THE TRAIN RIDE AND NEXT MORNING

Thursday night we got on the fast train to Moscow 1st thing Vahnya did was poop yep a big messy one all on his clothes the first one like that and of course it had to be on the train where there was no place to change him ,I took him into the small bathroom and some how got it done good thing I packed him extra clothes , then about 45 min later he did it again lol this time I changed him on thee floor outside of the bathroom. and just as I was changing him the train must have gone into a turn because I just about fell after that I felt sick. I got a $3 can of coke and ate some snacks I had brought vahnya and Anya watched a DVD then I held Vahnya and he  fell asleep pretty fast he falls asleep with movement. and I fell asleep a bit too.Before I knew it the train was stopping we were in Moscow it's a 4 hour train. Our coordinator Olga a old chubby short lady and her husband who matched her came to our seats to help us her pootr husband had to drag both Heather and my big suitcases as we set off to their car got every one and everything in Olga had to hold the stroller on her lap lol they took us to the apartment oh boy it was nothing like the one we had just left this one was old and small felt like something from the 40s I didn't even want to step my feet on the floor without shoes lucky we were only stying one night it was a whirlwind of giving out money i still cant tell you what all we paid for and how much Olga would say she needed this much for this and this much for that the apartment guy did the same heather and i just kept handing out money finally they left  I made up the hard hideabed that broke as i was making it Heather and I fixed it. we all went to sleep to be woken up a couple hours later by the doctor who came to exam the kids we had to wake the kids up he had me take Vahnyas clothes off and of course that made him cry the Doctor moved fast we signed some papers he left papers with us and that was that.we went back to sleep but two hours later Olga came she had forms for us to fill out then she was off to  take it all to the Embassy she came back two hours after that and had our Embassy appointments for Monday,so  we were free to do as we wished for the weekends. Heather called her friend Emily who we were going to stay with and she came with her husband Jeff and her friend they helped us  pack up and we were off to her house Vahnya fell asleep within 5 min of the drive.

Moscow and some stitches!

My laptop fell and is not working so I have not been able to blog but if you go to Heathers blog you can read about our time. http://www.fillmoresjourneytoanna.blogspot.com/ we are in Moscow now Mike left this morning to come meet up with us. Im so happy I only have one more night without him.
Last night just a few hours after we got here to the Titus familys home (people we are staying with.) Vahnya fell and split open his head just like his big sister did last week. It was bad and we knew it needed stitches but we are in RUSSIA! I was so scared but Heather and Emily Titus jumped into action calling to find the best place to take him that would not cost so much. They found an American clinic and Emily Vhanya and I took off , boy Emily is so brave to drive here. we found the clinic and went inside it was nice the Doctors and evryone were Russian but they knew english so that made me feel so much better. They were so nice treated us so well took great care of Vahnya. When the Doctor first looked at his head he made a face, it was bad he said if he didn't hold still for him he would have to put him under. Boy how we didn't want to do that so Emily took his feet I took his arms another doctor held his head we sang to him, talked to him while he cried and cried. I told the Doctor talk to him in russian it will make him feel better. So he did he said sweet things to him and it was done they did it! we were so happy.After we got vahnya smiling again the doctor came over so sweet and said, "may I give him a kiss?" and kissed him on the head how sweet he told me that Vahnya was a sweet boy. When we went to pay we thought it was going to be at least $500 but it was only $230 thank you Lord.
Vahnya got his first taste of candy when Emily pulled out a sucker from her bag . He was all smiles after that.
Now I don't let him out of my sight I have to remember even though he is 3 years old he is more like an 18 mo old who just learned to walk he is still not steady on his feet.He is my sweet baby love, just wait till you all meet him! Ill add some pictures when Mike gets here with his laptop.

First morning together

I woke up this morning to a sweet boy just lovingly looking at me almost like he was thinking "she's still here that's my Mommy" he just looked at me for the longest time with a sweet smile, letting me touch his face and head and kiss his hands what a sweet moment. And yes he slept all night.

But I called mike and found out he had taken Amelia to urgent car,e my happiness turned to tears. This is so hard but I'm so happy Mike was there to be with her. She fell outside and cut open her head had to have 3 stitches ,Mike said she was so brave.I got to see her on skype and talk to her on the phone she told me all about it. I ca'nt wait until our family is together.

GOTCHA DAY

As I start to type this I look next to me and see the sweetest little boy ever sleeping in my bed how blesses am I thank you Lord!

Today is one of those days I will never forget. driving to his baby house for the last time I fought back tears happy and sad tears happy because I was finally going to get my baby. sad for two reason 1st because Mike was not here to she this moment with me and 2nd because I felt for vahnya he would be saying goodbye to the only home and family he has ever known.

We drove up to the baby home and I had butterflies in my tummy,we went in-just like we have so many times before this time it was different I knew it would be the last. As I walked down the hall to his room the tears tried to come but I  fought them back. As I walked into his room they tried even harder but I still fought them. when I first came in vahnys stepped away from me and waved and said bye bye to me like he wanted me to go away,I think they must have told him I was going to take him, maybe he was sad. I went over to him and picked him up I gave him my camera and after that he was all smiles. As I took off his clothes that belong to the baby house and put him in his very own clothes he turned looked up at me and kissed me. When I put on his bright white new shoes he giggled with delight.He was so proud when we took him in to his group to say good bye he had a big smile. The nannies said look at the American boy because of his plaid shirt and jeans, we got a picture with each one. There is no doubt this boy is loved and will be missed. as i was taking pictures a tiny little boy came over and held onto me I could not help but wonder where is his mommy please lord bring hi m his mommy. So many sweet babies with no mommies it is sad.
we said our good byes Tat is`when a few tears came from me.  I found out that vahnyas group that he has grown up with has already all been moved up to the next age group the children that were with him now were all new. They left vahnya because they new we would be to pick him up soon so they didn't want to change nannies on him just before but he did already have to say goodbye to his friends the children with him now were new friends.so his life had already changed.
I bundled him up in his snow clothes and we were off, stopping in the hall to say goodbye to people as they said his name. The doctor came out of her office to tell hm goodbye. We said goodbye to the director and we were out of there! We stepped outside and a huge burden came off of me it was a huge relief he was mine all mine.Of course I will have to share him with his`Dada soon and all the rest of his family too.
We walked to the car as Heather took pictures. Int the car  (no car seat) i held him on my lap facing me and he snuggled into me it felt so good.Then it was Heathers turn to go get Anya, it was so good to meet her sweet little thing she is.
On the way back to our apartment Vahnya fell asleep on me, it felt as if he had always been with me as if I had given birth to him, as if he was always mine. I think he has been God knew he was mine we just didn't know.
We walked up our 3 long flights to our apartment and put the kids down and they ran and ran and ran all around the apartment a run of freedome. went and IM'd Mike 1st thing on the IM video so he could see him and vahnya could see Dada He saw Mike and said "Dada:"it was so sweet.
 After a video and some lunch I took Vahnya to our room for a nap I lay him next to me and close my eyes. h.He watched me. I would open my eyes and he would just be looking at me and he would smile. I wonder what he was thinking. That is when I finally really let the tears come, looking into his eyes I couldn't help it he was lying next to me finally after a year of hard work he is with me.
He woke up and we skyped the kids, they were excited to see him.
Then we went to play with Anya, later they had dinner and I thought I would try to give him a bath. I have heard that kids that have just been adopted out of a baby home don't like baths, but he loved it he splashed and giggled and splashed. Anya got in too and she had fun. vahnya cried when he had to get out he wanted to stay in. I smothered him in baby lotion(baby magic) and put his feetie jammies on.He is now fast asleep next to me. I am so blessed.

Big day today

Today is the big day that we have been waiting for for over a year.Today I will walk out  with my son we will walk out of the only place he has ever known as home, he will say goodbye to people he loves, the only family he has ever known to never see them again. I know this will be hard for him please stand with Mike and I in prayer that he will feel peace and know that we love him.And that this transition will go smoothly for him.

Had a busy few days and now I'm finally relaxing I ame such a home body poor Heather wants to go see the city I just want to sit and write in my journal. we have done so much in the last few days the word hurry up is not in the vocabulary here so when you go to do something like even just go to the bank you wait and wait as the lady behind the window takes her sweet time 2 hours in a bank is a long time. things are so different here. most places have security guards that buzz you in lots of security here.

Monday is gotcha day Monday I will have my little boy in my arms to dress as I wish, to feed as I wish, to play with as I wish, to take where I wish, noone to tell me what to do or not to do with him. just his mommy just me until his daddy comes to get us on the 27th.

We will be so excited to see Mike I really miss him we have never been apart for more then two days and we talk all throughout the day I miss him but I know he is taking good care of our kids and they need him, it's funny to hear that he made corn bread  last night. can't wait until our family is all back together.

So the plan for Monday is to go get Vahnya and then go get Anya and come back to the apartment. I know it's going to be so new to the kids but we are so happy Heather and I that they will have each other to play with .you can go read the post Heather wrote about today here http://fillmoresjourneytoanna.blogspot.com/2011/03/long-but-wonderful-day.html
Monday is the big day.

I got to see Vahnya today....