Will Today Be "THE DAY" For the Spravka?

Well, I have been keeping myself occupied enough that I still do not have updated pictures of Zachary's room (including going to the Pistons - go Pistons!!!). Hopefully, tonight I can manage the task of the updated room pictures.

I managed to not call or email the adoption agency until yesterday. Of course, no great news to report. Apparently, this is the scoop on the letter releasing Zachary from the database - also known as a "spravka." There are two families ahead of us using the same contacts who got theirs, hopefully ours came through with them. The good news is one family actually went to court without having their letter. Hopefully, I will find out today about "the letter" being issued. If not, we will start having to think about Plan B (meaning potentially booking a trip to Moscow without a letter??). We shall see.

So, guess what today is? Well, it is the 2 week mark on our anticipated court date (as confirmed by my unexciting ticker that I have on the bottom that I can't figure out how to spice up). Two weeks!!!!!!! With any luck, in just under two weeks we can go visit Zachary. It is hard to believe that I am so attached to a little boy that I spent a total of 6 hours with. But, it happened alright! I am SOOOO excited to go take him from the arms of an orphanage caretaker again and play, and hug and kiss him. He likes to make as much noise as possible (banging cups together, playing drums on a box, etc.) and to chew on everything in sight (he is teething) and he turns his face to me when I kiss him. He was on the verge of walking when we left, standing on his own and dancing/bouncing on his legs. Maybe he is walking now? Maybe we will get to see his first steps? Our plan is to get to Moscow on Wednesday (6/14), have court on Thursday (6/15), visit Zachary Friday & Saturday, and both return on the 18th, and then Grandma Ann (Mike's mom) will go with me back on the 24th and we can get Zachary out of the orphanage before the 10 day period is up, wait out the 10 days, and then get him home hopefully around June 30th. This will help Mike out because he won't have to shut down his practice for a whole other week (the sensical thing to do), but it will be a slight bummer that he is not making the amazing journey back with me.

I have this great vision of taking him running and biking with me (still need the biking and the running stroller). Everyone says my workouts will go to the wayside when I get him. But, I am signed up for the Lake Placid Ironman triathlon on July 23rd. I was considering scrapping it. However, my mom and her boyfriend are flying from Nevada to New York, and my Aunt Carole and cousin Kendra are coming from Pennsylvania (I signed up last July, way in advance of knowing that Zachary would be here). No pressure. So, my plan is to still make a go of it. I've got to the finish line 3 times already, so this will be #4. My vision is to get to the finish line, not worry about my time and just have fun, and grab Zachary from Mike to cross with me as I get my Ironman medal :) I figure, with taking all of July off that I can make this happen. Let's see how that all pans out.