Day 2 - Michella is with us!

Day 2 was the best day EVER!! Thank you all for praying! We felt the result of those prayers all day. Now as we let the events of today sink in, we can hardly believe how far we have gotten. Our expectations were low. We would have been thankful for any improvement over yesterday. We started the day feeling pretty sure she'd stay another night in the orphanage. Neither of us expected we'd be where we are right now. Michella is sound asleep in a crib right next to our bed. She is really ours. I'll walk you through the events of the day in pictures...

One of the house parents and Michella's social worker picked us up at our hotel and drove us to Michella's orphanage. This is the girls' room. Michella's bed is the lower one on the left. She recently transitioned from the crib to the low bed. The staff and children gave us a tour of the home.
















Michella stayed close to her social worker but looked at Andrey when he took this photo.
















I could get about this close to Michella without her burying her head into the nearest familiar person.




















After the orphanage tour I pulled out a pair of Disney princess flip flops that Andrey's assistant bought for Michella as a gift and gave to us on our way to the airport. She resisted at first and wouldn't put them on but after a few tries, she let me help her put them on.




















We got in the truck to head to the mall. Michella still keeping her distance.

Michella clung to her social worker...

and promptly fell asleep.




















Okay so here is where things get really unexpectedly great. We pulled into the mall parking lot and Michella woke up. As we unloaded out the back of the truck, Michella's social worker hung back a bit. I picked up on the cue and lowered Michella out of the truck. She began to walk, looking a little unsure so I grabbed her hand. I was surprised and delighted that she took it. Then there was a big curb. I held her hand and supported her as she stepped up. A few steps later before she needed to step down off the curb I picked her up and was again surprised that she let me. We crossed the parking lot and entered the mall. This is me feeling totally ecstatic that I am holding her for the first time.
















It was lunch time so we headed for a restaurant and sat down. I put Michella on my lap. She was wary of Andrey, or maybe it was the camera, or both.




















While Andrey ordered our food I chatted with the orphanage staff about the plan for the day. We made a tentative plan for Michella to go back with them later and sleep one last night at the children's home and the staff would bring her to our hotel in the morning with her belongings. When the food came, I cut up some chicken and offered it to Michella. She buried her head in my lap and I held her like that for quite a while. She was not interested in eating.
















Eventually, after several attempts to shift her position so we could see her face, I was able to get her to sit up. So I rocked her and sang a few songs I was told she knew - Jesus Loves Me and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
















After lunch we just walked around the mall as I carried Michella with the orphanage staff trailing behind. The staff suggested we look for a hot dog and that maybe she would eat that. We bought the "hot dog on a stick" (nothing i would ordinarily buy, mind you because it is dyed bright red but I was taking all the help I could get). She wouldn't eat so we walked some more. We gave her some crackers and she held a piece in her hand as we walked but did eat any.

Then the staff decided to leave us alone with her. Michella didn't seem to care that they were distancing themselves and so the staff felt like it was okay to give us space with her to see what happened. At one point I put her down and let her walk but she just kept looking down at her toes the whole time. I thought maybe she'd let Andrey carry her so I encouraged him to try but she wasn't having it so I picked her up. That seemed to be what she was most comfortable with so I carried her all around the mall thinking she might fall asleep as it was her usual nap time. After my back got tired we decided to find a coffee shop. We found a little couch and sat down. We stayed here for close to an hour. I offered her some crackers and started eating. Piece by piece she ate a lot of crackers! Then I remembered the hot dog and gave it to her and she began to nibble on that as well. She got very relaxed and comfortable and seemed to enjoy eating. She just laid on me and ate nearly the entire hot dog!
















After her meal we walked to meet up with the orphanage staff and Michella fell asleep.




















Andrey was the sweetest thing all day - carrying everything, getting whatever Michella and I needed from the bag, ordered stuff for us, talked to and encouraged Michella verbally and basically just did whatever needed to be done. I felt bad that I was getting all of Michella but he was just so happy that she was letting at least one of us care for her. I had to get a photo of Andrey in his new role. Way to go, Daddy!




















We went back to the hotel and on the way, the staff really encouraged us to take Michella now as she had warmed up to us so well. I really wasn't sure what to do. We took her up to our room to think about it and discuss. When I tried to sit Michella down on the bed next to me she protested and wouldn't let go of me. We all agreed that perhaps we'd give it a go. The staff said we could call them if there were any problems at all and they could always come. Since before the parking lot at the mall, Michella hadn't once reached for either of these ladies and when we said goodbye to them she didn't protest. She did watch them walk away though and looked a bit sad. Poor girl.
There have been moments when she has seemed to be crying but not making a sound. I'm not sure how she does that. She has barely said anything all day but at one point when Andrey tried to take her hot dog away she mumbled a grunty 'no!'

After a quick trip to the supermarket we went out for dinner. She buried her head for a while then after she warmed up a bit she ate quite a lot! We are so proud of her for how brave she was today!


































We got back to the hotel and I got her ready for bed.




















I cuddled her and sang to her. She held 'Goodnight Moon' in her lap but wouldn't let me read it to her. She fell asleep in my arms like this.

I transferred her to the crib next to our bed and she just rolled right over still asleep. We stood there and looked at her for a while letting the reality sink in that she is ours. We just think she is the cutest thing ever!

And there she is, still asleep as I type this at 10:30pm. If she is still here in the morning I will know it was not a dream. Good night!