We’re happy to report that Kamila is doing fine in her new home in Annandale, VA. Although my wife Anna & I started our adoption adventure nearly two years before we ever saw Kamila in the baby house in Kazakhstan, it was well worth all the effort, the wait, and then the rush!
As soon as we arrived at the baby house and met Kamila for the first time, we were enchanted by her broad smile and endless enthusiasm for play and adventure. We spent many visitation hours walking around the baby house, playing nurf Frisbee, and introducing Kamila to her first teddy bear Mishka (‘Bear’ in Russian). We spent many hours in the swing in the baby house playground, while she pretended to bark like a doggie, as people passed by.
After our visitation period ended, and a successful adoption court hearing, we counted the days before she would come to live with us. Once Kamila arrived in her new home, she was so curious about everything. (She had been described as an ‘active, but quiet’ 18-month old. She turned out to be anything but quiet!) After adjusting to one another, we began a pattern that seemed to suit everyone. Kamila is an early riser (bright-eyed & bushy-tailed by 6 AM – Every morning!) Fortunately, both Anna & I were not late sleepers anyway!
We’ve had such fin together! We’ve gone to the National Zoo, kids’ concert at the Kennedy Center, nature centers at our local parks, taking short hikes in West Potomac Park, and countless trips to local playgrounds. She has adjusted well to our pre-school, and her teacher told us Kamila is the most popular child in the whole school! All the kids want to play with her!
In all, a wonderful and enriching experience that we recommend to any parents seeking a new addition to their family!
Deke and Anna Moeller