I have my son

This will be a short post as I'm totally exhausted.

I left Toronto on Saturday evening on the 6:40 flight to Frankfurt. 8 hours later I was in Frankfurt. 4 hours after that I was on the 6 hour flight from Frankfurt to Almaty. 10 1/2 hours later, way up from the 6 hours stop over I was suppose to have, I was on my 3 1/2 hour way to Uralsk. Needless to say we were wiped when we arrived.

We arrived at just after 12:30 in the afternoon, by the time we collected the luggage and got on our way to Uralsk it was after 1:30. Jody's mom was my traveling companion. It was lovely have someone along on the enormous journey.

I had from 1:30 to just around 3 to shower and organize the gifts for everyone. At 3 Yulia and Andre took me out to purchase Denis' airline ticket to Almaty for Wednesday. And then the event that I think I've waited for my entire life, we returned to the baby house to get Denis.

There have been many changes during the month I was away, including another child leaving and many children coming into the room. Denis came flying to me as soon as he saw me. I gave the gifts to the caregivers and the doctor, to the director and to the caregiver for the children. I got Denis dressed into his Valentine's special red clothes. I signed the register in the director's office and then we were away.

There were tears though. Tears from me as I walked him down the stairs for the final time, and watched him give the caregiver so many kisses at her request. I'm glad it was my favourite caregiver working today. Then tears from Denis as we stood in the director's office and later in the car as we prepared to drive away. His life has changed forever! I think he cried because he was scared.

Yulia and Andre took me to a local grocery store where I bought some things to get me through the next few days. Then back to the hotel. While I'd been away the staff had set up a crib for Denis. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door, it was the young man I'd asked to set up the bed, he was returning my laundry. I'd put the pants and shirt I'd worn through the journey into a laundry bag and meant to drop it off at the desk tomorrow on my way into breakfast. I certainly didn't expect them back this evening.

 I don't think Dniis will use the cot, he's on the bed right now, but at least it stressed for him that he was to sleep here. Barb, thanks for the soft picture book, I gave that to him to take to bed. He has a bit of a cold and it was a stressful evening, so it didn't take him long to fall asleep, and I don' t think it will take me long to get to sleep tonight either. I've put the pillows and the mattress from the cot on the floor under his side of the bed, just in case.

Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives. I couldn't be happier.

And I hope this post makes sense as I'm exhausted.
Good night!