Our Last Day in Bulgaria

I've gotten a little behind on blogging and for that I apologize.  The outpouring of love and support you have shown for my niece is overwhelming and I feel like updating my blog with tangible evidence of how your prayers are working is one way I can thank you.  However, last Friday night when I finally had time to write, it was 11:00.  My eyes were so heavy and I did not think it would be wise to push it since we had to wake up at 4:00 in the morning to catch a cab to the airport.

Friday was our last day in Bulgaria.  After a day filled with appointments, we welcomed the lack of stuff that came with Friday.  We enjoyed a leisurely morning of exploring things like this beach ball.  Samantha caught a glimpse of it from across the room and slithered her way to it. 

We played with bubbles

and got lost in the hustle and bustle of city life as it took place just outside our hotel window. 

Although she doesn't like being in the midst of city life, she loved to watch it go by from the safety of our window.  

Like Sam I had reservations about walking around Sophia, only my fears were slightly irrational (Except for the fear of being hit by a car.  That was a reasonable one because pedestrians are merely a pawn in a ruthless game of "hit the walker for 50 points"! ).  However, my desire to get fresh air and buy souvenirs outweighed my petty anxieties. Here are a few pictures from that excursion. 

A no parking sign looks so much cooler written in Bulgarian.

A flower stand located in the middle of a beautiful market. 

If a building wasn't covered in graffiti it was draped with advertisements.

 Later I returned to discover that Samantha was in the process of calming down after a melt down.  Since she cannot speak, Gracie is left to her own devices to conclude what causes her to be sad.  It was traumatizing for Grace to see Sam in that state, not knowing what caused her to feel that way and knowing that days earlier her cries were left unanswered.  As a result of being ignored for so many years Samantha doesn't know how to accept comfort.  You cannot hug or caress her like you would another child and she doesn't tolerate being rocked.  Instead she finds comfort in sensory items like a koosh ball or the lights and vibrations of a toy that another adoptive mom gave her (Thank you, Lauren!).

After giving her the appropriate time to calm down, she eventually felt comfortable enough to smile for us. 

We had about an hour to relax and enjoy the comfort foods I returned to the hotel with (KFC and Lattes from Dunkin Donuts and this time there were no complaints from Gracie) before we settled in to call our parents and sister Natalie by Skype.

 Samantha was already fascinated by computers, but seeing people on the screen that seemed to be talking to her added to the allure.  Unfortunately Gracie had to leave abruptly during our phone call to finish some unfinished business at the embassy.  In an effort to protect Samantha from unnecessary stress, she was left behind with me.  While Grace shed some tears about having to leave unexpectedly without her, Samantha and I had some quality time together while she was gone.  We clapped and looked out the window.  We sang and read books.  I also gave her some space while I began to pack up the room for our impending travels back the U.S, talking to her as I did.  Before long Grace returned and we pulled ourselves together for a dinner with Toni (Grace's lawyer and friend) and other adoptive parents that were staying in the hotel as well.

Pictured above is Toni and Samantha.  Toni is a beautiful woman who is doing God's work.  She has literally been the hands and feet of Jesus as she has helped countless children be put into loving homes.   

My favorite part of the trip was communing with Toni and three other families who were in some stage of the adoption process at dinner Friday evening.  Two of the families had also just picked up their children while the other family said good-bye to their daughter and were already planning for their next trip when they could bring her home.  I marveled in the stories and enjoyed the company of other Christian families who share a passion for orphans.  While the adults talked, Samantha alternated between bites of chicken soup and hamming it up for her captive audience.

Samantha loved the broth in the hotel's chicken soup.

When we returned to our room after dinner, we began the task of packing up our stuff in preparation for our travels home.  We had high hopes of getting Samantha to bed early so she would be well rested for our big day, however she fought sleep until 11:00.  Regardless, she proved to be a good traveler and I will write about that adventure, as well as our emotional homecoming, next time.