Home Sweet Home

There's no place like home! We are so happy to be back. We just have this great feeling of relief, not just to be home but that this whole adoption process is behind us. At times we wondered if it would ever work out and we would actually get our little girl. This process has pretty much consumed our lives for the past couple of years and it feels so good to have completed it. It was the hardest, most wonderful thing we have ever done and we don't have a single regret! God has blessed us with the most precious little girl and we know this was His plan all along! Our family has shared quite an adventure and it has pulled us even closer together.

The trip home was, in a word, exhausting. The kids did pretty well but by the time we got to Dallas we were all SO tired. Of course, with the jet lag we were all wide awake sitting in Ginger's living room at 3 AM. Gin & Mike didn't get much sleep that night but it was so good to see them. Ginger had treats for the kids and Valerie took to her so quickly. Every kid should have an Aunt Ginger to spoil them! Valerie threw her biggest fit ever right before we got on the plane in Dallas. She flopped on the floor kicking and screaming and would not be consoled. Everyone at our gate got quiet and was staring. They had to be thinking, "Great, we have to get on the plane with them." I wanted to holler out that we just adopted her from Russia and she's been flying for the past 2 days and had no sleep and she's really a good sweet girl, she's just exhausted and scared....But I just smiled and picked her up and kept trying to calm her down. Much to our relief (and everyone else's) she didn't cry once on the plane. It was so good to have our parents pick us up at the airport. They looked great and were thrilled to see Blaine and meet their new granddaughter!

We have had a couple of family get togethers (with amazing food!), some friends have come by to visit, and we made it to church today. Valerie seems to love meeting new people. She is really outgoing and friendly. She was quite a ham at church today because she knew everyone was watching her. I took her to the nursery and worried it might remind her of the orphanage because it was a room full of little ones but she went right in and had a ball. She loved the slide and checked out all the toys. I stayed there with her the whole time but she didn't have much to do with me. However, if another kid came and sat in my lap she would push them out and climb in! She'd stay there about 30 seconds and then she was off to play again until the next kid came along to sit with me. It was cute and made me feel good about her attachment to me. I was glad she felt secure enough to wander off and play but didn't want to share her Mama with anyone else! I know it takes lots of time for the whole bonding and attachment thing to take place but I think we're doing really well. She makes great eye contact and loves to be snuggled and held.

Valerie is eating well, sleeping well, and seems to just be eating up all the attention she is getting. She loves to be outside and has been busy checking out every drawer, cabinet, light switch, etc. in the house. I am just sick because my camera got broken on the plane ride home. When we got to Atlanta, I told Todd to get out the camera and take a picture of our new little US citizen and the screen was cracked. I'm just thankful it happened on the way home and not the way to Russia. I'll be getting a new one this week because I'm missing pictures of a lot of "firsts" right now. I'll post some more pictures of our new little cutie as soon as I get another camera!

Last Post From Russia!

Today was a successful day! We went to the US Embassy and had our interview and received Valerie's visa to enter the US. We also got a packet to give to immigration when we land in Atlanta where Valerie will officially become a US citizen! Then we went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and registered Valerie there. We are completely through with all the requirements here in Russia!!!

We will be picked up at 9:00 in the morning to go to the airport and our flight leaves at 12:55. We land in Atlanta at 4:30 and leave there for Dallas at 7:05. We land at DFW at 8:21 which will seem like 4:21 am to us since our bodies will still be on Moscow time. That is one long day! We'll spend the night with Ginger and Mike and fly home the next morning at 9:25. We are so close to being home! I dread the travel but can't wait to be home. Well, it's time to pack up the laptop! We'll update later on how things are going with our new family at home.

Moscow: An Amazing City

This morning we ate a good breakfast at a different cafe near our hotel and then set out to see some of the famous sights here in Moscow. It was such a wonderful day!

This city is huge and busy! You would never make it across some of these busy streets. There are tunnels under the streets so that you can get safely to the other side. I was sure glad I had Todd to carry Valerie and her stroller up and down all those stairs!

Outside the Kremlin there are gorgeous statues, fountains, and gardens. We had fun walking through them and of course the kids loved the water.

This is the famous Red Square. The Kremlin and Lenin's Tomb is on the left, and the rym (pronounced "goom"), a huge old beautiful shopping mall, is on the right. We went in the rym, looked around and had some ice cream. St. Basil's Cathedral was behind us, and I'm sorry to say I don't know what the pretty building on the far end is.

Blaine and Valerie in front of St. Basil's Cathedral. We toured the inside and it is just beautiful.

St. Basil's Cathedral

Lenin's Tomb

I knew the Kremlin was big but I did not realize it was that HUGE. The wall around the Kremlin is so tall. I'll try to find better pictures later. Red Square was really an amazing place. So much history here. Nothing in America even comes close to being as old as the things we saw here today in Moscow. I hope these pictures of Valerie's birth country will be special for her. We have made some great memories here and are bringing home the most precious little souvenir ever!

We ate lunch outdoors today at a neat Italian place. The weather was cool and it was just such an enjoyable day. The Marriot has a children's play room and I took the kids down there this evening and they had a ball playing around. Tomorrow we get picked up for our Embassy appointment at 1:00. Hopefully we'll get to see a few more sights here and then HOME will definitely be a sight for sore eyes! We are all tired and still suffering from jet lag which will only get worse come Wednesday. We're ready to wrap up this journey and begin the journey of raising 2 great kids!

The Comforts of a Home

Yesterday, the doctor came to our hotel and checked Valerie out. First let me say that Andrei was with him and was much nicer today! Anyway, Valerie went to him and did fine until she saw him begin to take his stethoscope and stuff out of his bag. She started screaming and didn't quit until he was gone! He asked me to go sit in the bathroom but it didn't do any good. Anyway, she checked out fine. The doctor told Todd that he would have to get a shotgun to fight off the boys since she has such pretty eyes. He told me she was a drama queen and I shouldn't pick her up so much. Yeah right!

Then we went out and found Todd and Angela's driver who took us to their beautiful home for the afternoon and dinner. That visit was like good medicine for all of us! We had the best time. Todd and Angela looked great, just like we remembered them. Their children, Maisy and Mason were precious. They were so grown up and so sweet the way they played with Blaine and Valerie. They even had gifts for our kids which was a real treat because all the toys we brought are getting very old. It was so comforting to be in a real home again for the first time in almost a month. The kids took advantage of the space to wander and play and Blaine even got to run around outside. The food was awesome, the conversation was wonderful, and it was just so good for all of us! They really blessed us by having us over and their great hospitality!

Yesterday morning Todd and Blaine enjoyed their outing. The couldn't get into Red Square at all because there was some kind of event going on to remember the WWII veterans but it was neat for them to get to see the ceremonies and demonstrations that were going on. They got some pictures from far away and we will all go back today. We have nothing to do adoption wise until Tuesday at 1:00 so today is just a free day for us. We slept well last night and are looking forward to a nice day and hopefully will have pictures for you tomorrow! Here's a happy pic of Valerie and Blaine from early on in the flight. I should have taken one at the end to have a before and after picture. They looked a little different! We'll be in the U.S.A. in 3 days and home in 4!

Here She Is!

Here's our beautiful daughter, Valerie Diane Hunt!

Happy times! This was the day we picked her up from the orphanage. She and Blaine hit it off immediately.

Our new family in front of the gold church in Khabarovsk.

Well, we made it to the Marriow Courtyard here in Moscow yesterday afternoon but it seemed like midnight to us because our bodies were still operating on Khabarovsk time which is 7 hours behind Moscow. Valerie did pretty well on the flight but it was still a tough day. She only slept for about an hour. I was wearing a black T-shirt that was new and it rubbed off on the sticky stuff all over Valerie's face and some ladies in front of us had given Valerie a red marker to color with and she had that all over her too. I used a lot of baby wipes but still she was quite a sight. She looked filthy. We all were actually. When we finally landed she wanted to run around the airport so I just let her while Todd was waiting on our bags. After our bad luck last time, I was so relieved to see our first suitcase pop out; however the relief was short lived. Everyone got their bags and left and we were missing 1 suitcase. We could see Andrei our driver and coordinator here in Moscow waiting outside for us. He came through the gates and we told him the problem. After lots of talking and pointing, here came our suitcase. We never knew what the problem was. Then we had another issue trying to get out of there. We handed the girl our boarding passes and some other papers we'd been given at the airport in Khab, but we didn't think they had given us any baggage claim checks. Lena had checked us in and handed us our stuff. Finally Todd opened up our packet of tickets and they had been stuck to the back of them. By this time, Andrei was obviously very put out with us. He grabbed our cart from Todd and took off. He raced through the airport and through all kinds of traffic and parking lots without ever looking back to see if we were following. Valerie was screaming and squirming while I was trying to run after him. We got in the car and took off. Todd tried asking Andrei a couple of questions as we drove through Moscow but his curt one-word answers made it clear he didn't want to talk. This guy is a pretty wild driver. I was feeling sick and I guess Valerie was too. She kept falling asleep and then waking up crying. We finally got to the Marriot and I thought I was gonna die as Todd kept trying to explain to the girl that no, he was not Nathan Hunt, he was Todd Hunt, just like it says on his passport. I was wearing this heavy backpack and holding Valerie thinking she looked awfully pale, praying that we would just hurry up and get a room. Then she began to make some strange noises and began throwing up all over the two of us! Poor thing! I know after all that she was thinking, "Just take me back."

We got up to our room, cleaned Valerie and I up and ordered some cheeseburgers from room service. We weren't up to going anywhere. We were starving and they were marvelous! Then Andrei came back with Catherine and her crew who's plane had been delayed. He sat down in our room with Todd to fill out our Embassy paperwork. Valerie was by the desk and he asked me to "move the child". As he was leaving he told us the doctor would come the next day but he didn't know when. I said that we had plans with friends (Todd and Angela Harris, who now live in Moscow) tomorrow night and it would be helpful to know when the doc was coming so we could plan around him. He rudely informed me that I needed to remember that we were here to complete an adoption. I was tired and cranky and was about ready to spit on him! We had brought a gift for him but he definitely won't be receiving it. After all, we're here to complete an adoption, not to be nice to people. This is the same guy who told us we would just have to do without our bags for the next 4 weeks when they didn't arrive last time we were in Moscow. Not my favorite person. Ok, ok, I got to rant and this probably won't seem like such a big deal later. We really do love our agency and all the employees we've dealt with except this one! He is correct about one thing, we are here to complete our adoption and as long as he gets that job done for us and gets us back to the airport in one piece, that is all that matters. But Dan Gibbs has a sign in his office that says, "Because Nice Matters" and I tend to agree. I guess us folks from west Texas just think differently about that!

As always, things looked brighter the next morning when we all woke up at 4 something. Literally, it was already light outside! Todd went to the fitness center and ran on the treadmill for a while. We showered and hung around the hotel until about 8, then we ventured out for breakfast. We found a neat little place and had some great fruit and pancakes and fresh squeezed apple juice that tasted just like you were eating a green apple, the way apple juice ought to taste, I guess. We were going to walk with Catherine's bunch to Red Square today but Valerie was getting deliriously tired so just Blaine and Todd went and I stayed here to let her have a nap. I bet we'll get another chance to go later on since our hotel is really close. The doctor comes today at 2:00 pm. Todd Harris is sending his driver for us at 3:00 and we are going to their home for the afternoon and for dinner. We are so looking forward to a home-cooked meal, some space for the kids to run, and a good visit with old friends from Monahans! It was so sweet of them to invite us. My Todd laughed and said who would have ever thought that a Grandfalls boy and an Imperial boy would be meeting up in Moscow!

We haven't really been told what we will need to do adoption-wise over the next couple of days. We fly out on Wednesday. We're in the home stretch!

Last Night in Khab!

We've been packing and packing. It feels like we're moving. At least now we don't have all the gifts and food to carry. However, our suitcases are still full. Just in case our luggage doesn't make it again, we each put a change of clothes in our carry-on bags. We have made lots of good memories here and will always have a fondness for this city because it is Valerie's birthplace. That being said, IT'S TIME TO GO HOME!

Today Todd went and got Valerie's passport so she can travel now. She's never left this city and we're taking her halfway around the world! Her little picture looks so cute. Blaine and I went for a walk this afternoon and had a special time, just the two of us. It's different now sharing my time and attention between two kiddos. Different but good! Then Irina came and brought us our documents that we will need for the US Embassy in Moscow and our copies of her birth certificate, adoption decree, and Valerie's medical records.

Our supper wasn't so great as we were cleaning out the fridge getting rid of everything. It was a little of this and a little of that. I think we should have just ordered pizza. I've heard that we will really miss our kitchen in Moscow but right now I'm thinking eating out sounds great! Our flight leaves tomorrow at 1:30 and we arrive in Moscow at 2:55. Doesn't sound bad but it's actually an 8 hour flight. I'm a little apprehensive about the long flight with Valerie but I guess one way or another, after 8 hours, it will be over with! Until next Wednesday, when we have an even longer one. We are looking forward to seeing the sights in Moscow. I'll update again from there and post a picture of our little cutie!

Another Day

I think we did laundry here for the last time!!! Today we washed up everything that we even think we might wear again. Things sure don't seem to get as clean in the tub as they do in the washer. We had a good day but really pretty uneventful. Catherine's cousin's wife has a friend who knows someone in Khabarovsk and they went and had lunch with her today. Small world, huh? We kept her kids while they went and had a really good time watching them all play. Todd and Blaine walked to the gold church this afternoon and bought a pretty little cross for Valerie. Blaine picked out a little picture of Mary and Jesus that he's very proud of. Meanwhile Valerie and I went to the store and picked up a few things to get us through the last couple of days here.

Dirty Diaper Duty

This is Blaine at the trash chute in the stairwell of our apartment. Whenever I change a diaper, Blaine loves to run and throw it down the trash chute. I wonder if he'll be so anxious to take them out at home? Doubt it! He likes to listen for it to hit the bottom.
Todd and Blaine walked down the hill to the river again tonight. They enjoy playing around down there and it's good exercise.
This hill is on the way back from the river. Our apartment is a couple of blocks past the blue apartments on the right. Todd and Blaine always race from here to the red and white sign close to the top of the hill.

Valerie is a doll! I love that little girl so much and am so thrilled to be her Mama! I just look at her sometimes and can't believe we finally have her. If I have to get on to her she sticks her lip out and looks like she's going to cry and then runs over and hugs me. Too sweet!

100 Rubles!

I guess the tooth fairy thought Blaine was a little Russian boy because she brought him rubles for the tooth he lost. I guess it must have been a fine tooth because he got 100 rubles which is equal to about $4! He thought about spending it today but decided he wanted to save it as a souvenir. Today we took a taxi to the children's park. We got a little anxious when he drove by the park, commented on it and kept on driving. It was just a miscommunication and once he realized that's where we needed to be, he got turned around and dropped us off.

Blaine rode the swan rides and he did the kangaroo jump which is trampolines with bungee cords. Boy did he go high! He also went on a giant slide that looked like a tiger and played on a big pirate ship. I would show you pictures of all this fun but I forgot my camera today. I was really disappointed when I realized it. We took sandwiches and chips, bought some cokes while we were out and had a picnic lunch. We had the stroller with us and decided to walk home instead of getting a taxi. It was a hot day and we were all sweaty and exhausted by the time we got home. It might have been a little too far for such a hot day. Valerie did well and had fun until the very end and I ended up having to carry her because she was arching her back and almost flipping out of the stroller. She'd had enough! We all rested well this afternoon and are ready to turn in early tonight. Friday we get to pick up Valerie's passport and we head to Moscow on Saturday. We're beginning to get homesick and can't wait to see all of you! Thanks for your encouraging comments and your prayers.

Rubles or Dollars?

If you lose a tooth while in Russia, does the tooth fairy leave dollars or rubles? That is the big question here today. Blaine lost another tooth! He wrapped a piece of thread from the complimentary sewing kit here in the apartment around it and yanked it right out. There is already a big tooth poking through underneath. We just can't wait until tomorrow morning to see what is under his pillow!

How much do you think this pretty little tooth is worth? He got $1 at home for the last one he lost.
Not only do you lose teeth when you turn 6 but apparently it's also time to start shaving. Blaine has 3 nice little cuts on his upper lip from Todd's triple-blade razor. I don't think he'll shave again for quite a while! As he was gushing blood he kept asking if I was mad at him. I told him, "Of course not, I'm just sorry you cut yourself." Kids are so funny!

Valerie is "talking" so much. We can't understand most of it but she just babbles and nods her head and really tells us all about something. She actually calls us Mama, Dada, and Bubba now instead of just repeating the words when we say them. She does this especially when she wants something. Today on the way home from the grocery store Blaine was eating an ice cream cone and would occasionally give his sister a bite. When she was ready for another, she'd scream Bu-bu, Bu-bu! It was pretty cute.

Remember how I said that if Valerie was doing something or touching something that she shouldn't be all we had to do was say nyet in a stern voice and she would immediately stop? Well, today she was reaching for an electrical outlet and I yelled, "Nyet!". She looked at me, laughed, yelled "Nyet!" right back at me, and reached for it again. She's beginning to test her boundaries. I guess that means she is feeling more comfortable with us. We are loving every day with her though and can't wait to get her home and watch her as she learns and grows!

Fun Stuff!

We decided we needed to have some fun today. So we got a taxi and went to the Arliken with some other families here at the Markuel. It is an indoor amusement park/arcade type place near the Amethyst Hotel. We stayed at the Amethyst on our last trip to Khabarovsk. It was a really neat place and we all had a good time! All that driving the Mule around the ranch that Blaine does paid off on the bumper cars. He was an awesome driver and wasn't shy about plowing into everyone else!
He and a couple of his new friends rode this Jumping Star ride.
He looks at home on this horse, doesn't he? He shot lots of bottles off a shelf while he was riding.
All the kiddos and their daddies spent a good while at this game. We all got a big laugh out of the competitiveness, especially in the grown up children!
I just had to take a picture of this game! You kick the hiney on this woman, the harder you kick the higher up the lights go! No one played this one today. I don't think any of the men wanted to kick a girl!

I have some cute pictures of Valerie too, wish I could share them. Just like in America, these places are pretty expensive. We quickly realized that Valerie was just happy to sit on all the little rides. It didn't matter whether we put in a token or not! We ate lunch there then played a little longer. We kept her out way past her naptime and she was a little trooper. There is a whole outdoor part that we walked through today but didn't play anything. It was getting so hot and we needed to head back to the apartments. We may try to go back one day this week earlier in the morning and check out some of that stuff.

Tomorrow Todd and I will go to the Vital Statistics office and do some paperwork to get Valerie's birth certificate reissued listing us as her parents! We are so proud of this little girl and are getting to know each other a little better everyday. She is already doing a lot less rocking at night which to me is a great sign! She is also beginning to give me big hugs, whereas she used to just stand there stiffly when I hugged her. I wish I could get inside her little head and know what she's thinking. Is she missing the orphanage? I know she's enjoying us but that is the only home she's ever known. Does she have any idea that we are her forever family? Does she wonder why we talk so funny? One thing's for sure, in the last couple of weeks we have turned her little world upside down and I know it can't have been easy for her but she has seemed to adjust very well so far considering all the changes she's been through.

As we were getting ready to leave the other day, Blaine looked at Valerie and said, "Come on, ya little runt." I guess they're truly brother and sister now!

5 more days in Khab, 10 more days and we're home!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day, Dad, Larry, Bub, and all you other great fathers we know out there! Todd and I were blessed with great dads. Dads who spent time with us both in work and in play and taught us so many lessons about life. Where would we be without our dads?! We love ya'll and are so blessed to still have you close in our lives, still teaching us things!

Since we are 16 hours ahead of you at home our Father's Day here is ending as you Sunday is just beginning. We brought Todd the movie, Radio, for Father's Day and he is watching it now. Todd is a great husband and an awesome Daddy! He's the kind of dad that is tough and stern and doesn't let his kids get away with anything but also the kind who picks them up, squeezes them tight and tells them everyday how much he loves them. He's the kind of dad that takes Blaine camping in the pasture behind our house, teaches him to ride horses and work cows, plays basketball out front, and wrestles in the living room. He is the kind of dad that prays with and for his kids. He is the kind of dad that gets big tears in his eyes as he watches his newly adopted daughter sleeping. Love you, Todd!

Today was a hot and humid rainy day. We had to stay indoors all morning. I finished off every bit of chocolate I could find. I did yet another load of laundry in the bathtub. I have a blister from wringing out all the clothes. I may kiss my washer and dryer when I get home! My pants are falling off of me, not because I've all of a sudden gotten so slim and trim but because they stretch out really bad when I hang them to dry. After Valerie's nap today, we were all going crazy cooped up in here. We decided to take our chances with the weather and make a run to the store. I was out of Diet Coke! We got lucky because it began to sprinkle as we got near the store and once we got inside there was a downpour. We took our time shopping and once we checked out, the rain had subsided and we ran home. There was so much humidity today that we were all sopping wet. We might be able to handle the west Texas heat but this humidity is rough! We were so glad not to get caught in the storm. The babushkas here have already lectured us a few times on the street. One lady grabbed Valerie's stroller away from Todd, turned it around, and chewed Todd out while pointing at the sun. Don't know what she said and really didn't see a problem. Valerie even had on the requisite sun hat and everything. We just shrug and smile!

Catherine's sister had to get back to work so her nephew, Nathaniel, has come to join the fun and help out. He is 21 and seems really nice. He and Catherine and the kids came down to our apartment for a playdate this afternoon. It was fun and helped pass the time on this looong day.

Tonight after supper (pelmeni, beans, rice, and garlic toast) the sun decided to come out of hiding. I had just bathed Valerie but we decided to go out anyway. It was a gorgeous evening with a nice breeze. We walked down to the river and all felt much better afterward. It's supposed to be a really hot week here next week, in the 90's. We spend 6 more nights here in Khabarovsk, then on to Moscow for our embassy appointment. We're getting closer!

Too Tired To Blog!

But here's a cute picture from our day today!

Happy Birthday, Blaine!

My sweet little boy turned 6 today! We had a nice party complete with cake and candles. Catherine's sister, Gene, made us some awesome pizza which we all thoroughly enjoyed. He had a couple of presents and had a great time! 6 years ago God answered our earnest prayers for a child when he gave us our precious son. How neat to celebrate that while in Russia when God has again answered our prayers for another child! We are so very very blessed!
We found a new little playground today and Blaine really enjoyed monkeying around on the bars.

Another novel thing about this playground was the pig's jaw laying in the middle of it. Interesting.

Valerie's new word today is num-num which means yum-yum. She uses it when she wants another bite of something! She is so funny and cute. I just can't wait until I can post some pictures of her and especially to get home and show her off in person!

Boy's Day Out

I really should have Todd do the blogging today but he's already gone to bed. It was cool and very windy today so we decided that Todd and Blaine should have a boy's day out. Valerie and I stayed at the apartment, washed clothes, and played. It sounds like they had a great time and even took some pictures so they could tell me about it. Today is Russian Independence Day so there was a lot going on around town for the celebration. Todd met a man who could speak English and they had a nice chat. He told Todd that this celebration is like our 4th of July. Funny how they know about our holidays but we know nothing about those of Russia and most other countries. This guy told Todd that he had seen the movie, Independence Day with Will Smith. Todd got a kick out of that!This is Blaine in front of a fountain in Lenin Square. The big building in the background is the courthouse where we had our adoption hearing. It looks so different here than it did when we were here in March. I'm glad we got to see 2 different seasons! Todd said there was a stage set up today with musicians and speakers because of the holiday. There were many people, flags, balloons, etc.
There was even an Independence Day bike race around Lenin Square!
Next they walked down to the beach and got a Coke and a hot dog for lunch. They they got some ice cream from a street vendor for dessert. Then they walked to a beautiful park with a lake. It had pretty fountains and there were paddle boats and those big clear balls that people can get in and roll around on the water. The guys said they had a really good time here.
At this same park were lots of cool statues and neat things for kids to look at. Blaine posed here with a cat!
This restaurant called the Eternal Cafe was overlooking the lake. It looks like a fun place to eat. The name is in English so we're hoping that means they might have an English menu. We are planning to all return here some day soon when the weather is a little nicer. It was windy like west Texas today! I'm sure Blaine and Todd could have told about their day better than I but thought I'd share their pics with you anyway. I'm glad they got a special day together. Todd laughed and said they had all that fun for a little over a hundred rubles, which is about 5 bucks! Can't beat that! I hugged and loved on Valerie all day today and thoroughly enjoyed it! I don't have any exciting news to share though.

There are several families here with another agency that we've enjoyed getting to know a little bit. It's so nice to speak English with people. The couple in the room next to us have invited us to go bowling on Monday so we'll probably take them up on that. One family has a son that's about Blaine's age and they've played together a couple of times. Tomorrow is Blaine's birthday. My baby boy is turning 6!! We are having a little party with Catherine, Jerry, Gene, Elizabeth, and Peter. Gene is making pizza for us! I was able to find some balloons and party hats at the grocery store here that actually say Happy Birthday in English on them so we're all set for a real celebration!

Thanks, Elle, for the milk tip. Why didn't I think of that?
Well it's just now really getting dark here and I'm beginning to hear a few fireworks. If there's a good show going on, I'm going to wake up the guys to watch it!

One Step Closer

Today we took Valerie to have her picture made for her passport. That puts us 1 step closer to bringing her home!!!

After that, Lena, our translator, took us to the big grocery store. Lena looks like a supermodel. She is very tall, super skinny, and gorgeous. Today she happened to be wearing a tiny little miniskirt and got many stares. Bryan, I forgot my camera today but Catherine took her picture so I'll try to post it later. I think she lives on carrot juice and she seems to get a kick out of watching us shop. I feel sure she doesn't buy things like bacon and ice cream ever! Of course, we have to ask lots of questions because we can't read Russian and don't know what anything is. The first 3 times I tried to buy milk here in Khabarovsk I got home with either Kefir (fermenty yogurt type stuff that Valerie loves) or really heavy cream. It's all in bags not cartons and we've had a couple of wrecks with that in the fridge. What are you supposed to do with a giant floppy bag of milk after you open it? Anyway, Lena showed me to look for the bags that say Moloko. Sure enough, that's milk! I can even get different fat percentages.

I have a whole new empathy for people who are illiterate because that is basically what we are over here. It is frustrating and at times a little scary to not be able to read anything. However, we know this is temporary. I can't imagine never knowing how to read or write. We've had some great adventures and gotten home with some really interesting things from the grocery. Some of them have been pretty good, others not so much.

Valerie is such a little smarty! She can say knock, knock when she knocks on the door. She can also say Dada, Mama, and Bubba. She actually sometimes calls Todd Dada and Blaine Bubba. Does she ever call me Mama? Nope. Today I would say, "Say Mama" and she would say "Dada" and giggle every time. I think Todd may be secretly sabotaging me!! I play this game with her where I make a buzzing sound and spin my finger in the air and then tickle her saying, "tickle, tickle, tickle" Today she came up and did it to me. It was so cute! She buzzed and waved her finger around. When she tickled me it sounded like, "dig-a, dig-a, dig-a"! We keep saying Monkey See, Monkey Do. She imitates every thing Blaine does. They took a bath together tonight and had a ball but they splashed water everywhere! So now the saying is Monkey See, Monkey Do, Monkey gets in trouble too!

Valerie is sleeping well both at night and at naptime. She rocks herself in her sleep at night and it is kind of disturbing to watch. She doesn't do it at all at naptime, just at night. This is just a typical post institutionalized behavior and I've read all about it, talked to other families who've experienced it, and understand why she does it. But it's still hard to watch. Basically, it's her way of soothing herself. She learned to do this because she didn't have anyone to comfort her or rock her at night. That just makes me so sad. She not only rocks but also bounces her head against the pillow or mattress. When she starts that I just have to step in. I am so glad she has us now to rock and soothe and love her. I'm so glad we have her.
Other than the rocking and speed eating, her behaviors are very normal. She is so happy and is picking up new things very very quickly. We are so proud of her! Todd said tonight that it was so nice to have a baby around again and it is!

What a Workout!

We've done lots of walking since we've been here but add in a stroller with a heavy baby and it's a whole new ball game! I've felt like I've gotten some good exercise most days but I'm actually sore tonight! We took off with Catherine and all of her crew on quite an expedition. This city is full of hills, stairs, cracked sidewalks, and huge potholes! Also, Todd and I are both really way too tall to comfortably push one of those little umbrella strollers! When you come to a flight of stairs, you have to pick the whole thing up and carry it. I took a spill today but made a good save. I ended up sitting on my rear holding the stroller up over my head. Real cute! Valerie is safe and sound. Nothing was hurt on me but my pride! These two pictures were taken in a big open area in front of the gold church. The kids all had a ball running free here and feeding and chasing all the pigeons. Today was one of those great days where the air is cool and the sun is warm. Just perfect!Blaine gets lots of stares in his cowboy boots! Don't see to many of those here in Khabarovsk! I used to tell him he could wear tennis shoes with jeans too. I even pointed out other children wearing them. His response? "Yeah, but they're not cowboys." You can tell he's feeling much better in this picture.
You can see the shadows of the pigeons that Valerie just scared off! She didn't really understand feeding the pigeons. She kept trying to pick up the popcorn we were throwing and eat it!
This is a pretty picture of the river taken by Blaine. He loves to get my camera and I always find lots of interesting subject matter on there! He's not bad, is he?

We went to lunch at the Intourist Hotel. Valerie was asleep in the stroller when we went in. She woke up about halfway through the meal. I have to say her restaurant behavior is pretty impressive. She was very quiet and happily ate the cream of broccoli soup we ordered for her. About halfway home (just as we started up the really big hill) we all began to get REALLY tired. We had been out and about for 6 hours! I looked at the faces of my family tonight at supper and everybody had dark circles under their eyes. I bet we'll all sleep hard tonight.

Out for a Stroll

This is what we did several times today. The weather was cool and it was a beautiful day other than being pretty windy. Valerie is learning new things everyday. She will let me feed her now but if she has the spoon she still eats at lightning speed. She loves her bath now and even pours a cup of water over her own head and giggles. I hug her baby doll, rock it in my arms, and say, "Love the baby." Then she gets the baby, rocks it and says Ooooooh. Too cute! Todd loves to take her for walks and she is getting more confident and sure of herself everyday. She has explored every drawer and cabinet in our apartment and we have lots of things up on high shelves. Blaine and Valerie wrestle and play. He hides under a cabinet and bursts out and growls and she screams and giggles and runs away. If she gets into something, we say "Nyet!" and she gets a guilty look and stops whatever she's doing immediately. I wonder how long that will last! We are having a ball!

She is definitely still on the orphanage schedule:
Wake up at 7:00
Breakfast at 8:00
Snack at 10:00
Lunch at 12:00
Nap after Lunch until 3:00
Supper at 6:00
Bedtime at 8:00
We are sticking right to this for now and she seems to like it.

We hope VBS will go great at home this week. Thresa, Blaine says to share your dollars with Buddy this time! You are so sweet to him! Thank you to everyone for your sweet comments and news from home. It always makes our day!

Sibling Bonding

Sibling bonding and a little rivalry too! Here Blaine is showing Valerie how funny Tom & Jerry is. This was great until she began pushing all the buttons on the DVD player. I told Blaine he'd better get used to that! Thanks, Donna, for loaning us your DVD player. It's been such a help and we've all enjoyed it.



We are all finally healthy today! We went to a great playground this morning and really wore Valerie out. She took a 3 hour nap this afternoon. It rained and hailed here this afternoon so since we couldn't get outside we went upstairs for some playtime with Catherine and her kiddos, who are also doing remarkably well! The three of them were adorable. I am going to have to start remembering to take my camera with me when we leave the apartment.

This is our kitchen here at the apartment. It's nice and clean but just small. It is a little challenging to cook because it is not a fully stocked kitchen. I miss my cheese grater, sharp knives, measuring cups, etc. But we're getting by just fine. Tonight we had hamburger patties, mashed potatoes, and green beans. I think Valerie would eat anything we put in front of her. Blaine's the same way so I'm one lucky Mama!
This is my clothes dryer! Actually, it's a sideways picture of our balcony where I hung the clothes I washed in our bathtub today. After this, doing laundry at home will seem fun! We were talking to Blaine tonight about how we should be so thankful for what we have. Here, we are missing the conveniences of home but are still so much better off than most of the people in the world.
This is the view from our balcony. We like to sit out there and watch the boats go by on the river. A cool breeze blows in most days so we leave the balcony door open until the mosquitos start invading in the evening.

Today was a great day and it really went by quickly. We've been in Khabarovsk 8 days now. We have a little less than 2 weeks more here, then a few days in Moscow, then HOME! This long stay isn't really what we wanted to do but it is giving us some awesome family time that we would never get at home with work and other responsibilities constantly pulling at us. By the end of this trip, I'm sure we'll have had more than enough togetherness, but I'm treasuring every minute right now!

On The Mend

We are beginning to feel good again. Poor Blaine had really high fever all night and kept throwing up. He slept almost all day today. His fever went back up this evening but he hasn't thrown up anymore. Hopefully, this bug will be gone tomorrow. It's about 9:30 pm here in Khabarovsk, the sun is still out and it seems like about 6:30. Everyone is asleep but me but I intend to be close behind!

Valerie and I got out this morning and walked to the grocery store to buy 7-UP for Blaine. She seems to like the stroller and kicks her legs the whole time. Todd took Valerie to the playground this evening because he was going stir crazy in the apartment all day long. Even Valerie wanted out. She'd put on her hat and go and stand by the door! Other than that, we've just hung out and played.

That Valerie is quite a character! She has the deepest, loudest laugh! She is getting very comfortable with us. In fact, comfortable enough to pitch a fit if things don't go exactly as she thinks they should. For the most part, she is so happy though! I think she is loving all the attention. We are loving giving it to her! Bathtime started out bad but ended up lots of fun. After she figured out she was ok, she splashed and played, then cried when it was time to get out! She is saying more and more sounds each day. She vocalizes all the time so I'm hoping once she gets used to hearing this strange language we speak she'll be communicating with us soon. This little Russian girl will have a west TX accent before we know it! Speaking of TX, it sounds like we're sure missing a heat wave back home. We are homesick for the peace and quiet of our place. It's noisy 24/7 here. But we are enjoying the cooler weather.
Please pray that Blaine will be feeling good again soon. It makes a Mama worry for her kiddo to get so sick in another country!

Under the Weather

Well, we finally got our girl, got our luggage, and now we're sick. Not terrible but we didn't really feel good enough to get out much today. We woke up this morning feeling great, ate some oatmeal for breakfast and started to get ready for the day. Todd got in the shower and quickly got out. He said there were 2 temperatures, hot and scalding. The cold water was turned off in our building. So we just got dressed and went to the playground for awhile. Valerie seemed to really enjoy it but Blaine was a little whiny and not really himself. We came home and made sandwiches for lunch and all just felt so exhausted. Blaine and Todd went down for a nap in the bedroom. I laid Valerie down on the coach beside me and read a book. About 2 hours later, Blaine came and climbed in my lap and I could tell he had a fever. He said he felt like he might throw up but never did. I went to get the Children's Tylenol but it wasn't there. I had gotten him an antibiotic, an anti-diarheal medicine, and even some medicine for pink eye before we left but I didn't bring the Children's Tylenol. I can't believe I forgot that. I had a new bottle of Infant's Tylenol for Valerie so I gave him a dose of that plus a little extra and he went back to sleep. He woke up feeling ok but after supper his fever was back up again. I went down to the office and tried to talk to the receptionist who didn't speak English for a little advice on what to get at the grocery store. She finally called someone who spoke English, I got on the phone, told her the problem, and she told the receptionist to write me a note in Russian to take to the pharmacy telling them what was wrong. Jerry, Catherine's cousin, was so sweet. He took off walking, found a pharmacy, and picked up some Children's Panadol. I looked it up online and it is similar to Tylenol. It's a pain reliever/fever reducer. Right now, Blaine is cool and asleep so I'll just keep an eye on him through the night. I am so thankful to have something to give him if it goes back up in the night. Todd and I just seem to have a touch of the stomach bug but are not terribly miserable. I guess we all must have a little virus of some kind. Valerie is perfectly fine. Oh well, my motto here lately is "Things could always be worse!" I am sitting here on the fold out couch and Valerie is laying beside me fighting sleep. She doesn't cry or try to get up or anything but her little eyelids are so heavy and she just won't close them. We love her even more today! Hopefully, tomorrow, I'll have a happier post and some more pictures. Love ya'll, Cindy

GOTCHA!!!

We've got our girl!! This afternoon we went to the big grocery store and stocked up on some groceries and diapers. Then we headed to the orphanage to pick up Valerie. We went in and signed a book, then gave our gifts to the caregivers, social worker, director, and doctor. When we walked back into the hall, someone was bringing Valerie in from playing outside. She smiled and came right to us. I picked her up and we went upstairs to her room where I changed her into the dress we brought for her. Many of her caregivers gathered around and were watching us so I handed her off to one of them and we began snapping pictures. They all held her and gave her a kiss. Then we left. It all happened very fast and was really an emotional experience. We are taking her away from the only life she's ever known. She has been loved but we are giving her a family and she has already brought us so much joy! God has answered our prayers!! We are so blessed to have the daughter that God intended us to have. She is a perfect match for our family!


She did great in the van and did not get upset at all. When we got back to the apartment, we played a while. She and Blaine laugh and laugh together. Then I got supper ready. We had leftover chicken soup that I had made for lunch. It was amazing to watch Valerie eat. I put her in my lap and fed her a spoonful. Then she grabbed the spoon out of my hand, bent over her bowl, and began spooning the food into her mouth so quickly. She didn't chew or anything, just gulped it all down. Todd handed her a piece of bread and she held it in one hand while spooning with the other. She was extremely efficient. It's obvious that she had a very limited amount of time to eat at the orphanage and learned how to get it all down before it got taken away. I'll be glad when she realizes there will always be plenty of food and she can take her time and enjoy it.


After supper, we had a bath. That did not go so well. She only gets sponged off at the orphanage so she's never had a bath in a tub before. She was scared and cried some but she finally splashed around a little. She never really enjoyed it though. After bath, we played a little more. Then I got in the bed with her and sang awhile. She laid right down beside me, cuddled, up and sucked on her fingers. She was still and relaxed but it took her about 30 minutes to actually fall asleep. She looks like a little angel laying there!

We had another Gotcha today! We finally got our luggage! All 3 bags! It was like Christmas around here today. We tore into those bags and were so excited to have all our things. Todd went to the airport and picked them up just before we went to get Valerie. Another answered prayer - Thank you everyone! It was perfect timing because all our gifts were in our luggage as were Valerie's dress and shoes. Aren't they cute? We can't wait to send real pictures instead of headless ones but we have to wait until our 10 day wait is over. We are looking forward to tomorrow and enjoying our time with Valerie so much.

Sightseeing in Khabarovsk

We walked around Khabarovsk all day today. We got to show Blaine lots of neat things and we all had a great time! This is Todd and Blaine in front of the gold church. When we went inside, a wedding was going on. It was very interesting to watch with so many rituals and things that we didn't understand. The priest would sing and then there was a small choir that sounded so beautiful. The acoustics in that giant church were amazing. It was strange to us that others came and went, praying and lighting candles, oblivious to the wedding that was going on. The inside of the church is ornate and absolutely gorgeous.
Then we walked to the World War II Memorial. It was really something to see. This is Blaine and I on one side of it.
This is the eternal flame that burns in the center of the War Memorial. On each side are thousands and thousand of names of men from Khabarovsk Krai who were lost in the war. It is a really beautiful place. Notice the bride and groom in the picture. We saw at least 8 couples of newlyweds around town today. Apparently it is traditional to have their picture made at different places all around town on their wedding day.
Then we walked down to the beach and enjoyed some ice cream. Many of the sunbathers on the beach wore little or nothing. We got tickled that Blaine was totally oblivious to that! He'd say, "Wow! Look at that ship! Hey there's a pretty rock! Check out this shell!" But never one word about the naked women or the men in their underwear! Such sweet innocence!
We had fun climbing around on the rocks and watching some fishermen and watching the boats go by.
Then we climbed to the top of the stairs and Blaine and Todd looked across the Amur River into China through a telescope.Oops, I thought I turned this one. Then we visited the beautiful blue church. Blaine liked the gold church the best. They are both really something to see

After all this sightseeing, we were tired and starving. We went to the Intourist Hotel and had a really nice lunch. Then Blaine saw this cool lion. Then we went to some shops and bought a few clothes for Valerie and a new T-shirt for Todd and Blaine. I wasn't very successful. I guess I'm picky but I also had a hard time finding anything my size. We still don't have luggage and don't know when we will. The 1 bag of 3 that was supposed to arrive today did not. Go figure. Ginger made me laugh today. She has a new acronym for Delta: Don't Expect Luggage To Arrive. There were a few others but that was the best! We've been joking that we are living in a nudist colony. This morning we all 3 were stuck in the apartment with our pants hanging out the window praying they would hurry and dry! Don't worry, I won't post pictures!!

When we got back from our tour, we were greeted with wonderful news from Catherine. She is now the proud mother of Peter and Elizabeth (and Alex back in CA)! We are thrilled for her. Tomorrow we get to pick up all three children and bring them here with us! I can't wait to get Valerie and really start bonding with her. Right now, we are just some fun people who come and play with her. I am so anxious for her to know we are Mama, Daddy, and Brother!

Some of you have emailed and said your comments aren't showing up on the blog. I don't know what to tell you to do differently. If you don't have a google/blogger account, just click anonymous, then type your comment and be sure to sign your name. Please keep trying because a word from home means so much to us! Thank you all for your sweet words and most of all your prayers. We are truly blessed!