WOW...How time has flown!

It has been a year since we met Leigah in the small apartment of her foster mom, Maija. So much has happened and at this point I wish I had been a better "blogger" to record all the events, firsts and down right funny things that have happened. Let me try to pick up where I left off in September.... Our flight left Riga on September 16th, 2011 after we spent some time with Maija, Valdies and Kate at the airport. They came bearing gifts and chocolates for everyone, even the boys back at home. After many tears, kisses and pictures, the three of us girls got on our flight to Helsinki and then to Chicago. As soon as Leigah stepped off the plane in Chicago, she was an official US Citizen and she literally jumped all the way to the gate. I didn't turn to see the looks of the surrounding passangers but could only imagine, cuz I knew what I was thinking. And I knew why! We went through customs without any problems and then headed to take care of her immigration paperwork. We were given this bundle of papers from the US Embassy with detailed directions to not open, hurt or basically breath on these papers until they were handed to the right people in Chicago. These papers were super important because at every check in at the airports we used these to show her new name that matched her passport but it also gave her alias (original name) which matched her airplane ticket. Going through immigration wasn't to hard either, except I forgot to throw away the banana from the plane and forgot that I had packed several pomegranets (sp). When we were done we went to wait for our flight to St. Louis, which was one delay after another. It was such a blessing to finally get on the plane and be headed to our boys! Back to present time.... The last year has had it's ups and downs, all days are good, just some days are better. Leigah has done an incredible job learning English, American social skills and trying to make friends. As the year has progressed we have been able to see more mental delays, short term memory issues and frustrations that come both those areas. We have moved to New Mexico from Missouri and she is making friends with children at the Children's Home we are at. I'm praying that the novelty of her being from Latvia doesn't wear off like it did with some of the kids from church in Missouri. I want her to be like any other kid that walks into a room, with exception of an accent. She still doesn't know how to start or hold a conversation with her peers but we are working on this and hoping that she is learning. Well, that's all for now. Maybe I'll try to write again...