A Week of Firsts

Our first family photo, blurry and crazy, just like us.

First, let me point to a new page on the blog with more photos of Sophia's first week home.

Now ,how do I express what has happened over the last 11-ish days of being home and our family now having the love of 6 people instead of 5.  Let me start with each day has had a new event for her to absorb.  Some have been "simple" trips to the store, some have been lunches with old friends, some have been bigger events like getting her schedule and walking the halls in her new school.  Each has been met with the appropriate response.  Lunch and the trips to the grocery store are open and friendly.  Visiting a giant school with what seems like to me, thousands of 6th grade tweenagers running around with their aimlessly wandering parents, she was very subdued and trying to absorb and cope.  I know I was.  Holy cow, she will come home and give me the typical response all my kids give at the end of the day when asked how was school, "Good".  I on the other hand will need sedatives worrying about her first day of school. The doctor's appointment was uneventful.  Gatherings with the extended family that have come to visit, quiet at first, then typing away on the translator and laughing at crazy antics.  Sophia is doing about as well as can be expected.

Her English is also improving.  I find her more often telling me, yes yes yes, I know, I know.  Or I understand.  While she may not be able to express herself, which I can relate to, she is very capable in picking up contextual clues.  It's only a matter of time.  I have no doubt she will be speaking English faster than I can order a pizza in Russian.  My daughter is very smart and talented.  God has kept this child protected and nourished for all these years.

Now for the emotional side of things.  She is opening up more to Lisa and I.  The boys don't really try to talk with her, although, Adam does express his feelings for her, which is a joy to watch.  She can't help but smile.  Adam even insists on sitting next to Sophia at meals.  In regards to how she is expressing her feelings towards Lisa and I, that is still a work in progress.  We love her so very much.  Each night we tell her this before she goes to bed.  She has progressed beyond "Я тоше.", or a me too, to a full blown "I love you"...in English.  This took a little to get to, but in the grand scheme of things, waiting 5 days is easy.  Let me back up just a bit.  Once "gotcha day" came and this was really happening, a whole new flood of emotions and thoughts came to the surface.  Which is evident in my blog posts.  There is a little girl in her that is resurfacing.  The serious facade is starting to come down and she is laughing and smiling a lot.  She got more hugs in the last 11 days with the extended family being here than she's gotten in probably all dozen years...not counting the love I know she got in Alabama last year.  Last week was a relentless dosage of love that I am very grateful for.  Sophika even made and gave one of her possessions to Lisa as a birthday present.  The boys and I were way outdone by my daughter.  Not that Lisa was expecting anything from me, but this was a surprise!  Sophia wrote a birthday note in English and had gifts, plural!  Talk about humbling.  It's like the widow that gave two cents in the offering and Jesus says she gave more than the rich man who gives a larger quantity, but the widow gave all.  I will give you my all Sophia.
She has started 6th grade and so far, I do get the same feedback as my boys, "Good".  I know there is more to the story, unfortunately we just aren't getting it.  Maybe I'll try to get her to write her experiences down in her journal and she can share with us what she wants.  She is enrolled in a couple of classes designed to help her learn the language, not to mention EVERYTHING else being in English.  In addition, we have her taking English lessons from a tutor.  While we can't hold an in depth conversation, it's coming.

Sophia and Tyler

Some of the family and one-on-one events we have done are trips to the park, which apparently will make her giggle big time.  Something about the swings, or maybe it's watching the little guys play on the swings.  Either way, she really opens up and is not afraid to practice her English.  We have made chocolate chip cookies from scratch and when I told her that I like cookie dough, she made sure to scrape every last chip and morsel out of the pan so I had nothing to lick...the laughter that proceeded from her when I saw the bowl was precious.  Playing Jenga or Uno always brings a smiggle when we play.  Somehow the luck of the draw is usually in her favor and I end up with a stack of cards in my hands...again, much laughter.  I thank God every day for giving us Sophia.  I consider it a huge honor and privilege to raise you as my daughter.

I love you Sophia.

Japanese Steakhouse!