A year later...We Celebrate Gotcha Day!

This day will be forever etched in my mind, just as I remember the birth of my other children.  I could imagine what the birth of my children would be like and how I would feel when they arrived.  With Mahaela's adoption, I couldn't really wrap my mind around it.  I didn't know how full I would feel or how instant the love would be or how satisfying it would be.  Each of those things came at different times and in different measures...but it happened.  I couldn't have hoped, dreamed, or prayed for this adoption, transition, or first year to have gone any better than it has.  This blog has been a year of mostly writing about our adoption process and Mahaela.  I do have 4 other children that are no less special or loved by me.  I could write about any of them...but I would probably lose the 12 followers that I have!  I think I have felt most led to blog so that I may savor this process and experience, as it is unlike any other.  I also feel in some way that it will be a very preserved memory for Mahaela as she grows up.  And so for now, I keep trying to update occasionally.
Below are two segments of the same video of Mahaela leaving her orphanage.  Poor little thing...she didn't even know.  She was so ready and willing to leave all that she knew and no one was stopping her.  I am sure that by the time we tucked her into bed that night, she was done with us and ready for her ride back to her "home."  That first night was "worrisome."  She just kept repeating something over and over as she sat in bed crying, screaming.  It didn't sound like "eskum dow" but that is what she was saying..."I want down!"  We weren't holding her in bed, she sat there pretty easily, but she would not lay down and didn't for several days.  We would just watch her fall over asleep.  That first night she cried hard.  She started wheezing quite a bit and she was a sweaty, hot mess.  We were concerned about how much of a workout her sick little heart was getting by all of the stress and crying.  God showed us much mercy, because we got through those early days and weeks...without it being quite as bad as we imagined it could have been. 
Now a year later...she is one of us and has been from the beginning.  She has brothers and sisters that really love her.  There is still a bit of rivalry/jealousy between Lindsey and Mahaela, but it is better and they have become play buddies.  Mahaela has much more attention and ability to sit, even since the summer.  She now can watch TV, movies, and sit for books.  She really does love to be read to.  She is learning at preschool...I'm sure she will get "most improved" this school year.  She is learning shapes, colors, numbers, animals very quickly.
A highlight of the year for me was her recovery from her surgery.  We dreaded putting her through something so awful when she didn't "appear" sick.  We just knew it needed to be done and pushed through.  She had a bit of a rough recovery...she had days of pain and it was so hard to watch.  My heart just crumbled when she grabbed her chest screaming from the pain of the chest tube and nothing seemed to give her immediate or complete relief.  But so many people were praying for her...with time, recovery came.  She was riding her bike in the hospital halls for days before she was even discharged.  Her doctors think she looks fantastic...and we couldn't agree more.
She is a beautiful blessing in our lives and a reminder of the good that our Heavenly Father wants to shower on us all.  He gave us more than the desire of our hearts. 

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..." James 1:17



I think the last words that you can hear one of the caregivers say is Ciao and Dovizhdane...both goodbye in Bulgarian.  There were many tears, mostly my own.  I had such gratitude for the care she had received and knew that it was a difficult day for them to see her go.  But they were so strong and truly happy for "Misha."

I just found this video that Bill must have made when he was playing around with video making...I don't think I have posted this exact one, but maybe something similar.  It contains photos from our Gotcha day and time in Bulgaria...such a special time.



Blessed beyond measure...To God be all the Glory.



Celebrating Mahaela's 4th Birthday!!!

That was then...

This is now!

Mahaela is 4 years old today!  This is our first birthday to celebrate with her.  We have been celebrating for a few days now.  She loved getting presents and had priceless reactions to each gift. 

I just received an e-card from her orphanage, the head nurse specifically.  They are thinking of her and I know they must be missing her terribly.  We sent them 2 coats recently as a gift for her birthday and also for her Gotcha day.  They were so kind to send her with 2 coats when we left the orphanage--they said both were hers and they wanted her to have them.  We didn't really need them, but I took everything they offered--from her toothbrush to her tights.  I intend to save everything, because it is all that Mahaela has to remember those first 3 years by.  I hope to send them two coats every year to celebrate her birthday.  I also sent them some recent photos.  I wish they could really see her now!

We know how unbelievable blessed we have been by having Mahaela in our family.  She is really a joy for all of us.  There is something magical about 4 year olds.  We look forward to this next year with her.  I know we have only had her for a  year...but she really is growing up too fast! 

I do wonder what her birthmom thinks of this day.  I pray she just dreams of how well she might be doing and that she believes that she did what was best for Mahaela.  Her birth parents were just part of story.  I thank God that we can be part of her story from here on out. 

Here is a video of us explaining to her that we were beginning to celebrate her birthday a couple days early...

(ya, lately she is doing something very strange with her tongue when she is embarrassed or nervous or very excited in this case!)

I know I have been quiet and I have a little blogging to fill in the gaps, but it will have to wait for another time still. 

Pack-pack and Love Notes

I have let a lot of time lapse since my last post.  I could probably write a book...but no time for that!  So I am just shooting off this short post to say we are still here.  I heard a speaker once at the mom's group at school talk about her experiences with fostering and adoption.  They had really suffered so much disappointment, but one of their Sunday School kid's said to the dad, "The neatest things always happen to you."  That is exactly how I feel right now.  So much has happened in our family, but God is good.  Don't misunderstand...we are not suffering, but sometimes what appears to be a diffuculty or hardship or inconvenience can be the absolute biggest blessing--the "neat" things in our lives.

I could put this in a post all it's own, but I had to share here one of the sweetest notes from my husband.  I am also sharing the video that prompted the email below.  I am blessed to see my husband love my children.

(after 8,452 tries, this finally uploaded!  Miracles never cease!)

Shell,
I can't stop watching that video. It is so cute, shows off her language and faces, and, of course, apparently she loves me. We have been truly blessed above anything I could have prayed or thought. God gave her to us, I know you knew it the whole time, it took me a little longer. I think it is amazing what you have done with her. I can't believe that God gave us the ability to love Mahaela like our others. I knew it could happen in theory but it has happened completely. What a journey we have been on. Loved every minute of it (with a few exceptions), and I loved doing this adoption journey with you - my best friend and the love of my life.

Bill

We met a year ago today

This photo was taken by my friend and fellow adoptive mom, Joy.  She and Nate really started the spark that led us to our youngest.  She simply made a post on her blog in February of 2009 announcing their intention to adopt.  That begged the question, "why not us?" 

One year ago Monday, July 19, 2010, we experienced the special day of meeting Misha standing on her orphanage steps.  There were several caregivers to greet us and lots of foreign language ringing out.  They were saying "Misha" and we had never heard that nickname before.  Bill kind of pulled back and said, "Is that Mahaela?"  We didn't want to mess up this first greeting.  It was indeed Mahaela!  She walked us right back to the office of the head nurse.  She gave us hugs and her signature pat on the back.  Her hair was fixed cute--they were putting their best foot forward.  She was sweet and spoiled!

The picture below was in the first few moments that we were with her.  She already had candy in her mouth and had also taken my sunglasses...she loves sunglasses! 

I am thankful for the day we met Mahaela.  It's a day much like my other children's birth days--a day that is difficult to describe in words--a day I will never forget!

I know this is from an old post, but it captures many moments from our time in Bulgaria a year ago.

7 months home today!

A few photos from summer days!

Mahaela on a car trip with headphones on--completely entertained.  She is a good traveler.

"I just woke up" as she would say.  The girl has HAIR!

Getting acclimated to the pool.  She prefers to just park it on the steps...which works out just fine!

Going down the wall slide at City Museum in St. Louis.  She really loved it.  She left with some hefty head bumps, bruises, and skinned knees and elbows!  (We [and by "we" I mean Bill] often opt for fun over common sense.  Don't send your 3 year old down a 3 story slide--they will reach terminal velocity!

Lindsey, Mahaela, Jake, Bill

Mahaela continues to do well.  She is recovered!  What a blessing and Praise the Lord!  We have had a great summer so far.  Zak cousins came for a visit and we all traveled to Missouri for the beautiful wedding of our nephew, Sam, to his bride, Jess.  If there has been one negative to the summer, it would have to be the lack of naps that Mahaela takes.  Today, she woke up with a stomping, angry attitude.  I think she needs a little more down time than she got this 4th of July weekend.  She got shots again last week--2 in her left thigh.  She didn't walk for a day and a half.  We carried her from bed to couch.  It was pretty sad and pathetic...and she might be a bit dramatic.  She did have a pretty good fever from them also.  She had to have adult versions of the pneumo- and meningococcal vaccines due to her lack of spleen.  One more Hep A the end of the month and she should be done for 2 years. 

The other negative to kids out of school, visitors around, and dad on vacation is that I lose rank!  It's a subtle attitude, but she easily dismisses me and definitely prefers daddy.  I'll survive.  Fall will come soon and we will be best buds again. 

We are really just enjoying her.  I can see much that we will be dealing with down the road and even now--she is a little spit fire and quickly goes from 0 to 10!  She is quick to pinch, scratch her siblings, especially Lindsey.  Yep, she's a pistol, but so endearing at the same time.  We just have to continue with the consistent correction. 

Almost a year ago we met her for the first time...that's another post.

She's a cutie!

I don't know if I shared this photo earlier in my blog...to lazy to check, but this is one of my favs given to me by the orphanage. I had know idea when it was taken, until I was downloading it to a file and the date and time popped up (I'm not computer savvy, so I wouldn't have had a clue that those details would be with the photo.) It says it was taken at 9:30 am 11/17/09--the morning of her second birthday. What a happy little girl. Was she just waking up?? Is that time accurate? If she was anything then, like she is now, she does enjoy sleeping in. 9:30 is not unusual for Mahaela--she's a good Hauter kid! And as she usually says, regardless of the time of day, "I just woke up!"
I was just looking up some photos after sending an email to her orphanage who was asking about her. What sweet ladies who must really be wondering about M. and missing her.

The First 6 Months of Forever

It's Memorial weekend. It's also a milestone day for us. 6 months ago we picked up Mahaela and walked down those orphanage steps and haven't looked back! I could just cry thinking of that day. I have been questioning Mahaela a lot about the details of her life in the orphanage. She says nothing about her time there. I wonder if she can even think "I didn't have a mommy then, and now I do." I'm sure her young mind can't really wrap around what has happened to her. I know she had happy times and was loved at the orphanage, but she simply can't hold these memories--she was a two year old.

Also, 2 months ago she had her open heart surgery. She is doing fabulous. In the past 2 weeks, she has seen both her cardiologist and her surgeon. She also had an echocardiogram. They all agree that she is doing great. We were able to stop her lasix. She takes an antibiotic, aspirin, heart medication, and vitamin every day. They believe she can be weaned off of her heart med in about 6 months since she did not require any heart meds before her surgery. She recently had another ear infection which required us to change her antibiotic for 10 days. In spite of these minor things, she is the picture of health! Praise the Lord. She has energy and stamina that is at or above the level of any 3 year old. She loves the "jumpoline"--which we agree is a much better name than trampoline! She plays outside as often as she can. Tomorrow she will experience our pool for the first time. It is supposed to be a beautiful, sunny day. She will have to be slathered in sunscreen, but it's gonna be so fun!

I have been imagining this sweet little girl with sweaty curls and a dinky little swimsuit running around this place--those days are finally here.

She has been such a good girl. She has a tender heart, but at the same time gets so mad. She's mad, but she wants to say sorry. She really has been so easy. She loves to sleep with us--and we love it to. Last night she slept with Aubrey (and Ryan, too). She loved getting to do that. I went in to wake them for church and she was awake, just laying between them. It was pretty cute. Today she walked out after her nap and had a head full of sweaty curls, and says, "I just woke up." She says that all the time, with the cutest smile on her face--a true bedhead!

Well, I just wanted to give a quick update. I'm so thrilled that so many of my Bulgaria-to-adopt friends are getting close to picking up their sweeties also. It's a great joy to see others experience the miracle of adoption just as we have. It's amazing. It's a smile forever stamped on my heart!

Mahaela 3 1/2 years old

Next stop--POTTY TRAINING! I'll let you know how it goes, but I'm a big quitter! (which is why I'm reluctant to even begin!!)