today is my DS 2nd birthday - but our first birthday with him. He came into our lives in June when we flew to Russia to collect him from a children's home where he had been left at birth. It took 3.5 years to adopt him but every moment of stress and pain was worth it. Today his birth mother is on my mind. I can only imagine that it must be a sad day for her knowing her DS isn't with her and not knowing where or how he is. She was unable to give him the basics he needed - a home and a family so she made the decision to give him away in the hopes he would have a chance in life. Having only been his mother for 6 months I can't imagine a day without him let alone a lifetime. I wish I could thank her for making such a hard decision - for setting into motion the events that brought him to us. I wish she could know how amazing and funny and loving her little boy is and that he will always know that the reason she gave him up was because she loved him. And I wish she could know that because of her I am a mummy. She will never know how amazing I think she is and she will never know how amazing her son is but I hope by posting this that maybe the happiness we feel at having our DS son in our lives will spread a little and maybe some of it will reach her. Sorry to wax philosophical but I needed to share this feeling with other mums who will understand.