Brown Bear, Brown Bear Video...

(Taken 03-31-10 at Bedtime)

Ring Around the Rosey Video - 11-09-09

Matt Meets Tate the Tortoise 11-08-09

(His name used to be Tate-or-Tot because he was the size of one believe it or not)

Rocco Breakthrough!!!!
One dog down, some 75 million to go...

Mommy came home to the most shocking site yesterday evening - Matt was running around the house chasing after and shouting for ROCCO. Now for those of you who have yet to meet Matt, you cannot fully appreciate the magnitude of that one sentence! Matt is TERRIFIED of ALL animals - this includes those of the very smallest of sizes to those of the very biggest of sizes. For example, on September 27th, we had to leave the park in Savannah after Matt spotted a squirrel. He immediately ran to me, jumped into my arms and gestured for me to stand up and hold him to protect him from the small and harmless little creature. Just yesterday morning in fact, Matt pulled back when I came in the house holding Rocco and Matt pointed at him and said ROCCO OUTSIDE! So you can imagine my surprise upon opening the front door that evening to see Matt and Rocco on the same floor of the house together, not to mention TOUCHING!

Rusty gets credit for this breakthrough - as he went on to explain how he had been having 'sessions' with Matt, Ellison, Himself and Rocco everyday since Matt's arrival. Daddy is soooo proud of his little boy, as is mommy of course, and I'm sure that Ellison is too.

Now as for Rocco - I think he liked it better when Matt ran from him! ha ha ha

Enjoy the pics and video - I know I did!!!!!!!!!

Jeep Ride 09-05-09

Less than a month home and Matt was behind the wheel - well not literally - Ellison was actually driving - Matt was in charge of the gas! I thought it was so cute that Ellison and Matthew worked together to operate the vehicle. Matt, with his long legs, pushed the gas, while Elli, with her short arms, steered RATHER POORLY I might add. It was a little scary for mom, but the kids had a blast. Looks like we'll be adding one of these to Matt's Christmas Wish List!

THE BOYS ARE HOME!!! PICS FROM THEIR ARRIVAL 08-15-09!

I apologize to everyone for taking THIS LONG to post an update. Rusty and Murat (now Matt, Jr.) arrived home in Atlanta, GA on August the 15th, 2009 at 4:00pm. Life has been a chaotic whirlwind ever since but things are beginning to really calm down and we are ALL doing great. Ellison and Matt have bonded since the moment they saw each other at the airport and they are becoming the best of friends. Thank you to everyone who has followed us on our journey to bringing Murat home and becoming a family of four. We are so thankful to everyone for everything you ALL did to help us reach this dream. Matt has only been home one month, but it already feels like he has always been here. We could not be happier - we are now complete!!!!! The pictures below are from August 15th as the boys touched down in the good old USA...

The face of a girl who misses her daddy - it has been SEVENTY days!!!

Ellison waiting patiently for her daddy and brother

to come up the escalators...

Reunited - Ellison finds her daddy!

And Matt finds a Nana and Grandpa with open arms!

Hey Nana, Love You!

Okay Nana, your time is up - gotta go meet my sis!

Hey Sis, where have you been all my life?

Hey Matt...so good to see you!!! Let me at those cheeks!

Going in for the hug...

The Hug!

The Kiss - AKA Mom's Favorite Picture!!!

First Family Picture (at the Atlanta Airport) - thank you Amelia for reminding me to do this!!! We have not taken another since...he he - it is on the dreaded 'TO DO' list!

What the boys saw as we pulled into the driveway...you have to look past the overgrown trees!

Thank you to Ellison, Nana, Grandpa, Aunt Angie & Little Jason

for coloring the banner that mommy created!!!

Thank you, Miriam, for putting up the sign to announce our little man's arrival!

Hey, who invited this guy???

Ahh what the heck, I'll pose with you, but it's gonna cost ya!

Are these all for me?!? Where do I start???

A Very Handsome Venom...

SPIDERTHUGS-TWO is always better than ONE!!!

Hey, spiderthugs have to eat too!!!

...and sleep (okay so maybe I helped their hands into position...)

Precious...Priceless...our family is COMPLETE.

The Matt's (Sr. & Jr.) Arrived Safely in Almaty

Hi Everyone - just a quick note to say that the boys are now in Almaty, having just flown over from Uralsk at 9:40am today (their time). I got a call from Rusty this morning (in Almaty they are now 10 hours ahead of our time) and he said that Matt did surpringly well on the flight over. Of course, he exclaimed 'Kaka' just as the plane took off, meaning he had to go potty. Rusty couldn't get him to the pot for a good 20-30 minutes and our sweet boy held it the entire time. Rusty said he's never seen so much pee pee in his life. Matt Jr. didn't cry at all and slept a bit and only got a little tense when an announcement was made just before they landed, as the intercom jolted him awake and the plane was very bumpy. Poor little guy!! But they are good, and they will arrive home ON U.S. SOIL on Saturday, August the 15th at 4:00pm! Ellison and I cannot wait! Here are a few pics from back in July as papa is not as good at uploading as was mama!!!

In the car, leaving the babyhouse...he didn't say a word...

Drinking from a 'big boy cup'...

Playing at the sink, AKA 'Heaven!'

Zonked Out - long day - so cute!!

Still sleeping with mama watching over - Yes, I swear he was asleep here - his little eyes don't close all the way all of the time when he is asleep! I was so anxious to see Matt sleep and when I finally got to (pictured here) I just couldn't take my eyes off his precious little face!