i know my son

Our SDA appointment was this morning. It was in a really beautiful part of town where all the photos of ornate churches and golden domed buildings are usually taken. The meeting was very brief. We met with a woman from the SDA and Serge, our facilitator. He is spectacular. Very sweet but someone you don't mess with. I love that. The woman had Vlad's file and in it wasn't much. A tiny tiny bit about his parents and that was it. There was a photo of him in there that I have never seen. Probably taken within the last year. An absolutely adorable photo of him playing at a table. He looks so sweet and so much like Syrus. Serge gave it to me to keep. The one snag we ran into at our appointment is a paperwork issue that could set us back a few days. It won't prolong our stay here in the capital or delay us meeting Vlad. It is an issue that will need to get worked out in the city where he was born. Ugh. Serge didn't seem to feel that it should be a problem. And he DEFINITELY knows what he is doing so I am going to rest in that.

We spent the rest of the day hanging out and making travel arrangements. We are taking the overnight train tomorrow night to the region where the orphanage is. And by overnight, I mean very "murder on the Orient Express" kind of overnight. We get on a train at 11pm and sleep in a private compartment, arriving in the region at 7am. Yikes! Last time I was on an overnight train was when my senior class went to Lost Valley Ranch in Colorado for senior trip. (Shout out to WCHS class of '94!!) Should be an adventure, but worth it because we will meet Vlad for the first time on Wednesday morning.

Tonight we had pizza at this awesome place in the city. All you RR people who are coming through, you HAVE to go to this place. It is tiny and right across the street from TGI Fridays. The pizza was SO good -- just like you can get on the east coast. I would eat there every night if we were staying here longer! Seriously, check it out.

So, having watched the video of Vlad dancing again, I kept getting the feeling that it wasn't him. Maybe that's why I hesitated to share it on the blog. I had the same feeling when I watched it the first time. I'm not sure why. It just didn't seem right. Maybe his size or his hair color or something. I sent it to a friend who met Vlad in the fall and she also said she's pretty sure it isn't him. Josh said the same thing.

And though I was really excited about the video yesterday, I'm not in the least bit disappointed today to figure out that it isn't Vlad. First, the fact that it isn't Vlad means that the boy in the video IS a little guy that is being adopted by my dear friend who just got her travel date! Woohoo!! (Shout out to Texas!!) And second, the fact that it isn't Vlad means I KNOW HIM. I knew somewhere inside me that the little boy in the video wasn't my son. And to feel like I know Vlad, at this stage of the game, is more priceless to me, than any adorable video footage. Pretty sweet, huh? I know my son. Now I just have to meet him.