Happy Adoption Day Maks-Joseph!

One year ago in chilly Murmansk Russia, the judge officially announced that we were now the proud parents of Maks-Joseph Kirill!
Our family was complete, even though we had several more days in Russia before we would be together as a family of four.
After so many years of struggle, we finally had the family we had dreamed of.
It is hard to believe it has only been a year, it truly feels like Maks has been with us forever. It is wonderful to see how much he has grown and changed.
He went from being this pale, sickly little guy to a little man filled with life and color! He was so afraid of everything, sudden movements, people, new environments. It is amazing how resilient he is, if you think about what he went thru. He was taken away from everything familiar and safe to him, and now was with people (who although smiled a lot and showered him with hugs and kisses), didn't speak his language and didn't understand him. He traveled in cars and airplanes, spent several nights in hotels. Ate new food, started on formula, had his first bath in a tub, and then was brought to this whole new country, and a new home filled with two dogs and a boy waiting to be his brother. Maks was truly amazing, how he handled all of that!
I remember when we were finally in our house, and it was just the four of us. Alek was showing Maks all the toys and the playroom and we just sat there smiling, thinking, "we did it". What an amazing feeling that was!
Maks had a rough adjustment between being sick and in the hospital, to not being able to sleep and being afraid of pretty much everything, except food!
Fast forward one year,
the little boy who only wanted daddy, now runs to his mommy,
the boy who was petrified of bath tubs and water, now does belly flops into the pool and floats with his face in the water,
The little boy who was afraid of swings and sudden movements, won't get off the swings in the yard and loves to be tossed in the air.
And the little boy who didn't smile often, now has a face full of life and light.
Maks and Alek are truly brothers and buddies, you can see how much they love each other, especially when they hug and kiss good night. We love watching the boys play together, laugh together and of course even fight, because that is what being brothers is all about.
So we celebrate Maks 1st adoption day and his first Thanksgiving here! Last year we spent Thanksgiving in the restaurant at the Marriott Tverskaya in Moscow. This year both families will gather at our house for the feast!
We look forward to watching Maks grow and change in the coming year and we feel so blessed to be his parents.
We are truly thankful for all we have been given and especially for our two amazing and beautiful boys.
Happy Adoption Day Maks-Joseph, we love you!!!

Created a slide show above of Maks' 1st year home-Enjoy!