Today I was looking through some photos and came across some of the first pictures I ever saw of the girls in Ghana.
I love this picture of Grace. She's got the"weird mouth" face. When she first came home and was over-stimulated, or didn't understand something, she would make this face.
This is face I see today!
The "mom, are you crazy?" face.
It just amazes me how far the girls have come in almost nine months. I remember at the beginning Grace probably understood half of what we said and Mariama would translate for her.
After you receive your referral you get to send welcome bags to your kids letting them know about their future family and these pics were taken by another mom who was there when our girls received theirs! I just love their faces.. especially Mariama!!
This is me with a friend of the girls, she and her family are amazing and really added to my experience there. It's funny because I really miss the SMELL of Ghana.. the burning trash smell. It doesn't smell like Bourbon St. or anything.... but the dirt, the goats, the chicken's.. the dirt, the heat.. I really loved it.
Shawn made the second trip and he didn't love the dirt as much as me. LOL! But I was so glad he was there to bond with the girls and bring them home.
As you can see they warmed up to each other just fine
This photo was taken right before the chicken pox, home a few days.
Then it was off to school with LOTS of shots to get before we go.. FUN.
So many things to try for the first time
It's funny because up until about two months ago I could throw Grace up on my hip with no trouble, she was like air. Now, she's heavier and is really growing!
Mariama was so shy when she started school that when I went to register them I had to leave her outside the office door, she cried because she couldn't come in, even though she could see me 10 feet from her thru the glass door. The same girl 8 months later sang into a microphone in front of an entire group of singer songwriters, waiting through five or six sets to sing her song about Jesus. Last week she climbed the 5 story Alpine Tower at Camp Wigiwagon, straight up a vertical pole and waved to me from the top. She has laser focus, this one.
People tell me all the time when they meet the girls how laid back they think they are.. how peaceful and adjusted. I'm not sure what they expect them to be doing (and I mean this is a nice way) but they are truly beautiful spirits as all children when given the chance.
Believe me, everyday hasn't been paradise. Over Christmas break I had to call on Jesus a few times because now we are raising twins, Holly and Mariama are a month apart.. and you better
that took some adjustment time.
But all is bliss now and they have bonded.. much of the struggle came from Mariama not understanding words, lingo, and the frustration Holly felt from saying.. "ROBBIE!!! We just went to the aquarium and Mariama said she doesn't know what an AQUARIUM IS!!!!"
But we worked it out..
So on that note.. just wanted to chronicle our journey from there to here and wanted to tell you that if you are thinking of adopting please do it. It brings an undeniable joy. Foster care, domestic, international or whatever path you may take. And please don't judge people about their choice. That choice comes from personal and individual situations within their family. The world is a big place and we are all connected.
I love this picture of Grace. She's got the"weird mouth" face. When she first came home and was over-stimulated, or didn't understand something, she would make this face.
This is face I see today!
The "mom, are you crazy?" face.
It just amazes me how far the girls have come in almost nine months. I remember at the beginning Grace probably understood half of what we said and Mariama would translate for her.
After you receive your referral you get to send welcome bags to your kids letting them know about their future family and these pics were taken by another mom who was there when our girls received theirs! I just love their faces.. especially Mariama!!
This is me with a friend of the girls, she and her family are amazing and really added to my experience there. It's funny because I really miss the SMELL of Ghana.. the burning trash smell. It doesn't smell like Bourbon St. or anything.... but the dirt, the goats, the chicken's.. the dirt, the heat.. I really loved it.
Shawn made the second trip and he didn't love the dirt as much as me. LOL! But I was so glad he was there to bond with the girls and bring them home.
As you can see they warmed up to each other just fine
This photo was taken right before the chicken pox, home a few days.
Then it was off to school with LOTS of shots to get before we go.. FUN.
So many things to try for the first time
It's funny because up until about two months ago I could throw Grace up on my hip with no trouble, she was like air. Now, she's heavier and is really growing!
Mariama was so shy when she started school that when I went to register them I had to leave her outside the office door, she cried because she couldn't come in, even though she could see me 10 feet from her thru the glass door. The same girl 8 months later sang into a microphone in front of an entire group of singer songwriters, waiting through five or six sets to sing her song about Jesus. Last week she climbed the 5 story Alpine Tower at Camp Wigiwagon, straight up a vertical pole and waved to me from the top. She has laser focus, this one.
People tell me all the time when they meet the girls how laid back they think they are.. how peaceful and adjusted. I'm not sure what they expect them to be doing (and I mean this is a nice way) but they are truly beautiful spirits as all children when given the chance.
Believe me, everyday hasn't been paradise. Over Christmas break I had to call on Jesus a few times because now we are raising twins, Holly and Mariama are a month apart.. and you better
that took some adjustment time.But all is bliss now and they have bonded.. much of the struggle came from Mariama not understanding words, lingo, and the frustration Holly felt from saying.. "ROBBIE!!! We just went to the aquarium and Mariama said she doesn't know what an AQUARIUM IS!!!!"
But we worked it out..
So on that note.. just wanted to chronicle our journey from there to here and wanted to tell you that if you are thinking of adopting please do it. It brings an undeniable joy. Foster care, domestic, international or whatever path you may take. And please don't judge people about their choice. That choice comes from personal and individual situations within their family. The world is a big place and we are all connected.
Our whole family enjoyed seeing these-we were all gathered around the computer admiring your gorgeous girls. :) We need to get a phone call going to let these cousins talk sometime soon Robin!
ReplyDeleteFabu
Keep Grace away from me because I want to eat her with a spoon! You have a big heart.
ReplyDeleteWow-it was so great to see the pictures from the past to present. Thanks for sharing them with all of us. Your girls really seem like they have such beautiful spirits on the inside, as well as out! Hopefully I can meet them sometime in the near future.
ReplyDeleteLove the photo journey of the girls. Grace still looks so TINY though! Has that child grown?
ReplyDeleteWhat great photos...amazing. And the post below, the first one of the dog is wonderful...and yeah, watch out for Suzy Soro :))
ReplyDeleteRobin: Is Suzy followin' you and making comments to a schedule? :)
ReplyDeleteNice to see you over at my place; if you take off your 'no-reply commenter' status (which you find in profile, you click the email button) then I can answer your comments, which i like to do :)) But lovely to hear from you...
ps: love to Bubba :)