A M A Z I N G!!!!

Oh the much awaited update, right?

In a word, A M A Z I N G!!!!! Truly amazing!

I trusted God would work out all the details throughout and after Marni's adoption but never in a million years did I imagine He would "show up" so unbelievably much. It's not that I doubt Him or think He is not capable but rather just because things don't go perfectly, it doesn't mean God's not in it. I totally expected Him to be in it but I still figured it would take lots of "Michelle" work and prayer. However, it has not been so.

Marni has blossomed so much in the past week and a half alone, I am truly blown away. I figured 6 months down the road we could be where we are now. She is so loving, so fun and so smart. Nadia and Marni are so stinkin' cute together at home. They enjoy playing together and they encourage one another in their weaknesses.

Marni sees Nadia using the "big girl" potty and now will use it too (which she previously was not comfortable with and refused to do). Nadia sees how physically able Marni is and is working harder to do things that do not come easy to her. Yesterday Nadia pulled herself up to the bathroom counter from the floor, then bent down to move the step stool, then stepped up to the sink!!! That is HUGE and AMAZING progress! She is letting go of some of her fears and trying hard to do the things she sees her sister doing. Same with dressing and undressing....Nadia sees Marni do it and now has a greater desire to do it herself. Marni is learning to sit and color and even do wooden puzzles with Nadia. The girls hug and kiss, giggle, sit together and want to do and be the same.

I SO had hoped that someday the girls would be close and would encourage one another and help each other but did I think I would start seeing this after Marni was home just one week? HECK NO! But we are seeing it! Nadia was so discouraged and broken-hearted, so we prayed over it one night together....the next day EVERYTHING changed! It was AMAZING!

I see them becoming partners in crime too LOL Nothing major, more funny than anything but I will have to make sure they don't start to takeover LOL

When Marni was at the orphanage they had her on 3 doses/day of some herbal drops, 3 doses/day of an anti-psychotic medication and 2 doses/day of a tranquilizer. I am SO happy to report that she has been weaned off of ALL of it with the exception of the one dose of the tranquilizer to help her sleep peacefully through the night. She is a restless sleeper at night and her body probably has been come quite dependent on the the meds. She will see the pediatrician on Tuesday, and will hopefully be changed to a better med that she perhaps will eventually be weaned off of. AND it's important for me to share that there were NO advantages seen with her on the other meds. NONE! Her adjustment has been better than any other adoption. I think it's because she lives in the moment and isn't worried about all the details and what ifs! However, I was going to use her backpack as a diaper bag (the one we used in Ukraine) and she freaked out...she must have thought I was going to take her back. :( I put the backpack away and we have not had any problems since.

This child smiles, laughs and engages so much better off the meds and in our home. She loves her family and we ALL love her SO much. She is so stinkin' adorable.

God has "shown up" in so many ways but another is through the energy he has given me. She is a busy child (although at home she is not like she was in Ukraine...I think she is much more settled in and comfortable, no so overstimulated with the "new") and she is my 6th child in the house and of course with Nadia's needs, I need energy. I have struggled with energy for years but God has increasingly helped me in this area and I have not been having any issues with that. I am enjoying pretty much every moment I have with all the kids. The big kids are helpful but I definitely am not looking to place the load on them, I intend to be MOM. My heart is so full of JOY, I was born for this.

I hope to have time for more updates soon. I just know there will be so much more wonderful news of her progress and adjustment to report that it will be hard to keep up but I want to share.

Blessed Beyond Measure

I cannot thank you, my friends and family, enough for praying us through and praying us home. God's hand has been on this adoption, as it has on each other but this one in such a different and unique way to the others that it was more than clear we truly were called to adopt this precious child. We are so incredibly blessed once again, I am at a loss for words.

We made it home safe and Marni is doing GREAT! She is enjoying her big brothers and sisters without hesitation, and they are enjoying her. Nadia is having a little bit of a harder time not being the "baby" and probably some disappointment that her little sister, for now anyway, isn't responsive to her love. Marni wants to be twirled and tickled, and needs to be cared for and watched over in ways that Nadia just can't at this time. So for Marni, Nadia is just someone to try and push off her Dora couch because she wants to take over. So it's hard for Nadia but we will make it through. Everyone will learn from each other and God will take care of the details.

Thanks again for your prayers, trust me, I wouldn't have made it through without them.

Final post from UA?

This will probably my last post from Ukraine. :))

Today we received Marni's visa with no troubles. The hardest part of today was dealing with an already busy body child without a nap. I am hoping it turns out to be a good thing. I fed her an early dinner and laid her down for bed around 4:30. I was trying to hold out until atleast 6 but mama needed a nap too. So I slept for I think an hour and got up to pack and straighten up the apartment. It is now 7:40 and I'm going to try to get some sleep in case Marni wakes up to play.

The driver will be here at 4AM to bring us to the airport for our 6:45 flight (that's 11:45 EST Tuesday night). I believe we have a 2 hour flight to Munich, 1.5 hours layover, then a zillion hours to Charlotte ;) We are scheduled to arrive in Charlotte at 3:35PM EST Wednesday. That should be about a 14 hour journey. PLEASE pray for us. Not only for safe travels but also that this is not a nightmare experience with my little squishy (Marni). I am hoping and praying I will be pleasantly surprised. In any case, hopefully the Dramamine will keep her ears and belly calm and ....well, knock her out! :))

See you on the otherside! Praise God! (I have tears of JOY).


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Even better...

the passport and document were sent on an earlier train and are both in my possession!!!

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Quick update....

All that was needed to be accomplished today was successfully completed! The passport is on the train to Kyiv, scheduled to arrive tonight. Tomorrow we will have our interview at the Embassy @ 2:00 and get her visa AND WE'RE DONE!!

Please continue to pray us home!
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Really wanted to post....

an update, so much about her wonderful progress and our time together that I want to share but there's no time left tonight. I need to get in bed as we need to be out the door just after 9 in the morning & I'm so tired already...so no moving in slow motion like I prefer. ;)

I DO want to ask for prayer though. We are going to the Embassy in the morning. Should not be a problem but there were a few concerns so I really would appreciate the prayers. Specifically, we need prayer that all of the documents we are submitting are correct and there are no issues with not having the ones we intend to submit on Tuesday.

Also, VERY IMPORTANT, please pray that Marni's passport and a replacement document is received on time tomorrow, with no delays or issues. We need a fax of each immediately once received in Kharkov then the originals overnighted for arrival in Kyiv Tuesday morning.

If any of these things don't work out, as we believe they should, we will NOT be able to fly home Wednesday. There is no room for mistakes....PLEASE PRAY!

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Totally Zonked!

Really hoping she doesn't fall off the bed again tonight.

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Life-sized Baby Doll

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Friday in Kyiv

Its getting cold! The temperature seems to have dropped quite a bit all over Ukraine. So much so that there should be lows as low as 30 for at least the next several days with a chance of SNOW by the end of the week! Prayerfully we will be home by then.

There does not seem to be heat on in the building yet but I'm using the space heater in the bedroom. Tonight I warmed our pajamas before putting them on. :) Marni really seemed to like that after her bath.

So tonight we are in a different apartment than last night. I can't believe this one is only $9 more per night. We left the last one because the dusty old mattress was killing me and forced me to setup camp on the floor in the middle of the night. If I knew we could have had this apt at such similar cost, I would have never even attempted the first night.

We are quite comfortable now. The bed is better, the apartment is newer (inside anyway) and doors for every room which makes it a lot easier on me as Marni is a lot like Curious George. :)

She is still a busy body but really doing so well. What joy it brings my heart to feel & see her beginning to bond with me. She loves the Ergo carrier..its been a great bonding tool. She now wants me to pick her up often which is good (bonding & attaching) but she needs to use her abled body to walk too as I already have a child that needs more physical assistance getting around. So we are working on both.

She enjoys putting her head on my chest while I rock her sitting on the edge of the bed. Tonight I sang to her while rocking her and she turned her head to watch my face. She had the same look of awe that an infant has examining her mothers face as she comforts her. Truly sweet.

And more to be grateful for...she's been a magnificent sleeper. She napped for 3.5 hrs today and still went to bed quite easily tonight.

Well, my Embassy appt is scheduled for Monday morning. Please pray there are no issues with her passport Monday so we can make our flight on Wednesday.


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