Day #2 with our little girl

We started off the day with another priceless visit with our sweet girl!  I could immediately feel such a different rush of emotions than yesterday.  Yesterday, I was honestly a perfect mixture of excited, scared, and nervous.  I had so many questions of what she would look like, what she would act like, and how she would react to us.  Yesterday, my heart was beating out of my chest in anticipation... today, my heart was beating out of my chest in pure excitement.  I just could not wait for the door to open so I could scoop our little girl into my arms again!!

We got there at 10:00 and we waited... and waited... and waited.  Finally our interpreter came in and had us sign some papers.  Then we waited some more until finally I left the room (and I have this feeling we are NOT supposed to leave the room) to ask where she was.  I knew she would be taken away for lunch at noon and it was nearly noon.  They told me she hadn't gotten up from her nap yet and you can probably catch the drift from my last post that they do not break routine.  Ever.  So finally, around 12:15, after she had woken up and eaten lunch, they brought her to us!!!  I immediately couldn't help but smile as she was bundled up so much that she couldn't. even. move.   We counted five layers later that afternoon!  An undershirt, another undershirt shirt, a regular shirt, a sweater, leggings, socks, boots, a thick snowsuit, and a warm hat.  Then they looked at us like we were crazy for just standing there and said, "Get her outside!  She's going to get hot!"  Wow.  Okay!  We got her outside and found out from our friends that we were taking them to get passport pictures.

This next part you are going to find absolutely crazy if you have little kids.  Actually, even if you don't have little kids.  Maybe you should just skip this paragraph.  First of all, I had no idea we would leave the orphanage at all on this trip.  We walked to the car and I immediately was asking the other couple about car seats.  Nope.  Apparently, they don't do that in Russia.  Seriously??  Seriously.  We were expected to hold our sweet baby girl on our lap and hope for the best.  Coming from the United States, where car seat regimens are so strict, where you have to install the car seat perfectly, turn the car seat around at the exact right age or weight, practically use them until your children are teenagers... I didn't know what to think.  I knew we had to do it though, otherwise our little girl wouldn't have a passport.  So we drove for about ten minutes to get her picture taken and made it safely back to the orphanage.  Phew!

Back at the orphanage, we were told that we could change her clothes.  I didn't know we were able to bring an outfit for them, so I gave all the outfits I had to the orphanage.  Thankfully, our friends had an extra outfit (I can't even tell you how many times they have saved us!) so we changed her clothes.  We were happy to, especially since she was wearing the same clothes that she had on yesterday.  My first time dressing our little girl was so. much. fun.  I wanted to take so many pictures, but I wanted to spend every ounce of time with her that I could!

Yesterday, they came around 2:45 to get her for a nap so I was preparing myself for that.  I knew it was going to be hard.  I felt my heart break into a million pieces when they came to get her at 2:00.  Why were they early today?  Why couldn't they just give us a few more minutes?  Or a few more hours?  I carefully placed her into the caregivers arms and she waved our little girl's hand to say goodbye.  "Paka, paka" they would always say, which in Russian means bye-bye.  I wasn't sure how I was going to react, but I immediately sunk into Adam's chest and cried.  As I looked up, I saw his eyes were filled with tears too.  When I met all three of my baby boys for the first time in the hospital, nobody ever took them away for more than a few seconds.  To this day, I have never felt the raw emotion of somebody taking my baby away.  It was painful.  I felt helpless.  I wanted her back.  I wanted to bring her home right then and there.  I took some deep breaths, got myself together, wiped away the mess of mascara around my eyes, and tried to focus on being thankful.  Thankful that this region only makes you wait a few weeks in between trips.  Thankful that she was everything I had hoped she would be and more.  Thankful that she recognized us today and immediately walked into our arms.  Thankful that my heart is bursting with love for her.  Thankful for every second I got to hold her, kiss her chubby cheeks, watch her breathe as she fell asleep on my chest.  Okay, now I'm making myself cry...

Now for the good news.  They are doing everything possible to get our sweet baby home by Christmas!!  Whew.  Today we have our extensive four hour medical exam, which I'm sure will be interesting?   Our friends said it wasn't scary, that it was the best physical exam they've ever gotten.  Hmmmm.  We'll see.  If they can draw my blood on the first try, I'll officially be impressed.  After that, we are flying home!  So happy I have three amazing boys to come home to!