One Year!

Tonight I felt inspired to go to an Indian grochery store and make some authentic cusine....but then Mike reminded me that the we should probrably all 'eat' ...I will have to save my creations for another day! We took the kids out to dine on Indian Cuisine and icecream by a harbor. When we got home we watched some video clips listening in awe to Sova chat away in a foreign language that she can not catch a single word of now!
"What did I say mommy!?"
Insane huh? Caleb thought Sova was just being funny- I dont think he even remember her speaking in another language!

What a year! I am encouraged that we survived possibly one of the a hardest transistions we have yet faced. Having 3 little ones was (is!) pretty tough- there is no hiding that...But I have already seen how much each of them has grown and matured this year and it is definatly getting a little easier. I am so proud of them all...Of course we all know how brave and amazing Sova has taken to her new life- she is something else! But the boys were just as amazing- ready to love and accept this (litteraly) foreign 4 year old girl who jumps in the middle of them. Jacob was ready to love and accept her from day one...and yes there is some rivalry and teasing we are working on but this kid is serious about protecting and loving her. And Caleb who was the more hesitant one (and as a sick 2 year old when she came home- rightly so!) has grown to know that she belongs here just as much as he does- he probrably doesnt remeber life w/out! They are great buddies and have a special bond...she really loves be w/ Caleb...it's so sweet.

Jacob has been asking me if we can adopt a 7 year old boy from China! I found that so funny- I love it- that he does love having siblings and he understands the importance of adoption- but I crack up thinking that he is putting in age and country requests to me! Sounds to me like he was thinking a permanent big boy playmate would be cool. And I know he likes the facial features of Asians...he recently had 2 big black eyes that shrunk his eyes (from a nasty fall) but he said, 'Dont worry mom, I like how my eyes look- they look Korean and I think their eyes are cool because they always look serious!"

Iv'e been reminicing alot this week- looking back at my journal from India. It's weird because usually on the boys birthdays- I look back to their births...the day I met my child face to face and held them. I know every last detail of those days- it's ingrained in my memory. And this is what today was for us. The adoption world calls it the 'Gotch-ya Day'....the day you meet and hold your child. So we have added an offical holiday to the Turner calander...we dont know whether to call it 'India Day' and celebrate her heritage- or 'Brother and Sister Day'- to kind of include the boys more...the day they became brother's and sisters...(Sova wants to call it brother and sister day- and Jacob wants to call it India Day...weird kids ;)
Regardless of what it is called- I know it was one of the best days of my life...every last detail is completly engrained in my memory just as the births of my boys. The only difference is that there was no drugs involved :)
The fear, the sweat, the excitement, the jitters, the daddy paceing the room, the child entered walking through a door (ok that part my be a little different), the tears, the laughing and crying, the exhaustion, the complete and utter joy...

I cant beleive she has been here with us for a year! That feels so good to say!

Right before we left the orphanage...we can only imagine what they were feeling inside...The 1st 48 hours Sova barely made a peep...it is so strange looking over these early photos- she was expressionless- almost like a robot...

BUT...the girl certainly has Life to her now!

I will never forget the hairclip fettish...it's funny- as soon as she realy grew hair she stopped doing thisBox PlayThe 1st biggest smile I ever saw on her was when I let her try on her new Christmas dress...it is still her favorite thing to wear that she owns...Christmas Butterfly...she was shocked Christmas morningFirst Space Shuttle Ride
She is loyal and loves to love!Experiencing Cold...
I remember she would touch the cold tile w/ her toes in the fall mornings and giggle and say 'COLD!' She also would look around for the snowmen....she thought they magically appeared or fell w/ the snow!
Merry-Go-RoundLearning to TrustLittle Singers belting the most passionate rendition of ABC's you've ever heard :)She really has an eye for and appreciates 'beautiful things'
Perceptive thinker...always thinking and processing...that brain of her's worked double time this year!She would wear these shoes everyday if she could... her 1st tantrum and 1st trouble I experienced with her was in Target the 2nd week in the USA- she saw these and she WANTED them! I didnt get them and her world crashed- I've never been part of a bigger scene w/ a child before in my life... I was shocked and freaked out about what kind of child I really brought home! It happened once or twice after that too- then we took a long break from stores...and amazingly it completely ceased! She will happily walk out of any toystore empty handed w/out a peep...She must have experienced some type of overload in the beginning!
Anyways, in the spring I bought her these and strangers always ask her if she is Dorothy...she looks at my questioningly and I smile and think- 'yes...in a way you are...you are home.'