a little over 1 month in...

And our life is amazing!:)

Vi is kicking booty learning English.  Her teachers are extremely impressed with her progress and determination...our amazing friend and translator Julia has given SO much of her time helping Vi.  I'm proud to say that at this point, Vi is in class without a translator...and she is succeeding!  Our daughter brought home several 100% quizzes...oh, and a whopping 100% on her spelling test!!

She is eating exceptionally well, and even getting her own food without asking now.  This is something we've been pushing her to do; feel comfortable in HER home and eat/drink when she wants to...she's about there!

Vi loves her sisters, and her sisters love her.  Al and I could not be happier, as we watch our daughters learn and grow together.  We have had to correct Maddy & Bella, who sometimes think Vi is the little sis:)  Bella says "oh Violet, you are such a sweetie you sweetheart" as if she's talking to a baby:) haha...and Madds last night said "Violet, you have to eat your dinner."  Thanks, 2 year old:)

I'm still in awe at how God chose this daughter so perfectly for us...my heart is so full it truly could burst at any point.

Perhaps the most amazing part of this last month is what's happening at Paw Paw Middle School.  Let me tell you about this amazing group of students and teachers....

Vi is in a self-contained classroom for cognitively impaired students...and it should be noted that I've had the privilege of meeting most of these kids, there is not a nicer group of kids anywhere!  They took Vi under their wings immediately.:)  Anyway...she is with the same 9 students, teacher, and para-pros all day.  The only time they mix with the mainstream ed students is at lunch.  So in a time where we turn on the news and hear about bullies, and problems at school...Al and I were naturally nervous about this lunch situation.  Vi is the new girl at school, who doesn't speak English (sorta:), and she is older than all of the students at the school...in many places, this would be a recipe for disaster.  Well well, NOT at Paw Paw Middle School.

It started with two girls, and now has spread to several more.  These wonderful 8th graders took the initiative to approach Vi in the cafeteria, ask her name, and ask about her life.  They didn't stop there...they went home that night, logged into google translate, and typed letters to Vi...translating them into Russian.  They told her she was beautiful and nice...they said they hope she feels comfortable, and that she makes friends very fast.  These 13 and 14 year old girls said that they could not imagine how difficult it was for her with all of this change, and that they want to help her.  They invited Vi to sit with them at lunch...and now she does.  She has met SO many kids...and every single one of them includes her, talks to her, and smiles at her.  She told us last week that she didn't understand this, because in Ukraine...people are not outwardly friendly.  In a matter of 2 weeks, our daughter went from no friends to more than she can keep up with.

I vividly remember middle school.  I was tortured by one girl in particular...and I remember the most insane arguments with friends.  I remember the insecurity and the gossip.  This is why I get choked up EVERY time I think about the magnitude of what these kids have done.  They've stepped out of their comfort zones...lets face it, they could have been ridiculed or bullied for being nice to the new girl.  But they didn't worry about that...they stepped up, and they reached out.  And it spread...I am forever a fan of these Paw Paw students...we need more like 'em.

Kudos to Paw Paw Middle School Staff (by the way...Vi's teacher and para-pros have become family...they love our girl, and there could not be a better group to get her accustomed to American education).  The people we've met along the way have knocked our socks off with their generosity and accommodations.  The teachers and administration care about Vi, and what's best for her.

I'm sorry it's been such a long time since I've blogged...I will try to keep up:)

Thank you SO much to our friends everywhere who've been with us on this journey...

A personal thank you to my best friends (3rd Friday ladies:) for being with me every step of the way.

God is so good.