Four Feet More

From time to time, I am asked, "What made you decide to adopt your kids from Russia?" I always approach this question with a bit of caution. Not because I'm ashamed of the fact that our kids are from Russia, but because I'm a bit embarrassed about my real reasons for choosing the country. I'm afraid that people will not understand my motivations and will judge me negatively. To avoid this, I normally give a standard, diluted answer, such as, "We wanted to adopt a boy and a girl at the same time, which pretty much ruled out China." Or, "I've always been interested in Russia, and it just felt right for our family."

These reasons certainly contributed to our decision to adopt from Russia, but the real, determining factor - the very reason I was interested in Russia in the first place - is something much more shallow. That reason is:

Mikhail Baryshnikov.

Back in 1985, a movie called "White Nights" was released. I was in 7th grade at the time, and vividly recall seeing the film with my childhood best friend, Kathy. From the moment Baryshnikov appeared on the screen, I was captivated. Those eyes... that tortured expression... the grace and strength with which he danced! It was love at first sight, for both Kathy and myself. We cut out pictures of Baryshnikov from the newspaper and "laminated" them with packing tape. These photos were carried around school with us every day in our backpacks. Posters and photos of Baryshnikov adorned our bedroom walls. Our classmates, who were busy drooling over Jon Bon Jovi and Rob Lowe, did not understand our love of the Russian dancer. When one of them asked me who "that guy" was on my binder, and I said "Mikhail Baryshnikov," she responded, "Gesundheit!"

My pre-pubescent adoration of Mikhail Baryshnikov jump-started my interest in all things relating to the Soviet Union. When one of my favorite singers, Sting, released a song called "Russians," my interest in the country and the plight of its people was further solidified. The chorus of the song, "I hope the Russians love their children too" used to give me chills. In fact, sometimes it still does.

Then, one year for Christmas, I received the photo book, “A Day in the Life of the Soviet Union.” I used to flip through the pages and dream of a day when the Soviet Union would be open to all travelers, and I could go see Moscow’s Red Square in person. If I had been told back then that I would not only travel to Russia, but also adopt two wonderful children from there, I would have not believed it.

Luckily, history was on my side, and I was able to accomplish two childhood dreams at once – visiting Russia, and becoming a mother.

So, there you have it. Pop Culture influenced one of the most important decisions of my life. Please don’t judge too harshly.