Nine Months With Nina

I cannot believe that it has been nine months since Nina has been home. The reality is that almost a year ago we flew to Ukraine, and at times I still feel like we have a long way to go. which I suppose we do! Nine months is not that long looking at the big picture.

In the last week or two, Nina has begun to look at pictures of our family. She wants to see all our family albums. Why? She is looking for herself. She constantly asks, "Where is Nina?" I think she finally is beginning to understand the meaning of family. That we all belong together. She is searching for her past with us.

This morning she asked if she came from my belly (Ellie had made a comment about her and Nichole being inside of me.) I told her she did not, that she grew in a different mommy's belly. Then I told her how Andy and I had found her picture, and how we had fallen in love with her so much, that we flew very far away to go get her. It was sweet to see Nina's face glow with excitement and the understanding of being wanted. A good reminder for me that this little girl has a very fragile past. Also a reminder, that Nina will have questions about what life was like before us, and trying to put the pieces of her life together.

Nina is trying to make sense of her life, and I need to pray for my heart to grow and grow in love for Nina, to chose love even when it is hard to do so, and to remind her that she is wanted, and that she belongs with us. She always did.