Yes, it was a Year Ago Today....

That my sweet baby girl left the only
home she had ever known. Yes, the baby home.
I look at this picture and vividly recall
every detail of the place inside. The paintings,
the lay-out, and the smell. This is where
my sweet baby spent almost 18 months of her
life. Everything changed for her on Jan. 26th, 2011.
She had a family!!

A final picture leaving the baby home.
I was soo happy because after the caregivers
dressed her and brought her into the room
where I was waiting....for once she wasn't
scared or stoic. She came RUNNING to ME!
I think she knew!!

Enduring the 8.5 hour car ride from Borovichi, Russia
to Moscow. She was a little trooper.

Here she was on Jan. 26th, 2011.
Soo beautiful, and sooo scared.
She had no idea what was in store!





and here is my Princess today:

Katia...you make our family happy and complete!

A year ago today.....

A judge in Veliky Novgorod declared me Mama to my sweet baby girl. It was one of the happiest days of my life. Of course at the time all I could think about is how I wanted those 10 days to fly by as fast as possible, Jan. 26th could not come fast enough (as I knew that was the day she would leave the baby home forever!)

Here are some pictures from Jan. 13th (in the entire week I was in Russia before court I was only able to see her one day for 2 hours)

Wow, a rare smile.
Even then I knew her little personality
was in there...just waiting
for her family to make her smile every day!

This picture just cracks me up:
This was the face I saw most of the
the time while visiting with her.
She was very "serious".

Sweet baby!

Father Frost

Yes, Father Frost paid a visit to my two Russian blessings. I know for a fact that Sponge-Bob is popular is Russia. Oddly enough it was the first place that I really heard about Sponge-Bob. During my adoption journey to Roman our driver, Nastia, had a hanging figurine on her mirror in the ever popular Russian vehicle (Samara Lada) of Sponge-Bob. She couldn't believe that I had never seen a Sponge-Bob show.....oh, they must have been playing that in the baby home because Roman is quite the fan too!

Thanks Father Frost, it is obvious that you are a fan of Sponge-Bob's too!

New Years Eve

New Year's Eve 2011

If I said "what a year" that would be an understatement! Emotions on either end of the spectrum would suffice. To think in January I could not have been happier....I had a daughter and baby sister for Roman! Before the year was over, someone who I spent 20 years of my life with ummm..walked out. Yes...what a year!

We started the party at Grandma & Grandpa J's house with lots of great appetizers and finger foods. We kept the party going there until the kids bedtime (and Grandpa J's) and then the rest of us took the party to Uncle Renny's house (next door) for champagne and Russian Vodka.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Christmas Morning
Katia looks a little confused,
this was her "first" Christmas
and I am happy to report she
caught on very quickly

Yes, you will notice the "black eye" on Katia. She was playing with Cohiba and ended up hitting it on the kitchen chair. It was actually looking better than it did earlier in the week.

My little "Elves" helping decorate cookies.
They both preferred the snickerdoodles
over the iced sugar cookies. Nonetheless,
they liked adding the decorations

Roman & Grandpa H

Little Princess

My sous chefs...

We had a WONDERFUL Christmas Eve. and Christmas Day. Great people and great times. It may seem odd, but nobody was missed. We had a relaxing, laid back two days. Lots of great food too! Hey, I even splurged a little bit and enjoyed some "bad for you" food.