A Year Ago This Day

For us, July 4th is not only independence day, but our family anniversary. Our family is a year old this day. On July 4th last year our adoption of Evelyn Raisa and Jesse Nikita was made legal.

On this day last year, we went (with hope, excitement, and not a little trepidation) to the Kazakh courthouse in Kokshetau to petition to adopt these precious children. After waiting and waiting for the judge and lawyers to arrive (or at least to converge on the room at the same time), our hearing began. Brent spoke to the judge on our behalf (via an interpreter, of course), and later I was invited to add my own thoughts. The hearing itself was fairly short and fairly straightforward. After waiting another hour or so for the judge's (positive) verdict, and then signing the relevant legal documents, we went straight to the childrens' hospital to bring Jesse and Evelyn (who we'd already come to love and to long to have with us) home at last!

Jess and Evelyn with their nurses as they get ready to leave the hospital.

And then it began, the whirlwind adventure of this life with our precious Jess and Eves. We continue to look back at all that has happened in this last year with wonder, amazement and deep gratitude.

Home together at last!
And, now, a whole year later.

Following court, there was a big celebration at our Kokshetau "cottage". All the Americans gathered for food and festivities. And there were many things to celebrate that day: July 4th, our successful adoption, and our roomates' son's (Dylan) birthday (see pic below--he's the cute little guy in front). We were joined by our friend and interpreter, Makhabbat, and some Kazak locals who came and played traditional music for us.

Здравствуйте! Doug and Janet and Dylan, T.J. and Kathleen, Jon and Angie, Renee and Eric, Deb and Terry, and Makhabbat with whom we spent our summer in Kokshetau and from whom we got so much moral support!

From Blog videos

After the festivities, our new little family retired upstairs to our room. We put our babies in their PJ's, and relaxed together, (though, as I recall, our little Evelyn was far from relaxed--in fact, all the newness and excitement had its effect on her, she was hyper and goofy), and then tucked our son and daughter into bed for the very first time.

A sweet ending to a perfect day.