Day 4 Part 2: We met a special someone today

My cup runneth over!!!!  We are madly in love with our boy and words just cannot describe.  I have been trying to figure out how to put into words the emotions we have about today.  Non can express it.

Our facilitator and driver took us to the regional sw office and we picked a gentleman who came with us to the orphanage.  I wish I could tell you who he was or why he was there but we were so focused we didn't pay much attention to it.  For some reason he had to witness our first meeting with Valentin and will also be at court.

The drive to the orphanage was very interesting, a lot of muddy narrow dirt roads, old houses and structures, lots of stray dogs, and then his orphanage tucked away in all that.  It was a smaller complex then I had imagined.  His orphanage is specifically for special needs kids and there were different "houses" for the different special needs and levels of need.  Valentin of course is in the house with the most severe special needs.  We did not get to see his room but we assume he is still in the "laying room".  The orphanage doctor came out with a huge file and started going over it with us.  Our poor little boy's body is just riddled with issues, honestly guys it's amazing he has made it this far.  According to what they told us he has far more than just Cerebral Palsy and the prognosis is bleak.  However, nothing is ever certain and God can do whatever He wants in Valentin's life.  We have been sitting here researching all the CT and ultrasound results and diagnoses as well as the medicines he is on and it's a bit scary.  We will explain more later, but we are just amazed at how God has protected him especially in the circumstances he is in.

Anyway, we were talking to the doctor when all of a sudden I looked over and here came our beautiful son.  We both cried instantly as Valentin smiled at us.  I was trying so hard to pay attention to what the doctor was saying but my heart was taken immediately.  It all happened so fast we really did not get pictures or video of meeting him.  When the doctor was finished we were told we had a few minutes with him because it was past lunch time.  Unfortunately we did not get to spend much time with him but we enjoyed every second we got.

Because of his prolonged institutionalization and being confined to the crib we did not want to overwhelm him and are taking baby steps with him so he can become comfortable with us.  We wanted him to make the first contact so Tyler reached out his hand and instantly Valentin smiled and place his hand in Tyler's. Yes, we cried!

I made the mistake of turning on the flash and it bothered him, he was not a fan of the camera after that.

Tyler showed him how to 'high-5' just one time and Valentin picked it right up.  Once I got the video camera out he was mesmerized with it as you will see.  Isn't he amazing?

And then it was my turn to play with him!!!  I wanted so badly to pick him up out of that stroller and hug him as tight as I could...but baby steps.  We want him to learn to trust us and I did not want to take it too far on the first day.  But man, was it hard not to!

He was so smiley, happy, and playful it was so exciting to see.  With all the things wrong in his little body and the environment he has to live in, it truly is amazing he smiles at all.  I felt his little arms and legs and they are so incurably stiff, his feet are pointed and when I tried to stretch them they would not budge at all.  My heart is broken but also rejoicing at the same time if that makes sense.

We will be able to see him again tomorrow from 9:30-11:30.  Every day after that we will only be able to visit from 4-6 in the afternoon.  They tell us we cannot visit in the morning because he receives therapeutic massages, please Lord let that be the truth!!!!

After we left the orphanage we went to the notary office and officially committed to adopt him!!!  Lord willing he will soon legally be our son.  However in our hearts he has always been!