Two Years - 9 Months Later

What a difference two years and 9 months make...

Second Week Home

I finally figured out how to get the photos off my iPod - I e-mailed them to myself! I don't consider myself technically challenged but I have seen better instruction manuals translated from Portuguese (which can be quite amusing).

Alexander is learning about being in a family and we are learning a lot about him. Being deaf, he uses facial expressions to get his point across a lot of the time and at times he will leave you in stitches. I had to leave Monday for work in Mississippi and I did not return until this afternoon. I know he did not understand what was going on Monday when he saw me dressed and walking out with my suitcase. He waved goodbye and had a weak smile that turned to tears. I know the other three youngest had a hard time with me travelling for work. At least with them, I could call and talk over the telephone to them. I guess we will have to go with Skype video calls for him.

He is learning some ASL and his appetite has gotten much, much better. He is not as picky as he was last week. He is VERY proud of his clothes. He knows they are his and does not like to part with them - particularly his shoes. The only time he will let you take them off is when he climbs in bed. I know this is all part of his previous life and he will grow out of it.

Like any child with a past like his, he will definitely test you to see who has the strongest will. He likes buttons and switches - a lot (just like two other children used too). So he will turn every light on in the house and constantly mess with the television (volume or channels). After grabbing his hands, looking him in the eye and saying "no" (and signing), he will look up at you and slide the hand back to where the button or switch was.

The kids are doing pretty good with the transition. I know it has been difficult for all of them and I appreciate their patience. Last Saturday we took them ice skating as a treat.

Thanks for the prayers, we still have a long road to travel once we get a medical evaluation.

- Tony B.

How Great is Our God!! Home with our Son.

We arrived home about 3:30AM Sunday. It was a great reunion with the entire family - our oldest son had driven home from college. We were up until about 4:30 or 5 hugging on one another and catching up on the past week's experiences. To be in church with all of our family home was such a huge blessing! Alexander blended right in like he had been with us forever- God is awesome! He wasn't afraid or overwhelmed by six brothers and sisters loving on him, he just giggled and smiled. I was afraid of a little jealousy developing with Nastya and Dima but that really only popped up briefly yesterday afternoon.

As I stated on our last post, the trip from Atlanta to Frankfurt was horrible. I have never flown and had such a large plane tossed around for sooo long. Dawn got sick and it took a few days for her to get over it. We picked up Alexander on Wednesday and as soon as he came up the stairs and saw us, he came running. We dressed him in his new clothes and he kept point to them and nodding with a big smile. I have some pictures, but I can't seem to get them off my iPod. As soon as I get them off, I'll post them.

After picking up Alexander we went to the passport office to pick up his passport. I was not surprised to learn that there was "a problem". There was an error on the passport but the office agreed to print a new one on the spot. With no stop for lunch (it was 1:30PM) we drove back to Moscow (3 hour trip). As soon as we got to the motel, we went next door to McDonald's. We got him a hamburger and he ate some of our fries. he did not finish off the hamburger until later that night. He was happy and content and only got upset for about 10-15 minutes at bedtime. He realized I guess that he was not going back to the detsky dom. We felt sorry for him, but due to the communication issue, we did not know what to do other that hold him and love on him. He was fine Thursday and did not cry one bit.

Thursday night I had the opportunity to read his entire file. It was very sad to read, but had all of it not happened, we would not have the opportunity to have him in our family. He is such a happy little boy and will put a smile on your face no matter how bad your day is.

The trip home was very hard. A 13 hour - yes 13 hour flight from Moscow to Dulles. The little man fell asleep the last 30 minutes of the flight. This was followed by a five hour lay over before we could fly to Atlanta and drive home. He fell asleep again just before boarding the Atlanta flight and slept until we arrived there.

He has taught us a few signs and we have been trying to introduce some new signs to him. We do believe he can hear a little bit - particularly high pitched sounds. He has perked up and dogs whining and some other noises. Soon we will schedule a doctor's appt to determine what is going on with his ears. By the way, the doctor in Russia that examined him for his visa told us that although he was four, he was the size of a small 3 year old. We knew he was small. Dr. Boris said he knew he would gain weight once we got him home. He also has a mild case of rickets that he said he would grow out of.

As soon as I get pictures off that iPod, I will post them. I just bought the thing a few days before we left. If you have any tips, I will gladly try them!

God Bless -

Tony & Dawn

In Moscow

We arrived at motel 3 hours ago. Bad flight out of Atlanta. Pick Alexander up in 6 hours.

Passport Ordered

I returned about 3AM this morning from my third trip to Russia. The purpose of the trip was to order Alexander a Russian passport. It was a VERY rushed trip with a lot of travel. I arrived in Moscow Tuesday about 6PM. I then got in the car with a driver who took me to Vladimir - we arrived about 11PM due to heavy traffic. Wednesday started about 8AM and we drove to Murom (4 hour round trip) to sign some documents because that is listed his as his birthplace. We returned to Vladimir to drop off and sign his passport documents and eat lunch. After lunch I got to visit Alexander for about an hour (it was 4 PM by now).

It was good to see him and his smile! When he entered the room, he looked around and I could only assume he was looking for Dawn. After looking around the room, he came running to me and jumped into my arms. He is a clown and loves to laugh! We played for about an hour and then it was time for me to leave and go back to Moscow. It was hard to leave him and I know he is terribly confused. Being deaf, I could not explain that I would be back in just a few days to take him home. If he spoke Russian, I could at least struggle through that to get the point across to him that I would be returning soon. Anyway, he hugged my neck and kissed me on the cheek and waved "bye" to me. Very tough to say goodbye. I arrived back in Moscow about 10PM.

Thursday morning the driver picked me up at 7AM for the long journey home. Due to some delays in Chicago, I did not arrive in Atlanta until 12AM. I then had a 2.5 hour drive ahead of me.

God has been very good and not only taken care of Alexander, but also watching over us/me while travelling. Each trip has had some small surprises but God took care of it all. I am thanful for His love and grace.

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.

We Have a New Son!

I'll be short and sweet and save the details for later. We were awarded custody of Sasha by the court on Friday morning. Had us worried for a short while that things were not going to work out (I'll share details later). After court, we went to the detsky dom and were able to see Sasha for the first time since mid July. To a four year old, that is an eternity so I wasn't sure if he would remember us or not. But he did! When he saw me, he cam and jumped in my arms and gave me a big hug and a squeeze. He pointed to Dawn and grinned real big. Made my day.

I have to return in eight days to start the paperwork to bring him home. Would not be so bad, but I leave tomorrow on a business trip that will put me out until Friday evening.

Thanks so much for all the the prayers. I do not have time now, but I want to share with you all the little bumps in the road that were suddenly solved. We were in God's hand and he took care of everything. Again, thank you very much!

God Bless -

Tony B.

P.S.

Holiday Inn - Sokolniki is #1 in my book.