The Scorpions!!! What?!!!

Scratch that…this dude is going to be a tight end. Standby for an explanation.
Well we just got back from spending our second day with our little man and let’s put it this way, we were trying to figure out if he would fit in Brandy’s backpack so we could sneak him out and bring him home now. Unfortunately everyone walked in right when we had both legs and one arm in so we had to put him back.
Backing up….we woke up this morning around 6am (our bodies are so messed up), threw some clothes on and went to the restaurant in the hotel for breakfast.
We knew Natalia would be calling around 9am to let us know when we would be going to the notary public to officially petition to adopt him.
Long story short, Natalia told us it would be 1pm before she came to get us so we decided to go for a walk (in 9 degree temperatures) to the store about 10 minutes away to pick up a few things.
When we got back we found out the entire area around our hotel was in a blackout and which meant the elevator didn’t work. So we had to trek up 6 flights of stairs to our floor.

Funny Story of the Day

I’m not sure if you had to be here to witness it but we got to our room and one of the housekeepers was inside. She had just finished cleaning and had a new comforter in her hand along with some brand new sheets.
She notices us and starts spewing off about a 30 second statement in Russian. Here’s the funny part…Brandy was nodding along as if she understood and when Natalia (I’m sure that was her name) finished talking, Brandy responded, “Oh, ok. Got it. That sounds fine.” I’m not sure if this translates to funny as you’re reading, somebody let me know. It was very funny to witness in person.
Anyways, Natalia picked us up and we went to the Notary Public. It’s official, we have “petitioned to adopt” little Neil. As we signed the documents, Natasha was fighting back tears because of what we’ve been through. We are both very, very excited this day has finally come.

I Think She Was Trying To Proposition Us

While waiting to go into the Notary’s office, a woman from Canada was sitting in the lobby with us, talking to us.
She made small talk with Brandy and me. I guess we made quite an impression because when we were done and leaving the office she told Natasha we were her new friends and gave us her phone number.
She said tonight, give her a call and she’ll walk us around the town…whatever that means.
Natasha thought she was weird and wanted to “walk” around our hotel room.
So we get picked up at 2:30 by our driver and go to the baby home with yet another German couple who was going to pick up their 3 year old daughter after completing court.
On the way there, I noticed a billboard that said, “Scorpions World Tour 2008.” I’m sure I just misread it but on the way back home from the orphanage, there it was again.
Yes the Scorpions are going to be playing in Novokuznetsk in April if anybody isn’t doing anything and wants to relive the 80’s hairband genre. Apparently it’s just getting around to this part of the world.
I can’t wait for them to discover M.C. Hammer, but they’re easily 5 or 6 years out from that.
Now to the moment you’ve all been waiting for. They took us to a room upstairs in the orphanage that was designed in a Montessori School motif. It was really cool with different zones to help with different learning stations.
A minute later, in walked the Doctor (Natalia) with our little Neil. Today’s outfit was a onesy (?Sp) with a vest over a buttoned down collared shirt.
He immediately smiled at us and we were hooked again. We got to play with him for about two hours, which was great and tiring all at the same time.
We laid him on his back, played some games with his legs. The cutest thing was we took his sock off and I’m pretty sure that’s the first time he has seen his bare feet. (See the picture)
He kept wiggling and scrunching his toes and at one point just held his foot for about two minutes straight. It was ridiculously cute.
Now to the tight end part…they had this inflated globe hanging from the ceiling so I picked him up and we went to play with it. He took full swings at it and would just wallop the globe. Then as it was flying back at him, he would catch it with both hands. He’s 11 months old!!!!! I think the Chargers are already scouting him and I’m pretty sure I saw Pete Carroll come up from outside the window to catch a glance. If you don’t believe it and think we’re making it up, we have video to prove it.
Well our time was up and they asked if we wanted to see his room and the area he plays with the other babies.
Of course we said yes and we walk upstairs, turn the corner, and there must’ve been 15 babies just staring at us like little puppies asking us to take them home. It was very sweet but very sad at the same time.
They set our little man down in the middle of them (he is by far the cutest of them all, but we’re not biased) and he immediately started crawling towards a truck on the floor that was his size and started playing with it.
We also got to the see the crib room where he slept. This was a great day!
So tomorrow we go back for our final visit at 2:30. Neither one of us are sure how we are going to be able to leave him. We’re trying not to think about it. We will update you all after our visit.

Das Vidania,
Brandy and Coby

P.S. We have a slight update about Andrey #1. It turns out he is still in the orphanage but in a separate room with other children who are sick as well. Today they actually took him to the hospital because he was sick. So say a little prayer for Andrey. It sounds like he needs it.