Orphan NO MORE

*All the mishaps, extra time, delays, heartaches, and worrying have all led up to this point....and they were all ABSOLUTELY worth it! Yesterday was Gotcha Day. This is the day that the child is "removed" from the orphanage. It was SO bittersweet. I came to love and appreciate and look forward to seeing EACH and every face at that orphanage. Gary has video which we will post later. She was sent off with all of her belongings (by belongings I mean the things WE bought for her.) She has absolutely nothing to her name. Even the diaper she had on came from us. OH.... She did have 1 possession. Her workers hurried before we left to get her crucifix with a string around it. This is the ONLY possession she had. I believe it was given to her by the priest who baptized her at a few days old when she lay motherless in a hospital room.  They asked if I would be seeing Nastia (now "Phoebe".)  Phoebe was Mila's best friend in her groupa at the orphanage.

                                                      PHOEBE
         
          Phoebe was adopted in December by the Smith family in Ohio.
                          http://savinganangel.blogspot.com/

 Lisa Smith and I stayed close during our adoption processes and remain close. ANYWAY.....
So, they asked if I would be seeing Phoebe, because they had her crucifix also.
They were both wrapped very nicely in a piece of paper. Each with their names on it. They made sure that I knew which was which. This is important, as it is their only worldly possession and I'm sure was given to "protect" them. I am very thankful to have this.

(BTW: Lisa, Phoebe's is pictured on the right neatly folded up. I will get this to you as soon as I get home:)

So here is Mila all bundled up in her car seat ready to go!!! WITH ear covers (Lisa warned me ahead of time to be sure to get a hat that cover her ears, she DID NOT do this and had to buy one here)

We headed straight to the photo shop to take her passport pictures:

Then we got to go "home" (to the apartment)

She was a little timid at first

BUT...

soon enough, she was everywhere!

She admired the outside (it's no Texas, though)

Mommy gave her her very first mommy bath

Then we ate... IN BED... and layed by mom and dad

                                       And quickly, we ALL fell asleep.

Morning came and Mila was a little confused, 

                                  

until mommy gave her her tiger and rhino and she smiled...It all WASN'T a dream...

                           We had breakfast in bed..AGAIN...SOOO fun!!!

 And we are planning on living happily ever after, an orphan no more.