As the time of Thanksgiving approaches, I have to sit and wonder about how much has changed in my life this past year. In fact, it was one year ago this week that my wife and I traveled to Russia for the very first time to see our son, Jacob Eduard Bryson Fugate. We went out to eat tonight. While we were driving to Hazard, we were talking about how that first trip to Russia went for us.
We said that it was just amazing that we could hop on a plane and just fly to Russia. We started out in Cincinnati and flew to JFK in New York. That place was a circus! There were tons of people of all shapes, sizes, colors, and nationalities rushing about everywhere. Soon, Lisa and I were in our little section of people who were all traveling to Russia. I don't know what I expected, but I remember being amazed that most of the people flying with us were Russian. LOL!
That first flight was something that I will always remember. Lisa and I found our way to our seats and got ready for the 10 hour flight to Moscow. Like most Americans, we calmly found our way to our seats and put our carry-on bag neatly in the overhead bin. Soon, the plane was swarmed with Russians who were cramming bags into overhead compartments like crazy. There were arms and legs everywhere. Lisa and I just looked at each other with wide-eyed amazement...but we didn't say anything. We were able to warn others on the next two flights to Russia though!
We flew into Moscow and met Olga....our translator and tour guide. She was an amazing woman and made us feel welcome in a land that I thought we would never be able to visit. She was literally with us every step of the way. She got a driver for us, made our hotel reservations, ordered food for us in the restaurants, and even stayed in the hotel with us right next door in case we needed anything. She went with us to all the meetings and made sure that we signed all the right papers. Without her, we would never have been able to get our son.
Jacob. He is such an amazing little boy. I love to see him growing and learning more each day. I remember sitting in the orphanage at this time last year when they first brought him in to meet us. He was a shy, little thing. He didn't want to look at us.....much less, play with any of the toys we brought. He didn't say anything. He just looked at the floor and at the orphanage director. But like Lisa said later on that night....it was love at first sight.
Slowly, we built up a friendship with him. We offered him lots of brightly colored toys and some great snacks.....Teddy Grahams and cookies! That warmed him up to us a bit faster! We knew right away that we were going to adopt this sweet little boy no matter what our doctor advised us to do. Luckily, our doctor had no reservations. We were working with an international adoption doctor through the University of Kentucky. She examined photos we sent to her and all of his medical background. She could see no reason why we shouldn't adopt Jacob.
Two more trips to Russia.....and he was ours! I still remember that unreal feeling when they placed him in Lisa's arms and said, "Dress him." It was amazing! Suddenly.....we were parents!
Now, a year later, we can look back at all of the photos and see just how much he has grown and changed. Our lives have changed so much....for the better. He is a typical, American boy now. He loves to go to daycare and is getting ready to enter preschool in a few more months. He loves his Mommy and Daddy. He loves his Mamaw Becky and Papaw Lonzo and Mamaw Janet. And he absolutely LOVES to eat at Wendy's and go to Wal-Mart for toys!
As we are getting ready to enter the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, I can reflect on this past year and firmly state that I have so much to be thankful for. We have been blessed with this wonderful little boy. We have been given a gift more precious than all of the money in the world. We have been entrusted with the care and upbringing of this amazing child....and I could not be any happier. Being a parent is the best thing that I could ever imagine. Lisa and I both agree that everything happened just like it was meant to be.
So, as we prepare Jacob for Christmas and Santa....we close out our first year together and get ready for another. Nobody knows what the future will hold. But if it is anything like this last year, it will be full of life, love, and happiness. We have nowhere to go but forward. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Until next week....class dismissed!
