One Year Ago Today...

One Year Ago

And Now ... See How I've Changed!!!

Haylie became ours forever!!! The previous day we had gone to court and the judge granted us permanent custody and legally changed her name from Nadzehda Skripova to Haylie Ann Holl. Then bright and early on January 15, 2008 we drove from Kemerovo, Russia to Novokuznetsk to the orphanage and picked up our girl and started our new lives as a forever family.

She has changed so much in the past year, she hardly looks like the same child. She was 18 months old and is now 2 1/2. She has gained 10 pounds and grown at least 6 inches (maybe more, it's been a few months since the last official measurement). She was wearing 9 month size clothing and now is up to either 2 or 3T. She couldn't walk by herself the day we picked her up, and now she never stops running. She didn't speak at all, although she constantly made interesting noises, and now she talks constantly. She was very serious and seldom smiled the first few weeks, and now she laughs constantly and is such a happy girlie. She is very loving and always wants "hugs, hugs", "kisses, kisses" and says "nuggle, nuggle" (snuggle) all the time. We are so blessed that God chose us to be her parents.

Today here in Kentucky it is very cold for us--it's about 11 degrees and is supposed to get down to -1 tonight. One year ago today deep in Siberia when we went to the orphanage it was -34 and there was 4 feet of snow. I tried to remember as I was freezing today walking into work that our weather is positively balmy compared to where I was last year and we really shouldn't complain, although of course we do.

The past year has absolutely flown by and I know we'll turn around and Haylie will be grown. I try to enjoy every minute of these precious days of her childhood as I know they too will fly by. Although I won't lie and say she has been a perfect child or everyday has been smooth, I can say her sweet smiles, hugs and kisses have been a dream come true. Happy "Gotcha Day" Haylie--we love you so much.