Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Anya's Blog Button
Check out our button for sweet little Anya on the right side of the blog! Feel free to add it to your blog ;)! And of course a BIG thank you to my sweet friend Becky who took the time to make our button and so many others for our Reece's Rainbow family.
Monday, July 25, 2011
GOTCHA!
One year ago today we took Oksana out of the orphanage for the last time! She knows all about Gotcha Day and even reminded us as soon as she woke up this morning...mostly because she knows we are getting cupcakes! Here are some gotcha day pictures. She has changed so much!
Here is a video that Clayton made last year. He has wanted me to share it and I told him that gotcha day would be the perfect time!
Here is a video that Clayton made last year. He has wanted me to share it and I told him that gotcha day would be the perfect time!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Her name
I just thought I'd post briefly on Anya's name. I know that naming is a hot topic in the adoption community. People often wonder if they should keep their child's birth name or rename them. As you know we kept Oksana's name. The first time we heard it we absolutely loved it. Since she was already 5 it was a no brainer for us to decide to keep it. To this day I am thrilled with that choice. I love the her heritage is connected to her name and while it is sometimes mispronounced it is always a great opportunity to share our adoption with people. Because we kept Oksana's name our goal was to also keep the birth names of any children who followed, unless it was a name that would never fly in the US.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago when we first heard Anya's birth name. I can't tell you what it is until our adoption is complete but our first impression was, "OK we can live with that." So for a few days we used it frequently in conversation and shared it with some friends and family members. We found that as we used it more, we liked it less. We were getting strange reactions from people, which normally doesn't bother me but my own uncertainty about it was just amplified by this. I found myself wanting to say "I didn't name her" everytime someone asked her name! When we talked about it again we decided that if we changed her name we would want it to be something close to her birth name. We thought of a couple of options that for one reason or another wouldn't work but when the name Anya came up we knew that was it. It will not be a hard transition at all since it contains a portion of her real name and it keeps that Eastern European heritage that we love so much about Oksana's name.
For middle names we always choose a family name. Oksana is named after Larry's sister. Anya will be named after my grandma and great grandma, and Larry's grandma. They are all Rose or Rosemary so Anya will be Anya Rose.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago when we first heard Anya's birth name. I can't tell you what it is until our adoption is complete but our first impression was, "OK we can live with that." So for a few days we used it frequently in conversation and shared it with some friends and family members. We found that as we used it more, we liked it less. We were getting strange reactions from people, which normally doesn't bother me but my own uncertainty about it was just amplified by this. I found myself wanting to say "I didn't name her" everytime someone asked her name! When we talked about it again we decided that if we changed her name we would want it to be something close to her birth name. We thought of a couple of options that for one reason or another wouldn't work but when the name Anya came up we knew that was it. It will not be a hard transition at all since it contains a portion of her real name and it keeps that Eastern European heritage that we love so much about Oksana's name.
For middle names we always choose a family name. Oksana is named after Larry's sister. Anya will be named after my grandma and great grandma, and Larry's grandma. They are all Rose or Rosemary so Anya will be Anya Rose.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
New AFOs
I absolutely could not believe it when I got a call yesterday saying that Oksana's AFOs were ready. Just 2 hours earlier I had been telling a friend that I didn't think she could wait that long. Her AFOs were getting so small that they were really starting to give her trouble. They told us it would be 4-6 weeks. This was 10 days! When we went in I was surprised at how different these were designed compared to her old ones. These have a strap at the top of her leg and a hinge at the heel. They also have a long strap that creates a figure 8 around the AFO to strap her foot in. Here are some pictures to explain what I mean.
They made all of the necessary adjustments and then asked us to walk around for about 10 minutes to see if there were any areas rubbing her. She walked great in them and never complained. When we took them off there were just a couple of places where they were rubbing a bit so he fixed those and off we went. Sounds great but the jury is still out because since we got home she has done nothing but complain about them. It seems 10 minutes just wasn't enough to get the full affect of what they could do to her. I guess we will be calling them again soon but if you've ever dealt with AFOs you know that this is very common. To get a fit right the first time is a miracle!
They made all of the necessary adjustments and then asked us to walk around for about 10 minutes to see if there were any areas rubbing her. She walked great in them and never complained. When we took them off there were just a couple of places where they were rubbing a bit so he fixed those and off we went. Sounds great but the jury is still out because since we got home she has done nothing but complain about them. It seems 10 minutes just wasn't enough to get the full affect of what they could do to her. I guess we will be calling them again soon but if you've ever dealt with AFOs you know that this is very common. To get a fit right the first time is a miracle!
Monday, July 18, 2011
New Pictures
Every adoptive parent's dream....new pictures! Check out this amazing little girl! Oh my, I can't wait to get her home!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Our Newest Addition Revealed!!!
We have started the journey to bring home the cutie patootie that we are praying will soon become Anya Rose Loraine! This precious princess is 4 years old and she is in Bulgaria. It's a very different process than Ukraine and will take longer but we are already excited to get her home! A child with Cerebral Palsy and a child with Down Syndrome. I never could have guessed I'd be saying that!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Shriners
I had such high hopes for Shriners. Apparently too high because our day there went nothing like I expected. I would have to write a book to tell you everything that happened so I'll hit the highlights. We saw a PT and an OT. The OT was a waste of time, but whatever. The PT really listened to me, watched Oksana walk, and agreed that she needed some sort of assistive device to help her mobility in the community and at school. They pulled out forearm crutches and Oksana just carried them around. I have to admit, I didn't see that one coming. The PT then mumbled something about me finding a PT to teach her to use them and left. Then we saw a nurse practitioner. She asked me a bunch of questions and watched Oksana walk. Not sure why we saw her when the doctor was coming in right after her and asked me all the same questions. The nurse had a large mouth and Oksana made sure to point that out at least 3 times. I wanted to die. Then the doctor came in, messed with her legs a bit, watched her walk, and basically told me that I have no options. If she can't use the forearm crutches I have to wait until she is mature enough to understand how to use them and how they can help her. I asked her what she expected Oksana to do in school. She told me that she needs an aid to hold her hand. Ummm...I came here to try to give her independence not to have someone hold her hand through school. I was also told that she doesn't need botox. That's fine with me but I'm curious why AR Children's Hospital feels differently. Then they told me that they think she has a movement disorder because when she walks around she flaps her hands and makes jerky motions. Because of this they wanted her to see the neurologist who normally isn't in but happens to be there today and had 2 cancellations in the afternoon. She does these motions when she is acting silly, and I knew she didn't have a movement disorder, but I really wanted to see a neurologist to get another point of view on her MRI so I jumped at the opportunity even though it turned our day from a 3 hour day to a 7 1/2 hour day.
Next, they sent me off to get her casted for new AFOs. Apparently they had a better idea for how they could be done to help increase Oksana's stability. Now she will have a hinge at the heel. I'm willing to try anything, so she got casted and we will go back in 4-6 weeks when they come in.
After casting we had 2 hours to kill before neurology so we got some lunch.
Our neurology appointment started with Oksana being examined, and it was a rather thorough examination. After examining her, the doctor left the room to consult with another doctor and didn't come back for about an hour. When they both came back they watched her walk (Oksana knew those halls well by the end of this), and then actually showed me the MRI and explained it to me which was great. His prognosis wasn't quite as grim as the one we got from Arkansas Children's Hospital. Then I mentioned the "fluffy brain" vs. "shrunken brain" comment that they made and he immediately pulled out his measuring tape.
I'll stop here to mention that we committed to Oksana knowing that she had a diagnosis of microcephaly on her records. When we got to the orphanage the doctor assured us that it was an incorrect diagnosis. Any time we have mentioned it to a doctor they have looked at her and basically brushed it off. This, however, was the first time that someone ever pulled out a measuring tape and wouldn't you know it, her head measures at 2% on the growth chart which is more than 2 standard deviations below the norm and therefore falls in the range of microcephaly. If you can be shocked and not shocked at the same time it describes how I felt. He then said that this gives her more of a grim prognosis for her ability to function at a "normal" (I don't like that word) level. So while the diagnosis is new the prognosis really hasn't changed.
I still think I'd like to talk to another doctor about this but after doing some research it seems that we need to face the reality that we are likely looking at microcephaly now.
We came home exhausted and now I have to process everything I was told. High on my to do list is finding a therapist to help her use forearm crutches. Falling through the halls at school and grabbing onto other kids to get her balance is not an option....neither is having her hand held all the time. So as you can see I have a lot to think about in the coming weeks.
Next, they sent me off to get her casted for new AFOs. Apparently they had a better idea for how they could be done to help increase Oksana's stability. Now she will have a hinge at the heel. I'm willing to try anything, so she got casted and we will go back in 4-6 weeks when they come in.
After casting we had 2 hours to kill before neurology so we got some lunch.
Our neurology appointment started with Oksana being examined, and it was a rather thorough examination. After examining her, the doctor left the room to consult with another doctor and didn't come back for about an hour. When they both came back they watched her walk (Oksana knew those halls well by the end of this), and then actually showed me the MRI and explained it to me which was great. His prognosis wasn't quite as grim as the one we got from Arkansas Children's Hospital. Then I mentioned the "fluffy brain" vs. "shrunken brain" comment that they made and he immediately pulled out his measuring tape.
I'll stop here to mention that we committed to Oksana knowing that she had a diagnosis of microcephaly on her records. When we got to the orphanage the doctor assured us that it was an incorrect diagnosis. Any time we have mentioned it to a doctor they have looked at her and basically brushed it off. This, however, was the first time that someone ever pulled out a measuring tape and wouldn't you know it, her head measures at 2% on the growth chart which is more than 2 standard deviations below the norm and therefore falls in the range of microcephaly. If you can be shocked and not shocked at the same time it describes how I felt. He then said that this gives her more of a grim prognosis for her ability to function at a "normal" (I don't like that word) level. So while the diagnosis is new the prognosis really hasn't changed.
I still think I'd like to talk to another doctor about this but after doing some research it seems that we need to face the reality that we are likely looking at microcephaly now.
We came home exhausted and now I have to process everything I was told. High on my to do list is finding a therapist to help her use forearm crutches. Falling through the halls at school and grabbing onto other kids to get her balance is not an option....neither is having her hand held all the time. So as you can see I have a lot to think about in the coming weeks.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
The Stumbos Visit
The last four days have been a long time coming. Back when we first committed to adopt Oksana I emailed Ellen when I saw Oksana's picture on her blog and found out that she had adopted a little girl from the same orphanage. Shortly after that we talked on the phone and she told me more about Oksana, Ukraine, the orphanage, and the process. We continued to talk and email all through our paperwork process, during our time in Ukraine, and after we got home. We Skyped as families, as couples (after the kids went to bed), and just the two of us. We said over and over again that we wanted to get the girls together but nothing worked out until now! It was truly an amazing moment when we all met for the first time. Ellen and I were squealing in my driveway! Then we brought Nina in the house to see Oksana and this is what happened:
Notice how Oksana kept staring at Nina and touching her. After this moment they all came in and it was as if we all had known each other forever. Have you ever met a family where every member of their family clicks with every member of your family and you form and instant friendship? It's a rare thing to find but a huge blessing when you find it! We spent one day hanging out at home, playing, running through the sprinkler, and BBQing. The next day we went to the indoor playground at our church with some other friends that are part of the Down Syndrome community here. In fact one of the families adopted a little girl with Down Syndrome from Ukraine last year as well! If you didn't know, the Stumbos also have a precious girl with Down Syndrome so they already had some friends in this area. Then the boys all went to a Cardinals game in the evening and the girls stayed home to play! On our final day together we went to the Butterfly house and then met up with Renee Garcia and her family who adopted a child with Down Syndrome from the same groupa as Oksana and Nina. The Garcia's were moving to Colorado and stopped in St. Louis on the way through to meet up with us and, again, some families in the Down Syndrome community here.
After that it was time to say goodbye to the Stumbos. I told Oksana that she needed to say goodbye and she said "But I love Nina!". They hugged and Nina said "I will miss you Oksana" in the sweetest voice. I teared up big time but managed to hold it in so I didn't look like a complete blubbering idiot! We miss them so much already and are looking forward to planning a trip to their house. The Lord has truly blessed us with these friends. To think that we were brought together by 2 orphans in Ukraine is just crazy. Enjoy the pictures!
From Left to Right Nina, Oksana, and Ellie having fun in the bounce house.
All of the girls playing play dough.
Oksana and Nina playing in the sprinkler together.
Little Miss Nichole...she makes me smile :)
I love this picture of these two!
This is sweet Dasha who was also adopted from Ukraine by my friend Julie.
3 of mine!
Stumbo and Loraine kids minus Nichole.
The first time Oksana agreed to go down the slide without being on our laps was when she could hold Nina's hand while going down.
Then at the bottom she would put Nina in a headlock, otherwise known as a hug, for a picture!
At the Butterfly House
The whole crew...try getting them all to look and smile...not gonna happen!
Do you know what I love about this picture? These girls are no longer fatherless!
Sweet Ellie, we loved getting to know her!
All of the moms at the park. Ellen and I are on the table and from left to right on the bottom is Renee, Adrienne, RK, and Julie.
Oksana, Kellsey, and Nina....Three girls from the same baby house in Ukraine in matching outfits courtesy of Renee ;).
All of the little Ukrainians!
All of the girls at the park.
And a few of the big boys!
Me and Ellen. I hate goodbyes!
Notice how Oksana kept staring at Nina and touching her. After this moment they all came in and it was as if we all had known each other forever. Have you ever met a family where every member of their family clicks with every member of your family and you form and instant friendship? It's a rare thing to find but a huge blessing when you find it! We spent one day hanging out at home, playing, running through the sprinkler, and BBQing. The next day we went to the indoor playground at our church with some other friends that are part of the Down Syndrome community here. In fact one of the families adopted a little girl with Down Syndrome from Ukraine last year as well! If you didn't know, the Stumbos also have a precious girl with Down Syndrome so they already had some friends in this area. Then the boys all went to a Cardinals game in the evening and the girls stayed home to play! On our final day together we went to the Butterfly house and then met up with Renee Garcia and her family who adopted a child with Down Syndrome from the same groupa as Oksana and Nina. The Garcia's were moving to Colorado and stopped in St. Louis on the way through to meet up with us and, again, some families in the Down Syndrome community here.
After that it was time to say goodbye to the Stumbos. I told Oksana that she needed to say goodbye and she said "But I love Nina!". They hugged and Nina said "I will miss you Oksana" in the sweetest voice. I teared up big time but managed to hold it in so I didn't look like a complete blubbering idiot! We miss them so much already and are looking forward to planning a trip to their house. The Lord has truly blessed us with these friends. To think that we were brought together by 2 orphans in Ukraine is just crazy. Enjoy the pictures!
From Left to Right Nina, Oksana, and Ellie having fun in the bounce house.
All of the girls playing play dough.
Oksana and Nina playing in the sprinkler together.
Little Miss Nichole...she makes me smile :)
I love this picture of these two!
This is sweet Dasha who was also adopted from Ukraine by my friend Julie.
3 of mine!
Stumbo and Loraine kids minus Nichole.
The first time Oksana agreed to go down the slide without being on our laps was when she could hold Nina's hand while going down.
Then at the bottom she would put Nina in a headlock, otherwise known as a hug, for a picture!
At the Butterfly House
The whole crew...try getting them all to look and smile...not gonna happen!
Do you know what I love about this picture? These girls are no longer fatherless!
Sweet Ellie, we loved getting to know her!
All of the moms at the park. Ellen and I are on the table and from left to right on the bottom is Renee, Adrienne, RK, and Julie.
Oksana, Kellsey, and Nina....Three girls from the same baby house in Ukraine in matching outfits courtesy of Renee ;).
All of the little Ukrainians!
All of the girls at the park.
And a few of the big boys!
Me and Ellen. I hate goodbyes!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
A couple of quick videos
The first part of the video is of Oksana talking. A lot of people ask about how she talks. She has a significant speech delay. At the 6 month mark I did a video of her talking and I asked her questions to which she knew the answers so her speech was fairly clear. In this video you get a better idea of what her speech is like because she is trying to tell me a story. Here you can see the delay much more clearly. Excuse the messy hair, we had just pulled out a pony tail!
The next part of the video is of Oksana going down a slide. It is absolutely hilarious how slow she goes! She LOVES to slide but she is petrified of going down fast so she creeps down super slow!
The next part of the video is of Oksana going down a slide. It is absolutely hilarious how slow she goes! She LOVES to slide but she is petrified of going down fast so she creeps down super slow!
Friday, July 1, 2011
Busy Day and Waiting for the Weekend
WHOOO...I'm going to sleep well tonight. I started my day by taking Oksana out to get new glasses because she broke them (this is a monthly occurrence but this time we live in a new place so we couldn't get the same ones again) and a haircut. Here is the new look:
Then we came home, had some lunch, and went outside to play. The boys set up a slip and slide and she LOVED it. There are definite benefits to having big brothers!
Tonight Larry and I are going to get a date night!!! I wonder if we will know how to act!
If your still wondering about adoption #2 I promise I will tell you as soon as I can. I still am not at liberty to say anything.
Finally, we are very excited to be preparing for the arrival of the Stumbos this weekend! If you don't already know this story, Nina was Oksana's best friend in the orphanage. She left the orphanage in Dec of '09 and Oksana left in July of 2010. We've become very good friends with Nina's family and they are coming to stay with us Sunday through Wednesday! We absolutely can't wait to finally meet in person and to reunite the girls. We've decided that we are going to video tape their reunion. I'm very curious to see what they do. I think they will act shy! While the Stumbos are in town we are going to enjoy 4th of July together, get together with some other RR friends in the area, and all of the boys are going to enjoy a baseball game together. It will be a blast! MANY pictures to come!
Then we came home, had some lunch, and went outside to play. The boys set up a slip and slide and she LOVED it. There are definite benefits to having big brothers!
Tonight Larry and I are going to get a date night!!! I wonder if we will know how to act!
If your still wondering about adoption #2 I promise I will tell you as soon as I can. I still am not at liberty to say anything.
Finally, we are very excited to be preparing for the arrival of the Stumbos this weekend! If you don't already know this story, Nina was Oksana's best friend in the orphanage. She left the orphanage in Dec of '09 and Oksana left in July of 2010. We've become very good friends with Nina's family and they are coming to stay with us Sunday through Wednesday! We absolutely can't wait to finally meet in person and to reunite the girls. We've decided that we are going to video tape their reunion. I'm very curious to see what they do. I think they will act shy! While the Stumbos are in town we are going to enjoy 4th of July together, get together with some other RR friends in the area, and all of the boys are going to enjoy a baseball game together. It will be a blast! MANY pictures to come!
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