Meeting the Kids!

Friday, November 24th, 2006.

We were met in the hotel lobby by our translator and driver and taken to the specialized baby home in Birobidzhan, Russia. This is where we were to meet my soon to be little boy! We arrived at the orphanage and were escorted to the main teachers office, Tatiana. There we waited a few minutes and in walked the cutest little boy I could have ever imagined!! Pasha!! He is absolutely beautiful, light brown hair, big brown eyes, fair skinned and the sweetest smile I have ever seen. He immediately ran up to me, "mama, mama"!!! I was blown away and tears started flowing! I have waited two years for this and could not have asked for a more beautiful moment! We were allowed to spend about an hour together playing in the office with the watchful eye of the teacher and the translator. I pulled out the toys I had brought for him and he was loving every moment as was I. I am still in complete disbelief that I have travelled half way around the world for this. We left about an hour later with the promise that we would be back tomorrow.

We then went and met with the coordinator of the adoptions in the region, also a Tatiana. She is a pediatrician and went over the complete history of the children and included all their medical history as she knew it.

Later that afternoon, we went over to the other orphanage to meet my little girl. We waited in the orphanage directors office and finally they brought in Katia. Katia is a gorgeous brown haired, brown eyed beauty who is very shy, very typical of a 4 1/2 year old who is on display to complete strangers! She has some Asian features and is very petite, absolutely beautiful!! She loved the toys we brought and spent the hour on my lap a little weary of what all the commotion was about, but definitely understood that I might be her new mommy. When it was time to leave, Katia's eyes welled up with tears as did all of ours! She is so sweet and so sensitive and if I could have stuffed her in my bag, I would have taken her home right then and there.

At this point in time, I am still completely in disbelief that these beautiful children are going to be my kids! I have done a lot of things in my life, but I must have done some things right for God to give me this gift.

Jane