I finally found them!!!

Top: On our way home from the baby house - Joshua was a trooper; Middle: Our family; Bottom: Sleeping with Oma's blanket.

April 30, 2007

“I finally found them!!!” This is what Joshua Roman David Lundberg is saying today about his new parents Amy & Dave Lundberg or as he calls them: Mama & Papa.

It’s late (10pm our time) and we just were able to put Joshua down. Everything has been amazing today. From court, to signing the official registry at the department of records, to picking up Joshua from the baby house, to bringing him home to our apartment, this has been the best day of all. Today we finally have our son and he has us – forever.

Our hearing in the judge’s office was a little nerve wracking but both of us did what we were supposed to do almost flawlessly. The judge granted us the adoption of Joshua and also granted immediate execution of our custody. The hearing began at 10:30 and lasted about 20 minutes. It wasn’t until 2:30 this afternoon that we were able to go to the baby house and bring home our son. It was an emotional time at the BH as many of the caregivers, doctors and director said goodbye to Roman. They wished us blessed and happy lives and made us promise to send photos as he grows older – we gladly committed to this promise. We made it home by about 3:30 - 4:00 this afternoon as Ol’ga and Vladimir drove us from the baby house to our apartment one last time. Ol’ga saw us to the door, wished us a wonderful life and we all hugged and said goodbye for the day. We will still see Ol’ga and Vladimir this week as we continue to shop etc. but this particular goodbye this afternoon had a completely different meaning. It was final – we have our son.

Late this afternoon we played as a family in the middle of the living room and all of us felt contented immediately. As Joshua smiled when we played peek-a-boo and shook his favorite rattles he has come to enjoy over the last 2 ½ weeks his eyes said to us, “I’m not looking back – I’m happy I’m here with you.” Amy was able to rock him to sleep at about 5:30pm and he crashed hard for almost 2 hours. Mama and Papa took this chance to nap as well. Joshua lay in his crib benefiting from a well-earned sleep near our bed and we napped anxiously (more like lay in bed watching him sleep, then put our heads back and listened to him breathe). Joshua awoke to us shuffling about the apartment around 7pm and Amy fed him his bottle of formula (we were both relieved that he was more than happy to drink from this western baby bottle which was a bit different from the bottles he was used to) – he has a healthy appetite. Then we gave him a little applesauce while we ate dinner – he seemed to enjoy eating from his cool new walker. He went down a bit later than he is used to but I suppose we all have some getting used to.

We are going to bed now, finally as a family. (by the way – we have hot water)