My incredible Journey started with a call to the Adoption Ark. Elina answered the phone and the process to bring my Russian Angel home began. Elina knows the process well and was always ready to answer my question or calm my fears.
Seeing my daughter for the first time left me momentarily speechless. This beautiful girl was indeed my daughter. Julianna was painfully shy and has burn scars covering 38% of her body. After two visits it was time to travel home. I left not knowing when I would return for her. It was a wrenching departure for me.
I tried hard not to cause Elina dread at the sight of my E-mail address in her mail box but I was so anxious! Elina was a real trooper, she took me through each step. Finally, the time came to redo expired paperwork and a date was set to travel…
On June 2, 2005 Julianna became a part of our family. I was so happy when the judge spoke the words “adoption executed immediately.” After court we began the 2.5 hour drive to pick Julianna up. When I arrived at the orphanage I was so excited! I could not wait to scoop Julianna up and share my excitement and joy with her. She had a mommy… It was a short lived excitement. Julianna was very sick with a very high fever and a cough that made me hurt and a runny nose to boot. She was in no mood for a new mommy! Julianna knew right away that things were about to change and she did not want anything to do with me as I was apart of that change. She backed into a corner behind the orphanages doctor. I approached on her level and tried to coax her out. It was heart breaking. I was not given the time to reconnect and calm her fears. She felt so bad and was very scared. I took her from her group crying. It was a long trip back to the city, Julianna allowed me to hold her but she did not relax. I held her on my lap whispering words of comfort.
It was late when we arrived to the city. Julianna had not been fed with the children earlier that evening so we went to a restaurant close to the hotel. She ate a whole bowl of spaghetti and countless bread sticks.
I was so impressed with this special little girl. She was sick, in new surroundings and her behavior was perfect. The first few days were not always easy. Julianna had many moments of tears, leaving her mommy feeling helpless to help her with how her world has changing. My limited Russian gave me the ability of a few comfort phrases but not the ability to understand the words she was speaking to me. Julianna was such a trooper. We arrived in Moscow on June 6th. It was the first day without a fever. After all the necessary paper work in Moscow, we were on our way home.
Julianna did great on the long plane ride, she only cried once. Arriving at the airport 6 hours late we were both exhausted. Due to Julianna’s shyness I kept the airport meeting very small. Gammie and Julianna’s new sister Annika came to welcome us home. Julianna's shyness made her a tough sell on friendship, so I thought quick and the airports huge water fountain played its part in helping my daughters begin their journey as sisters.
It is almost 3 months to the day that Julianna joined our family. I have been amazed at my daughter’s ability. She is bright, intelligent, full of spunk, and loving.
It has been a month of discovery for her. Julianna has learned how to catch lighting-bugs, that you don’t eat the watermelon rind, and how to eat corn on the cob.
It has been so much fun getting to know this child. She is beautiful outside and in. Before I left the court room on June 2nd the Judge had some kind words to say to me. One of the things she said was that I was courageous for adopting a child like Julianna. A child with visible special needs and a scary written past.
I do not think it was courage that has brought me to this path of adoption. It was the eyes of a little girl needing to be loved and cared for despite the challenges.
So, everybody who is wondering what it might be like to accept a "Special Needs" child into your life, here's what it is like; Every single, solitary minute of every single, solitary day you are in the middle of a dazzling miracle, willed into existence by a child, who despite the many challenges gives loves, shows compassion, and creates laughter. Every single, solitary minute of every single, solitary day.