Introducing Our New Son. . .

Alexander Patrick
This was his Russian name of sorts and we just reversed it.

Well, the ten day wait is over, it is 5:30 in the afternoon in Moscow. I will pray all is well and there was no petition against the judge's decision. These are two photos from our July trip. He is such a ham! We were outside on the playground of the detsky dom playing with him when I took these photos. He would blow some bubbles and then put the wand up to his tongue, look at us and just giggle.

We got to see him Friday after court. It had been 6 months since he had seen us, which to a four year old is an eternity. He remembered us and came running! I picked him up and he gave me a big hug and then looked at Dawn and pointed and grinned some more. They had cut his hair to a style that is very common for the boys. I did not care for it, but it will grow out. I have enough LA redneck in me that I like the hair a little longer.

Dawn had purchased some animal crackers in a store we shopped at the night before. She opened them and gave him one. Then we tried to teach him the sign for "more". He picked right up on it and as soon as he finished that one, he signed "more"! Dawn jokingly rubbed her tummy. I signed "more" and he brought me one and then rubbed my belly and laughed and laughed.

I was supposed to travel back to Russia today, but my invitation letter did not make it to the Russian embassy on Friday. As a result, they would not issue the visa. The agency is supposed to e-mail this week with new travel dates. Hopefully everything is just postponed one week. Originally, I was to travel this week to get him a passport - or at least start the process of getting him a passport. It was to be a VERY quick trip lasting only four days. We were then scheduled to travel back on February 14 to start the embassy paperwork, register him with the Russian consulate and then come home February 19. Like I said, I hope things are just postponed a week.

We will share more later this week.