1st Easter with Natalie

February 7th: Then and Now

February 7, 2008 was the first day we held our daughter at an orphanage in the small town of Pavolvsk, Russia.  We shared three hours together and knew that we would be a family forever.  One of the hardest things we ever had to do was to give her back to the orphanage caregivers.  But four months later, we returned to the orphanage and brought her home with us. 

Below are pictures of Natalie on the day we met in 2008 and now in 2009.  What remarkable growth and progress she has made in only seven months.  We were at the adoption specialist today and Natalie is finally on the charts for weight and head circumference.  Praise God!  Her milestones for motor and verbal skills are right on target for her age group.  We are beyond blessed.  

Some of her new words include:  morning, oh man!, dude, what's that?, and no way!  She has also learned that she can climb out of her crib (such fun for mommy and daddy!).  Natalie also loves to imitate animal sounds.  Her favorite is the lion, but her monkey imitation is too cute (oo oo ahh ahh). 

Thanks for all your continued outpouring of love and prayers over our little princess.  Take a look now for yourself at how much she has changed. 

Natalie's 1st trip to Disney World

January 2nd will always be special.

On this day, in 2008, our lives changed forever. It was a Wednesday night, before church. Steve and I were eating dinner together in the fellowship hall downstairs when his phone rang. It was our family coordinator from America World Adoption. She told us that we had a referral for a little 15 month old girl. After our initial shock and then tears of joy, we ran up to my office to open the email. We were given three pictures, one of her at around 4 months and two recent photos. I remember feeling connected to this little one, but remaining guarded as we had no real idea of her health issues. It was so hard not to tell the world (especially all our friends at church that night), but we had to keep things quiet until we consulted with our adoption specialists. I do remember Steve and I calling our family and I did pull a few coworkers in to see the picture of my possible daughter.

Today my heart and mind has been flooded with flashbacks of the people, places and circumstances that God orchestrated as He was weaving us into a family. It is too much for me to wrap my mind around. I can only stand in awe of His greatness and remain humbly thankful at His goodness.

Natalie is a complete joy (yes, even though she is two---I'm a new mom, humor me!). Steve and I are amazed at how she is constantly babbling (wanting to talk like us so badly), climbing like a monkey (even out of her crib), and making friends wherever she goes. One of her favorite things to do is to dance with us in a little circle. She totally cracks up! Then she likes to push Steve's neck and mine together so we can kiss each other and then kiss her. Too sweet. At night we say our prayers together and then she proceeds to shut her eyes tightly and babble out her own prayer, ending with an 'amen'. Brings tears to my eyes every time!

2008 was our miracle year and we anticipate what God has in store for us in 2009.
May we all trust Him more, love each other deeply and live to please our beautiful Jesus.
Blessings,
Karen

Our 1st Christmas

Natalie's 1st Fall with us..

Four months and a week

Well, we've been home over four months now. At times it feels like we've together forever (in a good way), and other days only yesterday when we traveled to get Natalie from the orphanage. We cannot imagine our lives without her. She is such a precious gift.

Today I want to give God the glory He so deserves. Steve and I still remember getting off the train in Voronezh after traveling for over 24 hours, our translator meeting us with a hearty hug, looking us in the eye and saying, "the girl may not live...do you still want her?" Without blinking an eye we both said "Yes!". Whether she survived with us a day or a year, whatever time we were given to love her, she was ours and we knew it.

Well, 'the girl' is very much alive and on her way to great health. The issues that were so very grave and life threatening only four months ago are under control and under the hand of our beautiful healer, Jesus. Natalie's left kidney is very tiny and will never function over 7%, but the right one is enlarged and compensating for the left one. Both kidneys have grade 2 reflux, but no surgery is needed, just antibiotic daily, tests every six months and the prayer that it will lessen once she is potty trained. Last week we received a report on the MRI we had done a couple of weeks ago. Natalie's head is very small (according to growth charts) and not growing the way the doctors would like. The MRI showed no major reason for the small head size. It did however show that very early in her little life there was injury/possible abuse, inflammation from injury or infection. This thought is heart-breaking, but I want to praise God that there is no obvious evidence that she is at risk for decreased cognitive processes as she continues to grow. Praise God for all His touches on our little girl's life and thank you for all the prayers you have lifted to our King on Natalie's behalf. She is two inches taller, several pounds heavier and talking up a storm! God is good!!

I was told (while in Russia) that love can make a miracle. I believe that and with all my heart, I believe in the Miracle Worker.

Some New Pictures Of the Clarks

Natalie's Dedication Service

Natalie's Birthday Party

It's My Birthday...I am 2 today...

3 months and a day.......

Well, Steve and I have tried to keep you updated with pictures of little Natalie, but it has been awhile since I actually posted something. Here we go--

I can't believe we've been home 3 months already. Natalie is doing so well in her adjustments and transitions. She usually takes everything in stride and is quick to let us know if something is amiss in her world. Her vocabulary is growing and if she can't actually say the words, she uses the vocal intonation and the correct number of syllables to get her point across. She has said her own name using two words she has down pat: dada and wee (for when she is on a swing) become "dadawee" for "Natalie". I think she is genius! :)

This week in particular she has eaten like never before. Every meal she cleans up and I know she is growing because some of her 12 month shirts just won't fit. YES! Finally getting into those 18 month clothes! Natalie continues to try new foods but she still has her favorites. I keep her snacks on the lowest shelf in the pantry and she'll go get a box and bring it to 'mama' to open. We want her to know that she can have food whenever she wants it and I am thrilled that she is understanding this concept.

The end of August brought transition as I returned to work on a full time basis. On Tuesday she is with her Aunt Angie who is spoiling her every chance she gets. Natalie adores her. Natalie has playtime with cousin Jake before he heads to afternoon Kindergarten and then she gets to play with JP and Jake when they come home from school. On Wednesday she is with Miss Kitty and also has playtime with Danica. I would love to be a little girl at Miss Kitty's house---she is soo much fun!

Other things Natalie loves: the carousel rides at Dulles mall; tunnels, slides and swings at the park---any park; chocolate milkshakes; watching 101 Dalmatians with Daddy; singing with Mommy; giving slobbery kisses, sealed with a 'mwah'; petting her 'deacon' dog; being chased; tickle time; bike riding with Mom and Dad in her new 'tyke trailer'; having her hair blow dried; trying on shoes; playing, playing, playing!

Everyday we are humbled and blessed by this little girl God has chosen to share with us. She belongs to Him and yet He has entrusted us to love and nurture her as her life unfolds. Wow!

Have I mentioned that I love being a mommy?
Karen

p.s. Please keep us covered in prayer for Sept. 30. Natalie will have an MRI of her head/brain at Children's in DC. The doctors are concerned with the lack of growth as far as her head circumference. We will keep updates coming.

Natalie chilling out on the steps and looking good...

Natalie in Black and white

Natalie and Daddy going to the Petting Zoo.

Natalie is 23 months old today!

The Natalie Faith Song

Gaining Weight and Up a Shoe Size!

We had a good visit to the pediatrician today. Well, good news for us......Natalie would probably not agree since she had to have more blood drawn and also received two more immunizations..
The good news is that she now weighs over 22 pounds and is finally in the 10th percentile! YEAH! The pediatrician was amazed at her progress just since the last visit which was a month ago. In addition to her weight gain, her communication both verbally and through sign language is increasing. Her new words are: Deacon (my best friend's dog), doggie, woof woof, and ow. She is also showing great signs of attachment to both Steve and I. In fact, just recently Natalie has been reaching for kisses from us at bedtime instead of just receiving them whether she wanted them or not.

We continue to be amazed at how social Natalie is. She loves playing with other children and the highlight of her Sunday is going into the nursery at our church. Her personality and facial expressions are delightful and keeps us laughing. I believe she may become an actress one day. Other things she loves to do include: being in her swing, bathtime, pooltime, running up and down the halls of the church office area, being tickled and chased by Daddy, singing and playing piano with Mommy, Little Einsteins dvds, brushing her teeth, having her hair blow dried and trying on shoes....anyone's shoes..(by the way she's wearing size 5 now).

Everyday we are blessed by this precious little girl. How she loves life! How we love sharing each day together through her eyes.
Love to you,
Karen

p.s. We are having her Dedication Service at our church on October 5th. We would be honored if you shared this day with us.

Daddy's Shoes Video

Health Update on Princess Natalie

We've received good reports over the past two days. Yesterday we went to an audiologist to test Natalie's hearing. This was suggested to us by our pediatrician and adoption specialist in our efforts to alleviate this as a reason for her small vocabulary. Praise God--her hearing is just fine. This week her new word is: "wow".

Today, Natalie and I saw a urologist who reviewed the results of all the tests we've had over the past two weeks on her kidneys. Her left kidney is barely functioning; her right kidney is enlarged due to the amount of work it has to do; both have reflux BUT on a scale of 1 to 5, her condition is a low grade 2---this is good. The urologist believes that keeping her on the preventative antibiotic and watching for any signs of infection are enough for now. He believes there is no need for alarm or surgery at this point, living with one kidney is totally acceptable and that she will probably outgrow the reflux in time. I believe that God has already provided healing in Natalie's body and that He will continue the work He has begun!

It is amazing for Steve and I to think back to the very grim diagnosis we were given when we went to get Natalie on trip two. We were asked if we still wanted her with all the ramifications of her kidney issues. Of course, we wanted her no matter what! But to get home and find out that this is not a life-threatening problem is more relief than I can express. God is good!

Natalie continues to be the happiest little girl on the planet. She wakes up smiling and loves to play and explore her new world. Today she even ate apple slices and drank water--this may seem like a small thing---but to us this is a huge step of adjustment and we couldn't be happier at the strides she is making.

Thank you for your prayers, support and love. We are blessed!