One Year Home Today!

I put together a slideshow of Halle Grace's first year with us. The computer was extra slow tonight, so they are not in chronological order after the first few... :)

How blessed we feel today! Thank you, Lord!

A Happier Post...

Time for something a little cheerier, don't you think? :)
We are MOVING! It's crazy around here, but I knew if I didn't stop and blog now, it would never get done. We close on our new house on Tuesday and we'll start moving in slowly - hopefully to be finished after next weekend. I can't remember what I've posted about the house, but we are so excited about it! We love the neighborhood - it's small, full of kids, and right by the elementary school (the kids can walk!). The kids will have to switch schools, which is a bummer. But they will finish out the year at Liberty. They already have some friends at the other school (Hidden Lakes) from church and other activities, plus they'll meet lots of new friends in the neighborhood - they'll be fine. It's a great school and we know we'll be in good hands. Halle Grace's ESL teacher goes to Hidden Lakes as well as Liberty, so she's excited about that. The house is 2-stories, which is new for us - that is such a novelty for kids (not so much for me:). It's pretty much move-in-ready, which is so nice. We are changing a few things to make it our own, but it's in great shape.
I'll post pictures of it soon.

In other news, tomorrow is Halle Grace's first Homecoming Day! There are lots of different ways people celebrate adoptions - some celebrate the day they met their child, or the day the judge made them a family, or the day they picked up their child from the orphanage(known as "Gotcha Day"). For us, although all of those days were memorable, the day that stands out the most was the day Halle Grace arrived home for the first time. We were met at the airport by family and friends and it was the sweetest sight I'd seen in a long time! Halle Grace could hardly wait to see her daddy (who came home after court), and the way she ran into his arms that day is one of our most treasured memories. This was the day we were all united for the first time as a family. To celebrate, we're planning a big family dinner at a Hibache restaurant (great idea, Paras!), followed by cake (I love any excuse to make a cake!). Some dear friends gave Halle Grace a James Avery charm bracelet when we brought her home, and we got her a new charm for it as a gift. I think we'll do this each year on this day.

What a year it's been! I can't believe how much fun we've had with this precious little girl. She has brought a breath of fresh air to all of us. She has come so far and has endured more change than any kid I know without batting an eye. She has completely learned English, and unfortunately, completely forgotten Russian. She has learned to read, count, swim, ride a bike, ride a scooter, fish, camp, host tea parties, paint, build forts, love American food, pray, love God, love her family, love mint chocolate chip ice cream, jump on the trampoline, gymnastics, ballet, learned to make new friends...and much more...all in one year. That's quite an accomplishment, don't you think? It's amazing the way God brought her to us, and how she fits so perfectly. She talks occasionally about her life with her "bad mommy" (that's what she calls her), and at the orphanage, but it's very matter-of-fact. She just seems to be able to completely comprehend that that life is over, and now she is with the family she was meant to be with, and that's it! She sometimes gets sad when she describes experiences from that time, but she has never had a nightmare about it, nor has it affected her emotionally in any way. I believe that the Lord has healed her hurts - and I think she knows that too. Praise God for the way he moves mountains and works miracles!

Last week, on the way to church, Halle Grace blurted out that she believes God is real. How precious is that?! I could almost see God smile.

Happy Homecoming Day, Halle Grace! We love you!