Day 5, Tuesday

My heart is heavy tonight. We're halfway through Diana's visit and I'm grieving the loss of her. I love her but I don't think I can parent her. Fred says we are too old and we are concerned about our other girls and the impact on their lives.

The girls slept late today. Diana has decided she doesn't like any of our food and only ate apples and barbeque potato chips today. I took her to the grocery store but the only thing of interest to her were the lollypops at the bank inside.

Another family is here from out-of-state and hosting another girl from Diana's orphanage. They are cooped up in a hotel room so I invited them to come over. Their girl was fine here but the mom says Nadia is extremely difficult. Nadia and Diana were very aggressive with each other. I have never seen any of that from Diana with Arielle or Liana though. When this girl was here, Diana called me Mom. She is very affectionate. She's noticed that I hold my girls' hands when we are in a parking lot or on the street and she wants me to hold hers too.

We went to church again for the VBS. I told Diana through the translation site and she didn't protest so she must have had fun the day before. She seemed to have a great time tonight too. I was mistaken about the t-shirt. She did make one and it was hanging with the others. When I asked about it, I guess she didn't understand.

We had an issue with some half dollar coins Diana had. She wanted me to hold them for her for awhile and then came and got them later. I asked where she got them but of course we didn't understand each other. Then another boy ended up with them. Larisa, the translator, found out somehow and came to me. I had no idea what was going on. It turns out the coins belonged to Arielle! After much discussion the story came out. Arielle had opened her piggy bank and showed them to Diana. I don't know when they ended up in Diana's pocket. She told Larisa Arielle gave them to her. Arielle said she did not. Larisa talked to Diana a long time about trust and lying and how no one in America would like her if she was not honest. She was crying in the middle of craft time at VBS. She was so afraid Arielle wouldn't like her anymore. But of course, Arielle still likes her. Arielle is a good girl.

All the girls just had their baths and again, Diana wanted bedtime prayers in a circle with Papa. Lots of hugs and kisses followed. Diana found a baby doll, wrapped it in a blanket and it is lying between her and Arielle on the floor. She is really a loving girl.