RUSSIA - International Adoption

The first time I met my daughter, Diana, is an image that will long be embossed in my memory. I was in Ryazan, Russia. It was a cool, gray day – October 29, 2002.

The doctors in the baby house told me all about her social and medical history. After hearing that her birthmother shared the same name as my great grandmother, Diana’s Russian name was the same as my grandmother’s and her birth date was the same as my best friend’s daughter, I had no doubt. I wanted to met this little 15 month old girl.

I was lead upstairs to the place in the baby house where Diana lived. I took off my coat and stood in the bright, yellow room. There was a old piano, a desk, a coat closet, a mirror and some shelves with books. It was a bit unnerving knowing so many people were watching me, awaiting my reaction.

As we waited, I did the math in my head. Diana had been at the baby house for about 13 months. One month delay for every 3 months; I should expect her to be close in age to a 10 or 11 month old, and probably not walking.

Imagine my shock when she literally walked into the room. All I could do was stare at this little girl who couldn’t have looked more like me at that age than if I had cloned myself! They brought her over and handed her to me. And just like that! I instantly fell in love.

I talked quietly to her, gave her some fruit and Cheerios. No problem in the world could keep me from calling her my daughter. I was told through my interpreter that the caregivers were commenting at how much she looks like her “mama”. That made me smile. Little did I know how much “like her mama” she was!