Last day! Last day!

Hurray!  We are in the final stretch!  I was so tired last night and decided to take an Ambien.  Well, I think that I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, and I did not open my eyes until 6:53 the next morning!  I could not believe it.  I don't think that I have done that on any of my nights here previously.  Of course, that means that I am adjusting to this time and that I will have horrible jet lag when I get home, but I will have many helpers and will take lots of naps to get over it!  The good night's sleep will also help with the long journey home tomorrow.

I had to wake Maggie up again this morning at 7:15, and I didn't hear a peep out of her all night long.  I think that we have a good sleeper on our hands!  Praise the Lord!  I am praying that it continues when we get home, although I am sure that it will take some time for her to adjust to her new surroundings.  We got up and played for a couple of hours in the hotel while dad packed and showered.  He then took Maggie down to the lobby so I could shower and start the process of packing.  It is about a 24 hour trip home (with a 10 hour time change) so I am making sure that I have everything that I could possibly need for Maggie in my carry-on.  I am preparing for the worst, but praying for the best.  She seems to be easily adaptable and such a happy baby at this point, but you never know!  I have heard some nightmares from more than one adoptive parent so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

After I got about half way packed dad and I decided to check out the little festival at the Anglican Church across the street from the hotel.  It was nice to hear so many people speaking English!  The priest is British and I also heard a lot of Americans.  They had a bunch of food, raffle items, and little booths where you could buy items set up all around.  They also had fun kids crafts and were going to have Christmas carols later in the afternoon.  It lasts all day long and I think is a popular even for families in the city.  We didn't stay too long since we were all getting hungry and really weren't interested in buying anything.

Today is the warmest day we have had thus far and we actually saw the sun for a little bit of our walk! (Good thing we aren't going to be here next week as it is going to be -14 degrees Celcius on Tuesday!!) I would guess that it was in the high 30s when we waked to lunch, but the weather is supposed to get colder this afternoon and the clouds are already rolling in.  We enjoyed our walk and the sun, however, on our way to Pizza Express - a favorite!  After a great lunch of chicken caesar salads and cokes, we took the long way back to the hotel and enjoyed walking in Moscow for one last afternoon.  We got back to the hotel around 1:00 and I put Maggie down for her nap.  She was falling asleep in the carrier so it was perfect timing for her nap.

I spent the first part of her nap gathering food and deciding what I needed to take on my carry-on, what I could pack in my checked luggage, and what I was going to leave with the Texas family I met last night.  She was telling me last night that she was not well-prepared and really didn't have enough food for her little one.  They went to the market around the corner but didn't have much luck.  Luckily for her, I was overly prepared and brought WAY too much food so I am making a generous donation of snacks!  And it helps me out because I don't have to pack it!

We leave the hotel for the airport tomorrow morning at 7:45 for our 10:45 flight to Paris.  We have a 4 hour layover in Paris and then a 10 hour flight to Atlanta.  I am DREADING tomorrow, but I know that dad will be a huge help!  Please pray that we are safe and that everything goes smoothly and that God's peace will cover us in our travels.

Nasty Day in Moscow

It was a nasty day in Moscow.  The total snowfall for the past two days was almost two feet and then today it warmed up enough to turn into slush.  Dirty, yucky slush.  And to add to that slush there was some nice freezing rain.  It was just gorgeous!  But dad and I ventured out anyway since I was going completely stir-crazy.

But let me back up a little bit.  Last night went really well.  Maggie slept through the night and I actually had to wake her up at 7:15 this morning.  Of course that was great for Maggie but I was still up at 3:00.  At least I went to bed at 9:00 and got about 6 hours of sleep.  I still look like a train-wreck, however, and am very ready to get back home!

After I woke her up this morning, we had breakfast and played at the hotel for a couple of hours.  Although the weather was the pits, we still decided to go ahead with our plan. We walked the 20 minutes over to Red Square and went to the mall to thaw out. I did not wear my long johns and literally had ice crystals on my jeans.  Maggie was nice and warm besides her cheeks since she was in the baby carrier under my jacket.  We burned some time in the mall and then headed to St. Basil's Cathedral.  Ted and I did not go inside on either of our two trips and I so wish that Ted got to see it.  The Cathedral is truly amazing - one of the coolest places that I have ever been.  We toured the Cathedral for about 45 minutes or so and then headed to lunch at a pizza place that Ted and I discovered on our first trip to Moscow.  Maggie was starving too and we all had a great lunch.

After lunch we headed back to the hotel and Maggie immediately went down for her nap without a peep.  She was exhausted from all the touring!  I hung out in dad's room and watched a movie that I had downloaded from iTunes while dad got a massage!  I tried to take a nap but I am just enough adjusted to this time that it wasn't going to work.  I had to wake Maggie up from her nap at 4:00 and we played around the hotel until dinner time.  Dad and I went back to our favorite spot about a block from the hotel.  I was wearing the wrong shoes and stepped in a huge puddle and was soaked through and through.  Dad was sweet enough to go back and get my correct boots so that made dinner much better.

I am now back at the hotel and have been visiting with two other families who have also adopted.  One family is the one I have spent time with most of the week from Jacksonville and today a new family from Texas came in.  They actually adopted from Vladivostok and through the same agency that we were using when we never got a child.  I am definitely going to have to look into that one when I get home. . . .

But for now I think that I am going to call it a day and head to bed.  Ambien is definitely in my future.  Hopefully I can get a better night's sleep tonight.  One more day!!!!!

A few pictures - Day 3

Here are a few pictures from tonight.  Dad and I gave Maggie her second bath.  She is still unsure about the whole bath situation and stood up the entire time. She didn't cry, but she was definitely nervous about it.  Her hair is getting softer and softer as I wash it and dad noticed that it is actually getting lighter.  I wonder how often she was bathed in the orphanage?

Her hair is wet in these pictures.  Although she has a ton of hair, it is so fine that it dries so quickly!  I can't wait for it to grow out so I can get a bow in it.  The orphanage obviously has given her some pretty bad haircuts!

happy girl after her bath!

crawling towards mama

looking at papa

big smile!!!

All Done!

Everything is complete on the Moscow end of things.  Now dad and I just have two more days to hang out until we get on our flights home!  We had to build in a couple of extra days in case anything went wrong in any of the steps that had to be completed this final trip (especially at the Embassy), but thankfully everything went smoothly today.

Last night was not as great a night as the first, but we survived.  She woke up with a coughing fit and refused to sleep in the pack and play after that.  I put her in bed with me and although she slept soundly, I didn't get much sleep.  Thankfully, dad came and got her this morning and let me get three much-needed hours of sleep.  They are really bonding and I am so appreciative of him being here.  He is so great with her and she really loves being with him.  It is amazing how fast she is adjusting to everything!  I am praying tonight goes better!

Vlad came and got Maggie and me at 10:40 to head to our appointment at the Embassy.  There is a ton of snow here and it has snowed all day long today so we left early for our 11:30 appointment.  Thankfully the traffic was not too bad and we arrived at 11:00.  The Embassy was, as it had been described to me, much like the DMV -- a lot of lines and a lot of waiting.  I didn't know what to expect, but that was certainly not it.  The place was full of Russians applying for tourist or business visas to the United States.  There were also 4 other American families getting visas for their adopted children so it was fun to get to talk to them.

The first thing I did when I got to the Embassy was to go through security and then wander around a corridor to the cashier.  There was a long line, but, thankfully, adoptions don't have to wait in those lines and get to go to the front of the line to pay the cashier.  It costs $230 to get Maggie her visa.  After I got the receipt, I turned it in to another window and waited to be called - which did not occur until exactly 11:30.  The Embassy Official (the only American I spoke to at the Embassy which I thought was really strange) swore me in and asked me a few questions - mainly confirming that everything on her visa application was true.  I had to sign a few documents and that was pretty much that.  She gave me all of my copies of the official adoption paperwork and explained to me what would happen once I got to customs in Atlanta.  Then I had to wait for another lady to call me with the "sealed yellow envelope" that I hand to the customs officials.  Those documents are the ones used by Homeland Security to issue her naturalization certificate once we get back.  I have heard so much about this envelope and it was great to finally have it in my possession.

Maggie will have both Russian and American citizenship until she is 18.  When she is 18 she can officially renounce her Russian citizenship or choose to keep it.  This is much more important for boys who are adopted because there is a mandatory draft for all Russian boys at 18.  One thing that was interesting about this dual citizenship is that if we bring Maggie back to Russia, she will have to travel on her Russian passport so we will have to renew it since it expires in 5 years.

Maggie was starving once I got back to the car and luckily I brought a bottle.  She downed it and was out - well before naptime!  She slept about 45 minutes and then was wide awake.  I fed her a late lunch and then got her to go down for a nap at 2:00.  I had to wake her up at 4:00!  She was out like a light!  Maybe a good omen for tonight?  I hope so, but I am not counting on it!!

I just realized that I have not taken any pictures today.  Ted will not be happy with that!  I will try to take some in a little while - can't miss a day of documenting this adventure!! Thanks to everyone for your continued prayers and support.  We so appreciate them!

Day 2 with Maggie

Today has been a great day thus far.  It is currently 5 til 2:00 in the afternoon and Maggie is down for her afternoon nap.  I am going to try to get about 45 minutes rest, but I wanted to updated the blog as I don't know if I will be able to do it tonight.

Last night went really well.  She actually slept through the night which I cannot believe.  When I told Masha, she gave me a very surprised look and said that it is "completely unheard of."  She woke up at 7:00 but I think that dad actually woke her (but don't tell him!).  He claims that he heard her waking up, but I don't think that she was fully awake.  I didn't really care though since the doctor was coming at 7:30.  He checked her out and all was fine.  She has what sounds like a chest cold, but he said that the breathing thing that we have heard is from the teething - her lungs are clear, ears are great and throat is clear.  Plus, she is not coughing, really.

Another issue that I was really worried about before I got her was her eating.  I have heard horror stories about kids not eating anything and especially not drinking anything at all.  Again, I have been so lucky, thus far.  She is a great eater and has pretty much loved everything I have given her, and although she didn't love the spinach at lunch today, but she still ate it.  She also has taken the bottles without a problem so that is good!  She also loves Puffs!!  She is so pleased when she eats them and claps for herself.  It is precious.

After the doctor left this morning dad and I decided to take her on an outing.  We walked over the Red Square and I showed dad all the main spots.  They have set up an ice rink and what looks like will be some sort of Christmas village in the middle so he could not get the full view, but he loved it.  We also went over to the tomb of the unknown soldier which was neat. Maggie loved being in the carrier and was babbling most of the morning.  It was precious.

The more time dad and I spent with her this morning, the more and more struck we both were at what a true miracle from God she is. She is so happy and fun-loving (with a little bit of a temper so she will fit right in with the Holts!).  She is already adjusted to dad (which is a HUGE deal since she has not been around men at all) and is not crying when I leave the room (but may follow me where I go).  We even took her to a crowded lunch spot today, and she was flirting with the other people around her.  I am in awe of God's blessings on us right now and it makes me cry in wonder and appreciation for all He has given us.  All of the waiting, heartache, etc. was totally worth it.  I am overjoyed.  Now I just want to come home.

As for tomorrow, Masha presented all our documents to the Embassy today for Maggie's visa, and we got the green light.  My appointment is at 11:30 tomorrow and Vlad is picking us up at 10:40.  The appointment will take about an hour and it is right during lunch so feeding her should be interesting.  Please pray that it all goes well. Once that is done, we are done with everything and will just wait until our flight leaves on Sunday.  I cannot wait to get home!!! I am sure that we will find some fun adventures to go on, and I will, of course, be posting. 

 Here are some pictures from today:

Loves her tongue!

playing with her feet!

At St. Basil's Cathedral - it is about 28 degrees here so we are all bundled up!

Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Gotcha Day!

WARNING - LONG POST!!

Today has been one of the most emotional days of my life!  I cannot believe that it actually happened and she is actually a Holt!  My only regret is that Ted is not here with me.  I am glad that he is at home with the other kiddos though and we have already FaceTimed (is that a verb?) with Maggie.

But back to the day.  Let me break it down . . . .

First, Vlad picked my dad and me up at the hotel at 8:40 as planned.  We went to the passport center first (apparently that was always the plan but in my jet-lagged state, I missed that!), where we gave the lady Maggie's passport picture and I signed a couple of documents.  Super easy and not even a wait which was a BIG SHOCK since it seems like you always wait here!  The passport center was in an area of town where Ted and I have not been before - what Vlad referred to as "old Moscow."  The buildings were gorgeous and there were a bunch of very pretty parks.  All the monuments in the parks (well, not all but most) are gone, however, because at the end of communism they were all town down. So you see a bunch of pedestals where monuments used to be.  It is kinda weird but a very obvious reminder of what once was.

Next we headed straight to the orphanage to get Maggie.  Dad loved seeing in person what we had described and he had only seen in pictures.  We were not there long - about 20 minutes.  The workers took the clothes that I brought for her as soon as we walked in the door to get her ready to go.  We went in to see the orphanage director who gave us a few last documents (her baptismal certificate, immunization records, and a few others).  I gave him his gift and left the other gifts for the children, orphanage doctor and orphanage workers with him to give out.  Soon her favorite caregiver brought her in to us and you could tell that she was scared.  They had put on the snowsuit and she could not move! (Don't worry, I took it off as soon as we got in the car!).  Her caregiver gave me the cross that she got at her baptism (it had been tied to her crib) and also gave me three pictures of her before I met her with dates on the back.  She even wrote out her daily menu which I thought was so sweet!  But next thing I knew, we were shaking hands and we were outta there!  As we were leaving I noted that the last two times I had left the orphanage I had been crying because I was leaving without Maggie, but today I could not get the smile off my face!!

Vlad brought us back to the hotel around 10:30.  Maggie was VERY nervous as this point and really didn't like Papa.  She has not been around men at all (except her limited contact with the orphanage director) and I think that he put her over the edge in this very new environment.  Papa decided to head downstairs to the lobby to hang out for a little while and left Maggie to me.  After about 15-20 minutes she started to relax and we started to play.  I got out the toys and I started seeing her smile.  Then I started hearing her laughter.  It was so nice to hear.  She really has not stopped since.

I brought her down to the lobby to talk to Papa and she seemed a little better, but not much.  We came back up to the room and fed her lunch, which she devoured.  I was very nervous about food and had heard nightmares, but thankfully that has not been a problem for us thus far!  I think that she would have eaten more than I gave her but I didn't want to make her sick!!  

After lunch, I decided that she really needed to go down for a nap since she had missed her morning nap.  She was still on 2 naps at the orphanage (10-12 and 2-4, although she would have been transitioning in the next week or two to 1 nap from 1-4).  I decided with all the excitement that she was never going to go to sleep so I might as well try some Benadryl.  At first I thought that I had made a terrible mistake because as the 30 minute mark hit and she should have been winding down, she starting winding up.  I thought that I was in for the long haul, but then she stuck her thumb in her mouth and did a face-plant into the bed and was out.  I moved her into the crib without a problem.  I was planning on taking a nap myself (I only slept about 5 hours last night and am running on fumes), but Masha called and needed to meet with me so I could sign all the documents for the Embassy to get Maggie's visa.

So at 2:30, Masha came up and we went through the long and tedious process of filling out the 8-9 forms required for Maggie's visa.  It took a while, to say the least.  Most of the forms needed all the exact same information - so frustrating.  But I did it with a smile.  I will do anything to finish this process and get home!!  Once we were done, Vlad called and said that Maggie's passport was ready to be picked up.  Masha and I met him at the passport center, which left my dad with Maggie.  I told him to wake her at 4 and feed her a snack if I was not back in time.  I was worried about her reaction but there was nothing that I could do.  I had to be present to get the passport.

When we got to the passport center, all seemed well and we were called right in.  However, as soon as they opened the passport Vlad started talking quickly and a little bit more loudly than normal.  Apparently they had made a mistake and put her last name as "Home" instead of "Holt."  Uh oh.  And Masha needed to take it with her to the Embassy tomorrow to apply for the visa.  After some discussion and red cheeks on behalf of the girl issuing the passport, she re-did the passport with one problem - we had to go to another building about 30 minutes away (because of traffic) to get the Russian seal.  But, as Vlad says, all's well that ends well.  We got Maggie's passport corrected and Masha will go apply for the visa tomorrow!

When I got back to the hotel around 5:00 Papa and Maggie had bonded.  He had to wake her up at 4:00 and he said that there were a few tears.  But he fed her and once he got on the floor with her and started playing she realized that he was pretty fun and she hasn't turned back!  We Facetimed with Cher Cher, Aunt Bean and Ted and Sam before dinner (our time).  Dad went to a small chamber music concert with Vlad and his wife and then ate dinner. Maggie and I had a date in the hotel and then I started the process of putting her to bed.  I even gave her a bath and although she wasn't sure about it she did not shed a tear and I think that she will come to love it sooner rather than later.  I just had to wash that orphanage off of her - there is still more to come off!   Getting her to sleep took a while, but it wasn't as painful as it could have been and I am truly praying that she sleeps through the night.  Of course I can't blame her if she doesn't - I just took her from the only home she has ever known.  But I like to think that she got more love and attention today than she ever has on any other day of her life.

Okay, I am fading fast.  I will leave you with some pictures from today.

Papa as we got to the orphanage

The favorite caretaker bringing in Maggie

Getting her for the first time!

Waving goodbye

Papa holding her for the first time

Back in the hotel room - still doesn't know what to think

There's my happy girl!!!!

Back in Moscow!

I am back in Moscow!! Dad and I flew out Sunday morning (it is Monday night here) via Paris this time and landed at SVO at 4:15 local time.  Vlad picked us up after we went through customs and immigration and brought us to the hotel.  Things look exactly as they were last month when I was here (and also in September!), but Ted is not with me.  My dad has been great company and I think that this is going to be a great trip.

Dad and I got these huge connecting rooms on the corner of the hotel.  When I walked in my room and saw the crib, I almost started crying.  I can't believe that this moment is actually here.  We have been praying for this for so long and God has placed this little girl on my heart like no other.  I know that there is still a long road ahead, but the journey thus far has taught me so much and I know that the Lord has so many wonderful things in store for us all.

So what is the plan, you ask?  Good news is that Vlad was able to get her birth certificate today, without me, thanks to the power of attorney Ted and I gave him earlier in the adoption process.  So, as Vlad put it when he picked us up -- "You are already a mother of 4."  Wow.  Officially, she is ours.  No one can take her away.  Praise the Lord.

With that step done, we will meet Vlad at 8:40 tomorrow morning (Tuesday, November 27) and go straight to the orphanage.  I have all her clothes picked out and will bring everything that she needs.  I also have bags of gifts for the orphanage children, orphanage workers, orphanage doctor (who matched us with Maggie) and the orphanage director.  Once I walk out of there with her for once and for all, we will head to get her passport - her Russian passport.  She is a Russian citizen and will be one until the plane lands on US soil.

I have so many more words running through my head but I am exhausted and hungry.  I slept about 4 hours total in the past 36 hours and needs to eat and head to bed.  I promise lots of pictures, video and explanation tomorrow!!!

It is OFFICIAl (well, almost)

Court is DONE.  And she will officially be ours in 30 days.  The Judge cannot sign the papers for 30 days in case anyone wants to appeal but of course that will not happen.  I was SO NERVOUS for court today.  Ted did most of the talking and it was really not a big deal.  I can't believe that I got so worked up.

Here is how it all happened.  (Not that you are so interested, but I want to remember every single detail so I can tell Maggie when she asks.)  We met Vlad at his parent's apartment (it is an easier place for him to park) at 10:15 this morning and drove to the courthouse.  The courthouse looked very nice and even had a statue of Lady Justice (blindfolded, holding the scales of justice and a sword!) as we entered.  Although we did have to go through a metal detector, court security was not nearly as tight as it is in the United States.  The security guard barely even looked into my purse!  We went upstairs and met Masha who was our official translator.  Masha walked us through who was going to be in the courtroom and what was going to happen.  We decided that Ted would go first and answer most of the questions from the Judge.  She prepped Ted on a myriad of questions that the Judge could ask (but he really only asked a few of them.)  Then Masha went inside the courtroom and we waited.  And waited.

Our hearing was supposed to start at 11:30, but like most other things in Russia it did not start on time.  We waited until about noon and then got started.  The hearing began with the Judge explaining the purpose of the hearing and stating who all was present - us and Masha, the Prosecutor, a representative from Social Services, and the Orphanage Director.  There was also another person from the Orphanage there as well.  Ted and I have seen her on our visits to the orphanage but we are not sure what her role is in the whole process.

The Judge talked a little bit about the adoption process and then called Ted up to the stand.  He asked Ted if he still intended to proceed with the adoption and then asked him a series of questions about why we wanted to adopt, why Russia, how we would care for the child, who would care for the child, and how our children at home thought about getting another sibling.  He was especially concerned about "the oldest child" which made me laugh because I am WAY more concerned about Sam's reaction to us bringing Maggie home!!!  Then, he called me to the stand and asked if I agreed with all of Ted's answers and asked if I thought that I was prepared to raise another child.  That was about it.

Next the Orphanage Director got up and spoke a little bit about Maggie's background and how she came to the orphanage.  He said that there had been no inquiries from her biological family since she had been placed at the orphanage.  Then, the social worker got up and talked about her legal status, the search for her biological family and any potential Russians who would adopt her.  The Judge was interested in the search for any potential family members, but the social worker said that none could be found.  Finally, the Judge asked the Prosecutor if she had anything to add which she did not.  He left the room for about 5-7 minutes and then came in and pronounced that he approved the adoption and that her birth certificate would be changed to reflect that her name is Margaret Kristina Holt, date of Birth 12/19/2011, place of birth Moscow, Russia and we are her parents.  I held back the tears.  Once the Judge left the room there were handshakes and congratulations all around.

Here is a picture of Ted and me outside the courthouse after the hearing.

We went straight from court to the orphanage which is not far away at all.  Maggie was feeling MUCH better today and was more animated than we have ever seen her.  She was PRECIOUS.  Absolutely perfect.  Tons of smiles and lots of laughter.  I can't wait for each one of you to meet her.  She is going to bring so much joy to our family.  Of course I cried as we left but I kept telling myself that the next time I walk out of that orphanage she will be in my arms.  Only 30 more days.  Then both of our lives will change forever.

Well it wasn't the Mayo Clinic, but . . . .

It's Ted.

We just wrapped up Day 2 of Trip 2.  The medical exams were, on the one hand, a colossal waste of time.  On the other hand, it was pretty efficient.  I went back and forth on my opinion of the process throughout the 4 plus hour ordeal.  At times, I felt like it was 1865 and we were being interviewed by the Confederate Army's "doctors", "have you ever had a brain disease?" or "how are your toe nails?".  At other times, it seemed quite modern and efficient.  After all, if we were in Birmingham it would have taken us days to get appointments with a surgeon, a psychiatrist/narcologist (more on that in in a minute), neurologist, infectious disease doctor, internist, dermatologist and finally, a pulmonologist.   Each of these "appointments" took less than 5 minutes, but we had to wait for a half hour or more in between each "examination".  They took our blood and an x-ray of our chest, but otherwise basically asked us questions.  The psychiatrist seemed very interested that I liked to hunt and fish "when not doing my job."

The narcologist is just what it sounds like, a doctor who specializes in the treatment of drug addicts.  I think it's a subspecialty of psychiatry unique to Russia.  He didn't ask us about drugs; I guess we didn't look like heavy users.  In any event, he smelled terrible.  And he was the only doctor who actually spoke English well enough that we didn't need a translator.  The only other remarkable thing about our trip to the Kremlin Hospital (see below) was that the internist was a huge smoker; the stench almost made me wheeze as he listened to my lungs/heart.

Shannon survived the blood taking and the rest of the "examinations" with flying colors.   We did the blood test first which made the rest of it much easier for Shannon.

All of this took place at the Kremlin Hospital, which at one point was the equivalent of the Walter Reed Medical Center.  The leaders of the Kremlin, including Lenin and Stalin were treated there.  I'm not sure the current status, as our interpreter, Vlad, told us that (a) Russian political leaders basically have their own hospitals now, and (b) the status of the hospital as the "Kremlin" hospital changes with the political winds.  We did have to "star" sightings, so to speak.  The wife of the Minister of Education (who, as it turns out, is in charge of all adoptions in Russia) was having the same exams done today . . .  She wished us good luck.  Also, the head of the Russian bankers union was seeing one of our doctors today.  Vlad recognized him and said he's a billionaire.  Nice company, huh?

Above the entrance of the hospital there was the old Soviet symbol.  Here is a picture of the receptionist area the Kremlin Hospital.   Pretty cool?

After the medical exams, which ended around 3:30 PM local time (we left the hotel at 10:30 just to give you an idea of how long it took), Vlad took us to the orphanage to see Maggie.  Of course, traffic was bad and we didn't get there until around 4:45.  When we arrived, they told us Maggie had the flu - but it really seemed like more of a fever virus which they said was going around the orphanage.  They let us spend about 15 minutes with her, though.  You could tell she wasn't feeling well and that she had a fever.  I think you can see it in the pictures; Shannon had to work hard to even get a small grin!  It was tough to leave her, especially knowing she's feeling badly.  Shannon had a tear in her eye and I could tell just wanted to baby her and take her home and make her feel better.

After the orphanage, Vlad dropped us off at Pushkin Square and we went to a little Italian place (we seem to eat at a lot of Italian places here) that Vlad told us about.  It was pretty good but the entrance was very funny.  I made Shannon get a picture in front of it.

We'll go  to court in the morning and then back to the orphanage.  Hopefully, Maggie will be feeling better, or at least we'll be able to spend more time with her.  It's hard to believe we'll be heading home Wednesday morning.

Safe Arrival In Moscow

Ted and I made it safely to Moscow - Trip #2.  We were up early Saturday morning (5 am) to catch our flight out of Birmingham and Ted woke up feeling crummy.  He thought it was the stomach bug and later turned flu-like.  Thankfully he took a phenergen and by the time we got to Moscow felt much better.  (As an aside, he got a flu shot on Thursday and we think that he actually may have had a touch of the flu from the flu shot - that is possible, right?)  I am jut glad that he feels better.  A sick man is not a fun travel companion.

The other driver from the Moscow team, Maks, picked us up at the airport.  In true Moscow style, the traffic was really bad at first - closer to the airport - but it picked up once we got away from the airport and malls.  Maks said that a lot of Russians shop on the weekends and Ted remembered that there were some bad merging areas near those malls as well.  After we were past that area it was smooth going.  I was still amazed at how no one (including Maks) worried at all about the traffic lanes and thought nothing about driving in between lanes or on the side of the road.  I can't decide if all the crazy driving actually makes the traffic worse or not.   

Once we got to the hotel, we were able to go straight to our room which is right next door to the room we had last visit.  We unpacked and took about an hour nap.  Ted had to drag me out of bed to go downstairs to eat a light, late lunch.  We then decided to walk around Red Square to pass some time.  It is pretty cold (mid 40s) but I borrowed a great coat so I wasn't that cold, other than my ears.  Ted did not pack as well for the weather and I think that he was colder than I was, but he would never complain.  Now we are back at the hotel and are going to shower and head to our favorite restaurant for dinner.  I am not hungry at all, but will force myself to eat just so I can get back to the bed, take an Ambien and sleep!!!

It is very strange being back here.  It kinda feels like deja vu since we have done this all before. Of course tomorrow will be another story.  Vlad is picking us up at 10:30 (yea! we can sleep late) and I think that the medicals take about 3-4 hours.  Then we get to go see Maggie.  That is what I am waiting for!!  Makes it all worth it.

Final Day in Moscow

Today is our last day in Moscow.  It is also our 10 year anniversary.  Ted always told me he would take me to Europe for our 10 year anniversary, I just never thought it would be Moscow and I certainly did not think it would be to meet our 4th child!  But God has great ways of working and it is special that we are here on this day.  Certainly one that I will never forget.

We slept late again this morning (until 9 AM this time!) and were rushing a little bit to meet Vlad.  Ted and I have had a really hard time adjusting to the time zone change which does not bode well for our return trip home as everyone says that coming over is much easier than going back.  Oh well.  We will just have to grin and bare it for about a week I guess.

We got to the baby house a little bit earlier than expected and again went to my favorite room - the music room to play with Kristina.  While we were waiting, I commented to Vlad that the baby house was not what I expected (not that I really knew what to expect), but that it was much nicer, happier, colorful and not so institution-like.  He said that the baby house where she lives is probably the best and nicest in Moscow.  That was nice to hear!

When they brought her in, she was all smiles again.  Completely and utterly adorable.  She was animated, as usual, and very active.  She loves to move around and is very happy and content.  Although she is small size-wise, she seems to be very close to where she should be developmentally with her motor skills.  Her verbal is still a little behind, but I am sure that she will catch up soon.  When the nurse brought her in, she smiled immediately and reached for Ted which I thought was so sweet. It was clear that she remembered us and was happy to see us.  That warmed my heart, but also made leaving her that much harder.  We spent the first part of the morning in the music room and then took her outside.  In the music room, she scooted around, made tons of playful noises, and was even concerned about where we were when we would get out of her view or get up to get something out of our bag.  She would follow us with her head and eyes just to make sure that we were coming back.

I feel connected to her already and am very sad to leave.  I shed a couple (well maybe more than a couple) of tears at the baby house this morning and on the way back to the hotel.  I am trying to keep a clear head and find comfort in the fact that she is in good hands.  It was clear that the women who worked at the orphanage cared for her and for her well-being.  And, as Jeanne reminded me, leaving her means I am one step closer to bringing her home.  Very true.  For now, I will try to take comfort in that and all that lies ahead.

I am starting to get a little homesick and will be happy to see Ward, Ann Park and Sam.  I have missed them so much and can't wait to get my hands on them!  We bought them some little gifts that I am sure they are going to love.

Well, I am off to pack and shower for dinner tonight.  We didn't make it to Chili's last night (TGI Friday's instead!) and I am not sure where we are going tonight.  We ate at a great place for lunch today - another Italian restaurant - and I wouldn't mind going back there again!  It is good to stick with what you know around here!  Thanks to everyone for all their prayers and support at home.  We can't wait to show you pictures of Kristina and tell you more about her.  She is a living doll!

Moscow - Day 4

It's Shannon, here for another daily installment.

We had another great visit with Kristina this morning.  We first played with her in the "music room" where the kids get music "lessons."  It was a fun room with lots of musical instruments, piano, etc.  There was also one wall with a floor to ceiling mirror on it and Kristina LOVED looking at herself in the mirror.  She was very animated this morning (until about 11:40 when she started getting sleepy again), made lots of noises and we even saw her crawl!  It is not a true belly-off-the-floor crawl, but more of what I call an "army-man" crawl.  She did it every time we would put her on her stomach and she was FAST!   She also rolled over easily from her stomach to back and back to stomach. It was really great to see how close she is to her actual age developmentally.

We took her outside again for about the last 30 minutes of our morning visit.  The weather here is amazing again today with a high of 72 and not a cloud in the sky.  Of course, they bundled her up like it was time for her to go snow-skiing!  Her hat kept covering her eyes but I think that she really likes being outside - like most babies.

We got back to the hotel around 12:30 and went downstairs to the American bar & grill and grabbed some lunch.  Ted took a nap after lunch since he didn't sleep very well last night.  I had a good night's sleep last night thanks to some Simply Sleep so I watched Mad Men on iTunes.  There is a TV in the room with about 6 channels in English but they are all news channels (CNN, BBC, CNBC, Bloomberg) and there is only so much bad news that I can take.

We went back to the orphanage this afternoon around 3:30 for another visit.  Unfortunately this one was a little short - only about 30 minutes - but I was happy to get any time with her that I could.  We were in the same playroom where we initially met her.  It is a small room with age-appropriate toys (it even has a pit of balls that Sam would LOVE).  The short visit was great again - many smiles and giggles although she seemed a little more serious this afternoon than she was this morning.  But to our surprise she showed us a BIG TRICK -  she pulled up!  She crawled over to a dollhouse in the playroom and pulled herself up on her short little legs.  I could not believe it and got a few pictures.  She is even more developmentally close to her age than I would have ever thought.  It is very nice to see that her motor skills are very strong!

Ted is working out at the hotel gym right now and then we are going to venture out and find a place to eat dinner.  We have been eating at places close to Red Square but tonight we are going to walk in the other direction and be a little more adventuresome.  Well, maybe not THAT adventuresome as Ted said he saw a Chili's where we might eat.  We have not gone to a Russian eating establishment yet, and I am not sure that we will.  Our favorite place so far is the Italian place that makes the best pizza. Maybe on the next trip we will try Russian food!

Tomorrow is our last day with Kristina.  I am already growing attached and get tears in my eyes thinking about saying goodbye to her tomorrow.  Our time has been too short, but very memorable and I think that there has been some bonding.  This afternoon she smiled as soon as she saw me and didn't want to go directly to her caretaker when she walked in the room to get her, as she has in the two days past.  

And tomorrow is our 10 year anniversary!  Hard to believe that we have been married 10 years.  Doesn't seem like nearly that long.  Off to get ready for our fancy dinner at Chili's!  Hope that everyone has a great day!!

Moscow, Day 3

It is Shannon. I'm back - not that Ted hasn't done a great job on here.  He's just reading the Wall Street Journal trying to stay awake for a little while longer!

We had a great day today.  Neither of us slept very well last night, unfortunately (I was up from midnight until almost 4 and he was in and out during that time), but the thought of seeing Kristina this morning got me going.  The weather here is absolutely perfect - in the low 70s and not a cloud in the sky.  Not sure how we lucked out with such amazing weather, but we'll take it and smile!

We met Vlad in the hotel lobby at 9:30 to head to the orphanage.  It didn't take nearly as long as it had yesterday morning because our hotel is much closer to the orphanage than the Department of Education  (where we received our referral yesterday).  We got there a little early and had to wait on her, but it was nice just walking around the grounds of the orphanage.  We also got to talk to the orphanage director again and he answered some more of our questions and cleared up some areas of confusion we had from yesterday. We received so much information yesterday and it is hard since we have a translator and some things we just didn't get right!  It was good to get those issues cleared up.

Her baby nurse brought her outside all bundled up, even though it was probably in the mid-60s by this point.  We got to stroll her around and discovered that she is ticklish!  We got many more smiles today and loved hearing her laugh.  We took turns holding her, although I think that Ted got a little more time with her today than I did.  She is absolutely precious and was very inquisitive - looking around at everything surrounding her.  By the end of our visit (noon), she had fallen asleep on Ted's shoulder.  I got the perfect picture of it.  It brought tears to my eyes.  I think that she is slowly stealing his heart.

We got back to the hotel at about 12:30 and had to push ourselves to go downstairs to eat some lunch.  I was on a little adrenaline kick, but as soon as we sat down at the restaurant, I started to fade.  We ate quickly and came back upstairs and slept for about 2 hours.  Ted made me get up since we had a long walk to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

It was a VERY long walk (especially since we got to a point where we were very close but there was no way to cross this very busy street and had to backtrack about 1/2 mile!) but worth every second.  I will post some pictures below but they really don't do it justice.  The place was huge!  See here for some cool history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Christ_the_Saviour.

Vlad told us that one of the best views of Moscow was from the bridge over the canal behind the Cathedral and he was right.  Definitely worth the walk!!

We ate dinner at the same place we stopped at last night.  It is Italian and has great pizza.  We are not risky/adventurous eaters and have not tried Russian food - not that there is much good Russia food to speak of.

Tomorrow we will go back to visit with Kristina in the morning and may have the opportunity to see her in the afternoon as well.  I hope that we do!  Good night for now!  I'll leave you with the pictures below.

Tower at the Kremlin - Ted got a good one with the Russian flag in front

Cathedral of Christ the Savior

We saw the same one at the Monastery yesterday

the back of the Cathedral - see how big it is!!

picture of Kremlin from the bridge

statue of Alexander II

me by the Lion at Alexander II's statue - thought that Ward and Sam would love this picture!

picture of the Cathedral from the garden below

another shot

Moscow - Day 2

I apparently passed the "blog" test because Shannon said I could write the post again tonight.  Hope you enjoy.

Vlad picked us up this morning around 9:30 to take us to the Department of Education.  There was less traffic than he expected and we got there early.  So, he took us to the Donskoy Monastery, which was around the corner from the DOE.  It's a Russian Orthodox monastery, in the middle of a neighborhood. It's very unassuming, but once inside the grounds it's amazingly beautiful.  We did not get the full story from Vlad, but apparently when they were constructed, monasteries served as fortresses to the city of Moscow.  The chapel/cathedral itself at this monastery appeared to be built in the 1700s or earlier.  We've posted some pictures below.  Unfortunately, we were unable to take pictures in the actual church.  Needless to say, there is nothing like in the U.S.  There were some amazing statues in the far back of the monastery, on the back wall, that were taken from the famous Temple of Christ the Savior when it was partially destroyed.  They were amazing and Vlad remarked on how few people knew about the treasure (and how they were not preserved or protected from the elements).  We lit a candle for Kristina and each said a silent prayer for her well being.

Shannon was pretty nervous this morning, so the monastery side trip really helped calm her.

The trip to the Department of Education was pretty uneventful.  We received our official referral and then set off for the orphanage, or "baby house" as they refer to them here.  It was about a 30-40 minute drive, but probably only 10-15 miles from the DOE.  As we said yesterday, traffic here is pretty miserable.  As an aside, I'm struck by how Russians drive basically the same cars that Americans drive, with a few Eastern European exceptions.   There are a ton of Land Cruisers and Audis here, not to mention Mercedes and Range Rovers.  I've spotted a few Tahoe's and Caravans, too.

The orphanage was in a nice part of town.  According to Vlad, it was in an area that the Czars used to hunt centuries ago. Who knows whether this is true, but it definitely was in a wooded area that was quite pretty. It was very quiet and peaceful and did not have the same feel as some of the other "big city" areas where we have been.   In general, Moscow has a lot of green space for such a large city.

We will post pictures of the orphanage later, but for the time being you'll have to use your imagination with the help of my description.  Although it had a cast iron fence surrounding it, it looked like part of a church or school.  The orphanage was surrounded by playgrounds and play areas, complete with yard gnomes.  I half expected to see a putt-putt course.

Inside, it reminded me of a church nursery or childcare center in the U.S.  It was much nicer/cleaner/ more modern than I expected.  According to Vlad, there are approximately 50 children ages 0-4 at this baby house.  Oddly, in the two hours we were there, we saw and/or heard only one other child.

Pretty immediately inside the orphanage we were ushered into a playroom, much like the room Sam goes to at St. Francis.  We had to remove our shoes to keep from tracking dirt on the carpet where the "children crawl", as we were told.  A couple minutes later, a woman brought Kristina into the room.  I captured those first moments on video, which we'll definitely share once we know she's ours.  She was darling.

She smiled and immediately took to Shannon, even reaching out to her hand.  We were able to play with her for about 30-45 minutes in that room, much of the time we were alone with her.  She's teething and loved putting things in her mouth.  She never cried or seemed upset.  The biggest smiles came, though, when we gave her back to the woman who brought her in the room.  I thought this was a good sign; she recognized the love and care given by that woman.

Oddest thing about the visit to the orphanage was that Kristina was dressed as if it was 30 degrees inside.  Seriously, she was wearing 3 layers of [ill fitting] clothes, and a pair of thick tights that were pulled up to her arm pits.  It looked like Sam dressed her . . . out of our dress up clothes!

She really was precious, though, and we hated to give her back.  She had to eat lunch and then take her afternoon nap, which is why our time was limited.

After spending time with her, we met with the head of the orphanage and the orphanage's doctor, who they said was a neurologist.   Of course we couldn't understand what they were saying, but their demeanors were both very friendly and welcoming.  Vlad translated for us as we discussed Kristina's medical history, as well as her parents' history/ the circumstances of her being given up for adoption.

We will get to see her again tomorrow for about an hour or so, and then twice on Thursday and Friday. We can't wait to get our hands on her again.

After we got back to the hotel, checked e-mail, sent medical information to the adoption clinic at UAB, we went back to the Red Square/Kremlin area for some more sight seeing.  We visited a museum dedicated to the War of 1812 - not that war of 1812, but the war commemorating Napoleon's invasion of Russia/Moscow and his ultimate defeat.  Admittedly, neither of us knew anything about this war before going to the museum, but now know what an important role it played in Russian history.  This week is the 200th anniversary of that war.  There were some awesome artifacts in the collection.  It would have been nice if the descriptions were in English, rather than Russian.

We also witnessed the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier.  Below are pics of that, along with our visit to the monastery and the museum.  We hope you enjoy them.

We'll send more info. tomorrow.

The Monastery

the enormous statues at the back wall of the monatery

garden near the Kremlin

Changing of the Guards

It was surreal to see them walking like this - taking large steps with their legs parallel to the ground.  We have only seen this in pictures and videos of marches in Red Square.

Some of Napoleon's guns - Ted took some great pictures for Ward!

 



 

Arrival in Moscow

We are going to chronicle our trip(s) through the blog.  Here is the first installment (written by Ted).

The trip over was relatively uneventful.  We left Birmingham yesterday morning around 9:30 and arrived in Moscow today (Monday) around 10 AM local time.  Moscow is 9 hours ahead of Birmingham.  Neither Shannon nor I slept much on the plane.  Other than the lack of sleep, the 10 hour flight from JFK to Moscow didn't really bother me too much.  I did nothing really productive, but I did watch "PJ 20", which is the documentary chronicling Pearl Jam's first 20 years (directed and produced by Cameron Crowe, who directed "Almost Famous" and worked on "Say Anything").  I highly recommend it.  Shannon watched a couple of dramadies, and read Vanity Fair (her new favorite magazine).

Moscow Sheremet Airport was (a) more modern, (b) less smokey, and (c) more organized than I expected.  Our adoption agency in the U.S. had warned us that once we cleared customs, it "will be a zoo", with people aggressively offering us rides and other services.  I envisioned a street bazaar from an Indiana Jones movie.  It was nothing like that.  In fact, it was very efficient . . .  and quiet.

Our driver/translator/adoption agency contact, Vlad, met us at the airport just as we came through "Migration"/customs.  He speaks very good English, and has been working with U.S. families adopting Russian children since 1994 (a year after Russia opened its borders to international adoptions).  Vlad drove us to our hotel, playing tour guide along the way, mainly by pointing out the architecture of buildings constructed during Stalin's reign, and buildings that support various military functions, including missile defense!  I was going to comment that "we had one of those, too; it was called Star Wars," but decided he and I weren't that close yet to joke about the Cold War.

We're staying at the City Center Marriott Courtyard, which was billed as being "on Red Square."  It's a perfectly nice hotel, but it's several blocks from Red Square.  It's kind of like hotels in New York claiming that they're located in "Times Square", when they are actually blocks away from Times Square.  I'm certainly not complaining, though.  It really is a nice hotel, with two Americanized restaurants.  In fact, one of them has a Western theme, with hokey slogans and pictures on the wall (think understated Cracker Barrel decor).  There's even an old Alabama license tag hanging on the wall!

After we took a short nap, we walked around Red Square and surrounding areas.  We took lots of pictures, some of which are posted below.  Other than St. Basil's Cathedral, we really didn't know what we were looking at.  Other than signs for American companies like KFC, McDonalds, the Gap, etc. there is very little written English.  So, we basically wandered around and took pictures of things other people were taking pictures of.

Vlad is picking us up at 10 AM local time tomorrow (Tues) and driving us to the Department of Education where we hope to officially receive our referral for the baby.  Vlad mentioned in the car today, though, that there's a chance we actually won't receive the referral until Thursday.  This made Shannon and me both nervous.  We've e-mailed our adoption agency contact in the U.S. to get a higher level of comfort that things are going to go as planned tomorrow.  Please say a prayer that they do.

We'll check in tomorrow.  For now, here are some of our pictures.

Yes, it is cold - about 50 degrees - but supposed to warm up while we are here.

Pretty amazing to see in person

St. Basil's Cathedral

the front of St. Basil's Cathedral

Ted on some old cannonballs outside of St. Basil's Cathedral

Statue in front of Red Sqaure

This the the Russia version of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier