Today's ramblings...

Well we spent our usual time with Alina today, for about 2 hours this morning and then again for 2 hours this afternoon. This morning we were in a little room off of the room where her groupa plays. She loves to look outside, play with her travel magna doodle and eat cookies!!! However this afternoon we took a pair of slippers from the hotel to her, and she spent about 90 minutes walking up and down the hall in those slippers!!! She loved them, even more than the Pocahontas movie we tried to watch with her!! She is growing more comfortable with us and doesn't appear to have grown tired of us just yet!

When we were there this morning, the Director stopped into the room we were in and Alina immediately jumped up and ran to him. He picked her up, talked to her by name, cuddled her, joked with her.... it was obvious that they are both very fond of one another. Truly, I am in awe of this man and the facility he runs. The buildings themself, from the outside, look how I expected them to look... old, a bit run down. But inside the buildings are sparkling clean, and more importantly, full of love. It is obvious that the people who work there, thanks to the example the Director sets, love these children... the kids are always willing to go with their caregivers and seem very happy. I am so grateful for the start that they have given Alina. While she was with us tonight she had to go to the potty and we took her to her groupa room and they brought us a potty seat and I went to help her and the caregeiver told me not to help, and Alina did it all by herself... It has truly given me an appreciation for all these people have done to help Alina grow and succeed. They don't look at her as having a disability, they don't look at her as delayed, they expect her to keep up with the other 3 year olds, and she does! Todd asked when we first got here if there were any typically developing kids in her groupa and the nurse looked at him sort of suprised and said "of course, how else would she learn!!"... what a testament to inclusion!!!

The reality of today is that Alina is very loved here... she has always known love and comfort from the people who have cared for her. That gives me a great sense of peace. However, it also makes me sad to know that we are taking her from the only family she has ever known. Her little friends in her groupa are like her siblings... they have always been together and they are excited to see her when she comes back to the room. I know she will adapt to our family. I know she will fit right in with her new brothers and sister. We love her completely. I know she will love us and I know in the long run we are giving her a much better life. I just pray that her adjustment and greiving for what she will be missing will not be too long or painful for any of us. If you could pray for that too I would appreciate it!