Oops. Forgot our 9 Month Home Update!

This has been a busy week. We're having special meetings at church, so I haven't had as much time on the computer at night. Completely forgot our 9 month home monthaversary.

Oh, before I launch into that, I found out that Liana really DID do a Kindergarten curriculum for math. I feel better now that I wasn't a complete idiot not knowing what grade my daughter was in!

Adam is coming along with his attachment to us, and I think my surgery has helped that. I haven't wanted to really launch into what the deal is with that because Adam's friends' parents read this blog, so I don't really want him to be labeled any further than he already is. If you are in the process of adopting, please feel free to email me and I'll explain the situation for you. Might help you as you bring your own kiddo(s!) home.

Liana has NOT liked seeing me down with my surgery. We took the kids with to one of my appointments out of necessity (I couldn't drive myself, so Grandma took me and watched them in the waiting room), and Liana really seemed to become the little girl at the orphanage temporarily. She floated like a bee from thing to thing, and not wanting to obey for the rest of the day, and part of the next. I think she was really freaked out about the possibility that something might happen to me and that she'd be left to herself again like she was at the orphanage. Who knows, but that's my take on it. I'm just thankful she snapped out of it. When we were at the orphanage, our translator told us that the kids would be different at home, because they are stressed there. Stressed is an understatement. They were SOOOO stressed. High alert at all times, and very afraid to put themselves under anyone's authority but their own.

Aleksa has developed some wings this month in a lot of areas. She's more willing to just pull out her paints and project stuff and "go for it" instead of asking me, more willing to go and play with the other kids (neighbor kids, I mean), and more willing to play on playground equipment, and McDonalds playland stuff. We don't have to convince her anymore. She just has at it. She's also more willing to voice her feelings. This month is the first time she has told me anything about the orphanage at all. She has never talked about it before this month - and then it was only one sentence. "Mama, I'm glad we have a family now instead of being at the orphanage." Or something to that effect. She's never once said anything like it before or since. The other two, yes, but not her.

I'm healing up well from the surgery. My infection is under control, and is on the way out. No longer a worry, and no longer have to go in to the doctor for it.

Someone reminded me that our 1 year anniversary is coming up. Can't believe it! It seems like just yesterday our kids came home! Amazing. I'm going to have to start my little "Shoe and undies drive" for our Gotcha day. I want to send a big box or two to the kids' orphanage. I thought about blankets too (Liana told me the other day that they didn't have any blankets on their beds at the orphanage), but I think that will be for another time. I've been burdened about shoes and undies for those sweet kids for a long time, and I hope to be able to do something for them. I'll have to think about how to go about it.

Gotta run. The day has started without me!