Walking vicariously down memory lane

I can't help but wonder when the vividness of my trips to Russia will begin to fade and the details will become muted, replaced by the simple fact that I have a son from Russia?  When will the sights, smells, feelings of excitement and fear, terror for the awful driver, remembrance of the bitter cold and then the stifling heat lose their poignancy only to be remembered as I pull up pictures from my time there?  Not today.  Today I waited excitedly for the text message saying my friend is on line with details of her own to celebrate - today she met her son.  And, oh what news and what a celebration it is.  We share some of the same details - single Mama, traveling alone, KLM, Amsterdam, Marriott in Moscow, little 2 year old boy to meet... so when she tells me her stories, I often have the pictures in my head to go with them.  I remember my moments while I anticipate the excitement of hers.  And her moments... her son... let me tell you... he is perfect and beautiful and healthy and that giggle... oh that giggle!!!  Technology is amazing that this could all be shared on line from a hotel room outside of Moscow.  This little boy is everything and more this Mama was hoping for.  The sweet look of contentment on her face as she watched her son proudly carry around his photo book with HIS MAMA and his new home - priceless.  As we hung up on Skype I was left to my own recollection of Corbin's baby home in Siberia, walking in for the first time, the smell of bleach, the silence and the clickity clack of my boots on the tile floor, the door to the visiting room opening and him being led in by his hand... and time standing still. 

Thanks to my friend for sharing her moment and giving me pause to remember the details of my own.  I plan to spend some time today walking vicariously down memory lane as I can close my eyes and remember just how amazing it felt. I've wanted this for you since we stopped sharing pseudonym email addresses and watched helplessly as your dreams crumbled, only to be built up again culminating in the wonderfulness of today.  I promised there would be a moment that everything would make sense - that you would recognize that you are EXACTLY where you are meant to be, and the boy in your arms was ALWAYS supposed to be your son... and today, you told me I was right (I LOVE being right!!!).   Sharing this journey has already provided so many memories and I can't wait for our boys to be friends who make so many more.  Here's to turkey jerky, piva, vada e gaz, early early mornings and best of all, here's to YOU AND YOUR SON!  And, one last word (cuz I like to get the last word... and it's MY blog.)  I'll leave you with a quote... from the queen of quotation (edit: it's not MY quote - from Facebook... and I modified it... for my son and for adoption - now it fits our families :)

I may never know the meaning of life, but once my son was adopted, I felt my life had meaning. 
With love, Stacey & Corbin