One drop...

Have you ever watched a drop of water in a pond....the ripples keep going out and out...larger and larger.  That is what the adoption world is like....one tiny drop and slowly more and more people touch your life and you are able to touch their lives.  Maria and Zack's story has touched so many people's lives...it has rippled out, brought new and amazing people into our lives. 

I have a great friend in Valerie who adopted one of Maria's friend about a year and half before Maria came home.  The two of us continue to plan on a reunion for our girls. 
I have a new friend in Sherry who is working hard to bring Zack home....hopefully she will have him in her arms as soon as possible.
So many new PAPs in the process, asking questions, seeking counsel.  Some are bring home older children and anxious to have someone who has been walking down this road to help them along the way.  I don't know if I'm the right person, but I am trying to support them in their journey....the way so many of my adoptive parent friends supported me.
New friends in Bulgaria in Toni, who took a chance and got Zack's file (most likely to get me to stop sending her emails where I was BEGGING her to get it) and Desi, who works for a human rights group.  She is visiting the different social homes to ensure that the children are being cared for properly.  She has also agreed to help 2 friends who were left behind....J and S.  Today I got an email from her....I was told that Desi got to meet J and S.  She is helping to get them back on the waiting child list.  She is working to help them be able to have a chance for a family!  Tomorrow she meets with the city's social service agency....the ones who have to help with getting the kids on the waiting child list.  This is also the agency that didn't have their report ready for Maria and my court date last May....So, here is hoping and praying that Desi can move mountains....that J and S's files will start to move!

I also have to say that another one of our ripples is in Maria's social home family....the doctors and staff there really are part of our family.  I know that might sound strange, but they have so much love for Maria.  She was and still is their princess.  They miss her.  The director Dr. U even thinks of her like his daughter....he misses her terribly....so much that he is trying to keep his distance to protect his heart.  I completely understand his reasoning....he will always have a special place in my heart and I hope that one day Maria can see him again.  It is one of the reasons that it is important that Maria maintain her Bulgarian....and she is, hasn't lost any of her Bulgarian and she has been home for almost 7 months!

Snow!!!

Oh snow....one of the joys of living in Iowa in the winter is the weather.  Ok, so there are times when I do not like snow.  I have had concerns about how Maria will manage in the snow for obvious reasons.  I have worried about it being too slick and her falling....but I also know she has to try.  So when it snowed prior to Christmas break she tried walking on snow and did a great job!  But the snow was short lived and she did not have snow pants at that point.  Today it snowed again....started off with the lightest snow and gradually got heavier.  We had a couple inches of fluffy snow.  Maria and I had a fun day staying warm and then decided that enough snow had fallen that she could go and play in it.

So, what prior experience has Maria had with the snow?  According to Maria she and Zack would get to go outside in their wheelchairs for short periods of time to play in the snow.  Not much time....never out of her chair.  Today was different....she walked outside (I was there in case she needed me), she got to sit on the ground (with a little help) and play!

She kept saying "Poor crutches."

She loved brushing the snow off her snow pants.

Update on Zack

Today I got an amazing gift that brought tears to my eyes....new pictures and a video of Zack.  The family that was going to his orphanage was there on Monday.  They had his belated birthday gift with them.  The pictures were from Monday and played out from him rolling in to watching the facilitator open the US mail box and handing him the box of Legos to flipping through the album of Maria.  The video was of Zack flipping through the album making comments and asking questions....and lastly blowing a kiss to Maria or "Mimi" as he refers to her and to me.  I was so excited to show Maria.  She loved the pictures and had the biggest smile on her face during the video....just like Zack did while he was looking at his best friend's pictures.

The other great news is that today they told Zack that he has a family working to bring him home.  I was told that he was a little preoccupied looking at Maria's pictures that this news wasn't the huge amazing Hallmark moment we would all expect it to be....I was told his eyes did get big.  I'm sure it is hard for him to believe at the same time.  I hope that it does give him the hope to keep his spirit up and pray that his family is able to get there soon.

6 months home

I know I'm a few days late with this post.  Maria has now been home for 6 months!  It is hard to believe where we are now verses a year ago.  This time last year I was dealing with an unethical in country agency trying to get everything worked out.  After much frustration and anger it did get worked out and now I get to celebrate Maria being home with me.  I have no contact at all the the in country agency with the exception of the post placement reports (PPR) and very limited contact with my US agency.  To be quite honest the other adoptive families I have met along this journey are the ones who have been my biggest supporters.  They were the ones who supported me from afar while I was on my pickup trip.  They are the ones who were honest about the time frames and what to expect.  I am so happy that I now get to pay their support forward to other adoptive families in the process. 

As for Maria....she continues to do well.  She is becoming more and more fluent in English while maintaining her Bulgarian.  She is becoming more comfortable at school and doing better with her school work.  She even sang in front of the talent show with other 5th graders this past Friday.  He personality continues to become more and more her own.  Still a perfectionist at heart....but more willing to accept mistakes than she was.  Still sensitive and shy in a way.....but forever growing emotionally and opening up with the love she has in her family.  Still working on her telling when mom is teasing her.  Still ticklish....but now requests to be tickled.  Showing her maturity all the time.  She has been so responsible with her pierced ears.  She is just amazing and I love spending time with her.  I'm so excited to see what the next 6 months brings in our lives.

Happy Birthday Zack

Today (Bulgarian time) is Zack's 12th birthday. I have no idea how he is celebrating it, even if he is celebrating it. I know at his old doma they had a little party and got some gifts. I know some of the staff would do Maria's nails and other girly things on her birthday. But I don't know what is happening right now for Zack and to be honest it is a little heartbreaking to me. I wish he knew that a family wants him and is working on getting him home. So, right before Christmas Maria reminded me about Zack's birthday. I ended up contacting the NGO working on his file and asked about getting him a gift. Well, it just so happens that a family will be at Zack's doma the week of January 7 and they are willing to take him a gift from us! We got him a Lego set and a photo album filled with pictures of Maria since the last time he saw her. I hope to send more pictures when his new family is ready to travel on their first trip.

This weekend I was also blessed by the foundation founder sending me several photos of Maria and Zack from right before I picked her up in June. I quickly shared these photos with Zack's waiting family and Shelley who helped to find them. I also thought I would share a couple with you.

 

Now, Maria has been told that she needs to wait before dating...mom just isn't ready for that stage of life yet!

Happy Birthday Zack. I hope and pray it is a good day for you and that the small gift you get in a few weeks will brighten your day and remind you that we do love you. Waiting anxiously for the day you and Maria are together again!

 

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Chicago week

We had a fun time in Chicago the last few days. Maria was very excited to hang out with her cousins there. She and Scarlett are already good friends. In fact we found the snuggling together while sleeping one night. It was very cute!

We did go to the Bulgarian market for some goodies. Both ladies we met last time were there again. One came up and talked to Maria right away and helped her choose some goodies. The other we saw when we checked out. She was already chatting with an older lady in Bulgarian and then forgot to switch to English for me. I just laughed and said that's ok Maria understands. Which then lead the older lady to ask me questions about Maria. I kindly explained that Maria was adopted from Stara Zagora and had been home almost 6 months and that we are working hard to maintain her Bulgarian. I was told that was good and that I should send her to Bulgarian school at least one day a week. Unfortunately there isn't a Bulgarian school in Iowa....but I did explain that we Skype weekly with people in Bulgaria which seemed to make her happy. It is nice to see that the Bulgarians here want the kids to maintain part of their birth country. Oh, and we couldn't leave without Maria being given some free gifts again! This time a mouse pad and a sinch sack.

We also attempted making gingerbread houses...yeah didn't work at all, but it was fun to try. Yesterday we went to Shedd Aquarium. We saw many things. Maria loves penguins after seeing Mr. Popper's Penguins...so that was high on her list. We also now have a pink and white penguin (toy) named Cotton Candy (per Koa's suggestion). The Shedd was fun, but very tiring...too many people. In fact Maria couldn't get out of her wheelchair the entire time because of the crowds. It is also amazing the number of people who can see you coming and just stand there in the way.....I don't know how many times we had to ask people to move just to get Maria through the crowds.....but other times people were overly considerate of us. I guess it just shows you that there are many people who make up this world.

 

 

 

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Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone. Today marks 6 months out of the orphanage for Maria! Yesterday, we stayed all day with my parents. We watched a couple movies, made cookies and treats, had a visit with my grandparents and went to Christmas Eve service at my parents' church. Lots of fun.

Maria hanging out yesterday morning....wishing her cousins would come soon!

I found this red sweater for Maria on clearance at Target. Love it....just was surprised by how grown up she looked in it. I think she is going to be quite the beauty as she continues to grow up.

Maria gets a kick out of the animals....this would be one of my parents' cats....a very gentle giant.

We did have a surprise by my niece spending the night last night. She was too tired to go to 11pm  mass with her dad. This morning Maria got to have pancakes and watch a Christmas movie with her cousin while we waited for my brother and nephew to arrive. Then onto the opening of gifts. Maria had fun with everything.

Stocking time!

Yes, she finally got a bike helmet. Her uncle is very much into bikes and wanted her to have one of the best helmets out there.

Her gift from the cats...it was 100% black Pippin themed.

Playing with some of the American Girl things she got.

Overall we had a nice day. We are spending a quite night at home and will be working on multiplication facts....ongoing item of contention in our house. I say she has to learn them, she would rather avoid them. Off to make an easy dinner. Hope everyone had a nice holiday with their family too. So happy that this year Maria is with me!

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