Hattie Comes Home

by: Catherine Miller – California

We received an early Christmas gift! Our Children's Hope coordinator extraordinaire, called to let us know we would be traveling back to Astrakhan, Russia in January, 2006, to officially become the parents of our Hattie Ekaterina! Having signed the petition to adopt on Thanksgiving Day, it seemed appropriate to be making travel plans over Christmas! It was the news we had been hoping for and before we knew it we were on our way to Russia!

The day before our Monday, January 16, court date, we were able to see Hattie. She was brought out to us donning a fresh “orphanage” hair cut (very short with bangs) with a huge Russian bow. We didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but she was our little girl and we were reunited!

Why is there a blue toy car on the kitchen table? Did you want a boy?

The next day in court, Mark and I stood up and spoke of ourselves, our lives, our desire for a family and our petition to adopt this little girl. We were both very nervous but Mark did an outstanding job of presenting our information – his story drew only a few additional questions. The most interesting one came from the prosecutor after she looked over the photos of our home – “Why is there a blue toy car on the kitchen table? – Did you want a boy?” she asked. Mark replied, “No, that is actually a cookie jar …. and everyone likes cookies!” That actually brought a smile or two.

After given parental status that afternoon, we left for the orphanage to pick up our daughter. We brought flowers and cake for the orphanage personnel and clothes for Hattie. Once dressed, the staff brought her out for us to add the final layer, the mandatory snow suit.

The van ride from the orphanage to the hotel will always be significant. I will always remember the emotions I felt – with Mark beside me as I held our little girl on my lap, we quietly watched out the window as we crossed over the Volga and drove through the downtown city streets. It was snowy and the city was still decorated with Christmas lights and decorations. It was very pretty: A perfect beginning for our new family.

The next eight days in Astrakhan and Moscow enabled us to spend uninterrupted bonding time with Hattie (of course record low temperatures and spending lots of time indoors only furthered that!) We explored hotel rooms, walked the halls, played with each other and even had a tour of the Kremlin.

We finally left Moscow on our 14-hour direct flight to California. Hattie’s new home. I think all three of us were happy to land! After an airport homecoming with family, a short drive and unbundling later, Hattie was fast asleep in her new room, probably wondering why it was so quiet in this new, very different place. And we would find out how full a home can be!!!