Last Post from Moscow

Tree inside of the fancy mall that is all lit up (see pic. below)

Us with Amanda, Jeff, and cute little Jacob!

This building is my favorite at Red Square, it's the Historical Museum.

St. Basil's

Kremlin wall on the left, big Christmas tree and skating ring, mall on the right.

We love the Kwiatowski's. It's been such a blessing getting to know them. They plan to come to TN hopefully this summer and we want to go to Grand Rapids and sled in all their snow.

This is the fancy mall.

My last post from Moscow. Aaahhh, the journey is almost over. We finished the last of the paperwork today and have everything we need to enter the US. You would have heard me all the way back home shouting for joy but Hudson was sleepy! But it's a great feeling to be finished with all of the paperwork until we get to Attebery Road.

Sitting here, I'm full of so many different emotions and my head has a million things running through it. I cannot wait to board that plane tomorrow. But won't it be bittersweet as we leave the place where our son was born, where we first laid eyes on him and held him in our arms. But when that plane touches down in Atlanta I will be one of the crazy rednecks yelling like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, "Woo Woo Woo"!

One thing I know right now is that I am married to an amazing man. One of the things I most looked forward to before this adoption was Jason being a daddy. And it's only been 5 days that we've had Hudson, but watching Jason with him has brought me much joy. He's so patient, kind, and fun. Hudson thinks he's the coolest thing and his favorite word is by far, "DaDa". How awesome is it that Jason and I were made for each other. When God was forming us he knew who the love of my life would be and that one day I would become Mrs. Jason Carney (sorry, dad, I know you wanted him to be Jason Attebery :) And when he formed us he already knew the precious little boy that is now officially Hudson Luke Carney. I wonder about the day Hudson was born, if God looked down into Maternity Hospital #10 in Moscow and saw this dark haired, 6lb. 2oz. baby boy and then scanned his eyes around the world and looked upon this young couple fast asleep and whispered, "Perfect." God's hand has not left us through this entire process, His fingerprints are everywhere, how can we praise Him enough!

I'll quit because I'm fighting back tears. One last thing, though, I know I've asked you to pray many many times throughout this process and I don't have the words to thank you enough for your prayers. Could you please pray for our plane ride home tomorrow. It's a long time with very little space and an active 16 month old! THANKS so much and I'll see you tomorrow!!

Change in Plans PLEASE READ

We will NOT be flying into Nashville on the first. Instead we will meet everyone at Bethel Church between 8:00 and 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 1st. Please come and meet Hudson at the church and help me spread the word because we just decided this and I don't want anyone to go to the airport expecting us.

Aunt Casey and Uncle Will are going to pick us up in Atlanta. We decided to have them pick us up instead of taking the final flight from Atlanta because our layover in Atlanta was about 4 hours and the flight would probably be the worst one on him since it's so short it feels like your ears pop the entire time. We are not looking forward to getting him on and off 3 airplanes with absolutely no room to move around anywhere, this will cut about 5 hours out of our day of flying. I think it will be easier on all of us. And the church is so much closer to many of you, New Years is a busy time anyways so it will make it easier for people to go to the church than the airport.

Everyone is invited to come. We are going to plan on staying an hour to an hour and a half. Not too long. He will already have so much going on I think it will be good to see everyone and then take the next few weeks to just be us. I love you all and hope you can come. So, see you on Thursday! WOOHOO!!

(Jon, can you post a comment with the address to the church just incase someone doesn't know where it is, and if you want directions just e-mail me and I'll send them to you, it's easy and I will have plenty of time tomorrow since we don't have any plans.)
Also, I'll post pics from Red Square tomorrow. We're fixin' to head to bed, little man is getting tired.

Very Important!!

I have been going back and forth about this post but I do think it's very important for me to write it. We have talked about it with some of you and I know with some of you I need to reinforce this (Dad, Casey, Mom, Sheryl, etc.-you know I love you :). It's going to be very important when we get home for Hudson to be held by only me and Jason. We aren't doing this to be mean or selfish, we are going to do what is best for our son and that's for him to properly attach to us. Those of you who have gone through the adoption process are secretly shouting AMEN right now, aren't you! Those of you who have no clue what I'm talking about can just think we are crazy for a little while! The first part of his life with us is so important for him to be held and loved by us and to know we are mom and dad and we are constant. This is something he must learn and it's going to take more than just a day or two. He does prefer us and doesn't reach out for other people, this is a great start. START, it's only the beginning. I do think that he would go to others if they stuck their arms out for him. He's just a happy kid and likes people. So it's okay for everyone to be around him, but please don't reach for him or ask him to come and see you. For now, he's all ours, and in time, we'll share him with you, too.

Now, that being said I know lots of you have been waiting for over 2 years to see him. So, at the church I will gladly let you hold him. I hope he's in a good mood so you can all see his awesome smile. But after the airport he's all ours. But please come over and visit us and see his room and watch him play. I want him to be familiar with all of our family and friends and know your face and voice and look forward to seeing you, but I want him to be attached to us first. And I do want visitors after we get settled in, I'm not just saying that. I can't wait to visit with everyone!

Okay so now some of you think I'm crazy, the others of you already knew I am crazy! Check the blog later today, we are going to go to Red Square this afternoon and take some pics, hopefully it'll be lots of fun!

I MISS EVERYONE SO MUCH!

3 days left

Jason was bouncing him on the bed and then throwing him on the covers, we were all laughing hysterically. He wanted him to do it over and over.

He loves playing on Mom and Dad's bed.

He also thinks he's so funny when he claps his feet together and lifts them way up in the air.

Remember this little boy who screamed like crazy and shook when we put him in the tub 2 days ago. This is him now, having a blast. He didn't want to get out.

Hudson didn't sleep as good last night. Around 3:00 he started whinning and then woke up quite a few times until finally falling asleep around 3:45. I hope he sleeps through the night tonight. Jason and Jeff went today and submitted paperwork for the boys passports while me and Amanda took the boys to the doctor. Let's just say Dr. Prine better get ready to hear some good lungs! When the dr. took over he screamed the whole time and then when the dr. put him down to see him walk he came straight to me and dried it up. This all happened during nap time and he fell asleep on me on the way back home. The dr. made $100 in less than 10 minutes. Hudson weighs 22lbs. and is 31inches long.

Tomorrow the guys are doing everything so me and Amanda get to hang out with the boys. They have to go pick up the passports and go to the Embassy. Then on Wed. all they have to do is go pick up the visas from the Embassy. Then hopefully we will take the boys out sightseeing and get some good pics of them at some of the neat places.

I have been a little stressed about his falling to sleep but tonight he fell asleep on me and I managed to put him in his crib without him waking up. He wakes up easily, which I wouldn't expect since he shared a room with about 15 other kids. But when I go out of the room he screams. So today I went in and laid him back down and he cried for about 2 minutes and he was asleep. But if I stay in there then he is wanting to look around for me. I know this will all work out, I just want to do the right thing!

We are sooo ready to be back home. I can hear my bed calling my name saying. You know there's nothing like your own bed. I miss my dogs so bad. I am reading Marley and Me right now and it makes me really miss them. And my horses, I haven't gone this long without riding in years.

It snowed last night. This is the view from Jon and Janice's apartment.

This is what happened when we told him that his youth pastor back home nick named him Little Jon!! :)

Dad's already teaching him how to dribble.

Today was great. We just hung out all day. Appointments start tomorrow. I will be home in 3 days and I am estatic about it! Jason did much better with dirty diapers today, he got within 3 feet of us! He slept all night, ate great, but missed his afternoon nap so I think he's about to crash. I will update more information tomorrow. We go to submit paperwork for his Russian paperwork and then to a medical exam. I'm glad to be busy, I don't think we can stay in the house much longer!

Janice and Jon have been so awesome. They've been so patient, supportive, and excited for us. We couldn't ask for better folks!

Jeff and Amanda brought Jacob home today. He is doing great and is adorable. I will get some pics of him and Hudson and post one. I'm so glad they are back.

God is so good. If I praised Him for 24 hours a day 7 days a week it still would not be enough! I serve an awesome God who amazes me everyday, I love Him.

More Gotcha Day Pics

Be sure to scroll down and see the other pics from today, this is my third post :)

Gotcha Day

Well, we got'em! As I type he is walking/crawling around laughing hysterically as dad chases him. Is there a sweeter sound? Not at this moment.

We started the morning off at the vital records and they gave us his adoption certificate and new birth certificate with us as his parents and his address at Attebery Road! Then we went to the orphanage. Since it was Saturday there weren't many people at the orphanage and it was short and sweet. They wished us well and he happily waved bye. Then we went to the bank where he had about $500 in his account from the goverment. We gave that to the orphanage, that's what most families do. Then we came back to the apartment. He has only slept about 1 1/2 hours today and he normally has about 4 hours of nap during the day. We fed him lunch (mashed potatoes, carrots, meat) and then put him in the bath tub. He hated the bath tub, cried the entire time. It was worth it though, orphanage smell is gone and baby smell is here! Woohoo!

Tonight he had some eggs, mashed potatoes, and bread. Peed on the pot, twice. They told us to set him on there certain times a day and he knows what to do. But then while I was scrambling eggs Jason yelled, "He pooted" and then I heard, "No, I think he did something else...he's pooped" It was hilarious, Jason came in the kitchen not holding him against him, I stopped cooking the eggs took him upstairs and this was a nasty one! Jason came in and was gagging then he ran into the bathroom. I was cracking up and then Hudson started laughing and Jason was definitley NOT, he was saying, "It's not funny, it's nasty"! That was Jason's first diaper experience-not a good one:)

Happy Birthday to my mom or soon to be known as MawMaw! How does it feel to be a grandmother, finally! And on your birthday! Could we have given you a better gift?! Just think forever you and him will celebrate together. Birthday and Gotcha Day. For those of you who aren't familiar with the adoption term Gotcha Day. It's the first day that you have your child. You celebrate it every year and a lot of people make a bigger deal out of it than birthday's. A special day to remind your child just how much they are wanted and loved.

All in all this day has been pretty awesome. We're almost to the end of this 2 year 4 month paper trail yet this is only the beginning of the rest of our lives together. Plane tickets over $7,000, drivers in Moscow $100 per day, passports and visas over $1,000, Hudson Luke Carney-PRICELESS! I feel like the Sara Evans song, "Every prayer has been answered, every dream I've had has come true. Right here in this moment is right where I'm meant to be. Here with you, here with me. And I could not ask for more."

Gotcha Pictures

We went in and gave them his clothes and they brought him out a few minutes later. He was taking his nap when we got there.

Leaving the orphanage.

About 3 minutes after I took this he was asleep!

exploring Janice and Jon's house!

Friday, Dec. 26

While most of you are wrapping up Christmas it is morning here in Moscow. Thought I would share with you our plans for today and let you know not to expect any pictures until tomorrow!

We are going to go to the orphanage early so that we can get back to the embassy before lunch time. We have much to do and I'm not complaining about it. I want to be busy today so it will pass by quickly, I'm ready for tomorrow to be here. I have to wash clothes (after today we are no longer riding the metro-woohoo-so I can get the funky metro smell off of our jackets), grocery shopping, clean our room, go ahead and cook for tomorrow so it won't be hectic, clean toys that we have taken to the orphanage, etc.

Saturday morning we will meet a driver and Olga, go to the vital records and get his paperwork, birth certificate, etc. then go to the orphanage and pick him up. I am so glad Olga is going with us so that we can have a translater in the orphanage. I have some questions for them. But mostly I want to thank them for, well, I have a lot to thank them for and tell them how for 2 years and 4 months we prayed for them and God totally answered our prayers. Then we will come back to the embassy and just be parents! How cool does that sound? I'll say it again.. we're going to just be parents!!

Yesterday when it was just me and Jason here I was in the kitchen washing dishes and Jason came in. He asked if I could believe that us two were fixin to be parents, that we were going to be a part of Hudson's life for as long as we live. He kept pointing back and forth from me to him saying, "us two"! Then we slow danced to Silent Night. Now before you say, "aaaawww", I'm certain this was a way to get out of helping me do dishes. He knows I'm a sucker for slow dancing.

One last thing that I thought was neat. Yesterday at the orphanage we met a lady who is a therapist. She comes in the orphanage and works with children on their fine motor skills, speech therapy, physical therapy, etc. She spoke enough english to tell me that Hudson walked about a month late, mentally he is good, he is speaking a little but she said now is the time he will begin speaking, he is very happy, and we sat in while she worked with him on his fine motor skills.

Merry Christmas

How perfect is this shirt?!

MERRY CHRISTMAS :)

Christmas Day

Jon, Janice, James, and MaKayla

This is the "White House" of Moscow. Also very near the Embassy.

This is one of Stalin's Seven Sister Building. It's the one right next to the Embassy.

Christmas Eve we had dinner with Janice and Jon and two of their friends, James and MaKayla. MaKayla translated for us when we went to lunch with Luda. The food and fellowship was great!

Today we woke up to the smell of sausage-mmmmm! Janice and jon made an awesome breakfast and then we opened some presents. We got some Russian Christmas ornaments which will be a great way to remember this Christmas. And I really wanted this crystal egg that has St. Basil's in the middle of it and this stand to sit it on that lights it up. I didn't get myself one so I was VERY excited when we received one this morning! Now we are getting ready to go to the orphanage.

Tonight we are going to watch Santa Clause movies with Tim Allen.

I just keep thinking that tomorrow is our last day to go to the orphanage and leave him! I am so excited and nervous about Saturday. I can't wait!!