We have a baby girl!!

We have a new baby girl!! Well not so much a baby age wise but a baby in our eyes. We were able to pick up Eryna from the orphanage today at around 11am our time here. We first did some final paper work and of course the director was still giving us the guilt trip for taking Eryna. We then went and visited with her class and ate lunch with them. We brought a couple cakes and juice to have a little good-bye party with her friends. At 2:30pm, we were officially her parents as we walked out of the orphanage with our court decree stating that Shawn and I are Eryna’s parents! Happy Adoption Day to Eryna. It was a little difficult to get her to leave. She wanted all her friends to come with us and when we told her they can’t, she wanted to stay and asked us to just keep coming to visit her. Once she got in the car, she looked out the window like a little puppy does. Her eyes never left looking out the window and she was just amazed by everything she saw. This was her 2^nd time in a car/moving vehicle since she was 1 years old. We did have to go to a couple different places for more paper work and she kept asking if the place was her new home. She was so confused and worried the whole time. Eryna asked Oksana if we were going to hurt her and where are we taking her. My heart broke at that moment. I knew today would be hard but it just seemed too hard at times. She was never difficult; she was just sad and confused. I would sit in the silence of the car ride and just pray that she would feel our love and God’s love and know that we would never hurt her. That God has a wonderful life planned for her and we get to share all that great news with her! I can’t wait to get to Kiev and stay with Karen so she can help translate for us and begin to start planting the seed!!

Eryna wasn’t crazy about the jeans we got her. She said they were too big but they were actually just perfect. I think it’s because she is so used to having everything tight that the jeans felt so loose to her. We bought her some stockings today to go under the jeans because the temperatures really dropped this morning. I hope that helps the jeans feel a little tighter. After all the paperwork, Eryna was really looking forward to eating and we got to take her to her first restaurant! It was nothing fancy, it is actually a little mom and pop restaurant that a Christian family own and we love their food. Eryna did too! She is already more like her momma and got food all over her new clothes. The second we got back to the church, she wanted to take it all off and start to hand wash them. I told her that I can do it and my way is easier (the washing machine!) Next was shower time. Oh that was so much fun! She absolutely loved it. She was laying down in the tub and having me spray the water all over her. When I scrubbed her head with shampoo, she was saying “Ahhh”. After the shower, she kept smelling her skin and hair and would have a big smile on her face. She had a good time going through all of our bags and seeing what goodies she can find. When I got out of the shower, she had to do everything I was doing such as putting on lotion, brushing my hair, and she even handed me my toothbrush because Shawn had just brushed her teeth. Poor thing is not going to like the dentist. All of her gums were bleeding and she didn’t let Shawn brush them for too long. You can tell she has never really brushed her teeth. I had went down stairs to call my mom and she made Shawn bring her to me. I got to put her on the phone and she said “Hi Nonny” after about 10 tries! When we got back up to the room, she asked where Ethan and Logan are. Shawn and I looked at each other and about lost it. So glad that we finally get to see them this week and they can finally meet their new big sister! Bed time wasn’t too bad. She wanted Shawn and I to lay down too and she had to sleep next to some food she had found. She was asleep in about 15minutes. She was so exhausted from today. I assume she is still sleeping as I snuck out to come type this up and post it. I have so much more to say but I bet I have bored you already. Tomorrow is a big day and please pray that everything goes smoothly so we can travel to Kiev on Wednesday to get home by Friday.

Shawn reading Eyrna her first bed time story!

Our last picture at the orphanage. So glad we don't ever have to go back there!

Eryna with her friends/classmates and our not-so-friendly caregiver.

We got to take Eryna to her first playground off
orphanage grounds. She loved it all.