HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY and ONE YEAR HOME!!!

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY, CASSIANA!

Also, one year ago, Cassi's feet touched US soil for the first time. What a day of remembrances! :) Cassi has now spent 1/2 of her life with us, which is another significant marker in an adopted child's life. :)

We celebrated Cassi's birthday early this year, on her first US Thanksgiving. Mom and I were with her in Russia last year for Thanksgiving, eating some yummy lasagna! lol Mom made her an Abbey Caddabby birthday cake this year and an Elmo congo square cookie cake. They were precious and delicious!

My camera has a mind of its own lately. All of these pictures are dates March, 2007 and the lens is blurry no matter what I clean it with (this could be due to the little hands in the house that are using it, too).

So, this is what all the Thanksgiving fuss is about.

Turkey leg anyone?

Let's get this party started!

Abbey!

Elmo!

Kai giving Cassi a kiss--look at the love! lol

I like chocolate cake way better than turkey. Like mother like daughter.

Feeding Abbey, now released from her cake.

Opening presents

Doggie!

A year ago today, Cassi was terrified of dogs!

Happy 2nd Birthday, One Year Home and First Thanksgiving in America!

We love you!

One Year Ago Today...

Trip 2, after court, one year ago today
Seeing Cassi in the orphanage, after court--look how tiny!

First time I dressed her--she loved the softness of the clothes!

So small!

Memory Lane: Cassi (left) and her "twin" Dagny (right) in Baby Home #14
They knew each other before we knew they were our daughters! They are about 11 months old here, I believe.

Cassi and Dan, Trip 1

Trip 1, Day 2, Smiling some!

Trip 1, Day 1

Trip 1, Day 1

...a Moscow Russian judge decided we would be the parents of Cassiana, changing all of our lives forever! We were so thrilled and relieved that she was finally officially our daughter. We flew 2 days to get to Russia, had court the next day and then flew home for 2 days the day after court. I remember going to see Cassi right after court, still in our suits, playing with her on the floor of the orphanage. It was so, so wonderful to hold her again! We took about 3,000 pictures and miles of video and tried to soak up every square inch of her being, until we could come back in 10 days to pick her up. There is a 10 day wait most of the time after court, until you can have custody of your child, so we had to leave, knowing that the end of the adoption journey was quickly approaching and that the beginning of our new lives were beginning! :)

Approaching One Year!

Cassi set foot on US soil ("soil" referring to the dirt that I'm sure was in the Houston International Airport's carpet) on November 29th. I still can not believe she is here and that she has been here almost a year! It feels like she has always been here and other than the pain of waiting for her and wondering about her, I barely remember what life was like before Cassi. So, on November 29th, she will celebrate one year home and her 2nd birthday.

I was going back on the blog, looking at pictures and video from all 3 trips to Russia and found myself in tears with mixed emotions. She has grown and developed so much and so well since then! She is such a loving, happy child. She says, "I lofe chew, Mom," ( "I love you, Mom"---I'm not sure why the "Mom" part and not "Mommy" but I will take it!) spontaneously. She showers us and us with her with hugs and kisses all day. I love to see her run and laugh with her curls bobbing all the while, or rolling on the floor with Kai playing and laughing.

The mix in emotions comes into play, because I found myself starting to go down that path that no doubt all adoptive parents go down. What would have happened to her if we had not adopted her? How would she be doing now? What would have happened to her at age 18 when she aged out of the orphanage? I can only pose those questions in my mind because I just can't allow my mind to take me there. I can picture what happens to the other orphans who are still there and those who are being let out into the world by orphanages all across Russia (and the world), but no my Cassi.

So, I pose this question to other adoptive parents. What do you do when your mind wonders "there?" Do you allow it go or do you quickly think of something happier and repress those thoughts? I don't know if I should just think about the possibilities, have a really good cry and then hope I don't go down that mental road again or to keep repressing those images.

On a happier note, Cassi's Gammy will be making her an Abbey Cadabby (spell) cake and an Elmo cookie cake for her 2nd birthday celebration! We are having it at Thanksgiving, so that's why we NEED massive amounts of cake! lol I am still searching for a really cute but comfortable birthday outfit that has a cake on it or some kind of birthday references. I have no idea what the weather will be like by then as it's been unseasonably warm.

We are looking forward to this big celebration of so many important events in Cassi's life. We "lofe chew," Cassi! :)