The Internet is AMAZING. Even in Perm, Russia, the gateway to Siberia, my sister was able to find an internet connection for her iBook and has been sending e-mails about her first days with 9-month old Sonia.

When I wake up in the morning, my sister is usually back in her hotel room after a day at the orphanage, which is two and half hours by car from Perm. She’s been writing a daily e-mail  about her time with Sonia, her explorations of the orphanage, her feelings about the caregivers, the other children, and life in the orphanage. I then forward this e-mail to our rather large community of family and friends who are following this mementous journey.

And through this blog, I am sharing her experience with the OTBKB community.

My sister’s time with Sonia has been really special. "At first, she was eyeing us very
curiously when we arrived and seemed a bit skeptical but she seems to like us. And she cries when we
take away her toys," wrote my sister in yesterday’s email.

"She was really having a nice time playing with the toys.
She actually smiled when I pulled her up on her feet although she
couldn’t stand for more than a few seconds. We read to her from the cardboard books, and she still
liked the one about daddy giving kisses. The
hat I brought from Baby Bird looks incredibly adorable on her.  I think I kind of fell in love with her when I put that hat on – I
guess I needed to "style" her a little to make me feel like she is
mine. She even used the hat to cover her eyes when she was getting
sleepy. She fell asleep in my arms."

The Internet also means that my sister can send photographs of Sonia to the famous doctor in Washington who is THE EXPERT at interpreting photos and videos for signs of health problems in children around the world.

The Internet has made it possible for me to be part of what my sister, brother-in-law and Sonia are going through. Even though they are 7000 miles away, I feel like I am bonding with Sonia already. Even at this distance, she already a part of our family.