One Year As A Family

One year ago today (Oct. 26) we picked up our children from their orphanages and became a family. Here is a photo taken in the car just moments after the four of us became a family and one taken this evening when Mikel got home from work. We plan to take a family photo every year on this date.

I deliberately dressed Anna and Alexander this afternoon in the same clothes we put them in to leave their orphanages. They pretty much fit now, if not being on the smaller side (last year these clothes swallowed up the children, especially Alexander). As it turns out, Mikel wore the same shirt today that he wore exactly one year ago. That wasn't planned. Considering that Mikel got sick on the trip and we pretty much survived on granola bars and Balance bars instead of eating out a lot (I know we both lost weight on the trip), his clothes probably fit better now, too.

It's difficult to believe it's been one year! All the details remain fresh in my mind. The children have grown so much physically (Alexander over five inches and Anna over four inches just in the past 10 months alone). Their speech and English language skills are impressive, and you'd never know they hadn't spent their entire lives here. I've talked recently about Anna's progress because of her school reports, but even Alexander often says 5-word sentences. They're usually when he wants something: "I want more (juice or animal cookies or whatever), please."

We did a few things to celebrate this evening. First I made blini, traditional Russian pancakes which Mikel and I enjoyed a few times when we did go out to eat. I think there are two kinds of Russian pancakes, some puffing up more than others. The recipe I used were actually more like crepes but thicker and you can serve them with cheese, meats, fruits, just about whatever. Tonight I served them with chopped nuts and honey, since that's how I had mine last year, and also a sauted apple and brown sugar filling recipe that I followed from my Russian cookbook. Next year I will plan a more elaborate Russian meal. The recipes in this book, for the most part, are a bit complicated and time consuming, and with two children to chase after now, I have found it difficult to cook nice meals like I enjoy doing.

After dinner we had a little tea party, which is also something we'll do every year. I took the children to a bakery to purchase a small, but fancy enough, cake after they awoke from their nap this afternoon. (I can never return to this bakery, by the way, after a gigantic misadventure there, but I'll save this story for another day. I'm still shaken.) Last year we went to great lengths to purchase very fancy cakes for each of the children's orphanages. At Anna's orphanage, we actually sat in the senior director's office and enjoyed the cake and either hot tea or some of that instant coffee which pulled so many strings for us (see archives). We didn't eat cake at Alexander's baby home because we were kind of rushed, but we purchased it nevertheless.

After the tea party, we went downstairs and watched our adoption movie that Mikel put together. I was surprised at how enthralled the children seemed to be with the movie, since I think they had just recently watched at least parts of it on the computer. Maybe it was seeing themselves up on the big screen. I mean, that's how Elmo and Mister Rogers come into their lives, after all, so they're probably trying to figure out how they're also on the TV.

We are just in awe that we've been so blessed with Anna and Alexander. They really are perfect, and we definitely could not have produced more beautiful (inside and out) children on our own. I prayed that our children would be happy. I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to be driving down the road and hear Anna say out of the blue, "Mommy, Anna so happy." Then, of course, Alexander has to say, "I so happy, too." They have bonded with us seemingly effortlessly. Other than normal issues that all parents face, I really don't think we've had any problems. We still have the rest of our lives to be parents, and I'm not so naive to think that adoption couldn't become an issue at some point. I can only continue to pray that the children are OK with this knowledge and that we know how to respond to their questions or concerns.