Well, I have not blogged in many months because, it seems at times, things move at warp speed and other times I just can't wait for a long, slow day to be over! But here we find ourselves with our 2 new addition home 7 months. We planned for 3 new additions, but sadly it didn't work out that way. After a long, hard fought battle to get them home from Ukraine before Dominic (formerly Denys or Dennis) turned 18, we made it home with only 10 days to spare, we have had even a harder fought battle for adjustment. Everyone said the adoption process was the easy part. I didn't believe them. I do now.
After saying yes to adoption the reality of what that actually meant didn't hit them until after court in Ukraine. With hubby doing the traveling alone, it made for tense moments in country and the fact that Russian aggression was moving into full swing while he was there didn't make it any easier! When they finally arrived "home" the greetings at the airport were exciting for everyone but them, especially Lina. She had gotten a major bought of "cold feet" even before court, but said "yes" and arrived very sad. Her grief pulled her very far under at times and it manifest itself in many different behavioral ways. And Dom's in even different ways. The first few months were hellish! But then the children we met during hosting, our children, began to emerge again. It is a very slow and tedious process at times, and with deep gratitude to our adoption counselor, we are slowly forming our new "normal". At times I wasn't sure we were going to make it through and come out on the other end as "family". But we are and we will.
Inside this new normal is new perspective. Seeing the world and life through their eyes and the eyes of many Ukrainian orphan, has continually been life changing for me. The questions they have, their perspective on life as WE know it, are difficult, fresh and eye opening and blinding at the same time. In future blogs I hope to address some of these eye opening in sites. Follow along if you like. I encourage you to read my past posts, especially the first one as it contains my disclaimer. I am honest with my feelings, and experiences, blunt, I have offended and I will surely offend again!
I have come to realize even more that the Starfish I set out to save have indeed saved me and everything I need to know I learned from orphans.
