This has been a very emotional week...and our emotions have been everyone you could imagine. We've experienced joy, sorrow, fear, relief, panic, peace, love and everything else you can think of. It's been a long week and we are thrilled to be headed home tomorrow. We miss our boys, friend and family terribly but we have enjoyed this time with Tabbi to learn her and have her learn us. She's a sweet girl, full of life and energy and we are so excited to see what God has redeemed her to do in this world. I will say, for better or worse, she will fit in fine at the Fullington house because she has all the passion required to make the cut!
We have overcome even more obstacles in the last two days. Tabbi will now ride in a car facing forward rather than burying her head and hiding her face. She has learned to eat and chew cheerios and french fries and to feed herself with a spoon. She even had a bath tonight with very minimal fussing! She splashed, played with her toys and sat in the water. The trick, of course, was "Jesus Loves me".....why I didn't think to include Him from the beginning, I have no idea.
My brain is scattered and my body is tired. I am both excited and anxious to start our long journey home. Thank you for all of your love, support and prayers. Please remember us as you lay down tonight because that is about the time we will be heading to the airport. Please pray for our safety as well as Tabitha's patience and cooperation with the long trip. We are so excited to see everyone of you just as soon as we can!
Friday, August 16, 2013
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Making Strides
We have made a lot of strides the last day and a half....and taken a lot of steps and done a lot of strolling. Tabbi really likes being outside...even if it is 90 degrees. It's not a whole lot cooler inside here so we just take her out side. Yesterday she chased more bubbles and we found a little play ground where she really liked swinging.
She has also learned to feed herself grapes, bananas and kiwi which is a HUGE step. Tabbi is learning to communicate with us in her own little ways. This morning when she needed a diaper change she just climbed on the couch next to me, laid down and grinned. When she wants to go outside she climbs into the stroller. When we put her shoes on and strap her in she says "bye bye bye" over and over. Eating gets easier every time we do it and that is encouraging.
Yesterday Tabbi and her brothers saw each other and "talked" for the first time on Skype. They were thrilled to see her and she just wanted to pinch their faces through the screen. She was so excited and couldn't get close enough to make her happy! That warmed my heart....I hope they are that happy to be together this time next week. I know I will be happy they are together this time next week. No matter the ups and downs we face, this Fullington clan is a team and it feels a little like part of our team is missing and it's going to take the whole team to pull this off.
Thank you all for your prayers, yesterday was a hard day for me but today has been much better so far. We took Tabbi walking down town this morning so she could walk in the parks and see some grass. She thinks she wants to touch the water in the fountains till we get her close enough to touch it...then she screams, and she has chased every pigeon we could find in Sofia! She gets very excited when she sees the birds and all the dogs around the city so we are hopeful that she will love Miss Chloe when we get home....it may take Chloe a little longer to decide!
We love you all and can't wait to see you when we return home this weekend. Tomorrow we go to the embassy for our exit interview and on Friday we pick-up all of our documents we will need at immigration....we are getting closer and closer to reuniting our family and starting on the road toward normal. Thank you all for all you've done for us this far.
She has also learned to feed herself grapes, bananas and kiwi which is a HUGE step. Tabbi is learning to communicate with us in her own little ways. This morning when she needed a diaper change she just climbed on the couch next to me, laid down and grinned. When she wants to go outside she climbs into the stroller. When we put her shoes on and strap her in she says "bye bye bye" over and over. Eating gets easier every time we do it and that is encouraging.
Yesterday Tabbi and her brothers saw each other and "talked" for the first time on Skype. They were thrilled to see her and she just wanted to pinch their faces through the screen. She was so excited and couldn't get close enough to make her happy! That warmed my heart....I hope they are that happy to be together this time next week. I know I will be happy they are together this time next week. No matter the ups and downs we face, this Fullington clan is a team and it feels a little like part of our team is missing and it's going to take the whole team to pull this off.
Thank you all for your prayers, yesterday was a hard day for me but today has been much better so far. We took Tabbi walking down town this morning so she could walk in the parks and see some grass. She thinks she wants to touch the water in the fountains till we get her close enough to touch it...then she screams, and she has chased every pigeon we could find in Sofia! She gets very excited when she sees the birds and all the dogs around the city so we are hopeful that she will love Miss Chloe when we get home....it may take Chloe a little longer to decide!
We love you all and can't wait to see you when we return home this weekend. Tomorrow we go to the embassy for our exit interview and on Friday we pick-up all of our documents we will need at immigration....we are getting closer and closer to reuniting our family and starting on the road toward normal. Thank you all for all you've done for us this far.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Gotcha!
She has been bought at a price....paid in full....redeemed....rejoiced for and welcomed into the family....and is now preparing to go to her father's house where a place has been prepared for her. Adoption really is the most visible and tangible picture of Jesus's gospel we will ever see, from beginning to end, this side of heaven! Thank you all for your prayers and donations that have allowed us to be a part of this.
We have had a wonderful day, a day we had hoped for but certainly did not expect. Tabitha seemed very much to recognize Barry and fairly happy to see him when they brought her to us this morning.....she was ok with the fact that I came along too. Her nurse/caregiver was precious, true to Bulgarian tradition, she gave us a bundle of fragrant herbs for our good health and well being, had tears in her eyes as she hugged us all good bye and tossed out a cup of water on the side walk before us to symbolize a blessing that Tabitha would go forward in life freely and unhindered just as the river flows.
Tabitha was a little concerned about the cab ride at first but soon realized she liked the breeze in her face, watching the world go by and being part of all the sites and sounds her city had to offer. She enjoyed riding in her stroller and just walking holding hands. She conquered her sippy cup today and had so much apple juice she hardly ate any lunch. Her eating habits and abilities have improved by leaps and bounds since we were last here. We have sat down to feed her three times today and she has not fussed at all, thrown a single fit or seemed anxious about anything.
We had to take her to the doctor for and exit exam and it landed smack in the middle of her nap time so we arrived back to the hotel with an overly tired baby that caught a 5 minute cat nap in the cab and we all know what that means....there was no laying down when we got back. I think she slept about 30 minutes and was done! She was still in a good mood and happy to play....as long as she got her way about everything...lol! We blew bubbles on the balcony and they were a hit...I hope I brought enough to last the week, we looked and played with new sticker books, watched a little Tom and Jerry, explored the apartment and danced to the music on LazyTown. She hated her bath but we made it through and she thought lotion time at the end was a pretty good reward.
All in all it has been a good day. God has made His face to shine on us...but I feel the enemy hard at work trying to rob me of my joy, make me doubt my ability, through Christ, to be enough mother, enough wife and enough provider to make this work.I feel him pushing anxiety and panic towards me and causing me to doubt the future...even after such a good day. Thank you all for your faithfulness to pray for us and please continue to pray for Jesus to guide our steps as we go. I also ask that you pray Satan would get behind us and that he must flee from our family by the authority of Jesus.
Thank you again for your love, prayers and support. We feel them and we need them, we certainly couldn't walk this road alone. Please be prepared to walk with us when we arrive home as well since we don't know what to expect and we will need you all. Thanks again!
We have had a wonderful day, a day we had hoped for but certainly did not expect. Tabitha seemed very much to recognize Barry and fairly happy to see him when they brought her to us this morning.....she was ok with the fact that I came along too. Her nurse/caregiver was precious, true to Bulgarian tradition, she gave us a bundle of fragrant herbs for our good health and well being, had tears in her eyes as she hugged us all good bye and tossed out a cup of water on the side walk before us to symbolize a blessing that Tabitha would go forward in life freely and unhindered just as the river flows.
Tabitha was a little concerned about the cab ride at first but soon realized she liked the breeze in her face, watching the world go by and being part of all the sites and sounds her city had to offer. She enjoyed riding in her stroller and just walking holding hands. She conquered her sippy cup today and had so much apple juice she hardly ate any lunch. Her eating habits and abilities have improved by leaps and bounds since we were last here. We have sat down to feed her three times today and she has not fussed at all, thrown a single fit or seemed anxious about anything.
We had to take her to the doctor for and exit exam and it landed smack in the middle of her nap time so we arrived back to the hotel with an overly tired baby that caught a 5 minute cat nap in the cab and we all know what that means....there was no laying down when we got back. I think she slept about 30 minutes and was done! She was still in a good mood and happy to play....as long as she got her way about everything...lol! We blew bubbles on the balcony and they were a hit...I hope I brought enough to last the week, we looked and played with new sticker books, watched a little Tom and Jerry, explored the apartment and danced to the music on LazyTown. She hated her bath but we made it through and she thought lotion time at the end was a pretty good reward.
All in all it has been a good day. God has made His face to shine on us...but I feel the enemy hard at work trying to rob me of my joy, make me doubt my ability, through Christ, to be enough mother, enough wife and enough provider to make this work.I feel him pushing anxiety and panic towards me and causing me to doubt the future...even after such a good day. Thank you all for your faithfulness to pray for us and please continue to pray for Jesus to guide our steps as we go. I also ask that you pray Satan would get behind us and that he must flee from our family by the authority of Jesus.
Thank you again for your love, prayers and support. We feel them and we need them, we certainly couldn't walk this road alone. Please be prepared to walk with us when we arrive home as well since we don't know what to expect and we will need you all. Thanks again!
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