A Story About a Girl

I couldn't help myself to one more-just for those who might still want to know-

She is doing GREAT! I can't believe how natural she is fitting into our family, and the things we were worried about are all unfounded fears. There is so much good about her-every day she amazes me. She screams and laughs when I grab her off the floor. She is curious, loves to crawl around as fast as she can scoot, and loves our dog (they are getting along great, she get's to kiss and pet him, he get's to eat all the food she drops).

She loves cell phones, and ALL the toys and THINGS that she get's to touch. She still fills her hands with the goods, and puts the death-grip on things, Orphanage-style!

She likes to go to her brothers' little league games. She still can't walk, quite yet, but is close. So she stands at the fence, holding on, and yells for them!

She is singing songs, learning new words every day, and yes-see's me and says Dada! Her brothers are her favorite-she watches them with big eyes, smiles and goes after them. They love her every day, and we all race to pick her up when she wakes up.

Last night we were at a graduation party for our nephew, and she just loves the family and seeing new people. So fun to watch how she has changed. One thing she hasn't seen, is another toddler. There was a little girl there two months younger, and Sylvi's eyes lit up when she saw her. She kept wanting to touch her, to stand by her and look at her. We forgot how strange this new life must be for her. Absolutely no kids her age around-all of a sudden. She was surrounded by them before, every day. Not that she misses the Orphanage, of course. But I wonder if she is missing them, her little buddies.

I keep thinking of that other sweet little blonde girl, still in the Orphanage in Siberia. The bland room, the smells, and the sadness. I thought about it last night, at this party. 80 degrees, sun going down and the cool air coming through the trees. Watching Sylvi in her pretty dress, surrounded by green grass, gorgeous homes and yards, more food than anyone could eat, drinks, tiki torches lit, music, happy games in the yard, beautiful people and laughter. So many people waiting to pick her up, to make her laugh again. So much hope. All these kids, with big, bright futures. Anything they want to do, they will do. And then, there is that little blonde girl, and the 99 others in Baby House 1.

Sylvi is home, and all of it is a memory. Such a powerful journey to find this little girl and bring her home. The finite details of the adventure already are starting to fade, but this story of our family will always be in my mind. I think, that when I'm old and forgetful, when memories fade from my past, some things I won't ever lose. Some things happen to us in our lives, that shape the way we think every day, the way we act and behave. People see Sylvi, hear her story, and they say how lucky of a girl she is. Yes, I agree. But maybe, God took care of her from the start-and knew what we all needed, without us even knowing. We are all born from someone. We might have our father's hair, or our mother's eyes. A grandparent's dimple, or different skin color. But two people don't make a baby into a girl, and certainly not a person. We are all born in this world, where we live and who gives us birth is either all luck, or something greater. I can't believe in luck. So instead, I am blessed. Someone at work asked-what will we tell her when she asks where she came from? We will tell her the truth-That you were born in our hearts, not mom's tummy.