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Our Journey through Adoption

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October 11, 2004 - I can't believe we've been home for 4 weeks! She is changing so much! She is saying a new word every day. I think she is the smartest kid!!!!! Of course, I do!

Molly is adjusting very nicely and she is beginning to open up to more and more people. We've taken her to her first high school football game and she loved it! We've given her so many different foods and she loves anything! I would think that its alot better than the mush they gave her. I can't believe she'll be 21 months old tomorrow!!! Its alot of trial and error. But, we are learning.

Molly is sleeping about 12 hours a night thanks to a book my friend, Brooke, gave me. I am so thankful! We are all a much happier family!!!! She sleeps about an hour and a half during the day. Its great!

I officially resigned from work on Friday. It was a hard decision because they have done so much for me. They were so understanding and respected my decision. I just believe that Molly needs me right now more than ever!

I have some great news about my friends, Brooke and Aaron - they have been chosen as adoptive parents to a child due at the end of the month. They just started the adoption process and actually found this birthmom on their own without the help of the facilitation service. It has been a true blessing! She pray for the health of the birthmom and the baby. Its 90% a girl!

Well, I better get some things done around the house now that Molly is finally asleep for the night!

Keep the emails coming and I will try to update as much as possible.

Love, The Hill's!

September 26, 2004 - We have been home two weeks. Its been fun but hard work! Molly is not sleeping well and in fact, she was up until 4 this morning. I finally figured it out that her tummy hurt. No throwing up or the other, just gas pain. We rocked and played until 4 AM. It was very tiring! She finally went to sleep and woke up at 7 AM this morning. She and Craig laid on the couch and went back to sleep. I woke up around 11 AM to find them cuddled on the couch watching Fox News! He is starting her early. They had eaten breakfast and played the Elmo Game on the computer. He loves his baby so much!

This week has been fun. She met her cousins, Emily, Zoe, and Kelly for the first time yesterday. They had a blast! She loved Emily so much and would actually let her hold her!

Molly is beginning to talk more and more each day. She points to everything and says "That!" Its so cute! She tells us "Night night" and when she wants a Vanilla Wafer, she goes to the pantry and points to "That" and then says "bite," I am so proud of her.

Please pray that she sleeps well! She has been taking one nap a day for 2-3 hours and then going down around 8 or so at night. She sleeps until about 2 or 3 in the morning and then goes back down until 7. Its like having a newborn at times. I really want to get her on a schedule!!!

I hope all of you have enjoyed reading our journal and I will try to keep it up as much as possible. I am also attaching photos of her in her ladybug costume.

Love to all of you!

September 20, 2004 - Well, we've been home a week! I can't believe it. Molly is a totally different person since being home. We have had such an outpouring of support from family and friends. Its just been amazing! Our friends are bringing dinner every other night which has been such a blessing. I don't have to cook! I can focus my time on getting Molly adjusted! Sleep is limited! For both of us. She has been doing okay but we aren't on a schedule quite yet. She went down fine tonight after I put on the noisemaker (spring rain sounds) and the lullaby CD. She cried for a minute and then went right to sleep! Thank you Lord!

She is eating so well! She loves everything we give her. She did eat her waffles and syrup alittle too fast the other day and threw it all up. Mom really enjoyed that!!

Molly had her first doctor's appointment and it went really well. We were told at the American Medical Center that she could have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Needless to say, we were devastated and scared! But, our doctor thinks she is doing fine. He said she was moving along just nicely and we would able to track her progress better in 6 months. He said she didn't look like a baby with FAS and that we shouldn't be concerned. I know that working with her day in and day out, she will be fine. I think the doctor in Kiev was covering her booty!

We've had a lot of visitors and she seems to do great with that. I took her to church today and she did great in the nursery. She made two things to bring home and put on the fridge! They were so cute!

Just pray for us that naptime and getting on a schedule happens sooner versus later. Pray for her to continue to adjust nicely. And, PRAY FOR BATHTIME! Its still pretty traumatic to her.

Also, keep my stepgrandmother, Elsie, in your prayers. She lives in Orange Beach, Alabama. It was the hardest hit by Ivan. Pray that her home is still intact. She isn't sure if she has a home anymore! She is safe even though she was working in a hospital in Pensacola when the hurricane hit. Thank you Lord that she is safe!

We hope to continue to update our website with fun photos of Molly!

Love to all of you for your support while we were gone!

WE LOVE YOU!

Craig, Becca and Molly

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