Our adoption agency called on 11/27/07 to inform us that we would be traveling really soon. It was urgent that we get to Kyrgyzstan immediately and sign referral papers. There was no time for fear at this point.....arrangements had to be made. Flights were arranged, bags were packed, our boys' "suitcases to grandma's" were filled with necessities, and the not so necessary. We really should have been in a panic, but instead the excitement of finally meeting and holding our little girl kept us focused. We flew out of Little Rock 12/05/07. Our flight connections were Chicago, London, Moscow, and then Bishkek. Every detail went smoothly until Moscow. We had a 6 hour delay; not exactly my pick for a place to spend the night. We had to stay in the airport because we had no visa for Moscow. The bench we found to sleep on was cold and hard but we did manage a few hours sleep. I literally had a melt-down when I found out that our flight was delayed. Not because of where I was, but I felt that I was losing those precious hours I could have been with my little girl. We arrived in Bishkek around 2:00 on the 7th. Our agency's facilitator and translator met us at the airport. We then rode an hour away to the Tokmok Orphanage. I couldn't believe that I would meet my new daughter when I hadn't had a shower in two days! This picture is the very first time that I held my baby girl in my arms. What a feeling! Someone asked me if the love I feel for her is as great as the love I have for my boys. This love is an amazing, overwhelming love that's hard to explain. But, it is ever bit as strong as the love I have for John Mark and Luke. Needless to say, I cried many happy tears that day, especially when Anna called me "Mama".
