Happy New Year!

Just an update to anyone that might be checking in on us. Jordan is adjusting amazingly well. She loves dogs and all animals now. She knows how to swim and crys everytime we get out of the pool no matter how long we stay. She loves her new life in every way. Jillian and Jordan love each other more than I could ever hope for. Only God could give that gift. They are so much fun. Jordan is learning English quickly and learns everything quickly (good or bad). She loves Curious George, ice cream (as usual), choclate milk, bananas, toys, swinging, driving her Barbie jeep and tv. I have really not run into anything she doesn't like. She is happy and laid back and so much fun! She is definitely momma's baby and we are quite in love. Everyday she relaxes more and I don't know how life could be any better!

First Two Days. . .

There is no place like home! There is no place like home! That is an understatement.

We arrived at DFW airport about 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning. After about an hour of immigration and customs we were free. GranBob, David and Laura were there to meet us and when I saw their faces I felt like an exhausted racer that just crossed the finish line and all I wanted to do was fall down.

Dallas never looked better. I enjoyed every site on the way home from the airport. The hardest part of coming home was the absence of my dear Breaker, but every time I open the door I miss him so I guess that will just be the way it is.

Jordan did great from the first ride in a carseat to being whisked through the house by Jillian to see every room with no time to stop and take it in. The dogs flipped Jordan out totally and completely. Mom and Dad kind of flipped out at that, but they knew I would do it my way. I think she recognized that it was her room from the pictures I had shown her, but honestly it was alot to take in at the whirlwind pace it was presented to her. About 5:00 p.m. both girls were glassy eyed and I made a fatal error in judgement. I decided to let them go to sleep. My thinking was that 12 hours would put us to 5:00 a.m. and with any luck at all I could get an extra 2 which would be the time I would need to get them up to get ready for church. Any one that knows me knows that any time after 9:00 p.m. I turn into the wicked stepmother. Well at 10:00 I am awakend to the drama queen (Jillian) freaking out that her sister has gone missing. Because it was after 9:00 I was not concerned but needed to quiet the drama queen so we went to look for her. We found her in the recliner with Gran Bob. After hustling them back to bed I decided that there is nothing that makes you sleep better than a full belly. I was off to the kitchen and made 2 turkey sandwiches, brownie, and two glasses of strawberry milk. They ate and were tucked back in with a stern look and motion that you better stay in your bed. Not an hour later I again was awakened to the Mamma chorus. I went and threatened them with hand motions and mean looks and again went back to bed. About an hour later they were standing at my bedside. I quickly decided that my body would not get out of the bed again so I pulled them up in my bed and again gave them the look. After that about every fifteen minutes one or the other had to be corrected. A few hours later Jillian was tapping on me telling me a feather was on her lip. Not a great night.

I was bound and determined that Sunday we would get up and go to church and praise and worship God for what He has done for us. Getting up took a few prayers in itself but we did it. I was so proud to hear from Jillian's Sunday school teacher Sunday night that she did give God praise. Her Sunday school teacher told me that she told Jillian that they had been praying for us and she said that Jillian told her that God answered our prayers with her sister and an extra bonus of tvs on the plane. Jordan went to her own Sunday school class and my friend from Sunday school had her the first hour. She reported that Jordan was bossing all of the boys and hugging all of the parents that came in the room. When we picked her up she was still going strong. Jillian grabbed her and hugged her and said that she missed her so much. We went back in the afternoon for their choir and my Bible study. I have no idea what she sang in choir but she said she had fun. On the way home from church we had to scream and yell to keep Jordan awake. I was determined that I was going to sleep that night.

When my niece and nephew were little my brother use to wrestle with them and give them zerbits (lips on skin and blow). I always thought that it looked like so much fun so when I got Jillian we started the tradition at bedtime. I decided it was time to introduce Jordan to the tradition. She took to it right away. She was screaming and jumping and begging for zerbits. Our rule is that you have to call your zerbit when you do it. Jillian and I were laughing so hard from her pronounciation of zerbit that we could not stop laughing. Life does not get any better than this!

Today we took Jillian to school and for the first time just the two of us were together. We had a great time doing a little bit of working, running errands, and just hanging out. She is doing so much better with the dogs. They now run freely through the house and she just watches them. She is petting them all of the time and saying awww. She was happy to go and pick her sister up from school and play with her until bedtime. Today I got the sense that she was settling in.

Home Sweet Home

We are home. We arrived this morning about 10:30. When we touched down in Dallas, Jordan officially became a United States citizen. Wow, what an adventure!

Love,

Julie

Well today we spent the day once again passing the hours with walks and games and spending time with our friends. It was easier today as we know we are pulling out tomorrow. We went and said goodbye to our beach, our pigeons, our sea gulls, and the many cats we feed every day. We hope that some one will pick up where we left off.

It has been a great trip but so very long. We can't wait to get home and get back to living. We are also looking forward to introducing Jordan to our home, family, and friends.

Again, thank you again for all of your prayers and support through this journey. We will see you soon!

Love,

Julie

Closer and closer

The closer we get to our final journey home the closer we are all becoming to Jordan. The most noteable change is Jillian and Jordan. They have always gotten along and had fun together, but I guess looking back that Jillian was very enamored with Jordan and they had fun, but now Jordan is also enamored with Jillian. They have so much fun together and before Jordan was not crazy about Jillian always getting in her personal space whereas now she welcomes her to invade her space. Jillian wants to be next to her when eating (she smashes their chairs up against each other) Jordan does not even want you to touch her chair or plate. Tonight I was watching as Jillian did the chair smash and Jordan actually leaned down to help her with a smile. So cute!!!

Jordan is overcoming her fears. As we walked today from the beach up the stairs by the train to our bridge and then to our store a train was coming in. Jordan had a hold of my hand and squeezed tightly as she said train. We were so close we could have boarded it. After it pulled away she said chuga chuga choo choo and walked on. The biggest hurdle was jumped when we arrived back at the hotel this afternoon after our walk. We went to the playground because several other kids were there including Jillian's friends. As we neared I saw a dog running right in the middle of all the kids. I told Jordan so she could be prepared. She just ran straight for the playground and by the time I got there she and another little girl were throwing the ball to the dog. A couple more minutes later and she was taking the ball out of the dog's mouth to throw it to him. I guess she is ready for Faith and Lucy now. Perfect timing!

Our courier came back to day from Moscow with our paperwork. We are officially ready to come home now. I was not expecting the relief that I felt. Its over, yes I know I still have to get back home, but the ordeal is over. I don't have to think about it anymore. I know my friends will be grateful that I won't have to think about it or talk about it anymore. Life goes on. . . No more waiting or wondering if I will survive it. On with life . . .

Last Tuesday in Vladivostok

Today has been a great day. The first sign of greatness was the sunshine coming in our window. The second thing was to be awakened by an English speaking little one. The first ten minutes this morning it was as if the light bulb had turned on in Jordan's head. She told me everything she knew in English. It was so fun. We had school this morning followed by lunch and our outside time. We went to the playground and to the beach and to the store and back to the hotel playground. It has been a beautiful day. The girls had a new kind of ice cream at the store and liked it. We are back in now for the evening and the girls are watching a movie. Our courier should be back tomorrow from Moscow and we will just enjoy our time together until it is time to leave.

Love to all,

Julie

Progress

Today was another cold day but no precipitation so we were happy. We did get to go for our walk but it was a very cold one. Needless to say we had our own private beach today. We did not stay long because the winds were blustering at about 50 mph. Nonny and I explained to the girls they had to be tough if they were going to beach comb with us.

Jordan is really starting to get better on her English. She not only is speaking better she understands a little bit more of what we say. She is pronouncing the alphabet better which makes the alphabet song a little bit easier to understand. The words she knows for sure are:

up
apple
balloons
ball
ice cream
hello
Gran Bob
hi
good bye

After writing them that does not seem that great, but she is trying very hard and making progress. Yesterday the housekeepers gave her a new blanket on her bed and it had balloons on it. I thought she was going to do a double back flip. She is so proud of that blanket. This morning after she got up (she is always the first one up) and then came to get in bed with us she got back up to get her blanket and then did a dance about the balloons again. She has gone to pet it a couple times today. The other thing that she does that really gets to me is her style of crying. It is a heart wrencher, and I really don't think I am that gullable at least to tears. She has the sadest look come over her face first and then these huge crocodille tears come out of her eyes. By this time I am toast. Today on our walk, remember it was freezing, we went by the store. After telling the girls it was too cold for ice cream I went in the store to buy it. They were out of both kinds of the girls favorites. I went back outside to break the bad news. Jillian and Jordan were both jumping and squealing until I told them they were out and started to walk back to the hotel. I turned back to look at Jordan and here they came. It was so sad. Luckily I had bought their favorites at the big store in case it rained one day or something. After explaining ice cream at the hotel she was happy again and ready to go.

Love to all,

Julie