Written by Lena Karadjov, executive director of Adoption Ark
No adoption process is exactly the same. Some cases go by fast, and parents can't believe how quickly they have their kids in their arms. Other parents wait months, or even years to finally bring their kids home. My main goal is for every adoptive family to have a special memory when they cross over the border, hand in hand with their new family member.
The adoption of these two beautiful princesses was pretty difficult. At the end of this adoption, I decided to help the parents by providing an escort for these two girls. When I arrived in Moscow from Chicago, I had an unforgettable meeting with the girls. We had a week before they would be on their way to the US. This is when I decided to show them how beautiful their birth country is, and was able to share many wonderful facts and stories with them.
During the first day, I decided to take them to the zoo. This was a chilly day and not a lot of people were there. We felt as if we were the owners of the zoo! It was great to hear the girls talk about their parents, and calling me an Aunt! The workers in the park, who found out that the girls would soon be going to the US, were very excited for them. For one of the girls, it was her first time seeing an animal up close instead of a picture. The workers let the girls get very close to all of the animals, and I had a hard time telling the girls that we needed to leave.
For the next day, after we visited the American Embassy, we decided to take a walk toward the Red Square. In case future parents would like to make the same amazing trip, it only takes fifteen to twenty minutes. We went through the old Arbat, where they were interested in every little shop and tried on every hat and scarf that they saw. Since they learned to share everything in the orphanage, they asked the sales people to share their items because they had so much! I was so happy to see the girls feeling so free. They were singing and dancing all the way until the Red Square. We took photos by the Cathedral of Vassiliy the Blessed. The kids were shocked at the sites, but the most appealing thing for them was seeing the gorgeous brides who were taking pictures in the same area. The kids automatically started to argue whether it was better to be a princess or a bride. When we came back to our hotel, one of the Moscow coordinators arrived with two beautiful crowns and other princess accessories. The girls could not be happier!
The trip from Moscow to Chicago was unforgettable as well. The girls were anxious to see their mom, and were fighting over who would get to hug and kiss her first. The people who found out that the girls would soon be with their family all gave their blessing and wished them lots of happiness in their new life.
From this experience, I once again realized that meeting an orphaned child can change the life of an adult forever. This is why many American families who adopted once, want to return to the orphanage again. They can never forget the faces of the kids who were left behind.
After this trip, these two girls became a big part of my life.