Tag Archives: Gus

Our first hours together… forever

July 9, 2012 Molly 11 Comments

I woke up and looked at my phone… 9:30pm. I looked out the window and saw this…

The sun is setting… huh, I thought I had slept more than that. Until I opened up my computer and realized it was actually 5:30am, and I had never changed the time on my phone.

3 hours until my facilitator picked us up! Yeahh!

We had some stops to make on the way– to pick up diapers, and food for him, but soon enough, we were there!

Walking into the orphanage.

With my boy! Facilitator and orphanage director in the background.

Breaking free!

In the car.

He is awesome. He started to cry when I first took him from his caregiver, but he calmed down when everyone talked to him in Russian. In the car, he just relaxed and looked out the window. I kissed him, and he leaned in for more. Every so often, he’d snuggle his head into my shoulder, for just a few seconds, then sit back up to look out the window. I really expected him to be terrified by this whole experience, and instead, he seemed ready, like he knew we were coming for him. Thank you to those of you who have been praying that he would be ready for this day.

I left him with my mom while I went in to apply for his passport, and he got upset when I left him. Igor, our wonderful driver, talked to him and he calmed down right away. When I got back out, a few minutes later, they were sitting in the backseat and he was playing.

We got back to the apartment and he was just fascinated. At first, he was following me, watching me, but he relaxed about that, and just explored. He is easily entertained… potted plants are fun, mirrors are a good time, too. Any unique textures which he can run his fingers over are pretty cool.

Stacking cups with Lola.

I brought some Teensy Fruits for him… they’re like fruit snacks for toddlers. He loved them, and we practiced signing “more”… want to see?

Now, he’s sleeping next to me. We had some big tears over laying down for a nap. It is not surprising… sleeping makes you vulnerable. Lena was the same way. I put on my CD of Russian lullabies, no help. I tried holding him, nope, laid him down on the pillow, definite nope. I went to go grab his milk, thinking maybe that would help. When I came back, he was sitting up, screaming even more, but when I sat down with him, he pushed the milk away, but he put his head up against my leg and fell asleep pretty quickly.

It’s amazing… he has been so cautious with Aaron and me at our visits, that I expected today would be a disaster with lots of tears, fear and anger. But, he just keeps reminding me how badly babies need a mama and need a family, need a life beyond an orphanage. He is just soaking it all in. I love this kid.

Second Adoption

Gus’s city

July 8, 2012 Molly 4 Comments

We are here in Gus’s city. Today is a free day, so we just walked around a bit. I showed my mom Arbat St. and New Arbat St. That’s about it. We are exhausted. I set a goal of staying up until 7pm, to combat jetlag, and I’m not sure we’ll make it there.

Our facilitator and driver pick us up at 8:30 am tomorrow. Alla is taking us to the grocery store, to help us buy food for Gus, then we will go pick him up!!! I am guessing we’ll pick him up around 10am, which is 1am Central time.

The view from our apartment (on the 22nd floor).

View of New Arbat from ou Apartment.

Adoption, Second Adoption

Whoa

July 4, 2012 Molly 7 Comments

My dear little man,

I had a moment of panic tonight… actually, I won’t lie, I’ve been panicking the last few days. What business do we have adding a third child to our family when I am so stressed right now, as a family of 4? Fortunately, I have a dear friend who spoke truth to me and a God who can put my heart right again.

After I was praying tonight, I was flipping through my prayer journal for a particular verse, but before I could get there, I found your list of medical diagnoses. It’s the only page of my prayer journal I have used for anything but prayer; I wrote them down when I was trying to memorize complex medical terms for court, with no other paper on hand.

I had forgotten. I had forgotten all of those labels someone has attached to you, all the things “wrong” with you. Big scary words– even though everything on that list is harmless, they still label you with them. But, I had forgotten about your convergent squint and delay of motor and pre-speech development and all the other terms.

To me, you are just my baby boy, Gus, August Andrey, loved, amazing, ours. The child of two parents who adore you. A child of God.

That’s how I see you, that’s how my heart knows you.

I learned so much from you in that moment.

In a world, where I see all the things wrong with me, all of my failures, all of the ways that I’ll never be enough, all of the labels I’ve given myself and let others give me, all of the burdens I gather up daily…

that’s not how our God sees me. No, He doesn’t first look to my labels of what’s wrong with me. He doesn’t see me as messy, or fat, or… no, He loves me, like I love you. He knows me as His child, like I know you as mine.

Whoa.

Love,

your mama

Just 5 days left and then forever together.

P.S. That verse I was looking for?

But He said to me,

“My grace is sufficient for you,

for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,

so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

Adoption

Your Big Brother

June 24, 2012 Molly 5 Comments

Dear Gus,

We talked about you a lot today. Your big brother is so excited! Actually, we all are, but he talks about you all the time. Pretty much all he talks about is food, Dora, Diego and YOU.

Today, he asked me for the countdown and when we’d get to pick you up. I explained the plans to him, and we counted down on the calendar. I pick you up in 15 days! You get to come HOME in 21 days.

Later in the day, after meeting Adrian at the airport, we were playing the “Gotcha” game in the car. This is Reed’s new game, where he says something like “a cow in the middle of the road! …GOTCHA!” We were all being loud and goofy. You’ll see how loud and silly your brother is, soon! Anyways, I said “Oh, look, Baby Gus is in the backseat! …Gotcha!”

Reed quieted down and got serious, which is pretty rare for him. And he said, “I am so happy that we’re going to have our new baby soon.”

I think you are already one of his peoples.

Gus, you are so loved.

Love,

your mama

Adoption, Second Adoption

Such Incredible Chances

June 21, 2012 Molly 9 Comments

Dear Baby Gus,

18 days to go. In 18 days you will be with me. 23 days until you are in our home, with your papa, big brother and big sister.

This isn’t the journey we thought we were beginning back in September. Our journey to you has been one of broken hearts and bumpy roads. My heart aches a bit when I think about it all, but knowing you will soon be a part of our family makes it all worth it.

We began this journey for a little girl, 3 years old. We felt certain that she was supposed to be our daughter. We knew there were some uncertain details, but we had complete peace about our decision. Despite some little hiccups, everything came together and we met this sweet little girl in November. She was a little firecracker! We signed the official papers to pursue her adoption.

In December, we found out that there was a local (to her) family that was interested in adopting her. We cautiously prayed about what this meant. We decided to move forward with adopting her, until we had a clear “stop” from the Lord.

In January, shortly after receiving news of our upcoming court date to adopt her, we got that “stop”. The local family had filed official papers to pursue her adoption and as a local family, they had priority over us. There was nothing we could do.

That night, after we got the news, we felt so confused, uncertain. Everything had been such a clear “go” up until that moment. We felt such a clear push from the Lord in every move. And just that, it all fell apart.

Do you know that we have an amazing support system? Calls, texts, emails– from family, friends, even strangers. Late that night, after your papa went to bed, I found the website for your orphanage, and browsed the photos of all of the children. Then I saw this…

For the first time since we got the news, I smiled. Oh, love, you are so cute.

I wanted to get on a plane right that moment and scoop you up. But, I still wavered for another day, while your papa was certain that you were the one. I had been so certain that we were bringing home a little girl, that I struggled with the sudden change of plans, especially how abruptly and painfully it came.

Everything seemed to fall together, when we expressed interest in you. Our agency confirmed your availability. We said yes!

Just two weeks later, we were on a plane to meet you. We received your official referral on February 14, 2012. I won’t share the details here, but the fact that we even got your referral is evidence of the divine hand in your story.

You were so overwhelmed by us that first day. You watched us. When we would do something funny, you might crack a smile, but it wouldn’t stay long. The orphanage doctor came in and told us how you usually smiled. I was afraid she would think we weren’t the right family for you.

The next day, and the day after that, you seemed to be warming up to us a bit. You love to be loved on. Kisses, eskimo kisses, rasberries, you love that physical attention, like your big sister.

After three days of visiting, we said goodbye. Our court dossier just needed one piece of paper, with your name on it, to be filed. We rushed to get it done when we got home. The first people who could take it for us were some friends travelling for court to adopt a little girl from your orphanage. They had our paper in hand, and we knew they would be delivered safely.

Well, the day they left, we got a frantic email from them, asking for prayer. Our region was canceling all court cases, and theirs would be the last one heard. Only because they were literally on the plane when the news came in.

That was when I unravelled. I was scared we might lose you, too. I didn’t know when I’d see you again. I was sad, and scared, confused and angry. I felt… raw.

But, in the same season, we were so loved. Tears and prayers from everyone who knew our story, it seemed.

Gifts to renew my resolve and my spirit. Like one Thursday morning when a dear friend sent me new photos of you. One of the best gifts I ever received was to see your face, knowing that was taken just hours before.

A couple of weeks later, 2 months after your region shut down, we received news of our court date. What sweet news! We had to wait another month for it, but we knew when we’d see you again.

May 27, 3 months and 11 days after we said goodbye, we saw you again. You were so uncertain of us at first, but after a little while, you were comfortable enough to fall asleep in my arms.

After two days of visits, we had our court hearing. With trembling legs and shaking voices, we stood up to ask the judge if we could be your family. And she said YES!

You would be my baby and I would be your mama.

Little love, this story fills me with such joy. The ending, knowing that we are yours forever, that makes me so happy. And the journey, the bumpy, bittersweet journey with a God who holds our hand every step of the way, that makes me so joyful too.

This journey is ending. Soon, you will be here and our journey as a family of five will begin. A new journey with bumps and twists of its own, and… I can’t wait.

Love,
your mama

“I see your smile
And it’s so much sweeter
After all that I’ve been through
And when we laugh
I get a glimpse of forever
And I praise God that I found you

And anytime someone asks me
How it all unfolded
I’ll tell them
Such incredible chances
Make for marvelous love.

Just like the sun lights up the moon
This love is a reflection
Of more than just me and you
Our lives were less than ordinary
And while I couldn’t see past tomorrow
God was making history

Oh my, what a beautiful story of love.”

-Mandi Mapes, Story of Love