Five Months Home Update

I now understand why blogs get a little dusty after families get home.

Life is a balance of trying to find your new family direction, adjustments, growing pains, multiple doctor appointments, fighting with insurance companies (grrrrr),  trying to get your child any kind of special therapy services they qualify for (which DID not work out for us, I will just say I didn't have the fight in me at this time, NO thank you to the school system) and muddling through day to day life with multiple kids, activities and homework. (and like 100 other things...puppies, housework, cooking) Oh, and beginning homeschooling. Well, it's enough to make a mind shut down.

 Blogging gets left way behind.

Life now is  watching the world through your newest little one's eyes, and seeing things in a whole new perspective.

Realizing how much we take for granted. Celebrating in a whole new way holidays and family traditions. Sveta has adjusted very well and I always say "she loves being loved" and we love her more than I could ever express here. I look at her and think "wow....how AMAZING is God that He knew this child was ours?"

Yet...one would think all the adjustments would fall on Sveta...not so. People ask "how is she adjusting?" but I can say, adoption is a Family Adjustment. It is loving through all the changes and sometimes it is very rocky. It is realizing we all are imperfect and we love Sveta so much we all work on adjusting together...we are a family. We are thankful she likes us! Because we are far from perfect!

Somehow...we all fit together. And we live out life as a family of five in vivid color. And it gets crazy chaos at times.

Fun. Chaos. Loud. Dirty. (that would be my house)

Around one year ago God broke our hearts for what breaks his and we began the journey to Sveta. I can't believe a year has passed. We were watching Sveta last night, sucking down a chocolate ice cream cone after dinner and Eli said "just think how different her life is from a year ago..."

Last year all we had to hold onto was a tiny picture and a 15 second video of her in a little red car singing in Russian. We loved her but why? God alone grew love in our hearts for Sveta, our little girl. A year ago I stared at this picture and wondered....what is she like? Is this real? Will she ever really be part of our family?

Now, she is here. Laughing, learning, going to preschool, being tucked into bed every night after being read a story, running into her daddy's arms when he gets home from work. She says funny things like "mommy I can't say that word because I don't talk my words right" and "mommy, my back itches...it has fireflies in it" and the heart breaker....."Mommy...You love me??? Really?????"

Yes. Sveta. I love you. Really. You are my child, born not from my body but from my heart. You are no less my child because you were born thousands of miles away.

You are Loved. Cherished. Adored. Wanted. We will never let you go.

Five months ago we got home. It's gone by so fast, I am actually in denial Christmas is right around the corner. How can that be??

Life has been...busy. Beyond busy. Where did the months go???

Lots of pictures guys..five months worth!

Sveta has started preschool. She has made so many friends! She will be doing two years of preschool and a lot of work at home to learn all she needs for kindergarten! She is counting, saying her ABC's, learning her letter sounds, colors and shapes.  Most of all...she loves to play with her friends! She still talks about her friends from the baby house though and wants to know how they are. I pray all of her friends have families someday.

She has learned to love ice cream and that sometimes there is a funny truck singing music that brings a treat to her front door.

She took her first vacation ever...to the beach. The squeals from the back seat when she saw water for the first time are something we will remember forever.

How do I explain such joy?

Eli, Peyton, Paige and I just sat and soaked in her squeals.

I had thought Eli was nuts for suggesting we go to the beach after being home such a short time.

But it was during that tine we were able to bond as a family.

And wow...the P's were able to see the beach through Sveta's sweet little eyes...so brand new.

Something they have probably taken for granted... but not the summer of 2011.

What every little girl needs...her daddy's hand and a little purse.

This summer we realized little one has some major tanning genetics...she turns a color of bronze after 24 hours in the sun (with sunblock!).

Sister bonds have grown.

And big brother has always been there to make sure she is safe..he is almost more over protective than Eli and I!

He's always there...making sure she is safe.

He had a sprained ankle here...but was determined to crawl up the inflatable to hold onto her.

We are blessed with hyperactive, busy, loud, messy, compassionate, loving kids and are so thankful God has grown our family in ways we never imagined.

Goofy Blessings.

This one cracks me up. She was having tooooo much fun! Her joy makes us so happy!

Halloween???? What's that????

Friends....always, always a part of our life!

Out of all the costumes in the store...Buzz.

Me.."Sveta would you like to be a princess?"

Sveta..."No Mommy...BUZZ!!"

Mine? All mine???

Baby House 19 Reunion! We are beyond thankful to have the Enskat family living so close to us, a continual support. This fall we were overjoyed to meet two more families from baby house 19...!!! We cant wait to see them again! Love Love our baby house 19 families. Nothing like bonding over a shared background. God is Good. So good..to bring us together and keep us in touch with one another.

She is Home.

Thriving.

Home.

Never letting go......

Sometime in September us crazy baby house 19 mama's decided to send Christmas to Nikolaev. I only wish my crying jag to Michelle asking if she thought she could help send Christmas to the ones left behind would have started in maybe....August...

We had limited time but you guys came out in full force and we were OVERWHELMED by boxes and blessings.

WOW.

We were able to send two orphanages gifts! And your generosity helped with all the shipping.

We would like to be a bit more organized (and not me crying, all emotional while in car line, calling Michelle asking what can we do at last minute??)

Next year, we will be better organized and we are working on growing our non profit Circle of Hope to umbrella adoption and orphan care.

WOW!

The Lord provides all we need and continues to rain down blessings.

Oh how he loves.

To end...

"Every good and perfect gift is from above" James 1:17

Sveta is Home.

Sveta Josie is home.

Tucked into bed. Loved. Wrapped up in adoration.

Thank you Lord for reminding us to remain STEADFAST in your command to us.

It's all about You.

You created our family and to you we give praise.