I had to wake the girls for church today. They were so tired. I left Diana in Arielle's Sunday School class and she was not happy, even though another boy was there from her orphanage. She is a very obedient child, but her face expresses how she feels.
Diana knew we would be swimming at 2pm so she was patient and excited. She told me she knew how to swim. We had been invited to the home of a woman I met on-line who has a girl adopted from the Ukraine. Her daughter Olia has only been home a month and was really wanting to speak Russian with someone. Earlier I had talked with the mom, Colleen, and she was so nice and down-to-earth, I liked her immediately, and even more so after I met her in person.
Olia and the girls hit it off right away. Olia is a delightful girl, the same age as Diana. The girls splashed and played and had so much fun. Diana does NOT know how to swim. She is very reckless and fearless and asked several times if she could go in the deep end. Nyet!
Colleen had bought some velvet paint sets for the girls to do. All of them went to the table on the patio and started painting. Suddenly Diana was in tears. Good thing Olia was there to interpret. She said Diana said she loves America but will only be here 10 days. Her school is very bad, she said. I think maybe sitting around the table drawing reminded her of school. So back in the pool!
The girls talked us moms into swimming and then they had even more fun, but were very wild and soaked us. We had planned to just wade a little. I learned the Russian phrase for "Watch me!" because Diana kept saying it over and over. She also wanted the physical contact, me holding her up while she tried to swim. She is a big girl, but is really a little girl inside. The girls went inside and played Barbies a little and Olia did their hair and put perfume on them. Colleen and I talked. She is a special ed teacher and sees kids with RAD and all kinds of emotional problems. She said Diana does not seem to have any of those issues at all and everything she did was appropriate for her age.
Fred had a surprise at home. He had bikes out and filled the blow-up pool with water. The girls were thrilled. Diana rode one of the kids' bikes around the yard and then saw my bike in the shed. She was in awe and, of course, wanted to ride it. Around and around the house she rode with a huge smile on her face. "Watch me!" we heard over and over. Then the girls splashed around in the pool with Diana doing all kinds of silly things because Arielle and Liana were laughing at her. Fred says she was wearing him out just watching her. She is a high energy child. Not at all like Liana or Arielle.
Damien and his girlfriend came over to meet Diana and she jumped up from the dinner table and hid outside. She wouldn't interact with them at all. In fact, she didn't like me inside talking with them and wanted me to come out and watch her on the bike--again.
Finally we got all girls inside and bathed and headed for bed. Arielle is again painting Diana's nails. Suddenly Diana urgently wants to tell me something. She speaks louder and more clearly to help me understand. I'm so sorry I don't. She walked into the living room and began to cry. Poor Victoria, the host mom who speaks Russian, because I called her again. She is so gracious though and said she didn't mind. Diana was crying because she sleeps all alone, she said. She told Victoria there are two girls who get to sleep together and she wants to be with them. So easy to solve this problem!
We all sat together on the couch together in a big family cuddle. Diana wanted me to hold her. Then I let her choose where to sleep. In the bed or on the floor. She chose the floor with Arielle. As I was tucking them in, she motioned for Fred to come in too and we sat on the floor and said bedtimes prayers and kissed and hugged each girl. Oh no, we are falling in love.
Diana knew we would be swimming at 2pm so she was patient and excited. She told me she knew how to swim. We had been invited to the home of a woman I met on-line who has a girl adopted from the Ukraine. Her daughter Olia has only been home a month and was really wanting to speak Russian with someone. Earlier I had talked with the mom, Colleen, and she was so nice and down-to-earth, I liked her immediately, and even more so after I met her in person.
Olia and the girls hit it off right away. Olia is a delightful girl, the same age as Diana. The girls splashed and played and had so much fun. Diana does NOT know how to swim. She is very reckless and fearless and asked several times if she could go in the deep end. Nyet!
Colleen had bought some velvet paint sets for the girls to do. All of them went to the table on the patio and started painting. Suddenly Diana was in tears. Good thing Olia was there to interpret. She said Diana said she loves America but will only be here 10 days. Her school is very bad, she said. I think maybe sitting around the table drawing reminded her of school. So back in the pool!
The girls talked us moms into swimming and then they had even more fun, but were very wild and soaked us. We had planned to just wade a little. I learned the Russian phrase for "Watch me!" because Diana kept saying it over and over. She also wanted the physical contact, me holding her up while she tried to swim. She is a big girl, but is really a little girl inside. The girls went inside and played Barbies a little and Olia did their hair and put perfume on them. Colleen and I talked. She is a special ed teacher and sees kids with RAD and all kinds of emotional problems. She said Diana does not seem to have any of those issues at all and everything she did was appropriate for her age.
Fred had a surprise at home. He had bikes out and filled the blow-up pool with water. The girls were thrilled. Diana rode one of the kids' bikes around the yard and then saw my bike in the shed. She was in awe and, of course, wanted to ride it. Around and around the house she rode with a huge smile on her face. "Watch me!" we heard over and over. Then the girls splashed around in the pool with Diana doing all kinds of silly things because Arielle and Liana were laughing at her. Fred says she was wearing him out just watching her. She is a high energy child. Not at all like Liana or Arielle.
Damien and his girlfriend came over to meet Diana and she jumped up from the dinner table and hid outside. She wouldn't interact with them at all. In fact, she didn't like me inside talking with them and wanted me to come out and watch her on the bike--again.
Finally we got all girls inside and bathed and headed for bed. Arielle is again painting Diana's nails. Suddenly Diana urgently wants to tell me something. She speaks louder and more clearly to help me understand. I'm so sorry I don't. She walked into the living room and began to cry. Poor Victoria, the host mom who speaks Russian, because I called her again. She is so gracious though and said she didn't mind. Diana was crying because she sleeps all alone, she said. She told Victoria there are two girls who get to sleep together and she wants to be with them. So easy to solve this problem!
We all sat together on the couch together in a big family cuddle. Diana wanted me to hold her. Then I let her choose where to sleep. In the bed or on the floor. She chose the floor with Arielle. As I was tucking them in, she motioned for Fred to come in too and we sat on the floor and said bedtimes prayers and kissed and hugged each girl. Oh no, we are falling in love.
3 comments:
Dad and I enjoyed your blogs about the time spent with Diana. You have a real gift for writing! Thank you so much for allowing us to be a part of this special time!
~Becky and Dad
Deb - It sounds like you are having a great time getting to know each other. May God make it clear if Diana is to be your newest daughter. May he bless you richly.
- Bev from HSFCC
Thanks so much for recounting each day. Its wonderful to be able to follow along. Such emotions each day! Dominic
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