One Year Ago-HOME!!

I can't believe that we have been home for one year. The time has flown by. It is hard to remember when Natalie only spoke Russian and did not really respond to the name Natalie. In some ways it has been a hard year, but not because of Natalie but because of life and so many changes. But Natalie has adjusted well and I really believe has bonded well. I'm not sure what was going on last week and the beginning of this week, but Natalie was really just pushing things both at home and school but now is back to her sweet self. I tend to think that as her language has grown so have her emotional stages and she was just working through that.

Today I wanted to make it a special day, so I managed to get off work early and we headed to McDonald's for a sundae and play. She only ate a small amount of her ice cream (which is very unusual) and then played for about 30 minutes. I had planned for us to run a few errands, but she began complaining of her belly hurting. We came home for awhile and she took a long nap. Then we were off running the errands which included picking out a special toy. She chose a little doghouse with a play dog. Once we got home she began complaining again and the poor baby had about an hour of dry heaves. My plans for several other fun activities got put on hold. But now she is sleeping peacefully. I am just in awe that a whole year has gone by. My life is richer and Natalie is more precious to me than ever! She has grown in so many ways. I love seeing the changes, but in some ways I just want to freeze time and slow everything down and enjoy every moment.!

Gotcha Day-one year ago

After we picked up Natalie, we had to do some legal paperwork and then we went out to lunch. Back to the hotel for a nap and later supper and a bath. Natalie had a cold and cough during the waiting period and that night shortly after she went to bed, she began sitting up in bed rocking and crying. Of course I couldn't understand what she was saying and I couldn't comfort her. What a terrible feeling it was. Shortly after that, she began throwing up and running a high fever. It was a long night. As soon as I thought she was okay, it would start over. The lady in housekeeping was so kind and ended up calling the doctor for me. They gave her medicine and she was able to finally go to sleep. So I had jumped into parenthood with both feet.

Now I am so glad I can understand her when she is not feeling well and she is able to express what is going on. I am still amazed when I look at those pictures and recall those events just one short year ago. This week I have been working really hard on the paperwork to re-adopt Natalie in the state of NC. Having been born overseas, I know the frustration of trying to get a birth certificate. This will make her life a lot easier by having a NC birth certificate. It has been a lot of work and I finally completed it tonight. That is the first step. I have also been working a lot on her Life Book. I just completed the section dealing with the court hearing. It has been interesting the timeline of working on both these tasks and the year anniversary of bringing Natalie home. It certainly has made me think in great detail of this time one year ago.

We have also or I should say Natalie has spent the week trying on spring/summer clothes. We have been blessed by so many clothes given to us by friends and family. Today she completed the task and it is encouraging to see how many things she has grown out of, including shoes!! Since we have so many clothes in the next size this is not a problem. The fact that she is growing means that she is thriving here.

Here is a picture of her "reading" to her cousin who we went to visit last weekend.

Gotcha-One year later

On Friday one year ago, we didn't go to the orphanage to visit Natalie so I have no pictures from that day. Since Krasnoyarsk is 12 hours ahead of us, it was one year ago now that I went to pick up Natalie at the baby home after my 10 day wait after court. The day you pick up your child is often referred to as "Gotcha Day."

When we got there, they brought her into the play room that we had met in during those 10 days. There was no big bow in her hair and she was dressed in a simple frock. She was crying, whether because she was sad she was leaving or scared of what was to come. Yelana, the director of Krasnoyarsk side of the adoption process, talked to her and helped her out of her clothes into her "new" clothes. I have to confess on the one hand, I couldn't wait to finally have her with me and yet on the other hand, my heart broke for this 3 1/2 year old child who had no idea what was going to happen and who was leaving behind her "home."

Tonight I was sharing those memories with Natalie and she says she doesn't remember what she was feeling that day. I've been teary eyed tonight as I am reminded of that long journey that "ended" that morning with my child finally coming home with me. I'm glad that she doesn't remember that aspect of the day. It was a long day and an even longer night. I'll share more of that tomorrow.

This week I have steadily been working on her Life Book. I've made it to recording my flights for the second trip to Russia. I'm glad I have the blog to refer back too since I can't remember some details, such as the hotel from the first trip. That seems a life time ago. Even though it has been a year, in some ways it seems like she just came home. What a great year it has been!!

March 19, 2008, One year later

March19, 2008

March 17-18, 2008-One year later

March 17, 2008

March 18, 2008

March 13-16, One year later

I went away for the weekend, so I am a little behind with the pictures.

March 13, 2008

March 14 and 15, 2008-the weekend-no visits.

March 16, 2008.