Bringing Home Bryant

 The day has finally come to bring our son home. It is going to be a long and challenging day on the plane and through airports but at 10:00pm we will be home. It sounds so good. I have been waiting for this day for so long and it is finally here. The flight from Moscow to New York is 10 hours. I have to be honest I am really nervous. Bryant is one active little boy. I am not sure how we are going to entertain him for that long. I am equating this flight to labor pain with the girls. A painful thing you have to do, a means to the end, but after it is all over you forget how bad it is and it is definitely worth it.

 Yesterday, we went to the US Embassy to pick-up Bryant's visa to travel home and his original documents (birth/adoption certificates). We walked there and it was very cold. Bryant was snuggled up next to me but still it was freezing. He was overwhelmed with the sounds, lights, and cars on the streets but did not fuss just had a look of amazement on his face. We got to the Embassy and saw our friends from Michigan we met here who are adopting a little boy from the same orphanage as Bryant. When Bryant saw Max his face lit up and he started baby talking to him. I think he misses the children and playing with them. He will get plenty of play time with the girls, granted it may be barbies and baby dolls. (I hate to admit, we don't even own one truck at our house. If we did it would be pink and purple.) We are hoping to keep in touch with Max and his parents. Maybe our boys will be friends one day. We took a picture of the boys together. We were hoping to walk down to St. Basils and get a picture of them but we didn't. There is a lot of political unrest in Russia right now and St. Basil's is in Red Square near the Kremlin where a lot of protests are going on today and tomorrow. I hate we didn't get a picture but better safe than sorry.

 Yesterday was by far the hardest day for Bryant. He is teething and not feeling 100%. His stomach has not adjusted to what we are feeding him even though we are feeding him what we were told to. I think it is the anxiety along with teething that is messing his stomach up. I also think he has finally realized life has changed for good and he is not returning to the orphanage. He had made attachments there so we knew it would be hard for him. When we put him to bed last night he went down fine only to wake up an hour later. We heard noises so we went to check on him. He was rocking back and forth in the crib very fast. It broke my heart. I went in to comfort him. Then tried to put him back down in the crib only for him to start the rocking and crying all over again. It was a cycle for a little while and then I picked him up and started rocking him in my arms fast like he was and singing over and over. After about 30 minutes he finally fell asleep. I think the real adjustment has begun. We are very realistic about what I call "orphanage behaviors." These are self-soothing mechanisms that are learned behaviors. They are survival techniques. It is going to take a while to unlearn them so to speak. I know I can't fix all that he has been, even though I wish I could. All I can do is make the future better for him and provide the love and stability that he needs to attach to us and our family.

 On a more positive note, we do Bryant has started attaching to us. I know the attachment process does not happen overnight but we feel he has made some progress. Yesterday he began leaning in to me like he wanted a kiss. When I gave him a kiss he would smile. He has done this over and over. He also has started reaching for us when he wants us. When I put my hands out he crawled in to my lap and snuggled 2 or 3 times. We can tell he is much more comfortable being around us. He would not have done those things on our first day with him. He is more comfortable with the apartment too. He is roaming freely and cruising along the walls now. He has figured out the layout. It is really going to confuse him when we get to our house. Poor little guy.

 Well, soon we will be home for good. Our adoption journey will be over. We will begin our new life with three daughters and a son. I know it won't be easy but nothing in life that is worth it ever is. I know there will be more good days than bad and at the end of the day there will be nothing but love for my children and my amazing husband.

 To my girls, I am going to hug you so tight and give you a million kisses so get ready. To Cacky, Poppy, Aunt Missy, Aunt Rah-Rah, Nonnie, Pop, Papa, Nana and Aunt Anne thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping take care of the girls. Without you none of this would have happened.

Last request, please pray for our safe travels and our family as we all adjust to our new life with Bryant.

With Love, Heather