Adoption 30: Karine, Our girl in Canada!

There are two parts to this update.  One was written a week after Karine got home and the last part just arrived today. I got a note which said that reading my blog was as exciting as a soap opera and that she loved reading how the babies were doing with their families.  I do love it when the families take the time to write and tell us how "our" starfish babies are doing. Thank you so much to the parents who are willing to share even though they do not have to.  I love knowing how much our hard work blossoms in their forever families.

We have been home for a week now.  Karine is doing great!  We feel so blessed to have her part of our family.  It broke our hearts to see her so sad the first few days but now she is so happy and full of life.  She loves to laugh and play.  She is so easy going and such a smart little girl.  She already understands a lot of what we say to her.  She loves to play with her doll and little stroller.  She loves spending time outside.  Martin is building a play structure in our backyard so I'm sure she'll enjoy that!  She loves coming for errands and especially at the grocery store where there are some singing cows.  I know that I've told you this before but I need to tell you again how grateful we are for everything you have done for her.  I know that those last 2 weeks were very difficult for you as you had gone through 4 adoptions so close together.    

I went through the CD that you had put with the package and I could not believe the amount of pictures and even videos that you had taken of her!  Words cannot describe how much they mean to us.  I cried (tears of joy) when I saw the envelope containing strands of hair from her first haircut.  God was certainly looking over her when he put her into your care.  The great care she received was even more evident when we saw the other children from our travel group.  They looked sick and malnourished. 

   http://voyagepourkarine.blogspot.com

Dear Amanda,

Well, it's hard to believe that we have been home 3 months with Karine (Antonia)!  She is doing wonderful!!  What a joy she is to our family!   We could not imagine our lives without her.  She is starting to say a few words.  She is so good communicating with her hands!  We have no trouble understanding her.  She loves to help me with the household chores and loves to imitate what we do, especially her big brother.  She likes to do things on her own.  She's very independent for her age.  She LOVES animals, especially horses and cows!  Dogs as well, as she tries to touch them when she sees one.  When we first got home, she was afraid of the sand.  She didn't want to play in the sand box or walk in it at the park but when we went to the beach, her eyes lit up when she saw the water (she loves the water!) then, she didn't mind walking in the sand.  She actually played in it with her brothers.

She loves to laugh and play with her little tea set.  She doesn't like to be told no and will stomp her feet and not move an inch but we manage to distract her quite easily.  She has grown over 2 centimeters since we've been home and her hair is getting longer.  I've attached a few recent pictures of her. 

I hope everything is going well with all of you and will keep you posted on how she's doing!

God Bless,

Nicole and Martin