Emily and I snuck down the hall to check blog and post...Daddy is on nighttime duty. He has already hit the ground running on training Kathlena...she is definitely 3yrs old and apparently all of those three years she has never been told "no". She is responding well and I am so proud of David...he is really doing well with her. She does not like to be held seated so we are training her to like it. The first time she screamed and threw a fit for 10mins or so before calming down, but she is showing improvement already. Andrew is stuck to J.Michael like glue. His three favorite words are J.Michael, Papa, and Chicken noodle. I am amazed at how it already seems normal to have Andrew and Kathlena with us.
Leaving the orphanage was bittersweet. The people really love these kids and they are so happy to have them go to a family but they are attached to them also. Dina at Andrew's orphanage asked if I would continue to send pictures by email. We did find out that Andrew received every email we sent...Dina even mentioned it to the judge in court. She said that Andrew was asking her all the time "how much longer? how much longer? it is taking too long". In court the Director of his orphanage told the judge that Andrew used to ask her all the time why a family had never come for him...she tried to console him that a family would probably come some day. She (Dina) said he has always wanted a family, so when we came the first time, he was so eager to go with us, and being in a family has been all that he has talked about since. The little photo album of us we gave him was the only possession he brought with him...his other gifts from us he gave to his other friends left behind. We also brought candy for the other kids which Andrew eagerly gave out to his friends. They all seemed so happy for him. He was still so proud of his photo album and looked at it over and over in the cab ride to Kathlena's orphanage. It has seen much wear and tear in the last 3 months. We are absolutely amazed at how smart he is...we are not sure if he will still be speaking Russian by the time we hit American soil. He repeats everything he hears, especially from J.Michael and Emily.
When we arrived at Kathlena's we were given some of her art work and a special little book that the orphanage made for her to take with her about her time in the orphanage. We even received a few young photos of her at 13 months and 19 months. She really liked her new clothes...she is all girl. She is very curious and active...I will be busy! We went back to Kathlena's group for her to say her good-byes. It was very hard on one of the caregivers...she made me cry. Some communication trancends language. It was very comforting to know that Kathlena was loved so much by the ladies that cared for her. She was ready to go, though! We made our rounds to all of the staff-the neurologist, director, social workers, etc. They were all very kind. We are so blessed. Will try to post pics soon of us bringing them from the orphanage.
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