We'll have a daughter in the morning!

One more evening and one more night is all we have left to wait before we have our daughter in our arms!  Anna told us that we will be picking up Malia after we to go to the passport office in the morning.  I'm so excited. Anna said the orphanage director has been told that we are coming in the morning.  I wonder if they have told Malia that tonight is her last night with her friends in the orphanage?  Breakfast in the morning will be her last meal there.  If they have told her, I wonder if she is thinking about us coming for her.  I wonder if she is scared or if she doesn't understand at all.  She will probably be outside playing when we get there. The caretaker will call to her, "Nagima, it's time to go, Mama & Papa are here!" (Or at least that's what I would want them to say to her.)

We are staying in our translator Anna's apartment.  It's on the top floor (16th).  There are apartment buildings all around us, like New York city maybe.  Her apartment is lovely.  She has done a lot of the work herself and it's so cozy.  Other families have stayed here as well, so there are toys for Malia to play with that they have left.  And I can't wait to give her a bath!!  Anna went with us to the grocery store when we got here and picked out some food that Malia would like.  That was a relief!  

Here are some pictures of our view.  The camera didn't capture how brilliant the colors of the trees actually are.

The Final Trip Begins

We are in DC waiting on our flight to board.  It's really pretty hard to describe how we feel, at least it is for me.  We are tired of the waiting, anxious for parenthood, and elated beyond belief that we are getting Malia out of the orphanage soon.  I go through a range of emotions.  I think about the firsts we can't wait to experience. I think about my dreams of taking her to Disney World.  I think about how different and wonderful life in general will be with her, with us.  I think about Thanksgiving with a new family member.  Her first Christmas!  I think back on how long we have waited for these final days of this process and I just about fall apart.  I think about how I hope God looks down on the two of us, fallen sinners, with no hope but in Him and finds His favor in everything we do with Malia.  That the grace we were given from Him and adoption into His family has driven our desire to bring this little girl into a Christ centered, yet imperfect family.  We'll post more pics soon on our Gotcha Day.  We seriously cannot wait!

-Scott

We Best Be Gettin' Ready!

Today was our last day and we got to visit Malia in the orphanage once again.  We got hung up in traffic on the way.  The traffic here is extraordinary.  To our advantage our driver is also extraordinary.  When we entered through the gate at the orphanage many of the children were outside playing.  As we walked we spotted our little yellow puff ball walking towards us on her own.  We got closer and spoke to her as we approaced and she went right to wendy smiling with her arms out.  It was perfect.  I would swear she knows something has changed since yesterday, I pray she does.   We walked around to the other side of the orphanage today and played on some slides and other plastic play sets.  She is such a content little girl.  She has the cutest smile.   Wendy would start her down the slide and I would catch her at the bottom and throw her up in the air.  She loved it.

We got out some of the toys we brought and she sat down in Wendy's lap and carefully played with each one.  Wendy had to blow her nose so she got out a tissue from her bag and Malia was all about it.  She is fascinated with tissue and watched Wendy so intently when she blew her nose.  Wendy gave Malia a clean kleenex and she mimic'd Wendy.  then she carefully put the cleanex back in the back and zipped the zipper up.  then, she took a little electronic book that sings kids songs when you turn the page and decided it needed to go into the bag too.  Just a little heart breaker.  She is all about her momma! Watches every move and wanted to go to her all the time.  It was great.  She'll understand the coolness of daddy very soon, dont anyone worry about that.

Finally, we took her back inside to try on some clothes we brought to see what would fit and what didnt.  Wendy took off her snow suit and she knew to put it up in her locker so I helped.    We sat her down to start putting her clothes on and noticed she hadnt put her shoes for outside away. So I gave them to her and she walked over to her locker again. I shut the door and noticed that she kind of hesitated and pointed at the door but I didnt realize why.   we sat down again and realized she didnt have her inside shoes.  Her hesitation was because she knew she needed them.  We were totally screwing up her routine.  It was cute.  It was like a different girl with these different clothes on.  She cooperated so so well.  We took her passport and visa pictures with one of the little dresses on her.  We changed her back into her clothes and she was starting to get tired of the whole ordeal and we eventually experienced her first meltdown with us.  I mean screaming crying tears.  It was all too much for her.  But momma got her in her lap and she layed over into her chest and calmed down.  It was precious.  Wendy got to see where she slept and ate and bathed which was great.  Today was the best day we have had with her, which was appropriate I think.  Her world has been so small.  We're gonna take care of that! Fortunately we left without time to get emotional.  But we KNOW when we are returning so it is all good!

I cant thank each of you enough for your kind words of encouragement, prayers and interest during this process. It has been hard.  But we will soon be complete and this little one will have a family.  How fun is that?!

But there are still so many........

-Scott

Pictures!!

She is OUR daughter!

SHE IS OURS!!!!!!  We have a daughter and a little girl has a Mom and a Dad.


We received another incredible gift today besides a new daughter.  The local government official who came for the court hearing gave me 3 baby pictures of Malia.  I wanted to have a picture from when she was little so bad, but I never thought I would get one.  I cried at the courthouse when she gave them to me. I couldn't believe I would get to keep them and be able to show Malia how she looked when she was an infant.  Such a gift to have those pictures, I was so happy.
  
The court hearing went very smoothly.  Scott stood up first and I sat in the back while he answered for our daughter.  I was very proud listening to my husband speaking for our little family, that yes, we wanted this little girl as our own.  It was just one of those really cool moments in life.  I stood at the podium next and had to answer if I agreed with everything that Scott had said.  I was asked if I wanted to add anything and I cried as I told the judge that we loved Malia and wanted to bring her home and wanted her to be our daughter.  Next the local government official (who gave me the baby pictures) spoke of Malia and how she came to be in the orphanage.  Our translator whispered to us as everyone spoke so we were able to follow what was going on.  The judge then took the pictures we had brought of ourselves, our house, Malia's new room, and some pictures of us with Malia from our first trip and went to his chambers for a few minutes to decide.  He returned and formally gave us permission to adopt Malia.  He even said her new name, Malia, when we listened to his announcement.  


Here are the 3 baby pictures.  

We will return to Moscow on October 9, pick up Malia on Monday, October 10, and finally finally bring Malia home on Saturday, October 15!!!!!! 

A morning with our little Malia

Here's a sneak peak! We had a great visit with Malia today. She has gotten a little bigger, I can tell when I pick her up! She seems taller but those cheeks are still there! We played outside again so it was back in the same yellow snowsuit. Today's favorite activity was us pushing her around the paths on a tricycle that was too big for her to reach the peddles. When we would stop for a rest, she would lurch to get us to push more. She would laugh when I would go faster and faster or hit a bump. She is definately going to be our rollercoaster daughter. She also loved when we held her facing us on our lap and dropped her backward and brought her back up again.

We had alot more eye contact than last time. She would look at me when I sang and she was very interested in my nose blowing! She interacted with Scott more than last time and said a few words, in Russian of course.

We have court at 9:30 Monday morning, which is 12:30 am Monday Paducah time. Anya is picking us up at 8:00 am sharp as it takes awhile to get to court. We won't get to go back to the orphanage tomorrow, but on Tuesday, because we will now be considered family, Anya said we can see where she sleeps and eats.

We'll post again tomorrow, when we will officially be a family of 3! Good night from Moscow.

~wendy

Back in Moscow

We have arrived once again in Moscow!  It looks very different.  When we were here in April, the trees were dead and the streets were dirty from the recently melted snow.  Now the grass is green and the trees are showing the first glimpes of autumn.  It's so discouraging that we have missed an entire season. It makes me feel we have missed an entire season of Malia's life.  But very soon, we will have many many seasons with her!


We flew into Moscow and made it through passport control, baggage claim, and customs very quickly.  I searched all the faces for the sweet face of Anya and she waved with a huge smile on her face when she saw us. I practicaly ran to her and hugged her.  She said something about it's been so long and I started crying and asked her why it's been so long.  She teared up herself and said "because of all the vacations.  It's so hard in summer. I'm so sorry."  She was very sweet about the way she said it, almost like she felt my pain too.  She hugged Scott and immeditaly told him he needed a coat.  We laughed.  It's not cold here by our standards but everyone had their winter coats and scarves and here's Scott with a short sleeve shirt on.  Scott assured her he brought one and it was in his bag.  Anya told him he needed to put his coat on when we got to the car.  It cracked me up. She was practically shaking her finger at him.
  
Our driver Vitale wisked us away and into the crazy Moscow traffic.  We caught up with Anya on the drive to the hotel.   Anya told us she went with another family during the summer to Malia's orphange and said "She is big! (With an emphasis on big).  She held her hands to her cheeks and said "she is big, but she has slimmed down some."  I guess that means she has gotten taller.  I sure hope some of those cheeks are still there!!  She couldn't remember if her hair had gotten longer.  Anya is picking us up at 9:15 in the morning to go to the orphanage.  I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE HER!!!!!!!  It's so frustrating to be so close to her, but not able to go and visit tonight. We will post more tomorrow about our time with Malia and then the next day after court, we will be able to post pictures of her!
   
~wendy