Friday, March 22, 2002

We had to get up at 3:30 am to get ready to go to the airport. We dressed Kara while she was still asleep. I was very nervous going through passport control with Kara—it was the last Russian area we need to get through with her before I could believe she was all ours. Of course, it was fine. We went on the very full plane and got settled. In a matter of minutes Kara has befriended several passengers with her “hi’s , waves and giggles. Shortly after we took off, Kara had diarrhea—say goodbye to that outfit! It was a very long flight. Kara did great but it was such a long time for her to be confined. Corey walked up and down the aisle with her when she was fidgety. She did sleep some but not much. We didn’t have much of a layover in Frankfurt and our arrival and departure gates were very far from each other. Corey had 2 really heavy carry-ons and I had Kara and a diaper bag. At one point we were on a trolley type thing where you have to hold on to a strap for balance. Kara in one arm and holding that strap for balance was a form of torture. But we made it to the plane on time. This flight was similar to the first—long but Kara was pretty good. The entire trip Corey was trying to get me to let him carry Kara into the airport to see our families but I wouldn’t budge. He must be nuts!! When we were getting ready to land I told Corey that at this point meeting everyone seemed anticlimactic since we were so tired from the trip. We had to go through customs with Kara and after getting our luggage we were off to see everyone. We fixed her clothes and did all those parental things and as we were getting ready to go through the door to them, I was so excited and I was so emotional all I could do was cry when I saw them all. It was one of the most wonderful moments in our lives—introducing our girl to her new family. But on the funny side, when we walked through the door, I felt like a movie star because I think our parents and Michelle all had cameras and they were all flashing at the same time. We obviously have some great pictures of that moment!! Everyone was hugging and kissing and holding Kara. It was so wonderful. The entire time she remained completely calm and sucked her thumb. Until she got in the car seat—oh boy, she didn’t like that. She cried very hard and her Grandmothers were not happy about their girl being upset. So, in a very illegal fashion, we took her out and changed her diaper and calmed her down. She fell asleep at some point and was quiet until we got home. Arriving home was very exciting. Corey bundled her up and carried her into the house. Uncle Don, Zach, Aunt Stacy, Uncle Bill and Allie were all there to see us. Corey very gently introduced her to the dogs and they were fine with her and she with them. Aunt Stacy had brought lots of food, a cake and there were welcome signs and balloons everywhere. Kara was very quiet, completely overwhelmed I’m sure. She ate some noodles and everyone got to hold her. Aunt Jenn and Uncle Ned arrived soon after and they held her as well. I know I’ve used the word wonderful quite a bit but it really was. It was incredible to bring her to her new home and have everyone there to see her—it was just perfect. Pretty soon it was bedtime. We took her up to her room, another awesome moment. I rocked her and we put her to bed together. She went right to sleep. Nana was staying overnight to help us since we were so tired. Kara woke up a few times during the night and probably would have gone right back to sleep but each time Corey and I were there in an instant—even before my Mom who was in the room next to Kara’s. My Mom fed her breakfast and then we took her upstairs for her first tubby, which she loved. Soon after we had lots of new visitors; Aunt Carrie, Uncle Bob & Ryan, the Colaneris, Aunt Suzy and Uncle Chuck, Katie and Alyssa, Mary, Brian & Julia, Aunt Angela and Ellen. Corey woke up sick that day and was soon diagnosed with pneumonia. Despite his being sick, those first days home are days we’ll never forget. Adjusting to parenthood is a bigger adjustment than can ever be explained, but so is the love that you feel for your child and amazingly, it grows everyday. We thank God for the circumstances that led Kara to us and no matter how difficult the road to her sometimes was, it was a journey for which I’ll be forever grateful. I’ll never know how it feels to have my child move within me or be able to say that she gets her adorable good looks from Corey, but I do know how exciting it felt when Lori first called to say we had a daughter, how wonderful it was to share that with our families, how amazing it was to hold her for the first time in a place far from home surrounded by people speaking a language I couldn’t understand and the perfect moment when her Dad and I tucked our little girl in her own crib for the very first time. We were meant to be.