The End, or rather an end.

Had everything run on its expected course, we should have been able to leave Moscow about 7 days after we got custody. However, there were snafus-- with getting the birth certificate-- which whatever, its boring now. So we didn't get to leave Moscow for almost two weeks after we got custody, which at first didn't bother us. We love Moscow, and we enjoyed our time there. But everything was so much harder with Monkey in tow, and I was sick of the (f$%#ing) electric oven, and buying tomato paste instead of tomato sauce by mistake. It was also super humid, and Muscovites don't really go in for flip-flops and tank tops. Also. I missed my cats-- because I am slightly crazy.


So, when we could leave it was a bit bittersweet. Our flight was at 6 a.m. so we got picked up at 3 a.m. and as we drove through the dark city, and then onto the highway with our Monkey strapped into the snugli on my chest, I felt very sad. This is not the city that he will know like the back of his hand, this is not the place that will be so familiar to him that he takes it for granted. This is where his birth mother lives, and this is where he leaves her for the last time. I am ecstatic about being Monkey's Mama, but I carry Moscow, and his birth mother with me everyday. This has all been exactly the dream that I thought it could be, and I am sure that his birth mother feels that the right things have happened and that her son, our son, is safe and loved, which is all anybody can really ask. I couldn't wait to be home, but sometimes I wish for more compromise.



At the airport, well, shockingly there was another mistake with our tickets. I ask you this, if we bought the ticket as an adoption fare.... how could it be a two-way ticket? So, they wouldn't let us use the ticket we had purchased, since Monkey didn't use the first half of the ticket, because you know he was in RUSSIA you assholes, and we had to buy him another. At 4 a.m., with an already impatient toddler whining away.

So, things weren't looking too rosy for the flight to come, and we were not disappointed. He was good for the first leg to London, but then a layover at Heathrow, and well. There was a throw baby from the plane movement afoot on the flight to Boston. It was awful, he just flipped out. He slept all of two hours of 19 hours of travel (door to door), and the English version of Infant Benedryl DID NOT WORK.

He loved take off and landing, and hated everything else. Also, trying to contain a toddler in a small space? BLOWS. In London we were seriously considering just staying there for good, I mean, it would be totally fine, England is a great place.

Finally, finally we landed at Logan, and our boy was officially a citizen (beat his daddy!). And we were home. I almost burst into tears of joy when I saw our ugly airport, and walked through familiar lines and waited at baggage claim.

My brother was there to meet his nephew, and drive us home. He threw up on the ride home, but he loved his new bedroom, and slept for a solid 12 hours.

The cats started packing when they saw what we brought home, but we have convinced them to stay.

So, that is the overview. I have left loads out, and I 'm sure that I will add more to this as time goes on... but for now its time to write about other stuff.