We have Lex!!

Well today has been an "excellent adventure" ! Quote by Bill and Ted. Jason and I both got a good night sleep last night. The best we have had so far on the trip.

Breakfast is included with the hotel so we eat here every morning and it was exactly the same this morning as it has been all week. Jason was his sweet self this morning but added a special birthday flair to it. Tanya and Sasha were at the hotel at 10am to take us to get Lex's passport and they were right on time. They also had the most precious gifts waiting for me in the car. Little wooden Russian people, a beautiful mirror compact and two watches, a mens and a womans. Jason and I put the watches on right away. They are watches that are made in Penza. After getting the passport they dropped us off at the hotel because Sasha, our driver needed to change his tires from his winter set to his "all season" set. In Russia they have winter tires that are the rims with tires that have metal spikes in them to help not skid on the snow. Pretty cool concept except they really beat up the roads. Tanya also had a program at her daughters school for all the mothers since it is womans day on Monday. We have found out they have a holiday about every other week here. It's crazy, they all get each other flowers, chocolates for every holiday.

Jason and I had some shopping to do so we walked down the street to a childrens store. It was kind of like a very, very small Babies R Us. We wanted to buy presents for Lex to give to all of his friends when he said goodbye to them. We also went to a place called Orange which is a fast food place that is decorated pretty cool. They have headphones hanging up if you want to listen to music and other trendy music videos playing. After lunch I went back to the room to book our hotel for Moscow, which we'll be at Peter the 1st. It looks really nice and we got a great deal for Moscow. Jason went to buy gloves for Lex and then it was time to head to Kutnetks to pick up the little guy. We stopped and bought flowers on the way so Lex could give one to each of his caregivers and tell them goodbye.

The drive was good and we arrived being greeted by the director. He walked in with us and some of the other caregivers joined us. They also had presents for my birthday, so sweet!! The director gave me a beautiful antique tea cup and the social worker gave me a Russian doll. They brought Lex into the directors office and we told him to give a flower to each person in the room and a big huge. He did great passing out the flowers and we were able to video the whole thing. Jason then said a few words of thanks and then the director said a few words that were very sweet to us. He asked us to keep him informed on Lex when he does something good in the future. Then it was time to change his clothes and say goodbye to his friends. Jason and I got in big trouble when they saw we were not putting tights under his pants and that he only had on one undershirt. They asked us to put 2 undershirts on when we got to the hotel. ???Crazy!

Lex said goodbye to his group and happily gave the toys to them. Happy until he had to leave without one. We had plenty in the car but didn't think to have one for him to walk out with. We did get to see that he's a good little scrapper! We wont have any problem with kids taking his toys. It was a sad and happy goodbye at the orphanage. He has been there since birth and many of the woman have cared for him his whole life. They were busy telling us what he likes and doesnt like, what to feed him, how he likes to play... it was great! Well, until they saw that I didn't have a hat for him. His coat has a great fur lined hood but I had forgot the hat back at the hotel. Man, they were not going to let that kid leave without a hat! I feel bad but we had to take one from them or they wouldn't let us go.

Lex did great on the two hour ride back to Penza, busy looking at books, playing tea set, and doing a puzzle. He is very independent and was wanting to do it himself, although he would let me hold the puzzle peices. We got to the hotel and Tanya came in with us to help us order our dinner at the hotel restaurant. I ordered pea soup, Jason had a vegatable salad, a chicken stew kind of thing that was actually very good, and mashed potatoes. Lex said he wasn't hungry but then we said "has anyone ever asked if he was hungry before?" He may not know how to respond. We ordered him a white grape juice drink and I had sparkling water (that was the only water they had). First we learned he does not know how to drink out of a straw, we tried to teach him but he couldn't get it. We know he had carbination for the first time because he tried my water and looked like he had just eaten something really sour. We thought it was funny so we kept giving it to him. We also videod it.

He has done so good tonight! After he ate a little at dinner we went back to the room and he looked around a little. Jason walked down the street to the pharmacy to buy some pull ups just incase he might have an accident. The cleaning ladt came in to give us more linens and she was dressed a little like a caregiver from his orphanage and he started to cry and cling to me. So, I guess that means he's happy with us. Praise God he already has a connection with us. He took a bath, brushed his teeth for the first time in his life (which he loved), he wanted to sleep with his toothbrush but we didn't think that would be a good idea. Jasan and I sat with him for a few minutes then said he had to go to sleep on the bed we had made for him in the living area of our one bedroom hotel room. He whimpered on and off and Jason and I probably only had to comfort him about 3 or 4 times before he feel asleep. He has been amazingly easy! We just love him already. Oh, another funny thing... when we got back to the room he kept picking up my Bible and sitting on my lap for me to read it to him. I love that forshadowing!!!

We feel very blessed to be where we are today and that in a few short days we'll be home with another Minor. I think he's going to fit in fine. I'm really not worried about taking him places or being around people now. I know we'll have to watch him and make sure he is not being totally over stimulated but I think for the most part he'll do great.

Thank you again for your prayers and love! Keep it comin!!

Love and glory to God,
Jason and Stephenie