Showing posts with label Bridget. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bridget. Show all posts
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
First Week of Preschool Re-cap
From the preschool teacher:
The girls are doing GREAT! Both of them have really surprised me. Bridget is such a different little girl than she was last fall - following directions, using her words, I can even have a conversation with her... I LOVE IT! Alina has adjusted so well, too. She is a bright little girl. I am amazed by how well she seems to understand and follow directions. She LOVES circle time and is very attentive to what is happening in front of her. All in all, they are off to a great start! The girls had a WONDERFUL week - you would be so proud of both of them! You are more than welcome to pop in any time or even just watch through the window. They are doing great things!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
First Day of Preschool 2010-11
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| On the Bus - Bridget is Happy :) |
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| Alina Waves Goodbye |
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| Bridget: "Yippee!" - Alina: "What on Earth?" |
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| Sitting Together |
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| Walking in - Ready for the Day! |
Monday, June 21, 2010
Popsicles, Pools, and Pedicures
Summer is here :)...
Bridget and Alina both have pink toenails :)...
They are enjoying popsicles and the little baby pool in our backyard...
Emmy is a great helper with her little sisters. They both adore her!
Alina is always making this face:
And this one :)...
I have so much more to say, and so little time...now that summer is here and all the kids are, too ;).
Bridget and Alina both have pink toenails :)...
They are enjoying popsicles and the little baby pool in our backyard...
Emmy is a great helper with her little sisters. They both adore her!
Alina is always making this face:
And this one :)...
I have so much more to say, and so little time...now that summer is here and all the kids are, too ;).
Monday, June 7, 2010
Toddlers Gone Wild
Who would think that the two little girls pictured above would be such trouble :)?These two monkeys decided together that nap time is overrated, escaped from their beds (Bridget from her crib and Alina from her PeaPod sleeping tent) and trashed their room this past weekend! (Alina is in the sleeping tent because she had already figured out how to get out of the pack and play and the crib.)
We are not sure who instigated the whole event, but both took part equally.
Bridget emptied all of the drawers and Alina shredded an entire 500-piece box of tissues. When their plot was foiled, Bridget was sitting on top of the dresser, and Alina was back in her sleeping tent covered by enough torn-up Kleenex to fuel a ticker-tape parade.
They are both now the proud owners of matching (blue camouflage, the only pattern available when we purchased the first one two years ago) PeaPod tents tied shut with pink and white ribbons ;).
The girls can see each other through the mesh windows on the tents, which they love. And the Dynamic Duo is safe once again.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Alina & Bridget
Many people have asked how the two little girls in our family are adjusting to each other--and how they interact. So here it is, a post devoted to our dynamic duo :)...
Sisters:
Bridget and Alina went from not knowing each other to doing everything together. For a three year old, that has to be confusing--and for two little girls who have been forced into a forever partnership overnight, they are doing exactly what we had expected--and hoped for. They are busy being kids, and in the process are learning about being sisters.
When we first brought Alina home, the two girls were very much in their own individual worlds. They played side-by-side, rather than together, were sometimes amused by the presence of the other and sometimes seemed to be simply tolerating each other.
Within the span of one week, they were already beginning to expect (and enjoy) that they would both be doing whatever we were doing, that they would both be going wherever we were going.
Surprisingly, there has been very little jealousy, if any.
We've had our moments, as you would expect, when one of them takes a toy, pulls hair or pushes the other. We have our squabbles that would be typical of any toddlers permanently inhabiting the same spaces, playing with shared items, interested in getting help and attention from the same people. And yes, that mop has been used as a weapon--by both girls.
But our two youngest girls are working it out.
Bridget has figured out that Alina (while she usually means well), is rough. She tends to take a wide arc around her little sister and gives Alina the Heisman when she needs to get by her. She has been saying, Nee-yet, Nuh-Nuh! (No, Alina!), which is very funny to hear. (She is also often overheard saying, Nuh-Nuh, CUTE!)
Bridget and Alina take care of each other. If one is out of Cheerios or crackers, the other will usually share willingly. They point to each other's empty bowls. They offer each other sips from a cup and wipe each other's noses. Bridget has a delicate touch, and Alina seems happy to be "helped" by her. Alina, on the other hand, comes at Bridget with an intense expression, and Bridget looks stunned as Alina firmly presses a sippy cup to her lips or wipes her nose with vigor.
But Alina coughs and Bridget shouts, CUP! Okay? If Bridget wakes up before Alina, she tells me, Mommy, Nuh-Nuh...check! (check on Alina!).
And when Bridget is in school and Alina goes somewhere with me in the car, she points to Bridget's carseat, saying Buh? (where's Bridget?).
When they are playing with each other, Bridget and Alina like to take care of baby dolls, spread out a napkin and dishes on the family room floor, and "clean" house :).
They are double trouble, for sure :). They're also double the LOVE.
Up next: Notes from our family discussion on Alina and answers to questions about Alina's transition and assimilation process.
Sisters:
Bridget and Alina went from not knowing each other to doing everything together. For a three year old, that has to be confusing--and for two little girls who have been forced into a forever partnership overnight, they are doing exactly what we had expected--and hoped for. They are busy being kids, and in the process are learning about being sisters.When we first brought Alina home, the two girls were very much in their own individual worlds. They played side-by-side, rather than together, were sometimes amused by the presence of the other and sometimes seemed to be simply tolerating each other.
Within the span of one week, they were already beginning to expect (and enjoy) that they would both be doing whatever we were doing, that they would both be going wherever we were going.
Surprisingly, there has been very little jealousy, if any.
We've had our moments, as you would expect, when one of them takes a toy, pulls hair or pushes the other. We have our squabbles that would be typical of any toddlers permanently inhabiting the same spaces, playing with shared items, interested in getting help and attention from the same people. And yes, that mop has been used as a weapon--by both girls.
But our two youngest girls are working it out.
Bridget has figured out that Alina (while she usually means well), is rough. She tends to take a wide arc around her little sister and gives Alina the Heisman when she needs to get by her. She has been saying, Nee-yet, Nuh-Nuh! (No, Alina!), which is very funny to hear. (She is also often overheard saying, Nuh-Nuh, CUTE!)
Bridget and Alina take care of each other. If one is out of Cheerios or crackers, the other will usually share willingly. They point to each other's empty bowls. They offer each other sips from a cup and wipe each other's noses. Bridget has a delicate touch, and Alina seems happy to be "helped" by her. Alina, on the other hand, comes at Bridget with an intense expression, and Bridget looks stunned as Alina firmly presses a sippy cup to her lips or wipes her nose with vigor.
But Alina coughs and Bridget shouts, CUP! Okay? If Bridget wakes up before Alina, she tells me, Mommy, Nuh-Nuh...check! (check on Alina!).
And when Bridget is in school and Alina goes somewhere with me in the car, she points to Bridget's carseat, saying Buh? (where's Bridget?).
When they are playing with each other, Bridget and Alina like to take care of baby dolls, spread out a napkin and dishes on the family room floor, and "clean" house :).
They are double trouble, for sure :). They're also double the LOVE.
Up next: Notes from our family discussion on Alina and answers to questions about Alina's transition and assimilation process.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Two Weeks In...
Tomorrow, we will have been home for two weeks. Alina and I will celebrate by going to the International Adoption Clinic for her comprehensive check-up :). I have spent the past few days writing out all the important details that we have learned about Alina's health history and development in preparation for the appointment. I will also take along her vaccination record and notes from the head doctor at the orphanage where Alina had been living. I will post a re-cap of her appointment here sometime next week.
It is hard to believe that we met Alina less than a month ago. We feel like we have known her forever.
This little girl is so busy and curious. She is such a bundle of love.
She is very sociable and giggles easily. She has had nothing of her own, yet she willingly shares her food and toys. She is a sturdy little girl who craves affection and gives it right back. When she comes in for a hug, she lunges toward you, grinning with her arms wide open. She rarely cries, but when she does, she is easily consoled.
A few details that several people have asked about:
Alina was confused at first by physical affection. We gave her space to start, and when we first began to hug and kiss her, she looked at us like, what is that? and moved slightly away. Within a few days, though, she realized that having people love her felt pretty nice. One day at the orphanage, she scratched her arm and I came right over to ask if she was hurt. She looked up, appearing to be a bit confused by me kissing her arm. She paused, then smiled, then went right over to Chris and lifted her arm to his mouth so he would kiss her boo-boo, too. She's all about the love now. Instead of leaning away, she leans toward us. Loving a child who has been abandoned and hasn't known love, and having them love you back--it feels like Heaven.
Alina is eating, drinking and sleeping well. She seems to like most everything we have fed her, except Brussels sprouts (not a surprise) and mashed potatoes (a surprise). She does prefer food and drinks to be warm (everything was warmed in the orphanage), but she won't refuse items that are cold. She is drinking apple juice, water and rice milk from a sippy cup. (She can drink from an open cup, but needs supervision because she tends to play in it, or pour some of it if left unattended. She wasn't given milk in the orphanage, as far as we know, so we are introducing dairy slowly.) She naps once a day, for about two hours, and sleeps soundly from about 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Alina doesn't love diaper wipes. Scratch that. She loves diaper wipes, just not when we are wiping her bottom with them :). We don't know what they used in the orphanage (maybe a warm cloth?).
She doesn't mind baths, although we assume she had never had one until she got here. She really likes to splash the water, so her baths are quick :). We also assume she did not have any sort of dental care in the orphanage. She cleans her teeth with her tongue when she lays down to sleep at night. It is sweet and sad. She has let me brush her teeth right from the start, which is crazy. I have no idea why it doesn't bother her. Her gums bled a little at first, even though I was super careful. They are not bleeding anymore. And yes, the pediatric dentist is on our list of visits to make soon.
Alina doesn't watch t.v. (although she likes the remote and knows exactly how to use it--they had a t.v. in her groupa's room), but she does seem to like one show: American Idol. It's true. I have no idea why Dora the Explorer does not hold her attention, but American Idol does. (Dang, I wish I had the whole season recorded!)
The staff at the orphanage was able to tell us two things about Alina (in English): Alina clever.... and Alina messy. Holy cow, were they ever right on both accounts :).
Alina is doing so well developmentally. She is very sharp and able. Her spoken language is her largest delay as far as we can tell, although she is making lots of sounds (like Boo, Woo, Oof, Ha Ha, Huh!), and she has started to say some words in English, too, like HI! and more ("muh"), which she has also learned to sign. Alina understands much of what we say to her in English and is fairly compliant :). She loves to hear Russian words--she smiles when she hears them--and will do everything we ask of her in Russian. She's lucky our Russian-language skills are limited ;).
Bridget and Alina spent about a week sizing each other up :). Bridget realized quickly that Alina tends to stumble and will squash her when she falls, so Bridget would gladly wave and smile at Alina, but kept a safe distance from her "little" sister. For the first week or so, I would say that the girls tolerated one another and were amused by each other. They both seem to know that the other one isn't going anywhere, and they seem to be happy with that :).
They are really beginning to enjoy each other. They will wave to each other and smile. They like to hold hands, or touch their index fingers together. They "share" food items and cups (which is lovely, in truth as well as in sarcasm). Bridget tries to help Alina by making sure we are aware of her apparent needs and status on a moment-to-moment basis.
Bridget calls Alina sissy and nuh-nuh, but it is usually uh-nuh-nuh. Things I hear often: uh-nuh-nuh...mess; uh-nuh-nuh...cup; uh-nuh-nuh cryin'; uh-nuh-nuh cracker...me, cracker.
There have been some very funny moments already with the two of them. On the way home from dance class last night, Alina and Bridget were in their carseats, both double fist-pumping to AC/DC "You Shook Me All Night Long". It was classic.
Bridget and Alina are very similar in some ways: they both like dolls and books and food and being around people. Despite very different body types, they are also almost exactly the same height and weight and wear the same size shoe.
Our three-year-olds are also polar opposites in some ways. Bridget tends to be very dainty and gentle. When she falls or drops something she says Oopsie in a sweet little voice. Alina is a bit of a bull in a china closet. She is not the most gentle creature, but then again--neither am I :). When she falls or drops something, she says OOF! It is hilarious.
Bridget likes to be clean and gets grossed-out easily (she is often heard saying Ewww! for one reason or another). Alina is a disaster half the time. Bridget keeps a napkin beside her yogurt in the morning and wipes her mouth throughout. She isn't always clean, but she tries.
Alina, on the other hand, eats her yogurt with wild abandon--just how she does most other things :). She has it everywhere from her eyebrows to her elbows.
Yesterday, Bridget looked over at Alina (right when I took the above picture) and whispered, mess. Yep, she's a mess alright :). A beautiful, busy mess, who we are lucky enough to call our own.
It is hard to believe that we met Alina less than a month ago. We feel like we have known her forever.
This little girl is so busy and curious. She is such a bundle of love.
She is very sociable and giggles easily. She has had nothing of her own, yet she willingly shares her food and toys. She is a sturdy little girl who craves affection and gives it right back. When she comes in for a hug, she lunges toward you, grinning with her arms wide open. She rarely cries, but when she does, she is easily consoled.
A few details that several people have asked about:
Alina was confused at first by physical affection. We gave her space to start, and when we first began to hug and kiss her, she looked at us like, what is that? and moved slightly away. Within a few days, though, she realized that having people love her felt pretty nice. One day at the orphanage, she scratched her arm and I came right over to ask if she was hurt. She looked up, appearing to be a bit confused by me kissing her arm. She paused, then smiled, then went right over to Chris and lifted her arm to his mouth so he would kiss her boo-boo, too. She's all about the love now. Instead of leaning away, she leans toward us. Loving a child who has been abandoned and hasn't known love, and having them love you back--it feels like Heaven.
Alina is eating, drinking and sleeping well. She seems to like most everything we have fed her, except Brussels sprouts (not a surprise) and mashed potatoes (a surprise). She does prefer food and drinks to be warm (everything was warmed in the orphanage), but she won't refuse items that are cold. She is drinking apple juice, water and rice milk from a sippy cup. (She can drink from an open cup, but needs supervision because she tends to play in it, or pour some of it if left unattended. She wasn't given milk in the orphanage, as far as we know, so we are introducing dairy slowly.) She naps once a day, for about two hours, and sleeps soundly from about 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Alina doesn't love diaper wipes. Scratch that. She loves diaper wipes, just not when we are wiping her bottom with them :). We don't know what they used in the orphanage (maybe a warm cloth?).
She doesn't mind baths, although we assume she had never had one until she got here. She really likes to splash the water, so her baths are quick :). We also assume she did not have any sort of dental care in the orphanage. She cleans her teeth with her tongue when she lays down to sleep at night. It is sweet and sad. She has let me brush her teeth right from the start, which is crazy. I have no idea why it doesn't bother her. Her gums bled a little at first, even though I was super careful. They are not bleeding anymore. And yes, the pediatric dentist is on our list of visits to make soon.
Alina doesn't watch t.v. (although she likes the remote and knows exactly how to use it--they had a t.v. in her groupa's room), but she does seem to like one show: American Idol. It's true. I have no idea why Dora the Explorer does not hold her attention, but American Idol does. (Dang, I wish I had the whole season recorded!)
The staff at the orphanage was able to tell us two things about Alina (in English): Alina clever.... and Alina messy. Holy cow, were they ever right on both accounts :).
Alina is doing so well developmentally. She is very sharp and able. Her spoken language is her largest delay as far as we can tell, although she is making lots of sounds (like Boo, Woo, Oof, Ha Ha, Huh!), and she has started to say some words in English, too, like HI! and more ("muh"), which she has also learned to sign. Alina understands much of what we say to her in English and is fairly compliant :). She loves to hear Russian words--she smiles when she hears them--and will do everything we ask of her in Russian. She's lucky our Russian-language skills are limited ;).
Bridget and Alina spent about a week sizing each other up :). Bridget realized quickly that Alina tends to stumble and will squash her when she falls, so Bridget would gladly wave and smile at Alina, but kept a safe distance from her "little" sister. For the first week or so, I would say that the girls tolerated one another and were amused by each other. They both seem to know that the other one isn't going anywhere, and they seem to be happy with that :).
They are really beginning to enjoy each other. They will wave to each other and smile. They like to hold hands, or touch their index fingers together. They "share" food items and cups (which is lovely, in truth as well as in sarcasm). Bridget tries to help Alina by making sure we are aware of her apparent needs and status on a moment-to-moment basis.
Bridget calls Alina sissy and nuh-nuh, but it is usually uh-nuh-nuh. Things I hear often: uh-nuh-nuh...mess; uh-nuh-nuh...cup; uh-nuh-nuh cryin'; uh-nuh-nuh cracker...me, cracker.
There have been some very funny moments already with the two of them. On the way home from dance class last night, Alina and Bridget were in their carseats, both double fist-pumping to AC/DC "You Shook Me All Night Long". It was classic.
Bridget and Alina are very similar in some ways: they both like dolls and books and food and being around people. Despite very different body types, they are also almost exactly the same height and weight and wear the same size shoe.Our three-year-olds are also polar opposites in some ways. Bridget tends to be very dainty and gentle. When she falls or drops something she says Oopsie in a sweet little voice. Alina is a bit of a bull in a china closet. She is not the most gentle creature, but then again--neither am I :). When she falls or drops something, she says OOF! It is hilarious.
Bridget likes to be clean and gets grossed-out easily (she is often heard saying Ewww! for one reason or another). Alina is a disaster half the time. Bridget keeps a napkin beside her yogurt in the morning and wipes her mouth throughout. She isn't always clean, but she tries.Alina, on the other hand, eats her yogurt with wild abandon--just how she does most other things :). She has it everywhere from her eyebrows to her elbows.
Yesterday, Bridget looked over at Alina (right when I took the above picture) and whispered, mess. Yep, she's a mess alright :). A beautiful, busy mess, who we are lucky enough to call our own.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Tired & Happy
I have so much to say...so much on my mind and in my heart. And I promise that I am trying to put words and pictures together to share some of it here.
At the moment, I have just finished cleaning the kitchen up after lunch...is it bedtime yet :)?
We've jumped right back into life at home. I shouldn't be surprised that things are busy, now that we have six children under fourteen. Chris is already back to traveling for work and all of the kids have been sick at one point or another since we have been home.
It took at least a week to shake off the exhaustion of the trip overseas and back. And now, what we've got is just plain old exhaustion :).
So, I am going to put the youngest girls down for a nap and take one myself! Tonight, I will write (and post) all about Alina, and how she is doing at home.
I'll end with an image (in words, though I wish I could have safely photographed the moment): Last night, on the way to take Sara to dance class, Bridget and Alina were in their car seats behind the passenger and driver seats in our minivan. I looked in the rearview mirror to see their little hands stretched toward each other, index fingers touching. They were both smiling from ear to ear.
It had been a hectic day, but a split-second glance--seeing the two of them like that--was all the reminder I needed that we are living exactly the life that was meant for us.
At the moment, I have just finished cleaning the kitchen up after lunch...is it bedtime yet :)?
We've jumped right back into life at home. I shouldn't be surprised that things are busy, now that we have six children under fourteen. Chris is already back to traveling for work and all of the kids have been sick at one point or another since we have been home.
It took at least a week to shake off the exhaustion of the trip overseas and back. And now, what we've got is just plain old exhaustion :).
So, I am going to put the youngest girls down for a nap and take one myself! Tonight, I will write (and post) all about Alina, and how she is doing at home.
I'll end with an image (in words, though I wish I could have safely photographed the moment): Last night, on the way to take Sara to dance class, Bridget and Alina were in their car seats behind the passenger and driver seats in our minivan. I looked in the rearview mirror to see their little hands stretched toward each other, index fingers touching. They were both smiling from ear to ear.
It had been a hectic day, but a split-second glance--seeing the two of them like that--was all the reminder I needed that we are living exactly the life that was meant for us.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
HOME
We had to take planes, trains and automobiles, but we made it home last night and are so happy to be here! We are all doing very well!
Alina was such a trooper on the long trip back. One of the flight attendants said she could teach some of the adult passengers how to behave on an airplane :).
We flew from Kiev to Amsterdam on Thursday night (a 3 hour flight), stayed overnight in a hotel at the airport, and left early yesterday morning for Detroit, MI (an 8 hour flight). Rather than wait out our scheduled 7 hour layover in Detroit, we rented a car and drove home from there (a 3 hour drive). We were so ready to get home!
Alina slept the whole way from Detroit to Columbus!
The kids were already home from school and anxiously waiting to meet their new little sister.
Here are a few photos of Alina's homecoming:
Alina seemed very happy to meet her siblings. She was full of smiles and was very relaxed, even though she must have been a little overwhelmed--she was surrounded by all the kids on the kitchen floor.
Alina figured out that the kids think she is cute and funny--and she was enjoying all the attention.
Bridget and Alina seemed to recognize one another. They are adorable together! They're about the same height and weight, although Alina is almost 9 months younger than Bridget.
Their hands and feet look almost identical, except Alina's are a bit more chubby :).
There was one point last night when I had them both on my lap, which was overwhelming in itself--it is a moment I will never forget. I keep thinking about the two of them together. They are a unit now. My almost-twins, born apart but raised together.
When we were in Ukraine, someone asked us why we think God gave us four healthy children and then Bridget, a child with Down syndrome. Chris and I have a long answer to that question that we may write about here someday. The short answer, though, may be that Bridget arrived in our lives so that we would save Alina.
There is so much more to share and say. Please stay tuned for more on the end of our stay in Ukraine and on our transition home.
Thank you for all of the genuine support and well wishes. We are feeling the love...
Alina was such a trooper on the long trip back. One of the flight attendants said she could teach some of the adult passengers how to behave on an airplane :).
We flew from Kiev to Amsterdam on Thursday night (a 3 hour flight), stayed overnight in a hotel at the airport, and left early yesterday morning for Detroit, MI (an 8 hour flight). Rather than wait out our scheduled 7 hour layover in Detroit, we rented a car and drove home from there (a 3 hour drive). We were so ready to get home!
Alina slept the whole way from Detroit to Columbus!
The kids were already home from school and anxiously waiting to meet their new little sister.
Here are a few photos of Alina's homecoming:
Alina seemed very happy to meet her siblings. She was full of smiles and was very relaxed, even though she must have been a little overwhelmed--she was surrounded by all the kids on the kitchen floor.
Alina figured out that the kids think she is cute and funny--and she was enjoying all the attention.
Bridget and Alina seemed to recognize one another. They are adorable together! They're about the same height and weight, although Alina is almost 9 months younger than Bridget.
Their hands and feet look almost identical, except Alina's are a bit more chubby :).
There was one point last night when I had them both on my lap, which was overwhelming in itself--it is a moment I will never forget. I keep thinking about the two of them together. They are a unit now. My almost-twins, born apart but raised together.
When we were in Ukraine, someone asked us why we think God gave us four healthy children and then Bridget, a child with Down syndrome. Chris and I have a long answer to that question that we may write about here someday. The short answer, though, may be that Bridget arrived in our lives so that we would save Alina.
There is so much more to share and say. Please stay tuned for more on the end of our stay in Ukraine and on our transition home.
Thank you for all of the genuine support and well wishes. We are feeling the love...
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Day 3, Morning Visit
Remember this picture on the left? It is the initial picture of Alina that grabbed our hearts. Our instincts told us to look deeper than what was on the surface. And we are so grateful for that moment of insight, that moment where our experience with Bridget intersected with love and hope for a little girl we did not know. Our hearts must have known her, as we were firm in our commitment to bring her home from the minute we set eyes on her.Nowhere does this picture say that this little girl is clever (as her Russian-speaking caregiver said to us today in her best English), or determined, or strong, or sweet. Nowhere does it say that she is full of potential. She looks blank here.
And yes, she will blossom even more with the love of a family. But we are learning that if you could look below the surface of the photo on the left, you would she that she has been given opportunity here, and she's been cared for with good intention. Now that we are here with her in person, we can begin to see the whole picture. The picture below is the beginning of the story of her life outside the orphanage. The bleak, expressionless part of her life is fading away as her new life with a family begins.
We are grateful that someone picked up on Alina's value and potential. We do not know how she came to live with typical children, but we are grateful. She has been given a chance to grow and develop alongside children who unknowingly encourage her to reach higher and go farther than she would if she had been underestimated from the start.We realize that Alina's situation might not be the norm, and while we are relieved that this is her reality, we are sad for all of the children who are not encouraged, who have less of a chance to reach their full potential...especially the ones without families coming for them.
Switching Gears...
This morning's visit was awesome! Alina (wearing the same green dress, new tights--red with ducks) came out ready to have her picture taken for her passport :). We were asked to play with her for a few minutes in the area by the lockers and wait for the photographer. A few of her caregivers speak a tiny bit of English--enough that, combined with gestures, we are able to understand (fairly) clearly what is being said to us. The staff are all very patient with us, and with Alina. They have allowed us to do most everything we have asked. We are keeping our requests simple and within reason, but they have indulged us when we have asked to take her to the music room, or to go outside, etc.).Here is video of Alina eating lunch. The woman who was helping her to eat was really good with Alina--you can see in the video. We are so thankful to have been able to sit with Alina while she ate to see that her caregivers have been helping her and encouraging her, even though she needs extra assistance with eating. We know that it takes time and focus when both of those things can be in short supply with such a large group of children to watch over and care for.
We were able to take Alina outside for a walk, which she liked very much. She was getting tired, so Chris snuggled her in and she fell asleep in his arms. It was precious. When we took her back inside, she found the sunglasses I had set down by my bag. Hmmm. Another child who loves sunglasses, purses, bracelets and such. Maybe Bridget and Alina are genetically connected after all...
More soon...
Monday, March 8, 2010
Blink
It is amazing how much a person can process in the blink of an eye. When we react quickly to something, we often say we are acting on instinct. We also use the word intuition. But it's more than that.
When you blink something, your subconscious mind assesses, calculates and concludes something, and then alerts your conscious mind to a decision--thoughts, emotion, knowledge and experience all come together to give you direction, or to give you an answer.
We've been asked how we came so quickly to the decision to adopt Alina.
Did we fall in love at first sight? What was it about her that tugged so strongly at our hearts? Did we thoroughly discuss all aspects of adding another child to our family before committing to adopt her? Did we mull over the pros and cons of international adoption? Did we consider what impact adopting another child with special needs would have on our family, and on our other children?
I knew as soon as I saw her sweet little face that we were going to be Alina's forever family. I couldn't imagine having her ornament on our Christmas tree each year, always wondering if she was healthy, or warm, or smiling, or feeling loved. Chris was drawn to her, too. But the short and most complete answer to the question of how we arrived at our decision: we blinked it.
Without sorting out each issue individually, Chris and I both synthesized a large amount of information in a very short period of time. We knew our hearts--and our instincts--were telling us to bring Alina home to us. Luckily, we came to the same conclusion and neither of us felt the need to consider our options for an extended period of time. We both knew that the blink was right.
We have talked since about all of the things which we both knew when we decided that we would be Alina's yes.
Her picture--the only one we have of her, still:
The version on the left is what we saw on Reece's Rainbow. It is not a good picture, quality or otherwise. Alina's expression is blank, her head is shaved and her little lips are really chapped. But through that picture, we both saw a diamond in the rough. We took that picture and mentally dusted it off. And what we saw beneath was a beautiful, amazing and able little girl.
It was an absolute blessing that the picture looked yellowed and grainy. It made us stop and notice her.
This little girl needs a family and she will be overlooked because of this picture, was all I could think when I first saw it, so I went to work right away on color correcting and lightly editing the photo (version #2, on the right).
Chris and I were looking at a picture of a little girl who is considered "severely disabled" in her society simply because she has Down syndrome, and we know that she was most likely abandoned because of that diagnosis. We both saw so much potential in Alina and know that she deserves opportunity and happiness as much as anyone else. We have the desire and ability to offer her the chance to pursue her dreams.
We have no idea what she is able to do at this point in her life, and it really doesn't matter how independent she is, or how she is limited. We aren't looking at her thinking, What can she do for us? We're focused on what we can do for her. We know she will add her own light to our group and enrich us all in ways we could never imagine. Love adds--it never takes away. We both firmly believe that.
We have a first-hand example--in Bridget--and know that people with Down syndrome have many abilities. Alina is sure to have her own set of challenges and skills. We all do.
Alina is just a little bit younger than Bridget. We have researched therapies, medical care, financial planning, education, nutrition, etc. for Bridget and have already found our way through many aspects of having a child with Down syndrome.
We have a wonderful pediatrician and school system. We are surrounded with people who care about our family and who believe in us--and in our commitment to living a life filled with love.
We already have a house full. What is one more :)? And we already have a child with Ds. That's no big deal for us.
We have the benefit of knowing that having Bridget as a sibling has only enhanced the lives of our other children. They adore her. They all quickly agreed that Alina would be welcome and well-loved here, with us.
In the blink of an eye, all of these things came to mind. We knew right away that we we're taking a gigantic leap of faith.
We know now that it is also a giant leap of love.
When you blink something, your subconscious mind assesses, calculates and concludes something, and then alerts your conscious mind to a decision--thoughts, emotion, knowledge and experience all come together to give you direction, or to give you an answer.
We've been asked how we came so quickly to the decision to adopt Alina.
Did we fall in love at first sight? What was it about her that tugged so strongly at our hearts? Did we thoroughly discuss all aspects of adding another child to our family before committing to adopt her? Did we mull over the pros and cons of international adoption? Did we consider what impact adopting another child with special needs would have on our family, and on our other children?
I knew as soon as I saw her sweet little face that we were going to be Alina's forever family. I couldn't imagine having her ornament on our Christmas tree each year, always wondering if she was healthy, or warm, or smiling, or feeling loved. Chris was drawn to her, too. But the short and most complete answer to the question of how we arrived at our decision: we blinked it.
Without sorting out each issue individually, Chris and I both synthesized a large amount of information in a very short period of time. We knew our hearts--and our instincts--were telling us to bring Alina home to us. Luckily, we came to the same conclusion and neither of us felt the need to consider our options for an extended period of time. We both knew that the blink was right.
We have talked since about all of the things which we both knew when we decided that we would be Alina's yes.
Her picture--the only one we have of her, still:
The version on the left is what we saw on Reece's Rainbow. It is not a good picture, quality or otherwise. Alina's expression is blank, her head is shaved and her little lips are really chapped. But through that picture, we both saw a diamond in the rough. We took that picture and mentally dusted it off. And what we saw beneath was a beautiful, amazing and able little girl.
It was an absolute blessing that the picture looked yellowed and grainy. It made us stop and notice her.
This little girl needs a family and she will be overlooked because of this picture, was all I could think when I first saw it, so I went to work right away on color correcting and lightly editing the photo (version #2, on the right).
Chris and I were looking at a picture of a little girl who is considered "severely disabled" in her society simply because she has Down syndrome, and we know that she was most likely abandoned because of that diagnosis. We both saw so much potential in Alina and know that she deserves opportunity and happiness as much as anyone else. We have the desire and ability to offer her the chance to pursue her dreams.
We have no idea what she is able to do at this point in her life, and it really doesn't matter how independent she is, or how she is limited. We aren't looking at her thinking, What can she do for us? We're focused on what we can do for her. We know she will add her own light to our group and enrich us all in ways we could never imagine. Love adds--it never takes away. We both firmly believe that.
We have a first-hand example--in Bridget--and know that people with Down syndrome have many abilities. Alina is sure to have her own set of challenges and skills. We all do.
Alina is just a little bit younger than Bridget. We have researched therapies, medical care, financial planning, education, nutrition, etc. for Bridget and have already found our way through many aspects of having a child with Down syndrome.
We have a wonderful pediatrician and school system. We are surrounded with people who care about our family and who believe in us--and in our commitment to living a life filled with love.
We already have a house full. What is one more :)? And we already have a child with Ds. That's no big deal for us.
We have the benefit of knowing that having Bridget as a sibling has only enhanced the lives of our other children. They adore her. They all quickly agreed that Alina would be welcome and well-loved here, with us.
In the blink of an eye, all of these things came to mind. We knew right away that we we're taking a gigantic leap of faith.
We know now that it is also a giant leap of love.
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