So how long has it been since I last posted? Months, huh? Well, I have come to the library across the street from Nadia's therapy to post this one. It seems that I don't have uninterrupted peace and quiet at home anymore while my brain is still able to function LOL So here I am :)
Gosh, where do I start??? Nadia has made TREMENDOUS progress since coming home nearly 6 months and 1 week ago. She is such a sweet girl, everyone just adores her. To know her is to love her, it is really true.
On Thanksgiving Nadia made a big step and sat on Papa's lap and didn't cry (well, unless she saw me lol). Now she just loves on her Papa so much. Lots of hugs, kisses, carrying, flying (lol I will post pics from my home computer) and so much more. She still prefers me but has a healthy, loving relationship with Papa.
Pause from post: why are my wrists killing me on this computer??? Hmmmm....maybe I just got use to my laptop on my counter top (which is higher). I don't know but this sure is painful. I hope you appreciate my efforts LOL
Anyway, her English has exploded time and time again. She understands and speaks so much. We get full sentences too like, "Mama, I'm cold. I need a blanket." She always makes us laugh because she is a joker, she loves to use her facial expressions, body language, sighing and sarcasm to crack us up. She is very smart and knows how to do this very well.
How is she doing physically? AMAZING! Her OT has left on a trip for 2 wks and her PT was joking that Nadia would be walking by the time she got back because her week to week progress has been incredible. She has the strength to hold herself up for a good amount of time. Her hamstrings are also now stretched enough to have full leg extent ion. They expect for her to be walking very soon. At this point I think the goal is balance, finding her center. because they needed to teach her how to stand properly,. using the correct muscles and turning off those she should not be using to stand (she had been using her hamstring to hold her up, legs crouched) we had to work on getting her in the right position and start building the right muscles and lengthening and stretching the hamstring (which had shortened to always being crouched and having legs bent), getting her feet flat when she stand or walks, that now she is ready for focusing on finding her center (balance). Like a toddler, her legs are ready, here comes time for practice and balance. It is very exciting.
In case you are new to reading or do not remember, we are not using a walker of any kind. We are working on walking independently.
This morning I received an email that kind of prompted me to post today. the email was from a SECOND family in Germany who had received Nadia's referral prior to us adopting her. The first family that contacted me went all the way to the orphanage and spoke with the Director and after much heartbreak and agonizing, they chose to turn her down. Everyone (not just families coming to see her but all the orphanage staff) was convinced she was severely cognitively delayed (actually they call it mentally retarded but not sure how accepted of terms that is).
This second family, who contacted me this morning, went to meet her. They were there in June 2007. I read through their email at lightening speed because I was late to get Nadia to therapy but in short this is what I understood to have said...Nadia was unresponsive. They tried singing to her, talking to her, etc. and Nadia remained with a blank stare. They too agonized over there decision and also had great heartbreak as they felt they had to turn her down.
The thing is, to me, this all just points so much to God it is amazing. I KNOW He chose Nadia to be with our family. She was not ready for any of those other families. She was definitely responsive to us, though a little frightened at our initial meeting but she let me cradle her and sing to her that 1st day at our second visit. Also, our first meeting she did play ball with us and respond to us (we posted a pic from that day with her smiling, chin up and sitting with a pink ball.) I just could not be more grateful for these families prayers for her and for God leading us to each other. Have I mentioned I am so completely in love with our little princess? :)
And for some more exciting news....(drum roll please)..."Faith" (the now 14.5 yr old we were trying to adopt with Nadia, whom we had met while adopting Yana) ended up getting registered at the SDA due to our inquiry when we were at our appointment. Pretty amazing, huh? (amazing if you know the difficulty of getting a child registered). This means she SHOULD be available for international adoption in the fall of this year (the SDA has not confirmed when she will be available for IA, only that she IS registered). So...we are praying about going back for her! We REALLY want to and believe God is nudging us (or at least I am starting to believe this is God nudging) but we do not have the funds to do it. I can't see us doing any fundraisers, taking out loans or anything like that so, we will see. So if you would please pray with us, for God's guidance and provision if this is His will for us, I will be eternally grateful. "Faith" will be 15 this summer, time is running out for her.
Well, as long as this post is, that was a very brief update. I hope I will be able to incorporate more time into my schedule to post more often, maybe I need to be using this library Internet more. LOL We'll see. I hope to upload pics from my home computer tonight. No promises though, it's Tuesday and that means Zumba and The Biggest Loser LOL
PS I see all kinds of typos but I can't fix them. There is a ticker on the top of this computer screen that says I only have 12 minutes remaining and I feel a lot of pressure. I was going to add something else to my post but can't remember. Ahhhhhh!!!!
