This evening at 8pm (4am Saturday, Moscow time) will be the anniversary of our arrival back in Detroit with our new child. I think about it a lot, but for some reason today I get emotional thinking of it. Perhaps because Roman keeps waking up at 5:00am the last 2 weeks. ;)

What a great adjustment, this past year. Looking back, those summer months were pretty rough. Me home with this new creature who had been, for all intents and purposes, deposited into our life with not much history of his formative first few months. We were having to get used to Roman, and he had to adjust to an entirely new lifestyle. On top of that, we had to re-organize how our married life had proceeded up until that time.

It's funny, I can think of quite a few moments when I lost my temper or frustration; but I also think of many more fun times to balance it out. And that's the way it should be. Some evenings I can't believe there's a little guy sleeping upstairs! How wondrous! Sometimes, I can't believe I am lucky enough to spend the next 17 years with him in our home! Then something happens, and I think - I can't believe I have to spend the next 17 years with him! :)

We've encountered an interesting phase, even daycare has said he's become the "terrible two." In talking with my allergist yesterday she said it doesn't get better until after the age of four! :) We've concluded that he has a strong will, just like his Mama did when she was young. "No" continues to be our favorite word, and his actions are now following suit (where he used to obey while saying no, now he walks away from us). However, good things are rubbing off - he now says "yelcome" (as in "you're welcome") instead of saying "thank you." I don't care, it shows he's working on manners!

But mostly, these are the images I see when I remember our experience in adding him to our family. I look at his adorable face and think of when I first met him in the Infectious Disease ward of a small Russian hospital; how he grinned at us through his wheezing and tried to pull our masks off.
And then I remember the smell of cabbage in the orphanage on our first visit there (2nd trip), and how Roman fell asleep in Doug's arms after we played with him.
I picture the court room, with the double-headed eagle crest on the wall behind the judge, fumbling to answer her questions while my mind kept racing "please waive the 10 days! please waive the 10 days! I can't believe I'm in a Russian court room!"
That first evening in the hotel room with Roman in Ekaterinburg, ordering burgers and fries and taking turns eating and playing with him while we watched Russian MTV. And then gazing at him while he slept.
Strolling through Red Square and downtown Moscow, hoping that somewhere in his brain his mind remembers the sights.
Walking through Lenin's tomb holding Roman; how fascinated he was by the body.
Walking him up and down the aisle of the airplane while he grinned at all the passengers.
Wanting to burst out crying when the man at Immigration said, "Is this a new citizen?" and then touched Roman's cheek and said, "Welcome to the United States!"
Arriving home with him and seeing our family at the airport and realizing that the three of us were a FAMILY.