1. What is her name?
Her legal name is protected -we know it, we will share it when she is legally ours. She is called 'Marissa' on Reece's Rainbow - because they are posted on an international photolisting they need to be protected - one way they protect them is by giving them an alias. We plan on naming her Claire and keeping her legal name as her middle name. (or maybe keeping her legal name and making Claire the middle....there is some debate.)
2. Where is she?
Also protected. We know it, we will share after our dossier is accepted. She is in Eastern Europe.
3. How old is she?
She will be two this month! (November)
4. When will she be home?
Short answer - not sure - as early as late Spring 2011 (we ask you to pray this is the case) - it is reasonable to expect her to be home in less than a year.
5. Is it 'for sure'
Nobody outside of her country can adopt her at this point. She is only listed internationally on RR & she is committed to us. She has some disabilities that make her EXTREMELY unlikely to be considered by a family in her country. We can submit official paperwork in early 2011 and then she will effectively be ours officially. It's complicated - that is the short version. This timing is actually awesome because we will need a few months to finish up paperwork anyway.
6. What is her disability?
She has SH/FM - Split Hand Split Foot Malformation - http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=13614 - basically she doesn't have all her fingers and toes. Literally - that is it. There are possible surgeries that can help her. There is no way to know without X-rays how much (if anything can be done) - we are totally ok if there is nothing that can be done, we love her already - but we hope we can help her be as 'normal' as possible. She is cognitively normal, no FAS documentation, and no other medical issue other than her SH/FM
7. Can she walk?
Yes.
We'll answer more questions later! I just thought I should start with the one's we have been hearing most often.
Please pray that our paperwork goes through quickly!
Please pray she knows how much she is loved!
Saturday, November 6, 2010
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Kate!! So good to see your sweet girl's blog up and running! I keep a "blessing jar" where I write answers to prayers on little scraps of paper, and the most recent one I added was "Marissa's family found her." You know she is special to us. I'm just so happy you found each other...again. You'll be in my prayers. Maybe we'll both get to travel in the spring! :)
ReplyDeleteI knew someone in college with that condition. One hand was normal but the other one had two big fingers only and no nails. I don't know what her feet were like. She did fine, even worked in the kitchen for a while and cut food quite well.
ReplyDeleteThere is an African tribe where all the people have only two big toes called the Doma people, and the get by fine.
I am glad you decided to adopt her. I hope things go well and she can come home to you soon!