Urban Goes Country

Today I have been thinking about what genuinely good and decent people there are in the world. And how blessed we are to know so many of them. Did you know that we have received several packages in the mail in the last few weeks. Some were people I've never met before, who heard about our need for clothes for Zoya, and rummaged  through their kids' closets or shopped on ebay. One sent gifts for the other kids too, just so they wouldn't feel left out. I posted a message on an adoption yahoo group, and a random stranger who I had never spoken to sent us two cans of nutritional supplement to help Zoya put on some pounds. I am encouraged that there are people like this in the world who have a soft spot for children and who go out of their way to help a friend or a stranger in need, even if it means having to pay for shipping. Thanks to all of you.

Zoya continues to pick at her food. The odd thing is the orphanage told us she had a very good appetite. We can't figure it out. Last week I took Hope to the pediatrician (she ended up having croup BTW, bless her little heart). I went ahead and took Zoya and had her weighed. I was thinking I would encourage myself by seeing some progress on the scale.  I add butter, Karo syrup, cream, half and half, mayonnaise, ranch dressing etc to her foods hoping to sneak in a few more calories. I make her carnation instant breakfast with whole milk and karo (which she will barely touch). While the rest of us have skim milk in our cereal, Zoya gets whipping cream. Would you believe in 3 weeks she hasn't gain a single ounce??? :( Not even one.

So we will keep working. It has been time consuming and tiring but she is so worth it to me. Meanwhile I have asked three times for a consultation with a cleft palate specialist, and haven't heard back one word. Sigh. Should I keep calling or be patient? They keep telling me they will call. I watch her eat and what I think is happening is that she has worked for so long to keep the food from coming out of her nose, that eating has just never been a pleasant experience for her. She sniffs when she drinks and it appears that this is how she has mastered getting the food and liquids down. We have another appointment in a couple of weeks so hopefully we should have a better plan then.

So many things are making sense to me now.
1. Why the nannies tucked Joseph's shirt in and pulled his waistband up to his armpits
2. Why Joseph was not allowed to play with the water hose
3. Why he had so many scrapes and bruises the day we met him
4. Why the Nanny kissed me on both cheeks and shed a tear when we arrived to adopt him. ha ha ha

He is as busy as a bee, and has his second black eye since he's been here. Remember he was already missing his front tooth so he looks like a hockey player. We have finally figured out a plan to keep him contained in a safe child friendly area and we are all much happier. He is really the sweetest thing, and just a little bit ago when I put him to bed he motioned for me to lay down with him, which I did, and he pulled the blanket up over me and smiled. I am so in love with that boy.

John told me yesterday that our former babysitter Christina messaged him and said she was going to be coming home from college this weekend and wants to babysit our kids for us. All 7 of them. I am so excited!! See what I mean about the good people in this world?