365 days ago exactly

I can hardly believe it was one year ago today that we met this darling little boy that would change our family forever!
Look at those eyes!!

The look on his face here made me want to pick him up, hide him in my coat and smuggle him right out of Baby Home #17! He looks sort of sad.

Last night I was looking back at my posts from last year while we were in Russia. There is a lot I didn't mention! I am going to recap some of it here so that I don't forget some of these stories. The day started out with a nice breakfast and we got ready for our driver to pick us up. My stomach wasn't feeling too well and I actually got a little sick before we left. I figured it was due to nerves. I told Daryle and he figured it must be nerves too. One reason I was nervous was that the night before Alla had been to see us and had told us all about Connor and showed us this little black and white photo of him with a bonnet on his head. He was only a few weeks old in the picture. We had this big conversation the night before about something that could possibly be wrong with him. I don't remember exactly what it was, but it worried us and scared us all night long. When Alla came that morning we were told, "OH! I had him mixed up with another child! He doesn't have that at all! No worries!" Ok, great, that doesn't change the fact that we lost sleep worrying about this! Oh well, water under the bridge at this point. So, off we all go with our driver and Alla to the Ministry of Education. My stomach still wasn't feeling too well and Daryle kept looking over at me. Now, the driving in Moscow is pretty crazy and getting carsick is nothing new to them. I think my face started turning green and Daryle kept asking me if I was ok, I kept insisting I was. I was willing it to go away. Well, needless to say, it didn't work and I started throwing up right there in the car! I was trying to catch it (gross, I know!) and then Alla saw me and said, "Oh no! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING!!" I was so embarrassed I didn't know what to say. I opened the door and finished. It was all over my sweater, pants, scarf, coat and boots. Alla asked me if I needed to change and I said I guess so. Then she said, "Well, it's too far and we will be late!! We can't be late for this appointment!" So I said that I would be fine, she said Ok. All I could think of was how totally embarrassed I was. I wasn't sure if it was the driving, something I ate or nerves. I think it was the combination of all three actually. So, we finally pull up to the Ministry of Education and we get out of the car. That is when I lost it and just broke down crying. I couldn't stop. Alla kindly took me to the ladies room where I could "wash up" a bit. We went in there together. This is when the funniest thing happened. She took out her brush and brushed her hair. She looked at me and said, "You need to say to yourself, I am zee most beautiful voman in zee verld!" I cracked up laughing, decided I totally liked this woman and I was able to get myself together. I went out and sat with Daryle while we waited to be called into the office. Then Alla came over to me with this tiny vial of something and gave it to me. I had no idea what it was. Daryle said, is it mouthwash? I asked Alla and she laughed and told me it was some perfume! Oh great, now I knew how smelly I was!!! AHHHH!! I sprayed some on and then we were called in. We were instructed to act like we knew nothing of this little boy who was to become our son. We answered some questions, were showed a picture and were asked if we wanted to meet him. "Of course!" we said with enthusiasm. So, off we went to go meet him. Fortunately, there was time to stop back home so that I could change. From then on I got the front seat.... on all 3 trips!!! Poor Anatoley, we were sure to give him an extra tip that day!

Here we were, we had just met out newest son! We fell in love with him from the moment they brought him to us. We could tell right away that he would be the perfect brother for Travis. It was evident early on that the two personalities would gel perfectly. We were relieved to have finally met him, to have fallen in love instantly and to be that much closer to bringing him home!