Moritz Adoption

Last post from Moscow!!

Wednesday, June 7^th

We are leaving a day early! And we might even get home tonight around 9 pm if we can catch our connecting flight in New York. If we can’t, then we’ll be home on Thursday around 1 pm. We are really excited! Our flight today is Aeroflot and leaves at 2:20 pm. Our driver will pick us up at 9 am this morning. The airport is far away and we need extra time since we’re changing our tickets. We did buy changeable tickets so we hope we don’t get charged too much extra for switching. But who cares? It’s worth it! We couldn’t even tell our parents on the phone because the hotel phones don’t work right now for making outside calls. This hotel is really nasty. Email across the street costs 50 cents a minute ($30 an hour?!) So we’re not real impressed with this whole set-up.

Our experience at McDonalds yesterday was a hoot. Wow, are they nice to customers there! They wanted to get us a highchair and a table. They clear your trash for you. They gave the girls a souvenir paper thing. They are just really helpful. The food tastes about the same, in our opinion. Regina was enthralled with the picture of Ronald McDonald. It’s so strange to think of them never being in a McD’s before. All I could think of was the “Super Size Me” movie about how bad McDonalds is. Regina did well though. She just wanted the hamburger patty (she ate 2 of them) torn up in pieces and dipped in ketchup. She ate a few fries and had orange juice. She wasn’t into the bun. Lilia ate a little of everything but not much. It was more of an experience than anything else. We took pictures.

Dan went and bought a few interesting nesting dolls on Arbat street in the rain. It was about 55 degrees yesterday and windy/cold/rainy. Not a real enjoyable day for walking. But the girls seemed to like the underground tunnel sidewalks (which are full of stores) and the feel of the wind.

We bathed the girls and put them to bed at 6:45 pm. They fell asleep immediately. We knew they were tired. Lilia actually opened her mouth a little bit for me to brush her teeth last night. The first 3 nights she would not budge her mouth and she cried hysterically every time I brushed her teeth. I don’t know if she’s never had it done or what. Her teeth look far better than Regina’s, but she does have some sort of dark coating on the front ones. It’s probably massive plaque. The dentist is checking her out next week too.

Lilia did not sleep well last night. She was up every hour or so crying. She has a cough that sounded pretty croupy too. So that was rather exhausting since we were pretty tired from jetlag. Regina is mostly over her cough now. I will give Lilia Tylenol or Motrin today for the plane so she feels better. We think she has the equivalent of night terrors too. Her body shudders sometimes during sleep and then she cries like she’s in pain. She’s probably reliving some horrible moment from her earlier years. Speaking of which, Dan and I read both girls’ history last night from the packet we got at the Embassy. It was heartbreaking. We would prefer to keep most of the details confidential and only plan to share them with the girls when we feel they are ready (as young adults). But we now know exactly what kind of life they had been living with their birth mother. It has given me an even greater compassion for them. Please pray that God will heal their little hearts and heads from all those experiences. Only He can carry that burden for them. It’s nothing that Dan or I can fix, but you can bet we will love them to pieces and try to help them deal with it.

It was very touching to look at their original birth certificates and their new birth certificates…and the adoption decree. That final birth certificate where we are listed as mother and father is the ultimate piece of paperwork. We have worked so hard to get that one piece of paper. I feel like framing it! They also included lots of history as I mentioned and a full account of our court process on May 22^nd (which was our anniversary). They wrote such nice things about us. And Linda—get this—the adoption became finalized on June 2^nd! (her birthday) And one of the legal decision dates mentioned in the packet was December 12, 2005. That was the first day we met the girls. You can just see God in all the little details. I love that.

Dan got up with Lilia for good at 4 am. I woke up about 5 am. It’s not near enough sleep for us but hopefully we’ll get some more sleep on the plane. We supposedly got a bulkhead seat with the bassinet which would be wonderful for Lilia. She has been such a sweetie pie with us this morning. I made her some formula for her sippy cup and she gobbled it down. She has just been laying with us and cooing and playing and rolling over and watching us. Regina is still sleeping. She woke up once last night but it was because Lilia’s crying woke her up. It will be hard to keep the noise from bothering each other since they’re sharing a room at home too. But we’ll manage.

More from the States. I will try to keep the blog updated once we get home for a few months, but my life will be pretty busy for awhile so you may not hear from me daily any more. For the next few days I will be busy with unpacking, laundry, and just giving everyone love and hugs.

By the way, our girls will become U.S. citizens when we go through immigration in New York!! We still have to pinch ourselves that this is all really happening. The countdown to see our boys has begun…..probably only 24 hours until I hug them again.

Mom and Dad, you guys are so wonderful for all you’ve done for us these past 3 weeks. Dan and I can never repay you for this massive gift. Thank you. We love you.

Signing off for the last time from Russia……….

posted by Dan @ 11:08 PM