We are in Moscow – Trip #2

We traveled afar and we find familiar faces and voices in the places you least expect.

We almost lost our connection in Frankfurt to go to Moscow and as Brian and I ran like crazy from one terminal to the other, I got to say hi and good bye to a coworker on his way to India!! We made it …just the last people to enter the plane but our suitcases did not make it!

We got to Moscow and we ran again to the passport control, last time we were more than an hour waiting in line. This time there was only two people in front of us … great!!! Except … that there was a problem with my visa … they took me aside, and after ½ hour they fixed the problem: I was given a business visa as a male instead of a female !!!

Oh, well, it was nice to be out of there and see Vlad waiting for us. It is the end of May and it should be nice outside but no, it is cold and it is raining. So, we waited for Vlad to bring the car and as we are looking for his car to come pick us up we saw an Italian couple we had met on our first trip adopting from the same orphanage as Y and the only people that shared Y birth day party back on May 1st, they were running with their child towards the airport so we ran after them and say hi and goodbye!!! Then ran to Vlad’s car in the rain…

We got to our Hotel and as we sat to drink a cappuccino, the radio was playing “tengo la camisa negra” de Juanes!!! (Colombian singer)

The world is so small these days.

Thanks for your prayers, Thanks Flamingo Road Church for your prayers and comments in our blog. I don’t know how to say this …. But really … all we need and what we need the most right now is Prayer. Thanks a lot!

We have a delay in one of our papers; our kids are extremely anxious when left alone with us; I am not feeling very well in terms of emotions/hour difference; and even though we saw familiar faces and voices, we still feel like strangers in a different world.

Our adoption friends are arriving today from Arizona to do their 2nd trip adventure: that is a blessing for both of us.

Baby Shower and other good news

Lola and my niece both enjoyed the Euro Tub we got from my sister Debbie. Then my niece G actually used it and gave the two thumbs up!

We are so excited! as well as … so many other feelings. This is like any other experience I ever experienced before. We are leaving Sunday!!!!!!

Shopping has helped me to keep my mind busy: gifts for two orphanages, two kids and two sets of directors and doctors. I love to buy gifts so I am having some fun.

We also got a lot of gifts on our shower. Actually after returning some gifts that were repeats and the gift cards, we were actually able to buy most everything we had in our list!! That was pretty good! Thanks to my sister, her husband and their little G that behave so well and allowed them to do some planning for the shower.

Thanks for all the messages you have left on my last post … I feel I have so many good friends out there … we really need it. Thanks.

Hey, I did my first attempt to scrap booking for the baby shower.

Our good friends from Sarasota drove all the way here to be with us. Thanks D, C, V and J.

The shower was more like an open house .. come whenever you can and …well as often in our house people stayed until late. Brian made fresh pasta every time a group came by … always delicious. We did not have shower games except for one questionnaire people filled out about our kids .. We also had men and children in our shower so it was not the traditional type but we had so much fun meeting with all of family and friends in our house just before we travel.

The gift that came through the pain of infertility

My sister Raquel is planning an adoption baby shower for us this weekend. Thanks Raque!

My good friend from work asked me today at lunch if there was a possibility at this stage of our adoption process for it to fall through. I know what she was trying to say, for she cares for Brian and I and she has seen me cry before.

You see, working on IT you always have to think of all possible scenarios and be prepared for it just in case. I answered: “If I have to write the test cases for this “project”, I would have to have some scenarios that would handle that possibility.” I also know that being an IT person, I should then be cautious and ask my sister to have the baby shower when we come back … Just in case! When the “project” is finished and “successful”

Infertility taught me a great lesson: I am not in control. It is a hard pain to go through but I feel I have the gift today to know for a fact, with no doubts that I am not in control. I know that some people think they got pregnant because they …. were relaxed, did not drink as much coffee as I do, maybe did better research, were brave to go through more invasive treatments, etc, etc, etc. the truth is, they are not in control either.

So, why do I consider the simple act of realizing that I am not in control an actual gift for my life? Because it takes me closer to the conclusion that God is in control and that He can be trusted! For He is good. If I believe that God has control over my life … that changes everything! Every possible scenario has to vent to the place He finally wants.

So, I am praying for the best outcome and I know many of you are, for what we are SOOO thankful; we really don’t know what the future holds … but we know Who holds the future!!!

I also have Hope … (another precious gift) “To hope is to anticipate. It is more than dreaming, however. It is possessing within ourselves an expectation that someday there will be the fulfillment of that desire. It will become a reality. Hope always looks to the future, it’s always on tiptoes. It keeps us going. It makes a dismal today bearable because it promises a brighter tomorrow” Charles Swindoll

So, I will celebrate this weekend together with my family and friends the gift of communion and fellowship in the Hope and the prayers that Y and D will be soon our children.

I thank you Lord for the pain of infertility, for it is hard and hurts but really has taken me closer to you, it has taught me You are in control, it has kept me in this humble place of needing You and your provision and I just don’t want to leave that place for you are my real treasure.

Meeting our Kids (part 2)

Remember my picture after meeting our kids? Well, I was not the only one needing a hug (as Suz suggested) We met that night late with our friends in Moscow and they also had their first time meeting their baby girl! We were supposed to meet at the lobby at 7pm and somehow we got all confused, they were waiting for us at Moo Moo’s and by the time we went to Moo Moo’s they were gone, but at the end we met for a glass of wine and beer at the hotel.

I was still worried because Y cried the whole time and they were worried because their girl did not cry at all and just behave very nice!! Can you believe that! So we started talking about our worries and encouraging each other … it was great and needed! (Thank you guys!) .. to have someone to talk to and let it all out and that the person actually understands the situation .. it is just great! I remember the time that one of them was explaining an issue I never heard of concerning adoption and my response was: “What was is it that you worry about so I can worry about” that was it! We just started laughing at ourselves.

I believe we all need to pray for God to bring people around us at the time of our adoptions that we can relate to and socialize with. God provided for us 2 wonderful couples that stayed very close to us and still are today and also God provided some other couples that were just great people to be with at breakfast with whom we had some quick, but somehow deep conversations.

So we survived Thursday! And Friday came. We went to visit D first, since we did not actually get to interact with him on Thursday for he was napping.

Ok, so here we go, my two kids cried when they met us!!! Yes, he cried too! Like a boy, just for a little bit, but he cried and actually just waited for a door to open and he just ran out of the meeting room to the kids room; and because of that, again, we were able to see our son interacting with the other kids and once in his environment he was pretty cool!!

We took pictures and he was very interested in both of our cameras – he likes electronics – and music! His favorite toy in the room was a drum! I know, good-bye to our quite home.
We played and laugh together for a while. Brian got to play with him since he is used to see men he was equally comfortable with both of us; the orphanage director is a man. Ok! So I was not going to say anything, but … I will. Here we go:
So, I was really intrigued why D’s orphanage was considered the best and “richest” orphanage in Moscow and why Y’s orphanage was considered the “poorest” (I really could not see the difference)

Well, we had a different driver this time on Friday and he actually told us that D’s orphanage is the best orphanage in Moscow because it is the only orphanage in Moscow that is run by a MAN!!!! Ok, so I said it! I did not enjoy that comment! May be I am just silly and/or you have to be there. Anyhow, let it go …

So was time to go to Y orphanage. I handed him to the caretaker and as I was leaving I looked back and blew a kiss at him … he smile and blew a kiss back to me!! It just makes me cry even as I write this!!
(To be continued)

Review of the restaurants close to Arbat street.

As I promised, this is a review of the restaurants close to Arbat street.

Ok, so Brian and I did not eat at McDonalds, TGI Fridays no even Baskin’s Robins while we were in Moscow Are you surprised? even though these restaurants are all found on the Arbat Street. Well, the way we see it is, we can always get to one of those when we are home (not likely really!) so why not venture into something new and exciting!!

We were so tired while in Moscow that we actually never got to have dinner in the actual Arbat street. You see, when you walk from the Arbat Hotel towards the Old Arbat street you will find plenty of restaurants.

Right across the street from the hotel, there is the newly open restaurant called Hindu serving Indian fusion cuisine. We went inside and got to see the décor and environment. Pretty nice furniture, hardwood floors, it looked very upscale. Their chef is one of the most famous Chef in London and he just opened this location in Moscow 1 month ago. The prices are in Euros – around 30 Euros per dish. Bentleys, BMW’s and 7 series Mercedes are the type of cars parked at dinner time. Brian and I did not eat there. I just was not in the mood for the celebrity-chef type of restaurant plus I like Indian food but would not want to pay 30 Euros for one dish.

If you continue walking you’ll find a French restaurant – Great Food! Decent prices. The picture above shows the dish I ordered – Sea Bass Provence Style: Just Delicious! I know some of you would not touch this dish – since it comes with the head! – the meat between the fish cheeks is the most delicious – Ask any fish connoisseur :)

Water in Moscow is more expensive than ordering Russian Champagne – so what do you do? Yeah – get some Champagne and caviar while you are at it! Anyways, I highly recommend this French Restaurant for food, ambiance and great service: very friendly people. Brian had some chicken breast wrapped in bacon in a creamy mushroom sauce it was awesome! It came with potatoes. We also shared a green salad that was also very fresh and tasty.

Continue the walk and you’ll find a Turkish Restaurant: our favorite! I love Middle Eastern food and this was great and tasty food. For lunch, this restaurant has a US$10 special where you get to choose one type of salad, one type of soup, one meat dish and your choice of coffee or tea. For meat dishes they have a choice for chicken, beef or Lamb. Go for the Lamb!! Or any other will just taste great. The Lentil soup is to die for and you also have the option of chicken soup. I love lentil soup anyways! So this is a great Lunch alternative when you are in a budget since Moscow restaurants can be very expensive.

Across the street from the Turkish restaurant there is a Uzbekistani restaurant – the food is similar to the Middle Eastern cuisine but it was not my favorite – I would not go back to it, plus, you have to pay cash since they do not accept any other type of payment!

Then, right next to this restaurant is the famous Moo Moo restaurant. Great food at very reasonable prices. There are lines at any hour of the day to order your food but, somehow you will always find a spot to sit once you order. If you are in a hurry or just have something to do after your meal, I would suggest not to order anything that will require further cooking for it will take a long time to come to your table; just choose from the already prepare food – it is fresh and delicious. We ate there a couple of times, but with kids, is better to let your partner order for both of you while you wait at a table with the kids. This is a place you got to go to eat while in Moscow! Is like coming to the United States and going to Cheesecake Factory, it is just a Russian experience. There are many Moo Moo’s around town so even if you are not close to Arbat street you could get to one of them.

Next to Moo Moo there is an Italian Restaurant called “Italia” we ate there .. good food! I thought it was a little pricy but not so much if you ask for Pizza which is around $7 per personal pizza – it is very, very thin crust, which I love.

Then there is McDonalds! No we did not eat there but we had coffee at the Mac Café which is a cool place for people watching and having a good latte (did not like the cappuccino) and a dessert; I would not go for the looks of the desert but I will just go for ingredients, looks were deceiving when we chose some of the cakes; tiramisu was not great.

If you are staying at the Arbat Hotel and too tired to walk anywhere, try the restaurant at the Arbat Hotel. The menu points out which items are traditional Russian. I wrote some about their food in a previous post Blog from April 25th – “We made it to Moscow” so, scroll down and check it out!

Again, there are also other options once you are in the Arbat Street we did not get to experiment – there were some restaurants getting ready for the summer and they were constructing their outdoor patios with canopies for seating – just getting ready for our second trip to Moscow!

In case you are wondering: no, I did not gain weight while in Moscow, even though I was a big “Moo Moo” eating – you can eat as much as you want but the stress of the adoption process and all the walking somehow will help your metabolism.

Meeting our Kids

I will try to recall the happenings on the Thursday we met our children and I will be honest – I just hope to help some of you out there that might have to go through a similar experience and have some expectations that might not be accurate when the day comes.

We Met Vlad at the lobby at 9 am Thrusday morning. There was another couple there also – we became good friends! We went to the MOE office. There was this room where you go and meet him with the translator. The officer just looked at our papers, looked at our faces, and signed some stuff. Then, he handed over the permission for Brian and I to go visit the children. That was it! No pain, very easy.

Then we drove to the first orphanage to visit our girl. I was in the back of the car, not nervous at all, I was kind of surprised at my self, I felt the prayers of family and friends at that very moment. We got to the orphanage and they told us to wait while they made her up. I actually understood what they were saying since the word in Russian sounds like the word in Spanish “Maquillage” which means “make up” in English.

The women that work in this orphanage are very “lively” compared to most Russians we encountered in the whole trip. I felt very at home and comfortable, the orphanage Director has a very relaxed and informal attitude, again, very different that the rest of the people we encountered in our whole time there. I think people in that orphanage actually enjoy their jobs.

Then there she was, pretty and … just a little stranger … We started the right way .. we smiled at each other, Brian took some pictures, we started to warm up to each other and then … everybody left the room and there we were Brain, Y and I.

She looked at me, looked at the empty room and started crying!!! She cried for 15 minutes no stop – Vlad and the Orphanage Doctor came by and she told me that maybe she was just hungry, so she took her to feed her. While she was out, Vlad just felt so bad for me, you could see it in my eyes, I was just confused, I felt rejected, I had all kinds of thoughts!

Vlad sat in front of me and gave 2 good pointers, the first one, helped me to remember that I had options and the other pointer was something I already knew from researching the web, but at that moment I was just confused and I did not remember: If the child cries when she is with you alone, it is horrible, but it is a good sign as to the health of the child! It means she understand that something is happening and she misses her normal surroundings.

Well, she came back from feeding and again when we were left alone she cried for another 15 minutes! At this time I was also crying literally and praying “Lord I can not handle this please help me, what are you trying to tell me?” so then, Vlad and the Doctor came running and asked me if she ever stopped crying to what I answered: No. Now I felt that I was not even good enough to be a mother …

So, they took us to the room where the other children are … and they took her temperature (Just so I felt better I think) as soon as she saw her Social worker, she was just fine!

So, then we started again, this time with all the other children in the room. I looked around me and it just hit me: I would not choose any other child from that room … She is the only one I would pick, she was still an stranger, but a very special one, a little stranger I could see me falling mad in love with!! This were the exact feelings that Brian had also: confusion, frustration, excitement and a sudden discovery that in that room there was no other like our Y.

I got closer to other children and Y became suddenly interested. I sat next to her at the couch but I took one more child to my lap for a while, until she felt comfortable with me.
She hold my finger, played with the toy we brought her and even gave me a little smile and then Vlad came running: “It’s time to go to the other orphanage”

Reflecting back to the experience, I realize that it is the most unnatural way to meet your child. I have no biological children but I think that none of you where looking at how many fingers, the size of the mouth, looking for FAS signs, etc, the moment you just delivered your baby. That’s what I was doing! It is horrible … I still feel kind of guilty for it – I almost think that Y could feel it!

Y had a cold; she is teething and was left alone with a stranger that was just checking her out. What else could I expect but that?

We drove to the next orphanage and it was already time for the naps. We entered D’s room and got to see him in his crib, he had his eyes opened. He is a gorgeous boy! And lays down in bed just like my husband, with his arms back.

The Orphanage doctor took us to her office with the social worker in charge of the case and gave us all the information they had on his mother, his delivery, ect. The people in this orphanage are very different that the previous one. The people here behave more like “Professionals” Just a different approach to the same job.

We went back to the hotel and had some lunch there… yes, the picture in top is me after the experience … really tired!!!
To be continued …

He provides where we lack!

We were in Moscow at the time the Russian Orthodox church celebrates Easter. We visited the Christ the Savior church on Wednesday and people were still bringing flowers to the Lord remembering that He is alive!! All the doors inside the church were open as a sign that He came and he is alive. The eggs are marked: Christ is Risen.

I found this poem from - Rev. Dr. Herbert Brokering someplace in the web:

“Lord, send me a surprise.
One that catches me off guard
and makes me wonder.
Like Easter.

Send me a resurrection
when everything looks dead and buried.
Send me light
when the night seems too long. “

Ah! And He did! I was surprised to be in Moscow at this time of the year to meet our children – they are like resurrection to us in an area where we were dead.
He provides where we lack!

May 3rd. Today is my girl’s first birthday!

May 3rd: Today is my girl’s first birthday!

Happy birthday to Y from Mami and Papi!! We were able to celebrate on Sunday with her at the orphanage! What a blessing!

This is Mami’s pledge to you in Spanish:

Viniste de lejos
Mi alma ganastes
Con ojos de ensuenno

De Dios el tesoro
Que vino a su tiempo
A mami alegrar

Tan cerca te tengo
Muy dentro, muy fuerte
En el Corazon

Con Dios de testigo
Prometo quererte
Por siempre un monton!

Now I will try to translate to English:

From far you came
Your dreaming eyes
My soul they won

From God you are the treasure
You came just on time
To make mami glad

So close now I have you
Deep inside and strong
In my heart and soul

With God as my witness
I promise to love you
Forever and lots!

Blog from April 25th - We made it to Moscow!!

We made it to Moscow!! The trip from Milan to Moscow was actually pleasant but when we got to Passport control we had to wait 2 hours in line; that just tired us a lot.

Vlad was there to meet us which it was a blessing!! We were so worried he would just leave after waiting for so long. The ride to the hotel took us around another hour. We are so tired; it feels as if we just traveled the whole day, and I guess we did!

I want to thank all of you for your prayers, we have felt the warmth and we really appreciate it! In less than two days we will meet our potential children!!! … I will try to write about our experience with them on Thursday night.

As soon as we made it to the hotel today, I took a shower and then went for dinner to the restaurant at the hotel. Ok, so, Brian and I think that normally hotels do not have good food because it is not their line of business so; we never judge a city’s food just by eating at a hotel restaurant. Today we had no other option; we went to the hotel’s restaurants here in Moscow just now. It actually serves traditional Russian food.

I got to say: wow, it was good! I just have to write the food journal because I borrowed the hotel menu and I have to return it tonight and I just don’t want to forget. I got to learn as much as I can about the culture in a very short time. So you don’t have to continue reading this is just for diary’s purposes. Thanks for visiting our blog and again thanks for your prayers.

For appetizer, Brian had: Far east Red caviar with blines, finely chopped hard boiled egg whites and yolk, crèmefresh, finely chopped red onions and parsley. That would be a great idea for an appetizer to do at a party when our kids come home with us.

I had the Russian Fish soup which is actually made out of salmon, potatoes, celery, wild mushrooms, carrots. Brian does not like salmon, which means no Russian soup for Brian since the other option is Borsch and beets are the only type of food that he actually won’t even touch. Nevertheless, I thought that was a great soup, I am getting the recipe to prepare it for our children. Oukha is the name of the fish soup.

Then, for main entrée Brian had the beef “a la stroganoff” also with wild mushrooms, rice and quail eggs. I had a typical dish from Georgia called “Luly Kebab” which is a sort of kafta wrapped in eggplants with a pomegranate sauce. My entire family would enjoy this dish it is very clever! It also came with a salad of cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce.

All was delicious! Even the bread was great (I don’t eat bread as I try to watch my carbohydrates consumption)

We also had cappuccinos. When we are in Brazil, I normally have at least one discussion with someone serving me cappuccinos. The thing is that the people in southern Brazil insist that cappuccinos are served with powder chocolate on it. Well, cappuccinos do not contain chocolate when served in Italy nor in Russia, so there!

We are back from Moscow – but still on Moscow time!

I apologize for the delay in writing and updating our blog.
We were in Moscow without a converter!! How did we forget? That was a big mistake.

There are so many things I would like to write about and I am so tired!!!

We are back from Moscow as of Monday night and my body is still in shock – I am at work today … I need coffee.

I will be publishing different blogs in the next couple of days that will talk about our experiences while in Moscow meeting the MOE and our children – first trip. I will write about:
1. First impressions from our meeting with our kids - They are a beautiful
2. Our impressions on Russian culture - The sign at the airport: “it’s another world”
3. Restaurant reviews from around Arabat street - Great food
4. Our time at the orphanages. - yes, two of them!

Thank you so much again for your prayers!! We are so blessed to be able to go through this experience.

Thank you so much Lorien and the Moscow team! May God bless you!!