Trip 2 - Day 16: We Survived!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! As Veterans ourselves, both Norm and I feel especially patriotic this time of year. THANK YOU to all of our Veterans for serving our great nation and protecting the rights and freedoms we all hold so dear. Thank you to the military families who endure so much when their loved ones are deployed. Thank you to those who gave all... We feel very fortunate that in 5 days, our son will be a US Citizen, and he too will know the freedom that everyone deserves!

No more stomach rot - yippee! A huge THANKS to everyone who posted well wishes on the blog, sent us private emails, or chatted with us on the phone and offered much needed pity! It wasn't the best 2 days we've had in Moscow but we did in fact survive.

Moscow had beautiful weather for us today. Since Pasha needed to pick up our adoption decree from the courthouse this afternoon, we had a short visit with Ilya. I don't think he was feeling well at all. His little face felt very warm, he seemed upset, and wasn't really interested in much. He has some toofers coming in, and I hope that's the only thing bothering him. He did perk up when Pasha started playing different ring tones on his cell. We tried to teach him how to dance a little bit, and I'm pretty sure we have the next Dancing with the Stars winner on our hands! I am so happy that we brought some children's CD's along with us. Hopefully this will help to entertain Ilya in the coming days. Please pray for Ilya tonight that he feels better tomorrow. It's going to be a confusing day for the little guy anyway. We don't want him stressed anymore than we can help.


I've been experiencing a wide range of emotions today. Excitement, nervousness, giddiness, and yes even fear. I am thrilled that come tomorrow, Ilya will be with us forever. Yet, I worry. I'm concerned about the confusion and fear he will face in the coming days. We are taking him from the only home he has ever known, and from caregivers whom he obviously loves and is attached to. We know that this transition is in his best interest but he'll have no idea what's going on or why. There will most likely be good and bad days for him over the coming weeks. I pray we will be able to comfort him when he's scared and that he can feel the unconditional love we already have for him. I pray that he too will feel unconditional love for us. I pray he learns to trust us, and that soon he learns what "mommy" and "daddy" truly mean in the life of a child. I pray that I can be at least 1/2 the parent that my parents were/are to me!

I also pray for the children who are left behind, especially those who are close to turning 4 and will face being moved from their baby home to a brand new orphanage with new caretakers, new friends, new schedules, new foods, new beds, new toys, new everything. Each of these children deserves what Ilya will have tomorrow - parents who love and care for them forever, who are there to kiss their boo-boos, to encourage them to do their best, to rejoice in their victories and to cry in their defeats, parents who will protect them from all the hurts they can, who will laugh at their jokes and celebrate their accomplishments. Parent who are just that - parents!


Our journey to Ilya has provided me an opportunity to grow in so many ways, and to be that much more grateful for certain privileges and comforts I realized I often take for granted. There are so many children all over the world who long for simple things such as clean water, food on their plates, parents who love them, homes to live in, families to call their own, toys to play with, clothes and shoes to wear... Please remember these children and pray without ceasing for each of them. Pray for their parents, their caregivers, all those they trust to help them simply survive. Pray that each of these individuals feels the hand of God reaching out to them, offering to help. Pray that they accept the help that only God can provide...

Anyway, when we left the apartment this morning, our bedroom looked like this:




When we returned, it looked like this (note the crib by the window!!):



The stuffed lion is a gift from David, our apartment manager (who, by the way is AWESOME!):



David also delivered Ilya's highchair and a bottle sterilizer w/ 4 bottles:



Speaking of gifts, Becky & Keith gave this to Ilya:



And we're delivering these tomorrow to Ilya's caregivers and orphanage:


David also left us a stack of bedding for Ilya in case we have any accidents, as well as extra towels for our boy and wipes. There is no charge for these amenities, David does it out of the kindness of his heart. To quote him directly, he is "more interested in making sure adoptive parents' final days in Moscow are as comfortable and stress free as possible, NOT making money off of them by charging for things their child will obviously need and they cannot bring."

Norm & I have felt so comfortable in this apartment and it has made the last 1/2 of our stay in Moscow superb! Really, I can't state enough how much we have enjoyed renting this apartment and we highly recommend other families consider doing so as well. Check out Best Moscow Apartments when you're making your travel plans.


So, tomorrow's the day. Around noon we'll head to the orphanage to pick up Ilya, make our way to the passport office, and return to the apartment for our first night as a FAMILY. I doubt I'll get much sleep tonight anticipating Ilya's arrival. The lives of 3 people will change dramatically in a few hours. What a blessing we have all been given!