Time is over

I can't believe it...we leave tomorrow. We leave this precious baby girl, and all we can do is continue to pray that our invite back for court will come quickly. Today was quite bittersweet. Officially, we were only allowed two days for visits to the orphanage, two times each of those days. I think because of the pathedic look on our faces at the end of our two days alotted, they gave us a "freebie" visit yesterday. It was so quick, but at least we held her in our arms once during the day. We asked, and begged, for Eugene to let us see her today (friday). We paid him a days wages (trust me, with Moscow traffic...it takes a complete day to make this little drive across town), and he stepped up and took us. She had quite the traumatic morning with her schedule, so we only saw her for 15 min. the first time today. She went straight ino my arms and settled in contently. No cries, no fear...just recognition that this lady must be someone I need to get to know. She fell asleep in my arms, and before I knew it her nanny came to get her. Tears just started to flow, knowing that there was only one more time to be with her before such a long absence. We went and sat for while with Eugene in a coffee shop. I tend to feel like the third wheel, as he and Charles get caught up in conversations like teenage girls on their cell phones. It was really nice to get to know Eugene on a more personal basis. He has been working with international adoptions for 12 years, and has a very interesting history. He's our age, and such a hardworker. We had our 2nd visit, and each moment seemed to disappear into a distant memory. She was not feeling well, so our time was very quiet and tender. We saw her nanny come in, and fought to hide the tears. We had a blanket, teddy, and a few pictures of us we wanted to leave with her. I passed them onto to her nanny, and then Baby Girl. It took a while to get ourselves together after she left, but we then headed downstais to leave. We know that her caregivers love her and take such good care of her. We have often been told that she is one of the "favorites". It still aches inside knowing that there is more time to experience without her, until we can hold her forever. This experience has already changed our lives in such profound and amazing ways. There is also this thing called "the love of a parent", which Charles and I are still in awe as to the depth this can run.
We did get to spend her 1st birthday with her this week. What a blessing! We are already making memories. Our prayers continue as we await getting her home.