Today’s visit to see Julianna was bittersweet, as today is the last we will see her until we come back for court in approximately two months. We were happy to see her and play for about two hours. She hugged us both when she entered the room. We were told by her caregiver that she has not stopped talking about her Mommy and Daddy. She has told everyone that she will be leaving and her Mommy and Daddy will be taking her on a plane to go home. The interesting thing about this is that we nor the caregivers or teachers have discussed this with her at all. We have never mentioned going on a plane. Julianna is a very perceptive little girl.
Julianna is a bundle of energy. She loves to play with balls! Her caregivers have told us that when it comes to physical activity, she never tires. She has a strong heart and from her medical records, Julianna appears healthy. She certainly eats the food that they give her, as she is a strong little girl.
Everything that Kenny and I did today, she loved. Julianna modeled every action that Kenny made with the ball. When he would pretend to wind up, she would do the same. She threw the ball between her legs, over her shoulder, underhand, overhand, etc.
And then…Daddy got out the infamous, “I-phone” out. Just like Angelo, Julianna was intrigued. She liked listening to the Sesame Street tunes. As she watched Kenny turn it on and manipulate this piece of technology, Julianna picked it up when Kenny put it next to her. She figured out how to turn it on. She would look at the picture of Mommy and Daddy on the front until it would fade. So, out of the corner of her eye while she colored, she would peek at the picture, then quickly push the button for the picture to return. This was priceless to watch. Julianna then took Sveta’s I-phone and transferred the knowledge that she gained from Kenny’s to Sveta’s.
We showed Julianna all of the pictures that we took the last three days. The Deputy Director, Olga, had asked that we provide some pictures for a photo album that they are putting together for her to use in speech and language sessions until we return. In each picture, I would ask her, “Who is this?” and point to the people. She would say, “Momma” or “Yulia” or “Daddy”. She even identified the teachers and workers from the Home. She knew everybody in the pictures, even Sveta.
Julianna was disappointed that we didn’t go outside to play but, Sveta said that it was too difficult for the other children to see Julianna with her parents while they had practically no hope of ever leaving the institution. So, in their best interest, we played only inside.
The caregivers and teachers are very sad to see Julianna leave. They understand that she will be happy and have a family, of course a better life in the United States with many resources and opportunities. But for them, Julianna was a bright spot, a leader in her class, the model that all the other children followed. They could determine if their instruction was effective if Julianna could understand and do it. They could see great progress and success in their efforts with Julianna.
So we said good bye to our new daughter and told her that we had to leave for many days. We told her that we could not come to play tomorrow or the next day. We promised to come back to get her so that she can leave on a plane with us to go home. She understood everything that Sveta translated. She looked at us with a sad face, expressionless and no smile. We quickly redirected her to a game of ball until we had to leave.
We walked her to her “wing” in the home. Sveta had warned me, “Ann Marie, do not cry when you leave her. It will make it harder for her.” So, heeding Sveta’s advice, I fought back the tears when I knelt down to hug her knowing that it would be quite a few weeks before we could come back to get her. While hugging me goodbye, she reached around my neck grabbing at Kenny in a playful way. Kenny hugged her and kissed her, too. Then Julianna, the little love that she is, went to Sveta and gave her a hug goodbye too. We walked away, and who do you think was crying? That’s right, Sveta! I scolded her and said next time I wasn’t listening to what she said!
After our guest lunch again, we went to the notary to sign adoption documents to petition the court for her official adoption. We also signed a power of attorney to a representative here who will go with Sveta next week to the MOE to file our papers and to gather other documents while we prepare at home in the coming weeks our trip to return.
Mass today is at 6:00pm and we will be there to praise and thank God for the blessings that he has bestowed upon us during the last two weeks. By following God’s will, the path has been made clear.
Our plan is to blog when we return to the states on Kenny’s birthday.
Until then- thank you for your prayers and well wishes. God is good, all the time! All the time, God is good!
P.S. As I finish this blog, we have learned today that all adoptions have been halted here between the US and Russia due to the recent incident. So, please, please, we need everyone to flood heaven with prayers so that Julianna and all the other children effected will have the families that God has intended for them.
Julianna is a bundle of energy. She loves to play with balls! Her caregivers have told us that when it comes to physical activity, she never tires. She has a strong heart and from her medical records, Julianna appears healthy. She certainly eats the food that they give her, as she is a strong little girl.
Everything that Kenny and I did today, she loved. Julianna modeled every action that Kenny made with the ball. When he would pretend to wind up, she would do the same. She threw the ball between her legs, over her shoulder, underhand, overhand, etc.
And then…Daddy got out the infamous, “I-phone” out. Just like Angelo, Julianna was intrigued. She liked listening to the Sesame Street tunes. As she watched Kenny turn it on and manipulate this piece of technology, Julianna picked it up when Kenny put it next to her. She figured out how to turn it on. She would look at the picture of Mommy and Daddy on the front until it would fade. So, out of the corner of her eye while she colored, she would peek at the picture, then quickly push the button for the picture to return. This was priceless to watch. Julianna then took Sveta’s I-phone and transferred the knowledge that she gained from Kenny’s to Sveta’s.
We showed Julianna all of the pictures that we took the last three days. The Deputy Director, Olga, had asked that we provide some pictures for a photo album that they are putting together for her to use in speech and language sessions until we return. In each picture, I would ask her, “Who is this?” and point to the people. She would say, “Momma” or “Yulia” or “Daddy”. She even identified the teachers and workers from the Home. She knew everybody in the pictures, even Sveta.
Julianna was disappointed that we didn’t go outside to play but, Sveta said that it was too difficult for the other children to see Julianna with her parents while they had practically no hope of ever leaving the institution. So, in their best interest, we played only inside.
The caregivers and teachers are very sad to see Julianna leave. They understand that she will be happy and have a family, of course a better life in the United States with many resources and opportunities. But for them, Julianna was a bright spot, a leader in her class, the model that all the other children followed. They could determine if their instruction was effective if Julianna could understand and do it. They could see great progress and success in their efforts with Julianna.
So we said good bye to our new daughter and told her that we had to leave for many days. We told her that we could not come to play tomorrow or the next day. We promised to come back to get her so that she can leave on a plane with us to go home. She understood everything that Sveta translated. She looked at us with a sad face, expressionless and no smile. We quickly redirected her to a game of ball until we had to leave.
We walked her to her “wing” in the home. Sveta had warned me, “Ann Marie, do not cry when you leave her. It will make it harder for her.” So, heeding Sveta’s advice, I fought back the tears when I knelt down to hug her knowing that it would be quite a few weeks before we could come back to get her. While hugging me goodbye, she reached around my neck grabbing at Kenny in a playful way. Kenny hugged her and kissed her, too. Then Julianna, the little love that she is, went to Sveta and gave her a hug goodbye too. We walked away, and who do you think was crying? That’s right, Sveta! I scolded her and said next time I wasn’t listening to what she said!
After our guest lunch again, we went to the notary to sign adoption documents to petition the court for her official adoption. We also signed a power of attorney to a representative here who will go with Sveta next week to the MOE to file our papers and to gather other documents while we prepare at home in the coming weeks our trip to return.
Mass today is at 6:00pm and we will be there to praise and thank God for the blessings that he has bestowed upon us during the last two weeks. By following God’s will, the path has been made clear.
Our plan is to blog when we return to the states on Kenny’s birthday.
Until then- thank you for your prayers and well wishes. God is good, all the time! All the time, God is good!
P.S. As I finish this blog, we have learned today that all adoptions have been halted here between the US and Russia due to the recent incident. So, please, please, we need everyone to flood heaven with prayers so that Julianna and all the other children effected will have the families that God has intended for them.