April 15-16, 2010
Pictures:
Top: Fana, Galia and Yuli seeing us off
2nd: Momma and Yuli
3nd: Little Fana and Momma at the gate
4rd: Little Fana
5th: Yuli practices her ABCs
To say the last two days has been emotional is an understatement. We spent our last full day with the girls on Thursday...in the morning with our adoption facilitator Nikolay who came to the morning visit to observe the amazing progress we made during the week. And as life goes, both girls were in rare form...Fana was irritable and moody. Even Yuliya was reserved and all over the map. Rosi had told them that this was the last full day we would be there so I think they were feeling the emotions of it all. After a couple of hours though, they calmed down and Fana took us for a walk around the property. She brought me to the gate out of the orphanage and lit up as the cars blasted by. She looked at me and clenched my hand and her eyes said to me "can you please get me out of here!" Soon enough little girl, soon enough. Our afternoon visit was good - we met with the Director of the Orphanage to understand how the break (when we go back to Canada and the paperwork gets processed in Bulgaria) will work in terms of the girls not feeling like we've left and are not coming back. Actually, the support they receive is quite extensive and consistent in terms of getting them ready for leaving. They teach them English and communicate each day that we're coming back. We received some great news regading Fana -- we have arranged to get her special behavioral care with one of the best child specialists here. Her name is Galia and her and Fana have a great connection (she is the only person other than Gunther who will let her hold her). Galia will spend 2-3 hours daily with Fana and will take her to her country house on weekends. The ultimate diagnosis of Fana is that she is so stressed to be here -- she has completely shelled up. Everyone believes that when she has the one on one care she needs that she will flourish into a normal thriving little girl. We do not underestimate the work it will take to get there but when you meet this little girl, you'll see what we mean. Galia is our angel and we are so thankful that she has taken Fana under her direct care.
We spent our last evening at our favorite restaurant with Rosi and the Director of the Orphanage, Dona. She is an amazing woman, a doctor pediatrician. She told us more about Fana's stressed out state and was very reassuring...providing examples of other kids who were worse than Fana but came through and made amazing progress once the children left the orphanage and were in supportive, calmer and stable environments. She told us how advanced Yuliya is regarding her ability to learn. Yuliya counts to ten with me and repeats the alphabet to about M when she becomes distracted. Over this unbelievable meal (the restaurant actually gave me their own secret Bulgarian spices to take home) we felt so confident (more than we were) and excited about the future of our family!
Saying goodbye the next morning was really, really hard. We spent an hour or so with the girls...Fana was in a great mood -- bouncing around laughing and screetching. One of the things we learned over the course of the week and witnessed in our last visit is her LOVE of music, especially classical music. When she hears melody, her eyes open wide and it's like she sees the music. The doctors and specialists believe her love of music will be part of her life ultimately. It's really remarkable. The hour or so flew by and then it was time to say good bye. Galia brought the girls outside to wave goodbye to us and I found it really hard to hold it together but I did. Yuliya said to Rosi a couple of times "please take me with you, please take me with you." Hard stuff. As we pulled away it was Fana who was waving and smiling (knowing it had to be done but that we were coming back) and Yuliya was sad. Outside of the gate, I broke down into tears.
And so we were off to Sophia -- ripping through the countryside again en route to the lawyers/notary to sign the papers. We arrived in Sofia at 3 and were taken to a Notary office where we were ready to sign 5 documents stating that court proceedings would begin to finalize our adoption. Gunther and I signed all of the paperwork and so it's now official. Julia Sophia and Stefana Marie, both middle names honoring our mothers...would soon be ours. The only down side is that it can take up to 4 months...depending on the expediency of the courts here. What a tough 4 months this going to be...but we know in our hearts we will be back soon.
So we are in Sophia now for the weekend. This city is stunning....it is a sunny day and we are looking forward to walking all over the city. We are scheduled to fly to Munich tomorrow but who knows how that will go with this situation with the volcano. We'll see.
So the end of our stay here in Bulgaria winds down. This week has changed Gunther and I -- we have found something in ourselves and in each other that is indescribable...I guess it's something that comes with the love of your children. We are blessed to have found it.
We spent our last evening at our favorite restaurant with Rosi and the Director of the Orphanage, Dona. She is an amazing woman, a doctor pediatrician. She told us more about Fana's stressed out state and was very reassuring...providing examples of other kids who were worse than Fana but came through and made amazing progress once the children left the orphanage and were in supportive, calmer and stable environments. She told us how advanced Yuliya is regarding her ability to learn. Yuliya counts to ten with me and repeats the alphabet to about M when she becomes distracted. Over this unbelievable meal (the restaurant actually gave me their own secret Bulgarian spices to take home) we felt so confident (more than we were) and excited about the future of our family!
Saying goodbye the next morning was really, really hard. We spent an hour or so with the girls...Fana was in a great mood -- bouncing around laughing and screetching. One of the things we learned over the course of the week and witnessed in our last visit is her LOVE of music, especially classical music. When she hears melody, her eyes open wide and it's like she sees the music. The doctors and specialists believe her love of music will be part of her life ultimately. It's really remarkable. The hour or so flew by and then it was time to say good bye. Galia brought the girls outside to wave goodbye to us and I found it really hard to hold it together but I did. Yuliya said to Rosi a couple of times "please take me with you, please take me with you." Hard stuff. As we pulled away it was Fana who was waving and smiling (knowing it had to be done but that we were coming back) and Yuliya was sad. Outside of the gate, I broke down into tears.
And so we were off to Sophia -- ripping through the countryside again en route to the lawyers/notary to sign the papers. We arrived in Sofia at 3 and were taken to a Notary office where we were ready to sign 5 documents stating that court proceedings would begin to finalize our adoption. Gunther and I signed all of the paperwork and so it's now official. Julia Sophia and Stefana Marie, both middle names honoring our mothers...would soon be ours. The only down side is that it can take up to 4 months...depending on the expediency of the courts here. What a tough 4 months this going to be...but we know in our hearts we will be back soon.
So we are in Sophia now for the weekend. This city is stunning....it is a sunny day and we are looking forward to walking all over the city. We are scheduled to fly to Munich tomorrow but who knows how that will go with this situation with the volcano. We'll see.
So the end of our stay here in Bulgaria winds down. This week has changed Gunther and I -- we have found something in ourselves and in each other that is indescribable...I guess it's something that comes with the love of your children. We are blessed to have found it.
Such a wondeful, heartwarming story! So touching...we all can't wait to meet the girls, Julia and Stefana!!
ReplyDeleteThe saddest part is we all have to wait so long!! I thought it would be only a month before you got them, four months is torture!! It will all be worth it though:) *hugs*