Huge Relief and Happy New Year!

I have realized that I need to celebrate even the smallest of successes and that is what I am doing today! When Justin and I were in Vlad we used our new tiny video camera. It is one of those cheaper ones that are super handy and record to a sd memory card - yes another gadget. Well anyway, we recorded some on visit one and two with Blake. On visit three I got a little nervous because I could not see the videos we had recorded the day before. I wasn't too worried though because I had put in an extra memory card so I was pretty sure that the video camera just moved them to the disk and couldn't access them from the playback menu on the camera. We decided to stop recording until we figured out what was going on. We didn't want to record over everything we had already recorded so we just put it away. Well back at the Vlad Inn I inserted the memory card into my laptop and there was nothing. The computer wouldn't even read the card. My heart sank. To make a long story a bit shorter, I just now finally got up the nerve to pick up that camera again. I just wasn't ready to confirm that I had in fact lost those videos. So feeling a bit braver, I tried the card again in the laptop. Still nothing. I then entered the memory card into my card reader and inserted it into my desktop computer. The files were there! Every single one of them! I immediately began to open each one of them. Watching Blake's little feet scurry all over the visiting room, grabbing things off the shelves, smiling, laughing, hearing us say Nyet (no), hearing him sing to himself, watching him search for the album we brought him, etc... My heart just filled with happiness and relief. I am so excited to share these videos with Brady and Madison. I'll let you know what they think! Such a great gift to 'see' him again - even through video!!!

Justin and I also wanted to wish everyone a very Happy 2009. Tucking Madison into bed the other night she asked me what holiday comes after Christmas. I told her that in just a few days we would celebrate New Years. And that 2009 will be a great year for our family because Blake will finally be home with us. She sat straight up in her bed, eyes wide open, and a smile across her face. She said, "You mean you are bringing Blake home in three days?" Ohhh I feel bad that I have to keep telling her no. She just does not understand why Justin and I don't get right back on the plane and bring her brother home. I am running out of ways to explain things to her. She and Brady are just so excited.

We hope that you all have a great New Year's celebration and that 2009 brings peace and happiness to all!