Flashlights Rule!!

Deonna is now going to bed on her own. We read a couple of books and after that she has a princess flashlight that she uses to look at the books after we turn out the light. She is so cute. She is usually asleep in ten to fifteen minutes. I believe she feels safe now. Her english is amazing. She doesn't remember her first language. Only mishka, kookla and Booshka. She is taking speech once a week and is doing great. She also started swimming lessons a few weeks ago. She loves it. She did fall in yesterday but I didn't panic and neither did she. She just jumped in again when it was her turn. She loves to play Go Fish. We are trying to teach her that it is okay to lose. lol But, boy, when she wins she does a major happy dance. My mom and Dad finally met her a few weeks ago. She acted like she has known them forever. They think she's perfect, of course. I am excited for what the future holds. All I will say is that I find myself missing bits of Ukraine. A kind of yearning to return. My husband does too. Like I said, who knows?

First trip to the zoo

We made our first trip to the zoo today. It's about an hour and a half drive from our home. We went with Booshka and my sister and her kids. We had so much fun. Deonna loved the animals. She kept looking for Horton (elephant). She was happy when she saw them but she was a little disappointed that he didn't have his "speck." She love the butterfly garden. Butterflies would land on you and stay. It wasn't crowded and the weather was perfect. She was amazed at all of the animals. She is so curious about everything. I love watching her explore new things and loving every minute of it. We have been talking with her about laying down by herself at night but she cries and gets really upset. I feel that she is ready but she will not have any part of it. I told her we will start in a few days. I hope it works. God bless!!

Bittersweet

My!! Has it really been almost a month since I last posted?! Time gets away from me!! I wonder why? I am devastated to read the blogs from families in Ukraine who are not receiving good referrals. The children are there!! It seems so crazy and unfair. I will continue to pray for everyone and for the children who are being left without great families all in the name of money!!!!
Okay!! Enough of that. Everyone here at home is doing fine. Deonna continues to improve in her language and cognitive development daily. She is a master at the scissors and loves to draw now. Even things that are recognizable now. She loves school. We bought her a mini trampoline with the safety netting and she loves it. She needs some help in her gross motor skills and she is getting braver. Our next goal will be to pedal a bike and swing. She loves music and will sing her heart out with any song. Even if she doesnt know the words she pretends to. It is so sweet. Easter was great. Some friends of mine who have children her age went egg hunting with us. She actually went on three egg hunts that day. She had a blast.
Back to the adoptions again. I cant get it off my mind. I check the peoples blogs daily and hold my breath and pray. Please pray for these families and children. God bless!!!

Many blessings!!

I can't believe it has been so long since I blogged. The days go by so fast. I wonder why!!?? Deonna is continuing to do great. She loves school and her english is improving daily. She speaks mostly english now all the time. She has been trying to figure out the "Easter" thing. She loves to hide the eggs and find them. But she tells her cousins where she hid them.lol She is so excited about her easter dress. She calls it her Cinderella dress. She is more interested in coloring and doing some worksheets on letters now than before. She is so tenderhearted. She cries while watching Disney movies. She cries everytime on Beauty and the Beast and The Fox and the Hound. It's as if she's watching it for the first time everytime. She is trying many more foods now. I think we've had one boiled egg in a couple of weeks so that is a major accomplishment. I still wish she wouldn't hug everybody she meets. We are still working on that. I am excited to read that a few other bloggers have accepted rerferals and are very happy. But, I am so sad for the few who did not get good referals and it didn't work out for them. I pray for these families and for the healthy children I know are there. May God continue to bless every family and child.

No castle!!!

The days are flying by. If they could have only went as fast while we were in Ukraine. Deonna is doing great. She uses very little Ukraine language now. She does have a small speech problem. She cant pronounce the letter R,M or V. We are going to meet with a speech teacher soon. She is doing good in school. Of course, she's way behind the other children in her class, but the social skills are improving and she is more interested in books and coloring than before. She did get a sad face on her paper today for telling the gym teacher no. We talked to her about listening to her teachers and we took her "castle" away for the day and she couldn't watch her new Beauty and the Beast movie tonite. She wasnt happy about either one. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better. She is also eating more foods than before. We can actually go for two or three days with no eggs!!! That is huge!! God Bless!!!

Blessed Day

Today was the best day yet. First of all, Deonna loves school. She is so sassy when she walks in that school. Her backpack is bigger than she is. She talks about her friends and the teacher says she is doing great. She loves ballet also. She practices at home and loves any movie with dancing in it. Cinderella and Barbie Swan Lake is her favorites. She knows so much english now. She says, "Are you ready, Momma?" She knows big and little. Boy and Girl, School bus, red, purple, blue, I could go on and on. I am so happy for her. She saw some pictures of the orphanage tonite and she couldnt stop talking about it. She acted like she was excited to be able to talk to us and we could understand her. She told us about a few of the children who peed in the bed and got spankings and had to wash. She pointed out one of the caregivers and I called her Momma E. and she looked at me funny and said No, You Momma. My heart melted. I am now her Momma!!! She is so loving and sweet. The Lord has truly blessed us. Good luck to all you soon to be parents and God bless!!!

Gaining Strength

I havent't posted in a while due to the fact that I was terribly sick. I mean salmonella sick. I truly thought I might die. I couldn't believe it. I go to the Ukraine and try to be so careful about getting sick due to the bathroom facilities and water and then 5 weeks after I get home I get salmonella from Cracker Barrell! Go figure!!!! I was in the hospital for four nights and had to leave all the nightly responsibilities to poor Kev. He did a good job though. I missed Deonna so much and thougth that she was probably very confused. I was just another Momma who had left and wasn't coming back. It broke my heart. When I did get home she was happy to see me and I recieved my first kiss and hug for no reason and without asking yesterday. My heart is full!!! She has started ballet and loves it but she starts her first half day of school without me tomorrow. She seems very excited. We got her backpack and snack ready tonite and she was so proud. I know she misses being around other children and she will do great. I'm not sure about me though. She is only going three days a week for four hours a day. Not too bad. Everyday her english gets better and better. She seems to understand everything we say. Pray for a great day tomorrow. God bless!!!