This is the email I sent to everyone back in February when I met Daniil for the first time. I recently re-discovered it and am delighted to report that my initial impressions continue to bear out. (Note that I hadn't yet changed the spelling of Daniil's name.) Photo is the very first one taken of Daniil and me together, five minutes post meeting. He tentatively took my hand and we slid down the indoor slide in the orphange side by side.2/11/10
The boy is a treasure. My little mishka. I've officially "agreed": if all remaining paperwork goes well, Danil is my son. My meeting with him felt graced. This is what many adoptive parents say about their children. How grateful I feel to be able to say the same.
Thumbnail sketch: The Baby Home Director said of Danil, after describing in detail the sad circumstances of his life before his arrival: "This boy is open to life and open to love. He is ready to love and be loved." What glorious statements, and she is so right. Over the course of several meetings Danil sang and danced, recited a little poem he had memorized, did yoga with me (a tippy little tree and ferocious little lion), sat in my lap and named bears and cats in story books, played hide and seek, threw an impressive overhand fast-ball, squealed with delight in response to every funny face, dove with me into the "ball pool," let me gallop him around the room while he clicked his tongue like horses' hooves, quietly watched the falling snow outside the window (“Snyek,” he said softly, correctly identifying snow in Russian), gently rocked and sang to a baby doll, and learned to say two words in English, hello and goodbye, in the sweetest little voice in all of Russia. All to say, he appears to be a multi-dimensional 2.5 year old, game for everything and able to fully connect with his world.
The Baby Home itself shattered all stereotypes of a sad, paint-peeling orphanage: it features a Montessori classroom, speech therapists, play rooms, a swimming pool, hearty meals and, most importantly, a loving and devoted staff. But still, it is an institution, not a home.
The Kremlin left me awestruck. I'm hooked on blinis with butter and caviar. Everyone wears the most outrageously beautiful (politically-incorrect) furs. Classical music at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory blew me away.
All to say, I’m off on the grand adventure of parenting!
Thank you for your ongoing support. I can’t wait for you to meet Danil! Hopefully I'll be able to return within 2 months to bring him home. It was hard to leave him in Apatity, but I know that he's in caring hands.
Da svidániya!
One smitten, excited Mama bear,
Lisa
Thumbnail sketch: The Baby Home Director said of Danil, after describing in detail the sad circumstances of his life before his arrival: "This boy is open to life and open to love. He is ready to love and be loved." What glorious statements, and she is so right. Over the course of several meetings Danil sang and danced, recited a little poem he had memorized, did yoga with me (a tippy little tree and ferocious little lion), sat in my lap and named bears and cats in story books, played hide and seek, threw an impressive overhand fast-ball, squealed with delight in response to every funny face, dove with me into the "ball pool," let me gallop him around the room while he clicked his tongue like horses' hooves, quietly watched the falling snow outside the window (“Snyek,” he said softly, correctly identifying snow in Russian), gently rocked and sang to a baby doll, and learned to say two words in English, hello and goodbye, in the sweetest little voice in all of Russia. All to say, he appears to be a multi-dimensional 2.5 year old, game for everything and able to fully connect with his world.
The Baby Home itself shattered all stereotypes of a sad, paint-peeling orphanage: it features a Montessori classroom, speech therapists, play rooms, a swimming pool, hearty meals and, most importantly, a loving and devoted staff. But still, it is an institution, not a home.
The Kremlin left me awestruck. I'm hooked on blinis with butter and caviar. Everyone wears the most outrageously beautiful (politically-incorrect) furs. Classical music at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory blew me away.
All to say, I’m off on the grand adventure of parenting!
Thank you for your ongoing support. I can’t wait for you to meet Danil! Hopefully I'll be able to return within 2 months to bring him home. It was hard to leave him in Apatity, but I know that he's in caring hands.
Da svidániya!
One smitten, excited Mama bear,
Lisa
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