Happy Birthday Julia!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Julia baby! 5 years ago today, you came into this world. We didn't know you then, and we wouldn't for another 4 years. But how amazing and blessed we are to think that a year ago today we were getting ready to travel to you, and a year from then, we now have you home with us! You are funny, sweet, silly, independent- I could go on and on.Your spontaneous little giggles light up our lives more than you know. You have shown me personally things I never would have learned on my own. You have taught me so many things in just one year of being home. I so hope you enjoy your first birthday with us, and I can't wait to celebrate them with you for the rest of our lives.

                                                            January 2011

                                                             February 2011

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                                                                 April 2011

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September 2011

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                                                                     November 2011
                                               
                                                               Happy Birthday Beautiful :)

If They Could See Her Now

 

I can hardly believe that Julia has been with us 10 months already.  In some ways it seems just like just yesterday that Tom and I were in Ukraine to meet her and in other ways I can't remember our life before her.  This Thanksgiving we will be celebrating our year anniversary of the day Tom and I met Julia.  I remember the day so clearly.  We were brought to the orphanage by our driver, the facilitator and a very nice lady from the government who needed to witness our first meeting with Julia.  I experienced such a mix of emotions that morning.  I was excited, nervous, and a little anxious.  I thought I was hiding my emotions well until our facilitator and the lady from the government speaking to one another and pointing at me.  Then our facilitator says, "You look so nervous and scared.  Don't worry.  I know Yulia (Julia) she is a sweet, pretty little girl."  So much for hiding my emotions.

I can still hear the "click clack" of the nanny's shoes as she came down a very long hallway from Julia's groupa room with Julia in her arms.  All of the sudden a tiny, quiet little girl was placed in my lap.  I think my brain shut down for a moment.  It is hard to believe that after all the paper work, waiting for a travel date, plane rides and a long train ride that your new daughter is sitting in your lap.  My first impression of Julia was that she was very quiet and sweet.  Our visit was sort of rushed and there was a lot going on.  The orphanage doctor was telling us about Julia and our facilitator was translating and asking if we had any questions.  It was very hard to form sentences at that point, since I was trying to concentrate on Julia.  I did notice that Julia did not look at us and seemed a little bit in a "fog".  I knew from the reading I had done that some children who have been in an orphanage for many years may have what is known as institutional autism.  I was pretty sure that Julia had some of those characteristics.  This observation, of course, was in no way going to change our minds about bringing Julia home.  She was our daughter and we would do anything to help her.

Today, ten months later, I attended Julia's first parent-teacher conference at her school.  Wow, all I could think about when I was driving there was the first time we met her.  Tom and I had no idea what her future looked like, but we wanted to be sure that she had every opportunity to grow and learn.  Well, this determined little girl has accomplished so much.  We are grateful to her teacher, the therapists and aides.  Julia is using sign language, (almost every sign is food related :), she is walking, she is holding a crayon, she is playing with toys appropriately and seeking out interaction with her classmates.  She has learned to feed herself and chew her food before swallowing.  I know you other adoptive families with understand how exciting this is.

I know the workers at the orphanage would be very proud of her.  I wish they could see her now and know that each child that they take care of has so much potential.  We are grateful to the nannies who took care of Julia for four years.  We could tell that many of the workers cared about her and did the best they could for her.

We also are so glad that I "happened upon" the Reece's Rainbow (RR) website in November 2009.  Thank you, Andrea Roberts, who founded RR and works tirelessly to advocate for the children who are in need of a family.  Julia has blessed our life greatly.  Each member of our family is better for her being in our lives.

Where is My Family Friday?

For two years now, the children of Reece's Rainbow have never been far from my thoughts on a daily basis.  I know from the communication I have had with other RR families and individuals who advocate for the children the same is true.  Our family feels so blessed that, Julia joined our family in December of 2010.  We wish we could bring more children home, but for right now I must focus my time on my 6 wonderful kids in my house. That being said, I still want to advocate for the children on RR and pray that many families step forward in faith to bring a child(or children) home.  I have been praying especially for the "older" children lately.  In reality, they are only 6-9 years old, but are considered the older children. Their risk of being transferred is much greater than the children slightly younger than them.  It breaks my heart.  For this Friday, I want to tell as many people as I can about Kate and Dasha.  They are in the same orphanage and could be adopted together.  From what I understand they are in an orphanage where they are being well taken care of and educated.  How awesome is that?  To top it off, they are as cute as can be.  So, here are Kate and Dasha.  Please pray with me that their forever family or families come forward for them soon.

Please keep our, Julia in your prayers.  She will be having an endoscopy next Wednesday in an attempt to figure out some of her "tummy issues".  We hope we get some answers.  Thank you and have a great weekend.

A person's a person, no matter how small...

Our Joshua and the local "Kids on Stage" theater group put on a wonderful version of Seussical the musical this past weekend. Josh played Horton, the big hearted elephant who protects those whose voices are too small to be heard by most of the world/jungle. The messages and corollaries to the plight of orphans and other helpless children around the world were too loud and touching to be ignored in this simple little story.

From Seussical

"Alone in the Universe" - Click below to view the duet between Horton and Jo-Jo the Who.

Alone in the Universe from Tom Lococo on Vimeo.

Reminded me of another little angel who is still finding her voice, and needs some standing up for now and again.

We're glad Reece's Rainbow and Andrea Roberts are out there, raising the cries of these little ones so they can be heard (Happy Birthday Andrea!).

Ukrainian Buddies Reunited

For those of you that did not already see pictures/videos elsewhere, here is how the recent re-union of Julia with two of her buddies from the orphanage went.

Hinz/Lococo/Conley Family get-together from Caleb Lococo on Vimeo.

We love these kids, and we so appreciate the opportunity to share this time with other families that have walked the same path.

9 years ago today....

We received a 6-month-old Guatemalan peanut at JFK airport.

                                   And our tiny family of 5 would become a family of 6.

                                        Freaky how 9 years can change things, ain't it?
                                                 And our tiny little 6 month-peanut.........

                             Is now a little lady, who's insanely photogenic and fun-loving

Gabby, you're our humor, our randomness, our creative artist. You can make us laugh so easily. your creations are one of a kind. And you were the special little bambino that first opened our hearts to adoption. Happy 9th Gotcha Day sweetie!

Julia's first day of summer school

Today with great trepidation we sent our little angel off to summer school to continue the therapies and learning activities she began here at home a couple months ago.  She had a wonderful day of activities including some outdoor water fun and plenty of developmental games.

She did really well and made it through the whole day!  We missed her so much and were very glad when she arrived back home in the afternoon.  Looking forward to the developmental doors this will open for our little girl.

We'll leave you with a couple other random acts of cuteness including snuggling with her big sister.

We'll keep you posted as the school experience unfolds.