adoption
Gotcha Day – 4 Year Anniversary
2We celebrated Liam’s 4th Gotcha Day by going out to Rosa’s for dinner. I’m guessing he picked Rosa’s because he LOVES their chocolate cake. On the way home, we stopped by Donna’s house to take our annual stairway comparison photo (see below) that shows Liam in 2008 on his way out of the baby home compared to today. It’s a reminder to me every year of how much he has changed and how fast he is growing up.
We got off to a rough start this year with Kindergarten but since the Christmas break things have been going great at school and his after school child care. They informed me today that he has been picked to be the Star of the Month at the child care because he did so well in January and his Kindergarten teacher gave him a reward for his good behavior. I’m so happy that he is finally adjusting to all the changes he had this year.
Most of all, I think he has learned the most important thing in life…that chocolate will always put a smile on your face!
Gotcha Day – 3rd Year Anniversary
7Yesterday we celebrated Liam’s 3rd Gotcha Day. On February 1, 2008 he busted out of the Podolsk baby home and came to be with us forever. I don’t know if we “got” him or he “got” us but I’m feeling a song coming on… “I got you babe“ …
Here’s what has become our traditional stairway comparison photos on Gotcha Day:
and here’s a couple of photos of him eating his Gotcha cupcakes:
We love you Liam!
1,921 Days Later
41,921 is the number of days from the time we submitted our initial adoption paperwork on October 9, 2005 until today, when we mailed our final post placement report. We are now officially finished with the adoption!
What a journey it has been! I can’t even imagine our life without Liam and I’m so thankful every day that we were chosen to be his forever parents.
Metcha Tres
6Anniversaries are a way to remember, relive, reflect upon, and fully appreciate again important experiences and events in our lives. And today marks one of those major milestones for us. Words fail to paint the significance of that day, but it was life-altering to say the very least…
On our second day in Moscow, Russia, 3 years ago today, Monday, December 3rd, 2007, Dede & I met Liam for the first time!
We weren’t allowed to post or email photos of him until the adoption was finalized several weeks later, but of course we took lots of pictures on that special day. This is the first time we saw our son, being brought to see us by his kind caretaker, on that frosty morning in Podolsk:
Big congrats to Melissa & Nathan who’re experiencing their own “Metcha Day” today!
Gotcha Day – 2nd Year Anniversary
6Happy Gotcha Day, Liam!
I can’t believe its been 2 years already! As many developments as the past year has brought, it’s hard to imagine what’s in store for us in the year to come.
Here’s what has become our traditional stairway comparison photos on Gotcha Day:
After dinner, the festivities continued with the traditional homemade Gotcha Day cupcakes!
2 Years Ago Today…
9Today (December 3rd) marks our 2nd “Metcha” anniversary. That is, it was two years ago today that we met our precious son for the first time in Podolsk, Russia. I had no idea at the time how much that moment would change me forever and, just like the Grinch, my heart grew three sizes that day and hasn’t stopped growing since.
In the past two years, we’ve really become a family and our baby that we brought home is becoming an independent, rambunctious, not-so-little boy. I’m so proud of him and thankful every day that God chose us to be his parents.
"Metcha Day" 2007
"Metcha Day" 2009
December ’07 Blogtipping
December’s Blogtipping post comes much later in the month than normal but it was delayed for the best of all reasons — we were in Moscow at the first of the month meeting our new son, Liam Matthew! Anyway, better late than never, right? In honor of our fellow adoptive parents, our picks for December feature just a few of the many, many great blogs done by other parents who’ve either already adopted, or will soon complete their adoption(s):
A Dad’s Journey Through International Adoption is Steve & Stefanie’s detailed account of their adoption of Andrei from Novosibirsk, Russia. We love this blog because of:
- You get the rare "dad’s perspective" that’s missing from many adoption blogs.
- Steve’s a funny guy!
- Neat videos!
- Tip: We’d like to see more photos & videos.
Olive You by Frank & Christen is a rare blog in that they haven’t actually started the adoption process yet:
- Christen writes about their experiences as they prepare for their Russian adoption in ’08.
- Very pretty site design & layout.
- Great sense of humor & variety of topics.
- Tip: We’d just like to see more of those awesome Cayman Island photos!
Family Reunion from Dave & Debbie Brown is a great launching point for other adoption parents — international or domestic:
- Debbie’s frequently-updated sidebar makes it easy to keep up-to-date on the progress of lots of other parents’ adoption journeys.
- A great variety of post topics including reviews & little inspirational pieces.
- Frequent posts keep the interesting stuff coming.
- Tip: Hey Deb, more pics please!
Now it’s your turn! Have a favorite blog site you’d like to share?
We’re Moscow Bound
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A mere 8 hours before we were due to jet out, we got our passports back from New York with the Russian Visa stamps. So, we’re finally on our way to Moscow to meet our new child. (You can’t imagine how wonderfully weird that sounds to say.)
There’s no way to thank you all enough for the tremendous outpouring of support & prayers. It’s an incredible feeling to have so many people pulling for us! Keep an eye on our Russian Adoption Journal this week for updates.
Giving Thanks
Thanksgiving — a day for giving thanks — sounds so simple but sometimes we get so preoccupied that we let the opportunity for showing our appreciation for what we have pass us by. Well, not this time. No sir, not when we have even more blessings to be grateful for now than ever before. Just this week has brought about not one, but two blessings…
Heading For Moscow
First & foremost, I’m thankful – overjoyed beyond words really – that we’re finally set to make our first of two trips to Moscow to meet our child-to-be. We received word on Monday that we’re to fly out on Dec. 1st. Dede’s already covered this over on our Russian Adoption Journal, but news this big is worth repeating!
I’m thankful that our new adoption agency, Catholic Social Services of North Carolina, came along at just the right time. Certainly, it’s a testament to their willingness & dedication that we accomplished more with them in just 2 months than we had with our old agency in 2 years.
And of course, I’m thankful for Dede’s incredible diligence & meticulous handling of the mountains of paperwork. We would never have made such strides without her tireless handling of the dizzying details involved in this process. If U.T. ever builds a Masters-level course on form-filling & FedEx shipping, she could teach the classes!
I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention how thankful Dede & I both are for the endless encouragement & support from you, our multitude of friends, coworkers, & fellow, during this whole adoption saga. The idea that people – some who barely even know us – are keeping us in their daily prayers is overwhelming and humbling.
A New Job
The second big-ticket item on my "Things To Be Thankful For" list: I got a new job!
I start my new journey at MCH as a Clinical Systems Analyst on Dec. 10th – our first day back from Russia. On the outside, this might seem like a minor interdepartmental shift but it’s actually a tremendous opportunity. And it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.
So, what’s on your list of things to be thankful for? Post a comment & share the wealth!
Jungle Love
Take a look at our Russian Adoption Journal for photos of our latest home decor project.
Rob & I just finished our hand-painted “safari jeep mural” for the spare bedroom. We were both really pleased with the way it turned out. So much so, in fact, that we’re thinking of doing another wall…
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