15 December 2007
HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY!
This little guy is so special to me because he truly saved me. I had gone through so much to have a baby and to finally have him in my life was just a miracle. I find it amazing that at just the right time, we surrendered our infertility and decided to adopt. AND at just the right time we signed up at our agency. AND at just the right time our little guy was available for us, a world away, and was chosen for us.
It's all a wonderful miracle.
We adopted Buddah at 9 months and he has been with us for every birthday. I am thankful for this. His sister, was not with us for her 1st birthday, but she has more information about her history and pictures of when she was an infant, and he does not. So, this is something special for him.
As a tribute to his 5 amazing years, I am going to post his MONTAGE, which is of his adoption story and beyond. He has changed so much, though even in his first referral video his personality is evident.
He is a very loving child, though very very emotional. Spoiled, and Strong-willed are other words to describe him. :) Aren't they all?
He is so very bright, and I know as a teacher that everyone thinks that their kids are the brightest in the sky, but there is some kind of spark about him. He is a calm, very calm child. He is a thinker. He forgets nothing. Remembers things very specifically even things that happened when he was 2. He never forgets a place. He even knows directions to get most places. He questions, argues to get his point across, can manipulate anyone or anything, and he is so funny. Again, at a very young age he "got" humor.
He is even sarcastic at times...a trait his daddy has mastered!
He is also a perfectionist.
He is WAY smarter than I ever was.
His birthday was the 14th, and we celebrated as a family. Next weekend, his party will be at the Bounce Zone...such a cool place!
What an amazing little guy, and growing up so fast. Happy Birthday Buddy. You know you're our world!
Mommy ( and daddy too)
10 December 2007
In a Parallel World
and the Airport
This is a picture of me after we got home from FedEx. This was pretty much me until about 8pm that night. Very frusterating!
Since I wasn't able to go to Russia this week, I somehow felt like I was in a parallel world...kind of "out of it" all week. Like I was suppose to be somewhere else.
I am currently working with FedEx and Russian-American Consulting to see what reimbursements they will consider doing. I have to admit that things/stress has gotten much better. I know that the trip will happen eventually, but it will hopefully be a time when I can go. I will go again.
On a better note, this 
week, CQ has really been clingy to me. That's good for me...and her. She keeps telling me that she loves me and won't let me put her down. When other people, even Daddy, hold her, she says..."I want Mommy" This has been going on all week and I am loving it!! My goodness she has come so far. God love her, she is trying! It will be 1 year home in just a few weeks.
week, CQ has really been clingy to me. That's good for me...and her. She keeps telling me that she loves me and won't let me put her down. When other people, even Daddy, hold her, she says..."I want Mommy" This has been going on all week and I am loving it!! My goodness she has come so far. God love her, she is trying! It will be 1 year home in just a few weeks. 
Buddah, my little guy, will be 5 on Friday.
Oh my! He has grown
so fast.
It's truly amazing how he's grown. I just can't seem to keep up with him. I am so proud of him. He is a miracle child! He had a very difficult beginning of his life (in Russia) and today, you'd never ever guess that at all. He is a thriving almost 5 year old with the whole world at his feet. Isn't he so handsome?
I continue to keep up with most blogs and it looks pretty good out there in bloggerland. I think we are all just enjoying our kiddos so much that it's hard to find the time and stuff to write about to keep people interested.
I still love to do it though, so I'm hanging in there.
I'll be posting our x-mas cards very soon.
02 December 2007
OUR PASSPORTS/VISAS WERE A NO SHOW FOR THE TRIP :(
Our passports were lost by FedEx on Saturday morning.
All that I could think of was...THANK GOD WE WEREN'T LEAVING FOR OUR COURTDATE!
After 6 hours of waiting, our passports were finally found and shipped to the closest FedEx Hub. Just 3 hours shy of our plane tickets being able to be switched to a Sunday departure.
I talked to several people at FedEx and begged, pleaded, and cried for help. We waited one time, 1 hour for a call back and when we got it, it was a manager saying that it was lost....somewhere in Tennessee with no tracking at all to be found.
I can't tell you how much $ and time we've lost, but it's alot!
I have to say that I'm pretty upset at our travel agency Russian-American Consulting, which I've never used before. They made the plane and visa arrangements. They told me to send it on date "X" and that the visas would arrive Nov. 30th. Knowing that we were leaving on the 1st (because they also made our flight arrangements), they failed to send the passports/visas out on time, but assured me that a 9:30am pick-up at the FedEx Hub was fine (on the 1st just 3.5 hours before our flight)..."People have to do it all the time!" I actually had a very funny feeling about it once I heard that the visa's weren't sent on time.
I also can't tell you what a big emotional toll this has taken on me. It took so much for me to get up the courage to take this trip...without my family. I was totally packed and on my way to the airport, totally prepared to go to Russia.
I actually had a mini-panic attack that morning at about 4am. It's just so hard to leave, but I knew in my heart that this was a good thing for me to do. AND I was excited to do it!
Anyway, I don't really know where to go from here. I could tell that the person who planned the trip was very upset that we wouldn't re-buy tickets...$2800.00 last minute tickets. (granted our original tickets were just $900.00). I know alot was riding on us going and helping, but we just couldn't justify spending this kind of $ to volunteer...volunteer ourselves to this cause. We had already put our jobs, family, lots of $, and ourselves on the line for the cause. It was asking just too much.
I guess I'm venting a little, but at the same time I guess I would love to hear some feedback. What would you do in this situation...?
Plan to go on another date.
Cut our loses and move on.
Do you think the Travel Agency and the Fed Ex people need to held accountable?
I just need to hear what you all think.
We do have a phone conference with FedEx tomorrow morning.
Jen
All that I could think of was...THANK GOD WE WEREN'T LEAVING FOR OUR COURTDATE!
After 6 hours of waiting, our passports were finally found and shipped to the closest FedEx Hub. Just 3 hours shy of our plane tickets being able to be switched to a Sunday departure.
I talked to several people at FedEx and begged, pleaded, and cried for help. We waited one time, 1 hour for a call back and when we got it, it was a manager saying that it was lost....somewhere in Tennessee with no tracking at all to be found.
I can't tell you how much $ and time we've lost, but it's alot!
I have to say that I'm pretty upset at our travel agency Russian-American Consulting, which I've never used before. They made the plane and visa arrangements. They told me to send it on date "X" and that the visas would arrive Nov. 30th. Knowing that we were leaving on the 1st (because they also made our flight arrangements), they failed to send the passports/visas out on time, but assured me that a 9:30am pick-up at the FedEx Hub was fine (on the 1st just 3.5 hours before our flight)..."People have to do it all the time!" I actually had a very funny feeling about it once I heard that the visa's weren't sent on time.
I also can't tell you what a big emotional toll this has taken on me. It took so much for me to get up the courage to take this trip...without my family. I was totally packed and on my way to the airport, totally prepared to go to Russia.
I actually had a mini-panic attack that morning at about 4am. It's just so hard to leave, but I knew in my heart that this was a good thing for me to do. AND I was excited to do it!
Anyway, I don't really know where to go from here. I could tell that the person who planned the trip was very upset that we wouldn't re-buy tickets...$2800.00 last minute tickets. (granted our original tickets were just $900.00). I know alot was riding on us going and helping, but we just couldn't justify spending this kind of $ to volunteer...volunteer ourselves to this cause. We had already put our jobs, family, lots of $, and ourselves on the line for the cause. It was asking just too much.
I guess I'm venting a little, but at the same time I guess I would love to hear some feedback. What would you do in this situation...?
Plan to go on another date.
Cut our loses and move on.
Do you think the Travel Agency and the Fed Ex people need to held accountable?
I just need to hear what you all think.
We do have a phone conference with FedEx tomorrow morning.
Jen
30 November 2007
THE DAY BEFORE
YES, IT'S OFFICIAL...IF MY VISA ARRIVES AT THE FEX EX HUB TOMORROW MORNING.I'M GOING TO RUSSIA ON A MISSION TRIP THROUGH A FOUNDATION AFFILLIATED WITH OUR ADOPTION AGENCY.
I SWARE THAT THIS ENTIRE TRAVEL/PLANNING PROCESS WAS JUST SHY OF THE STRESS OF AN ADOPTION!
I LEAVE TOMORROW (SATURDAY) AND WILL ARRIVE IN MOSCOW ON THE 2ND. THE 3RD WILL BE A FULL DAY OF SIGHT-SEEING ADVENTURES AND THEN WILL GO TO THE TRAIN STATION THE NIGHT OF THE 3RD.
TRAIN RIDE TO KIROV.
SPENDING 2 FULL DAYS AT 2 DIFFERENT ORPANAGES.
COME BACK TO MOSCOW FOR ANOTHER FULL DAY AND LEAVE THE MORNING OF THE 7TH.
SAY A PRAYER FOR ME AND MY KIDDOS THAT ARE GOING TO BE AT HOME WITH DADDY.
I MADE OUT THE SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK AND FOUND THAT...BASICALLY I DO JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING, SO IT SHOULD BE INTERESTING, BUT VERY FUN FOR THEM.
I HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT/MIXED EMOTIONS ABOUT DOING THIS, BUT MY HEART KNOWS THAT THIS IS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO RUSSIA AND SEE THINGS WITH "DIFFERENT EYES" THE "NON-ADOPTION EYES".
I'LL POST IN RUSSIA TO KEEP YOU UPDATED.
JEN
24 November 2007
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