit the sack.

Back to the present-
Well the boys are here and we have to go. Hopefully, we'll be able to post more later........

3/23/08

Happy Easter to all! What a day- the day we celebrate the indescribable gift God gave to us- the ability to be adopted into His kingdom as His sons and daughters. After our struggles in this earthly adoption and the length of time it has taken, I have another view on this Holy day. Thank you, God, for caring enough for us to pursue us, no matter what the cost. You gave Your all to secure a place by your side forever in heaven. How incredibly humbling.

I’m realizing the importance of developing traditions as I sit here in a hotel room, halfway around the world from my family and church family. Easter doesn’t seem the same without the celebration and traditions we always partake in. As I’m typing, the first service at church is about ready to begin. I wish we could be there celebrating with everyone.

Really wish we could be there. Our suite in Krasnoyarsk was like an apartment- 2 rooms- we had everything down to a science. Here, the hotel is much more luxurious- remember how wonderful I mentioned the bed was from last time? Still amazing. But there is only so much you can do to keep an active toddler entertained in such a small space. There really isn’t a lot of room to just let him run in the halls, either. I realize how spoiled we are as Americans. For many here in Russia, the space we have is much more than what they live in year round.

Today is pretty much the same- up at 7- breakfast, find stuff to do, snack, find stuff to do, lunch, nap, snack, find stuff to do, supper, find stuff to do, bath, snack and bed. Pretty mundane. Interspersed in throughout some amazing tantrums, some giggles and laughter, some correction, a few yawns and a growing bond between this child that we still feel many times that we are baby sitting.

It’s pretty cool to become introspective and see the changes in my heart as I go from babysitting mode to mommy mode. I would love to tell you its all mommy mode- but it is so different to go to instant motherhood. Though our process has taken over 2 years to complete, I’ve not really had time to get to know my child- just his physical appearance through the pics we had from the first 3 hours with him.

Throw on top of that a toddler thrown off from a schedule that has never changed before, being introduced to a whole new world and his new caregivers always asking te hoshesh- do you want….. He’s never had choices before. And I don’t think he’s ever had correction before. Not many boundaries are needed when you live your life in a 15X15 childproof room with 15 other children. When I look at it that way, he is doing fabulously. I guess that means we’re the ones that need help :0) Tired, sometimes grumpy, longing for the comforts of home (like using the tap water to brush teeth, or being able to jump in the car and go when we need to, being able to cook!!), we really can’t wait to see you all!!

Ok-
Flashback 3/17/08

Monday was a little better. Tim slept a little better. I continued to check his forehead through the night, and got some Advil in him a couple of times. Finally, around 5 or so, the fever seemed to break!! Yeah!!

Tim was able to join us for breakfast, but he still was unable to eat, due to the discomfort of his throat. It was nice just to have him up and out with us. His pallor was still there, but he was able to get out. Our little guy is like clockwork. I am amazed that I’m awake every morning so early- about 6:30am- so I can get dressed and ready to go before Eli wakes up. OK, if we’re going to be totally honest here, I want to make sure I get my teeth brushed before I pick up my son so he doesn’t fear the dragon breath lady :0)

Tim had to leave to take care of some paper work. He was only gone about ½ hour, but boy did it drain him.

Our biggest accomplishment today- we got Eli’s hair cut. Without being able to speak Russian, it was a bit more difficult, and he ended up with a Russian cut (combed forward from the back of the head to his forehead- but shorter on sides (above ears) and shorter in back. He looks like a little boy now:0)

He did so well. I sat him on my lap and he sat relatively still for the young lady cutting his hair. Only 120 R- about $5. As we were preparing to leave, the ladies were all discussing how much he looks like his Papa. Isn’t God amazing to bring us half way around the world to meet and adopt our son?

We did our first room service on Monday. It was pretty simple. Eli and I walked all around the hotel, looking for the hotel cat- Koishka- we went down to the café and ordered fried chicken and pelmini in broth. About 45 minutes later, they brought in our dinner. We had already fed Eli, so he happily sampled a little bit of our adult food. He ate everything offered- bell peppers, pickled mini corns, pickled mushrooms. How funny to see a child eating this stuff. (BTW- he won’t eat many fruits or veggies now- I guess too much te hoshish from Mama and Papa.)
MMMmmmmm- the fried chicken was wonderful. It tasted soooo good. Tim and I both hadn’t eaten a “meal” since Thursday- it had just been “snacking” in the room.

More bath time fun- amazing to watch how much fun our son has in the little duck. We were so incredibly happy that we brought this along. He splashed and splashed- he’d get mad at the water and slap it- which made him madder- because it splashed him back- then he’d start giggling. It was the washing himself that was the funniest, though. Standing up and smacking his little butt. We were in tears, again, tonight, just as we had been the night before. Tim tried to get a little video of it, but Eli was splashing so much, the camera was in danger of drowning :0P

Bed time was pretty simple again. We put him down, and if he cries with a frightened cry, pick him up for about a minute and talk to him, and he seems fine. AAAhhhhhh- peaceful bliss as we watch our son sleeping. What a special time- as we stand there looking over him sleep. What a great time to pray for him, holding him close to God.

We called several people on Skype after Eli went to sleep. Today is Mom’s birthday, and Brian’s birthday. Also St Patrick’s Day- Happy Day all!!

3/22/08

OK- so we made it to Moscow. I am so far behind right now- I’ve decided to post currently and have flashbacks to those first few days.

We walked to the Kremlin today with 3 other families here. I think there are currently 5 families here in this hotel, just from our agency. Crazy isn’t it? Tim was able to go out to dinner with everyone last night- they all had a blast. Elisha’s having a challenge with the time change. He is doing really well, I’m sure, for being 2, having a 4 hour time change, being with new people and being totally overwhelmed with all this new stuff.

Whoever created the stroller- thank you! What an amazing invention. We probably walked 2 or 3 miles today- our little trouper took an hour long nap and we got a pic of our sleeping baby with Mama and Papa in front of St Basil’s. Kinda bumpy over the cobble stone, but he slept through it all- until we stopped. Then he was awake the whole way home.

I’m sure this is totally normal for little ones thrown off their schedules, but my, oh my, the tantrums our little guy can throw. I wonder how much of it is not being able to communicate and how much is that he’ll be 2 in few months. I guess the amazing part is how quickly he gets over it. I’m praying Tim and I will be given the grace from God to be able to let it go as quickly. I’ve never felt the being away from home for so long as I do now. The majority of the time this experience with our child is the most amazing thing. But those few moments of temper and pushing boundaries are sooo wearying. We really can’t wait to be home. The thought of going through this time change yet again is exhausting to think about.

Yet, in all this, I know he is doing well. Somehow, he is now terrified of the bath. The last 2 nights I look at our son as we struggle to clean him and want to say, “Who are you, and what have you done with my son?” I guess it all goes back to keeping on schedule, doesn’t it?

Since he only had an hour nap in the stroller today, he was really out of control- the slightest thing and he was throwing himself down, kicking and screaming- grabbing the closest thing and if covers, jerking off, if shoes, throwing them. I wish we could communicate better.

OK- why is it when we are at that point of exhaustion that we dwell only on the negative. Our little guy can be so sweet. He loves to get our shoes for us. He likes to make sure everyone is taken care of- Papa had to have crackers and so did Mama during snack time. He loves La La- and was dancing with the music. He was an angel during our whole walk- when not sleeping, he was singing and “stroller dancing”- it was so cute.

But when we tried to put him down for a nap when we got back, due to his overall crabbiness- it took almost 40 minutes for him to finally fall asleep. I was hoping he’d sleep for about an hour and then we’d go out to dinner. I have been learning that making plans when one has little children is a feat few can successfully tackle.

Flashback:
Sunday- 3/16 Day 2 as parents

Eli woke up right on time. The schedule seems to be key in keeping him balanced. We went to breakfast by ourselves, since Tim was feeling so poorly. I was so concerned about him. Eli slept all night, but Tim was breathing as rapidly and shallowly as if he was running a marathon. He was so hot I didn’t even have to touch him to feel the heat. I laid there all night praying for him, praying for health.

After breakfast, Eli and I walked down to the lobby and I was able to introduce him to our new friend, N, who was picking Sherri up for church. She was so happy to be able to meet this little guy. I was so happy to be able to introduce them.

I asked her if she would be able to stop at the pharmacy and pick up some Bactrim for Tim. I didn’t know if it required a prescription here in Siberia, but since he had blisters on his throat, I figured we’d better get something started. She said she’d be glad to stop and check on it for us. I was so grateful.

The day was a pretty standard one for us. Play, walk, potty, eat. I was trying to keep Eli quiet and out of the room so Papa could sleep and get better. I started to get Eli ready to go outside with me for a little bit and he blew up- crying, really carrying on. I couldn’t figure out why. I looked up in our book how to say we were going outside to play- I said that to him and he was immediately fine. I think he may have thought we were taking him back. How sad- yet how exciting. He seems to love being with us.

A little more personality is coming out each day- he loves to sing. Everything is a song. Tim and I keep saying, just like his Mama and just like his Papa as he does different things. I guess it’s part of our bonding process, too.

I got the boys put down for a nap and then went to the grocery store to pick up some more supplies. I guess I lost my smile somewhere in the exhaustion (only partly :0)
And my clothes must fit the part- I had another person stop and ask me for directions, in Russian. That’s kinda fun. Feeling like I can blend in….. As long as I don’t start talking …….:0)

N was able to get the antibiotic for Tim. Sherri, God bless her heart, brought them up to us in the afternoon. It is terrible to be sick at all, but in a foreign country, the day you become a Papa. How awful!

Bathtime was another great experience. I stood him up and washed his little behind. I name all the body parts as we are washing and he imitates me and washes them several times after I give him the washcloth. Belly, feet, arms, face, hair, bottom. I have to admit, this is one of the funniest things we’ve seen so far. He pulls himself up, takes the washcloth and smacks his behind with it- to wash it. Tim and I were on floor rolling with laughter. I think we were both crying, we were laughing so hard. How amazing this journey has been so far. I am sooo thankful that God is covering us in such grace, as Tim is sick and we are suddenly parents to a toddler in a foreign land in a hotel room. God’s grace is amazing. Thank you God for supplying all our needs. Your riches are so abundant and amazing.

Back to present day-
Oh… My….. Goodness…… I think I have an inkling about part of my problem. I’ve been trying to do this mostly on my own. God has been holding me up for so long, think I’ve forgotten He’s there.

Precious Jesus. How amazing this journey is and has been. I am so thrown off my schedule it is only now sinking in that tomorrow is Easter- the day we celebrate the amazing sacrifice you made on our behalf so we could be adopted into your family. I sit here in tears as I reflect on the love you have for me. Even when I’ve acted as a child and not understood that you were being a loving parent. I may not understand, just like Eli doesn’t understand, and I may throw a fit, just as he is doing, because you don’t meet the needs I request in the timeframe I’d like and answer- thank you that you never give up.

Thank you for refining us into the purified silver you’d have us to be. May we always remember just what you made possible when you gave everything for us. Oh how I love you! I am so sorry for putting you on the back burner for a couple of days. Thank you for continuing to guide and direct us as we raise this little guy to be a son of yours as well as ours. May we worship you with our lives- not just in words!

Day One of Parenthood

The first night, I didn’t sleep at all. Every slight noise and I was up. Tim was also hyper vigilant. We needn’t have been- Eli slept until 6:30!! He woke up and Tim was in immediately- no tears- he went to his Papa. What a way to start day 1 as a family! We got up and dressed casually and went to breakfast.

It is amazing to watch this little guy feed himself. I wouldn’t have even tried it, but we were able to watch him eat lunch that last day. So, we put a bib on him, with the tail resting on the table. His bowl goes on top of that and then he sits forward and eats. Amazing. We did give him a teaspoon. In the orphanage, he ate with a tablespoon, the size of our serving spoons. He even takes the spoon and catches the drips on the side. It is kinda unreal.

He is so quiet. He is taking it all in, I guess. I’m sure he’ll let us inside soon. I keep seeing some little prankster boy peeking out from that quiet exterior. Moiy Malish- My baby.
We came back to the room and changed him into his little man outfit for his picture. How cute! So, we soon have this handsome son- refer to picture of him in earlier post- with a button down shirt, sweater vest and cords on, along with his snazzy new shoes.

We headed on down to the lobby so we could travel to the photo place. We boarded the van again- this time I asked if we could sit in the front seat. I had the plastic bag ready, open and waiting to collect any breakfast that might be offered up. I also used his jacket like a blinder- so he couldn’t look out the sides. Worked like a charm- when prepared for the worst, the best usually happens….. :)

We got to the photo shoppe and disembarked from the van. We went in for the picture. Quite nondescript room- looks like a room at Sears or any other photo place. The camera man was directing Tim, who was holding Eli, how to sit and stand Eli on his lap so the picture wouldn’t have Tim in it. Eli, looking around, suddenly felt a little insecure- so he reached his arms out to me and said Mama and leaned over for me to take him……. OK, are you going AAAWWWwwwwww, Debbie. OK, I am! How incredible a feeling it is to feel you can comfort this child. I know I feel so connected with him, as I’ve been falling in love with him for so long now- but to have him come to me for comfort in less than 24 hours is too humbling to even begin to talk about. Thank you God for answered prayers!

So, I take him, snap, snap, all done- jackets back on and load em up. Only this time, Yelena said for me to sit in back with Eli and Tim and Greg to sit in front seat. They needed to get out and sign some paperwork. So, I prayed. And I got in the back seat. I had the bag ready. No treats for you!! (Again, soup Nazi voice) I also did the whole blinder thing with his jacket to keep him looking straight ahead. Well, guess what…….. He did fabulously. No puking on this trip!

We got back to the room and wondered if we should put him on the potty. He had been resting on the potty several times a day at the orphanage. SO, we thought we’d try it. I was afraid he’d be scared of the big potty. But no!! He sat on it and peed. We were so excited. WE had seen the caregiver singing to all the children as they sat on their pots, so we sang a little to Eli. He joined in,,,,, La lalalalala la la. Then, suddenly, without warning there was a kerplop. Tim and I looked at each other and into the toilet. Our sons first BM in the toilet?????? How cool is that? I started singing the Hallelujah chorus. I got the bass part- King of Kings then did the soprano part- Hallelujah, Hallelujah. He grinned at me and did an imitation of the bass part and then followed with Lujah Lujah. This has become our potty song. :0)

So, we played, we ate, we pooped. What a great family life!!

After his “second breakfast” we prepared to go to the toy store. We thought the little potty seat would be much better for him, and easier for us. We also didn’t have a brush for his babyfine hair. So we walked to and around the store. He did really well. I was afraid he might go into overload with all the toys, but he just looked. The only time he went to something was the wagon with the sand toys in it. Sand toys. In Siberia. Hmmm. Do you find that odd?

He liked the big bear- bolshoy mishka- at the bottom of the steps.

I’ll just pause a moment here to mention what a wonderful friendship I’ve developed with Sherri. Isn’t it amazing how God knits our hearts together with others and forms such sweet koininea? She has been with us throughout our story, here and there like a fine gold highlight. I am so thankful she is here.

Tim wasn’t feeling very well, so the walk to the toy store was a stretch for him. We got back and he ordered Pelmini for us- yeah room service.

After feeding Eli his lunch, we put him down in the crib for his nap. I laid him down and told him see Chas te Hee chahs- it’s naptime. He laid down, I covered him and he looked around for a moment, yawned and fell asleep. I looked at Tim and said that was too easy. So we went about our activities. Of course a little quieter, but still rustling plastic and moving about the room. No wakey wakey!!! This will be important when we get home, since our house is pretty open and sound carries well. I know, some of you are thinking, wait just a few more months, when he turns 2 and then tell us how it is….. well, I’ll enjoy each moment and each blessing and each challenge and savor the small joys that flavor the whole journey. Oh, and Micki- you are right. It is the times they throw their arms around your neck, and even if they can’t say it, you can see they love you that make it all so wonderful!

He slept until almost 3!! Two and ½ hours! Room service came and we quietly ate our Pelmini. Little did we know it would be our last meal for a couple of days.
When he woke up, we gave him his snack, still marveling at how well he feeds himself.
We played, went for walks around the hotel, played, poo’d.

I had been initially concerned when he didn’t poo the first night or morning we had him. Boy have I let go of that concern. We’ve purchased 3 bags of diapers so far, and he poos in the potty!! My friends were right when they spoke of the endless diapers. And who would ever guess that I’m thankful for sinus congestion. WOW!! These diapers smell!! Even the cute scented bags don’t quite cut it!

OK, then comes the most fun part of the day- bathtime!! You have only to look at the pics Tim put up to see how much fun this is. Our little guy is finally seeming to come out. We’re seeing this little man we’ve never seen before. And we like. Very much. Dare I say so soon- we love- deeper than we ever thought possible!

Snack was a little milk and then bedtime. So we got the book out, sat quietly and read and then prayed together. I put him down for bed, told him PahRah spaht’- bed time- He laid back, I pulled up the covers and he was out in about 5 minutes or less. WOW. Let me repeat that! WOW! 8:30pm and our first day as parents closed peacefully.

What a beautiful day!
Tim and I weren’t hungry- in fact, we both felt a little nauseous. Tim admitted his throat was feeling quite terrible and he felt soo hot. HHHmmmmm. So- off to bed we all went.

Gotcha Day 3/14/08

Detailed version:
The day started like any other. We slept in a little later than usual- Just ‘cause we could.

I went down to the lobby and met Yelena when she was picking up Sherri. One o’clock is when we were to come and meet her to change rooms.

So, we hung out, relaxing, kinda waiting for 1:00 to come around. When it did, we went downstairs. Our Floor Maid had come to our room around 12:30, so we were uncertain with the language barrier if she was telling us we needed to switch rooms now. So, when we couldn’t find Yelena, we went ahead and switched rooms. Yeah! It’s kinda weird, knowing we did it on our own.

We moved all our belongings to our new room- the same one Chris and Penny had been in 2 weeks ago. Has it been that long already? It was here that I had my “mini-meltdown.” I had been looking forward all week to having shelves. I was soo tired of living out of the suitcase. I had it all planned out how I was going to organize everything- but when we got here- no shelves!! No way to organize or baby proof anything! I was beyond frustration at this point- I just wanted to sit down and revel in my angst. Do you ever feel that way?

Tim pointed out, as only he can, that this really isn’t a big deal. It is Siberia after all. I know this rationally, but my mental state had a mini-meltdown. Whew!! Glad to get that over with. Soon, we had everything unpacked and “put away”. I have to say- Tim’s idea to use the window as our dresser was genius!! Our stuff is out of the way and organized. Hmmmm….. No shelf needed after all :0) Only- our clothes are really cold in the morning :0) lol

So, our last meal was noodles and pb and j in the room- we had ½ hour left before we were to meet and travel to the orphanage and pick up our sons- Oh my!! We realized we had no milk. So we walked very quickly to the grocery store to stock us up for a few days. We made it back just in time.

The trip was like another groundhog day. Traveling out to the orphanage- only the mood in the car was different. A different expectation. A charge to the air. No Thomas- he stayed behind with Sherri. As we sped toward our “birth” into parenthood, there were so many emotions and thoughts. Not enough space to record them all.

We arrived and of course, all 4 of us had to use the rest room. Serge teased that he was going to start a new career- taking Americans to the bathroom… hehe

We headed up to the “music room” just as we had so many other times. It was kinda sad in a way, knowing we’d never come here again. I thought of all the children still here- especially the beautiful little Asian girl in our son’s playgroup. Serge said she would probably never be adopted, just because Asian children aren’t requested from Russia. How incredibly sad.

Of course, Andrey was brought right in. After a few minutes settling the tears, Greg and Jeannette were able to change him into his new clothes. Tim was able to record the whole thing for them on their video camera. About 15 minutes later Yelena entered and we looked up expectantly. She asked where our baby was- we didn’t know.

Serge had disappeared, so I thought maybe he had gone to get him. Then we heard the siren’s yell. From the other end of the orphanage all the way up the steps to our room, we followed the progression of tears from our son. He was quite inconsolable and unhappy. We finally resorted to some fruit snacks. Hmmmmm these were new- he liked them. We were able to get him dressed, but he still wasn’t very happy with us. As each article of clothing was removed, he’d cry again. Not a very happy start!

He finally settled down. Since we were going right out to the van, they said we wouldn’t need to put his heavy snow suit pants on. I was so glad. They are very warm. As we left the music room, he cheered up. Who knew- it was the room? The ladies in the kitchen were all saying goodbye. It was very touching. So sad- these wonderful ladies grow attached to the children, so this must be such a double edged sword for them. Love to see the children in families- knowing they’ll never see them again.

Well, our departure was nothing compared to the Dini’s. Theirs was heart wrenching. The caregiver there to say goodbye to their son was a wreck. She said he was like her son and it was so hard to let him go. What a departure! Pray for her as she grieves the loss of this precious little guy.

We got out to the van. Eli was not very sure of the van- not sure at all. We were there first, so we got in the back seat. He was starting to cry- Serge turned up the music. Eli loves the La La- music. He settled right down.

It was so amazing to see him as he saw all these new things. I don’t think he’d ever been beyond the gates of the orphanage, since a few months from birth. He was doing so well. Just looking around. Then he discovered the Machinas cars outside the van windows. I should have known better than to let him watch. It was his only window to the outside world, though, and I wanted him to be able to look out. About 20 min from the hotel, we straightened up a bit, and he leaned back against me. He was getting a little limp- I thought he was falling asleep. Then, suddenly, and without warning, he upchucked. Pucked. Vomited. Spewed. Take your pick, he did them all. We weren’t quite prepared for that. The Elmo blanket, his clothes and jacket, Mama’s jacket all caught the majority of the mess. Amazingly, and wonderfully, he didn’t cry at all. Didn’t even whimper. He fell asleep!!

I must say, can you see the humor in this? I’ve been comparing this to a pregnancy during the whole process. I guess you could say that our water finally broke. Kinda stinky, yet a thorough baptism. My baby was covered in sticky green stuff. You have to laugh at the irony here hehehe

We rushed him in and up to the room when we got to the hotel. So much for not messing with bathing that first night. We had heard horror stories of the first bath and didn’t want anything too tramatic. That decision was removed from our hands. We stripped him down in the “foyer” of our room and went into the bathroom. I held him while we watched Papa blow up the inflatable bath tub rubber ducky. Cutest thing- got it at target- when you squeeze the bill it goes quack quack quack several times.

He was looking very unsure and panicked at this point. I said La La and squeezed the duck’s bill. His head came right around and he wanted to see what was happening. I stood him in the tub and his eyes got really big- not quite sure what was going on. I set him down in the water and he became a little more subdued. I put my hand in the water and splashed a little bit of water on his belly. That was all it took. A smile spread across his face, and it was as if the sun came out in our world. La La he said, pointing to the duck’s head. The duck quacked and we washed and all was right and much better smelling in our world.

We scooped him out and laid him down on the bed to put lotion on. He wasn’t so sure about that, but was soon all ready for bed. We went ahead and fed him a little food, knowing he’d be hungry if he didn’t eat- since he lost his dinner. Around 9 we Skyped our parents to say hi and show video of our son. He began acting a little crazy (as most children do that are up past their bedtime) so we kept our conversations short and around 9:15 put our little guy down. He wasn’t very happy and threw his leg over the bassinet (the cribs were being used by other families). I told him it was bedtime and laid him back down. He banged his head (gently) for a few minutes. I went over and rubbed his back and spoke quietly to him. The head banging stopped, and he began kicking his feet.

After a couple of minutes and both of us gently rubbing his back and speaking to him, he fell asleep. Soundly. We were able to move about the room and do dishes and talk quietly and he didn’t stir. Thank you, God! He sleeps like his Papa :0) We did leave the lamp on- have each night. I had read many families saying this seemed to make a difference. It sure makes it easier to check on him- I’m thinking they must leave a little lamp on in their room in the orphanage.

Short version:
folks you already got it:)

pictures!

Ok- They say a picture is worth a thousand words- who needs words with this face?


I love this bath!!

La La La with Papa- He loves to sing!!


Handsome man- all ready for pictures for passport...


First Poo Poo in the big potty- what a moment!! We are so proud of our son!



Bath time fun! He calls the duck a La La- 'cause it makes sounds when you squeeze it's bill... Boy did he have fun splashing-I think I was almost as wet as he...... :0) lol


Ahhhh- the beautiful slumber of the innocence of youth...... And you ask why I can't sleep? Could you, if you could watch this all night long?

Later.......

Short Accounts

Ok- I know you are all dying to hear what's going on- here are the short versions- I'll try to get details in later.

Friday eve:
Picked up Eli from orphanage. He was not a happy camper. Finally got quieted-then he was fine. Very wide eyed in van- about 15-20 min from hotel- he puked all over us- Mount Vesuvious has a rival!
So much for not bathing :)

We rushed him in when we got here- gave a bath- went soooo well- with the inflatable duck tub from Target.

Had light dinner and then to bed just a bit past 9-very little fuss.

He slept till 6:30am- no waking- I know because I was awake all night listening for him. I was a light sleeper before- ........

Sat am- he woke up- day went smoothly- stuck to the schedule. Tim started feeling poorly. Went to toy store with Eli- got a potty seat- he's peed several times in the potty seat and pooped on the big potty. How amazing is that? We are quite blown away by it.

For all you following behind us- STICK TO THE SCHEDULE!!! He has done so well.

Bedtime was about 8:30- both nap and bed- laid him down- no fuss!!

Last night was rough. Eli slept all night- but Tim has been feverish- he was sooo hot. I am so glad Eli is doing well- we tried to stay very quiet today so Papa could sleep and recover more quickly.

I'm pretty sure it's strep. Sounds like maybe a flu bug on top of it. My friend N. was able to get us the Russian version of Bactrim today to get him started- Hallelujah!! We've all been praying soo much. I think his fever broke sometime this am, and since he started the antibiotic this afternoon, he is already starting to feel slightly better. Many prayers would be appreciated.

So, no blogging for a while- sorry. The WiFi has been up, but we've been down.

Can't wait to have time to give the detailed posts. Many would say it'll never happen. It may- it may just take a little longer to get it done.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my 2 guys? SOOOO MUCH!!!

More later