Deja vu

sToday was a day of, "been there, done that."  Not in a negative way, just a seemed to be a flashback to our first trip in 2009. 

We started the day at the Family Services offices, meeting in the same building, in the same office, with the same lady we met when we were presented with Max's paperwork.  We were read her background information, which included a complete medical background, and a description of her demeanor.  She was described as "emotional and active," much like her brother.  The lady from Family Services began to laugh.  Since our Russian is well below par, we were confused as to her reaction.  Katia, our translator, informed us that she was laughing because she looked up Max's picture in her system, and she was amazed how much she resembled Max.  The Family Services worker then turned her computer monitor towards us, and we were able to see for ourselves for the first time.  She wasn't kidding!

Again, this overwhelming feeling of deja vu swept over us.  There was no denying that this was Max's sister.  It was like we were looking at Max in a dress (with blue eyes).  The hairline was the same, the smile was the same...we couldn't help but laugh.

After a few more formalities at the Family Services office, we were off to the orphange to meet her.

This orphanage is in a different part of the city than Max's, but in similar surroundings.  The orphanage sits in the middle of many high-rise apartment buildings and is surrounded by a gate.  The condition of the orphange is much the same as the last, clean and well kept.  We donned our blue plastic shoe covers (as before) and headed inside.  Even the smell of the day's lunch brought back so many memories. 

We met with the director of the orphanage who provided a very detailed medical history, which concluded with a healthy report.  Before we knew it, in walked this beautiful little girl wearing a dress and a white hat, which I would loosly describe as a beret with a bow.  We were expecting some tears, or crying, but she seemed very much at home with us in the room.  We played with blocks, and some stuffed toys for an hour and a half and never saw a tear.  Finally a stark difference from our first meeting with Max, as he cried most of our visit.

Our visit concluded and we were off to lunch and run some errands, we were back for the afternoon visit.  Much like the morning, we played and laughed and never saw a tear.  She seems quite comfortable with us, but more so with Shelly.

We had to make one important decision today, and that was a name for this little girl.  This has been a subject of debate in the Gottschalk household for some time.  Now, our backs were against the wall.  The preverbial fork in the road.  So, with much debate, we both agreed on a name.  Macy Rose Gottschalk.  Macy, because Shelly likes it (and me too), and Rose, in honor of her Grandmother, Rosalie Eileen. 

So, with day 1 in the books, we are back to our hotel room to try and figure out where to have dinner.  Just like before.