Monday, October 18, 2010

Marina is awesome!!










Where to start seems to be the hardest thing about this post, particularly since this will be my second post since I lost the first one. Marina is just the absolute coolest little kid! She is smart and funny and cute as a button! She has been known to take her play cell phone and high tale it to the grocery store. OF course she did not have permission to wander the aisles and yak away on the cell phone as she shopped and she sure gave the orphanage director a heart attack, but this is the sort of smart little independent thinker we have become ridiculously attached to in a few short hours. She was born at 7lbs 7 ounces but she sure has shot past that! She is solid as she can be, not overweight but heavy! She is an easy size 5/6 and a little shorter than Evan. She is assertive and takes charge of the games, telling everyone who to throw the ball to and where to sit and whose turn it is. So shy, NOT! She is most fond of Tully (papa) and when we got there the second time she ran and jumped straight to him first. It melts the heart. The pictures here on this connection take so long to upload and it is impossible to up load a video. I lost the last blog entry trying to upload the magic ball trick that Marina did. Once she saw Tully pretend to lose the ball and then have it magically appear, she was the next to do the trick. She is too funny and very very happy. When we first met her she was a little freaked out but she is over that part for sure! Wow, so much to say, it is hard to fit it into words. We are so incredibly fortunate to have been drawn our rainbow end to hers. Evan and her will be great friends in time, a little competitive for him right now, but this was to be expected. He is homesick too a little I think. But he likes Marina and makes sure everything he gets in his hands he gets in duplicate, one for him and one for her. He is certainly committed and is doing as well as to be expected with this sort of life change.
Tomorrow Tully and I make the rest of our biggest decisions here in Ukraine and we pray for clarity and peace to overcome any obstacles we face. We ask that you lift us in prayer as well. Will update more tomorrow. The internet connection here is not the high speed deluxe we had in Kiev so no videos or phone calls anymore:) But I was smart enough to buy unlimited email for one month! So you will hear all about this as long as I can get on line:) Thank you again for all who have become a part of this journey. We would not be here without you. As fortunate as Marina has been to end up in this orphanage (as of last May, when she was not even talking yet at age 4 when she was transferred here), it would never last for her but maybe two more years and with each passing year, she would have been a higher and higher risk for the institution, a crime for any child, and now that we love and hug and kiss her, especially for her. This was the right thing to do. I wish more people believed that for their own lives. This change is going to be good for us all...the beginning of the story where I know Cay is truly happy dancing for us all today. Surely she would be proud of how we have let love for her carry forward.

16 comments:

  1. I'm so happy here in Virginia. Sipping lemonade. Feet in the air. Tears down my face. Happy. Definitely praying for clarity tomorrow. Praying that God will direct your path in the way that HE would have you go. Precious moments...Precious girl!

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  2. I hardly know how to write you how ecstatic I am! For you, for Tully, for Evan - and most of all, for Marina. What a darling little girl...she is precious, and I am so, so, so glad and relieved that she is finally yours. Oh, yes, I know all the official stuff still awaits...but she's yours in the ways that count the most, yours in your heart, where she's firmly been for a long time already, and now yours in your arms and in your family. I hope you celebrate well and fully!

    And of course, prayers for the decisions still awaiting you. I do hope there's another little darling in your near future...

    Give Marina a hug from me when you can...Evan, too!

    love,
    Susan in Ky

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  3. She is BEAUTIFUL, Cathy! And your whole crew looks great together! I have been wearing my Marina bracelet since you left and praying for you regularly, explaining your story to those who ask about it. LOVE that :) What a perfect reminder and a beautiful one at that. God bless you guys. If you need a call, send me your UA cell # and I'll call you :)

    Blessings!
    Meredith (meredithcornish@gmail.com)

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  4. SOOOO happy for you! Wishing you lots of hope and prayers in the coming days with the big decisions!!!!

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  5. so so happy for you all!!!
    she is beautiful and will definately give you a run for your money :)
    I think you guys need a baby to round it all out :) much less competition, lots of loving and helping take care of :)
    Danny tells everyone that Victoria is HIS baby :)

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  6. What an amazing day! Thanks for sharing it with us....."Marina" was the very first RR face that drew me in. My daughter Elizabeth and I are so thrilled to see her in your arms. Praying that everything will go very smoothly for you because you have had a long haul to get here. But it is so worth it, isn't it?

    Love, Bella's Mama

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  7. OH MY GOODNESS!!! She is a DOLL!!!! I have been waiting all day for this post. I haven't been able to acomplish anything today for checking to see if you met her. I love her hair and she looks so happy that you all are there. I hope whatever decision you come up with concerning the "big stuff" that you all will be at peace with. My advice is to take as many as you can, seeing how you didn't exactly have the easiest time getting there. Again, congratulations and I will be thinking and praying about your entire family. Tell Evan that he is an excellent brother!

    Stephanie

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  8. Marina is beautiful!!!!!! And so full of life!!! It is so exciting and comforting to see your family together at last.

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  9. OH MY OH MY OH MY!!!! Look at that beautiful girl!!! Her eyes look EXACTLY like yours!!! Did you meet her mom? Can you even believe this is happening?! After all those long hard days of paper chasing??? This makes my heart so happy. You all look over the moon to be with your precious Marina!!!!

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  10. This is THE post I've been waiting for!! Oh, goodness she is beautiful!! And look at her long hair - so pretty!! I am so thrilled for you all and cannot wait for more updates!!!

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  11. Oh Cathy........Shes absolutely beautiful!!!!!! I am so happy for you guys and we will be sending prayers for your upcoming decisions!

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  12. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! She really is, and you can just see the light in her. My lil "midget", as her Papa calls her, likes him best most of the time too. Continuing to pray for you all as you make decisions.

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  13. she is adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im so happy for you!!

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  14. I am so happy for all of you!! What a beautiful family. Sending many prayers your way. I know you will find the answers you're looking for. God Bless and safe travels!!

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  15. HOW IN THE WORLD did I miss this yesterday?!?!?! Cathy, Marina looks adorable!! I cannot wait to meet her! And I loved the play cell phone in the grocery store story ... gee, she sounds amazingly like YOU, doesn't she? A take-charge kind of gal, walking around with that one foot outside the white line, right? Not to mention falling for Tully just like you did! ;-) And you simply MUST bring a friend home for Maria too, you know ... she's going to be quite jealous if Maya gets a new friend and she doesn't. Of course, we'll have to change Anna's name to Marianne so that she'll fit in with the rest of the M-group.

    Tell Evan Maya says HI! She talks about him all the time. love to all!!

    Sophia

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  16. I have waited for this day to know that you're now physically with your newest family member. It seems like yesterday that I was in Russia and meeting my daughter for the first time. I cried from that moment on and find myself doing so reading about your joyous time. Many prayers being said for decisions yet to be made and for a continued blessed trip.

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