There are just a few hours left in 2010. Can't believe it. What a year, what a year! This year started with a trip back to Kaz. Along with that trip came lots of excitement, fear, anxiety, hope, basically every emotion ran through our bodies as we prepared to return to Kazakhstan in early January. We spent the first months of 2010 in Pavlodar restarting the adoption process. It was less drama than our 2009 trip but still...there was never a true stress free moment. I will never ever forget landing in Kaz and Sveta (our coordinator) telling us, No, we couldn't visit Ava at the orphanage b/c she was in the hospital. Heart. Sank. When we saw her she looked so bad...bright red checks, bloated, histartically crying. I remember crying after our first visit telling James that I missed our Ava. I was so mad that she wasn't home with us months ago so she could be in a family rather than in a hospital BY HERSELF! I didn't want to have to rebuild our bond, I wanted things to be the same. Praise God that it didn't take long for "Our Ava" to come back to us. We had another life changing 3 months in Kaz where we grew closer as a family, learned more about God's heart for the orphans of the world, and continued to form relationships people who would stay in our hearts forever. So, the first half of 2010 can definitely be summed up as life changing!
The middle of this year was a time of adjustment. I went from no children to a very busy 4 year old who had special needs, and a very specific agenda of her own. None of this, taking my newborn around with ME thing. I was immediately forced to change my life to fit her schedule, to meet her needs, to help her acclimate to a new life. When going through it I never thought of it as hard but now looking back, it sure was! But in those months I had so much fun finally being able to do all of the things I dreamed about doing with her. We went to the park, the beach, the movies. I was also able to see my parents become Grandparents, my sister become an aunt, and Ava become a Granddaughter and niece. What a blessing those first months home with Ava were. It is a time we will never ever forget.
And this last part of the 2010 year was so much fun! Ava grew up so much and really turned into the sweetest, funniest, brightest little girl we could have ever imagined. Her personality cracks us up every day, and her desire to be independent seems to only grow stronger. This year has been nothing short of miraculous! God is GOOD!!!!
We are excited to continue to see Ava grow in the coming year and to see what changes are ahead for our family. So thankful to have such a great husband that along for this crazy ride with me :-) We wish you all a very happy new year.
Gosh I cannot believe Ava has not even been with you for a year yet! I mean I knew that but she has just grown so much in this past year that I hardly even recognize that girl in the orphanage. She is such an amazing girl and I am so happy you decided to take on a mission so big. God's plan is so much better than what we could have ever imagined!
ReplyDelete