After almost a year since we first traveled reality has set in!

Last night I was cleaning our room and found some stuff from our travels to Russia and for some reason it just hit me hard tears came to my eyes and I thought I can not believe that we did that! I can not believe that Mike and I of all people stepped out of our little safe world and traveled to Russia three times! That we flew so far away and actually did that! Our little boy is actually with us now and he is ours! wow!



It is funny how it took so long to sink in, it was like this overwhelming disbelief that we actually did it. If you know us at all you know that we are not too adventuress we go to the same restaurant, shop at the same stores, so on. We don't step out and try new things much, so for us to go to Russia was huge! all I can say is that it was all God! We could have never done it with out him and we would have never even tried. I am so happy that we did.

Meeting some Reeces Rainbow friends

 We got to meet the Hagler family tonight at play group they just moved here to portland. we get to love on sweet Sasha and Ana.They were adopted thru Reeces Rainbow just like Vahnya here is their fsp http://reecesrainbow.org/sponsorhagler I had blogged about Sasha back when he was still listed on RR and needed a family so it was neat to get to see him. I am sure we will become  great friends with the Haglers now that they live in Oregon.  Vahnya Ana and Sasha are all about the same age look how cute they are.

Vahnya's first pumpkin patch

Vahnya's first pumpkin patch. We had so much fun at the Flower Farmer pumpkin patch. We went on a train, we got to pet farm animals, play on the hey stack and pick out our pumpkins, Vahnya had so much fun.


I remember last year standing in that same pumpkin patch dreaming of my little red haired boy running around. last year at this time we hadn't even met him yet. I can't imagine our lives without him now. GOD IS SO GOOD!
 

 

look at this preschool boy!

assessment today for early intervention

Vahnya had his assessment today for early intervention . They decided to asses him for the 0-2 age instead of the 3-5 age and I'm so glad they did. He did great but didn't say anything or sign anything little stinker. There was a young 20s maybe Russian girl there to help translate in case he knew Russian . She said he didn't seem to know anything she said and didn't respond to Her at all when she asked him a question in Russian or asked him to do something. The English speaking lady asked him the same question and he responded to her. So looks like he has forgotten any Russian he knew.All the babble he does that we thought may be Russian is just babble lol.



The nice thing about him being assessed at the 0-2 age is that they will come to our house to do his therapy. Since I teach preschool and do childcare in my home I am considered his teacher and they will work with us together. Instead of us having to send him to a preschool. I'm so happy about this. If they would have assessed him at the 3-5 age we would not have had that option.


Had to get a signed letter from his doctor saying he does in fact have Down syndrome lol then they will contact me to set everything up. I'm excited about this can't wait for him to start talking more then just one word at a time.

  I Also got to chat a bit with the Russian girl .She told me that her mom worked in a baby home when she was little and she gave me more insight about why people in Russia decide to let their baby that has special needs go to an orphanage. What she said sounded like she truly believed it was for the best. I so wanted to sit down with her and talk more. I know this is the way they think there. They think it is for the best. so when they send their children there they are not doing this because they don't love them, but because they think it is the best thing. I feel so bad for them and it gives me such sadness to know these parents do love their children they just don't know any better.I think that years ago here in the US we were the same way ONE DAY I KNOW THINGS WILL CHANGE AND UNTIL THEN WE CAN DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP.

6 months since Gotcha!

6 mo ago today was Vahnyas last moments in his babyhouse with his people he had grown up with for three years and 4 months.
                                         HERE HE IS WITH ONE OF HIS NANNIES.

 6 mo ago I had my baby boy in my arms alone for the 1st time to dress as I wished, feed what I wished and play with how I wished. He was finally after a year of loving him mine!

The other day he was sitting on my lap looking at pictures from his gotcha day on the computer he made a face and a sound and hit his hand at one boy over and over. I said is that your friend? he looks at me with a mean face and said NOOO! lol then he pointed at each of the other kids. I said is that your friend? he said du to each of them. He took the camera we use for Skype and tried to put it up , he wanted to Skype with his friends..I wonder how much he remembers.

Here is the picture I was talking about, the boy he didn't like is the one in the middle dark hair white shirt lol.

                                         First car ride

First friend (Anya)

This is the smile I got when he woke up from his first nap.

                                             First meal

First bath

He was 27 lbs and 28 inches when we took him from his baby home he now weighs 31 lbs 9 oz and is 37 inches in 6 mo. 

                                                              First night.

He has learned to love I mean really love. he has learned so much in just 6 months it is hard to believe that it has only been that long. I can't even remember when I didn't get to wake up to this sweet smile in the morning.

The only one regret I have about Gotcha day is that his daddy was not there with us.

How I love his eyes!

Oh how I love his eyes! there is just something about them, so beautiful, they sparkle with joy, he smiles with his eyes. Such a rich color brown and a wonderful almond shape, slanted ever so sweetly.Oh how  I love his eyes! They are just so absolutely beautiful!

Listen is God calling you?

Listen is God calling you to help Orphans?..... He calls us to many different positions to care for the orphans, none is better then the other, all of the positions he calls us to are important, all of his children are worthy of love. Maybe he is calling you to Russia, Ethiopia,Bulgaria or China. Maybe it's the US saving a baby from being aborted giving their parents another option thru adoption, or becoming a foster parent. Or maybe you donate to other families in the process of their adoption.Or you can be called to be the voice of the voiceless orphans locked away. .Maybe you are called to pray for the children or the families adopting.


Listen to your heart is God calling you? Will you listen?... Will you react?... Will you respond?... Your response could very well be a matter of life and death!....

Just look at this 9 year old little girl what would become of her if her family didn't listen and respond to the call to go get her? I don't want to even think about it. http://theblessingofverity.com/2011/08/my-baby/

FUN! with friends at mommy's daycare

smart boy can say 18 words and sign 19

Vahnya can say 18 words and sign 19 and after only being home for 4 months what a smart boy!
words he can say
no
don't
stop
up
hot
done
baby
step
hat
dada
Denzy (Kenzy)
Dosh (Josh)
Danda (Manda)
milk
hi
bye
owee
boo

signs he can do
swim
banana
milk
more
eat
done
please
thank you
love you
apple
bath
swim
daddy
mommy
sleep
cracker
bye bye or hi
hot

like a forest

I was looking into the forest  at all the  different trees.They were different in size, different in color.Some branches stretched out long to the sky, some stretched out wide to touch each other. Some were tall some were short. They all stood together  and it was beautiful.They were living in the same soil, they had the same sun shine on them, they all had the same rain rain down on them. They were different in ways but also the same. They were all all trees. If they were all the same it would be boring, it would just be row after row of the same tree. It made me think of the world how boring would it be if we were all the same. I'm so glad that God made each of us different yet the same!