Cannot believe it's been a whole year! One year ago today, on the Ides of March, a judge said "da" and declared Lina OURS.
Just the day before court we had our sole visit that trip where we were greeted with the most intense ponytails we had ever seen! :)
I will never forget the orphanage director warning us before we went to see Lina that she would be scared... she wouldn't remember us since it had been 4 months since our first trip to meet her.
But she DID remember. She smiled and sat right down, waiting for us to come greet her, and she leaned in to nuzzle my nose just as we had done 4 months prior. Melt. My. Heart.
I will also never forget how I thought for sure I would end up in a Russian hospital and not even make it to court since I was so ill when I woke up that morning! Thank GOD He had my back! Court was a breeze and we couldn't be more happy!!
It is surreal looking back at these photos since Lina has changed so much.... physically she has grown like a weed, and emotionally she has BLOOMED.
This photo was just taken yesterday after we received Lina's gorgeous, traditional Russian dress in the mail! One of our dear adoption friends picked this up for us on her last trip- they were one of the very last US families to bring home their child. We continue to pray for the children we left behind, and pray for ROOF's success in helping to not only care for and educate the children but for their future plans to bring the children out into the community as well! So much is in store for their summer camp this year!! We also pray that funds continue to come in so they can bring their much needed work to the Bobrovsky institution. Oh these children so desperately need ROOF's aid. I know I keep going back to ROOF- they do amazing things for these children, and I left part of my heart there in Pskov. I cannot wait to share their plans for this summer and for the future!
Back to Lina- her latest accomplishment was this morning: making fishy lips in the mirror :)
She was doing it over and over, and cracking herself up!
It's the little things, just as much as the big things. How often did she see herself in a mirror before she came home? Was she ever allowed to be silly in the mirror? So many little things we don't even think about are brand new experiences for Lina.
In school- since beginning kindergarten in January (though not full-time until February) Lina has learned almost the entire alphabet including the sounds the letters make.... she has learned her numbers and is counting (though she likes to skip the number three- perhaps because it is difficult for her to say)... she is tracing letters and shapes and beginning to write her name... and she is sounding out words. All this in a matter of weeks when in Russia she was deemed ineducable. Our social worker comes again this weekend to complete our one-year post placement report, and as always I cannot wait to brag about our sweet girl and all her accomplishments!
Polina, we love you SO very much. We are so thankful that stone-faced judge said "da" and proclaimed you OURS. We are so forever thankful we were able to get you home when we did. It is so difficult to remember life without you! xoxoxo
Just the day before court we had our sole visit that trip where we were greeted with the most intense ponytails we had ever seen! :)
I will never forget the orphanage director warning us before we went to see Lina that she would be scared... she wouldn't remember us since it had been 4 months since our first trip to meet her.
But she DID remember. She smiled and sat right down, waiting for us to come greet her, and she leaned in to nuzzle my nose just as we had done 4 months prior. Melt. My. Heart.
I will also never forget how I thought for sure I would end up in a Russian hospital and not even make it to court since I was so ill when I woke up that morning! Thank GOD He had my back! Court was a breeze and we couldn't be more happy!!
It is surreal looking back at these photos since Lina has changed so much.... physically she has grown like a weed, and emotionally she has BLOOMED.
This photo was just taken yesterday after we received Lina's gorgeous, traditional Russian dress in the mail! One of our dear adoption friends picked this up for us on her last trip- they were one of the very last US families to bring home their child. We continue to pray for the children we left behind, and pray for ROOF's success in helping to not only care for and educate the children but for their future plans to bring the children out into the community as well! So much is in store for their summer camp this year!! We also pray that funds continue to come in so they can bring their much needed work to the Bobrovsky institution. Oh these children so desperately need ROOF's aid. I know I keep going back to ROOF- they do amazing things for these children, and I left part of my heart there in Pskov. I cannot wait to share their plans for this summer and for the future!
Back to Lina- her latest accomplishment was this morning: making fishy lips in the mirror :)
She was doing it over and over, and cracking herself up!
It's the little things, just as much as the big things. How often did she see herself in a mirror before she came home? Was she ever allowed to be silly in the mirror? So many little things we don't even think about are brand new experiences for Lina.
In school- since beginning kindergarten in January (though not full-time until February) Lina has learned almost the entire alphabet including the sounds the letters make.... she has learned her numbers and is counting (though she likes to skip the number three- perhaps because it is difficult for her to say)... she is tracing letters and shapes and beginning to write her name... and she is sounding out words. All this in a matter of weeks when in Russia she was deemed ineducable. Our social worker comes again this weekend to complete our one-year post placement report, and as always I cannot wait to brag about our sweet girl and all her accomplishments!
Polina, we love you SO very much. We are so thankful that stone-faced judge said "da" and proclaimed you OURS. We are so forever thankful we were able to get you home when we did. It is so difficult to remember life without you! xoxoxo
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