[Games] Thank you! 3 months later:
in reply to a message by bopperlynn
To Ryleigh's Adoption Agency:
Thank you so much, Ryleigh, for allowing these two wonderful teenagers to enter our home!
> Malachi has been doing pretty well. It took him a little while to get comfortable –presumable for post-traumatic stress – but now is doing very well. Although in a wheelchair, he has been allowed to join the high school basketball team and actually does very well. It was intimidating at first for the other players to play along side a wheelchair, but Malachi's winning personality shown through and now they love him. He has become quite the lady's man, with many friends to hang out with. Of course, that's very important to a 16-year-old boy, so we're very glad.
>As for family, he's also been doing well. He has especially befriended Wai and Whitney, who both needed a male role model. They often go to the park to shoot hoops. You'd be amazed at how much those boys look up to Malachi! Anna seems to avoid him a bit, but Malachi adores Sofia and Sofia adores Malachi. Kaia and Andreas are still warming up to him. And Thea loves him, of course! She loves everyone.
> Adelaide, unfortunately, isn't doing as spectacular. We don't argue, because she doesn't talk, but I can tell from her eyes and body language that she doesn't trust me at all. The only person she does trust is Malachi – obviously because of him standing up for her when their father stabbed her. I have reason to believe that she talks to him when they're alone, but he doesn't say anything (probably because she made him promise not to). I am homeschooling her, as I am Anna, Kaia, and will homeschool Andreas. We have a piano for Adelaide, and she spends hours playing. It must be her release, her only way to be heard. This has improved her state considerably.
>I knew it would be interesting to see how Adelaide and Kaia got along, as they are both selective mutes. (Kaia, I believe I failed to mention, does not talk because of the trauma of witnessing her mother kill her father.) It turned out badly. They avoid each other at all costs – or did, but now they are doing better. I think it helps to have someone that understands you, you know? Either that or intimidating. Anyway, Hope has been a great help to Adelaide. Helping her new sister seems to be healing for Hope in itself. Anna seems curious about Adelaide; Whitney and Sofia are a little scared of her; Wai wishes they could be friends but fails; Andreas is too young to realize that anything is "wrong" with her.
Trials never cease in a family like ours, but we are eternally grateful to have these beautiful, talented twins in our family. Thank you from Sari, Malachi, Hope, Wai, Whitney, Anna, Sofia, Kaia, Andreas, Thea, and (eventually) Adelaide!
Sincerely,
The Seppänen family
Thank you so much, Ryleigh, for allowing these two wonderful teenagers to enter our home!
> Malachi has been doing pretty well. It took him a little while to get comfortable –presumable for post-traumatic stress – but now is doing very well. Although in a wheelchair, he has been allowed to join the high school basketball team and actually does very well. It was intimidating at first for the other players to play along side a wheelchair, but Malachi's winning personality shown through and now they love him. He has become quite the lady's man, with many friends to hang out with. Of course, that's very important to a 16-year-old boy, so we're very glad.
>As for family, he's also been doing well. He has especially befriended Wai and Whitney, who both needed a male role model. They often go to the park to shoot hoops. You'd be amazed at how much those boys look up to Malachi! Anna seems to avoid him a bit, but Malachi adores Sofia and Sofia adores Malachi. Kaia and Andreas are still warming up to him. And Thea loves him, of course! She loves everyone.
> Adelaide, unfortunately, isn't doing as spectacular. We don't argue, because she doesn't talk, but I can tell from her eyes and body language that she doesn't trust me at all. The only person she does trust is Malachi – obviously because of him standing up for her when their father stabbed her. I have reason to believe that she talks to him when they're alone, but he doesn't say anything (probably because she made him promise not to). I am homeschooling her, as I am Anna, Kaia, and will homeschool Andreas. We have a piano for Adelaide, and she spends hours playing. It must be her release, her only way to be heard. This has improved her state considerably.
>I knew it would be interesting to see how Adelaide and Kaia got along, as they are both selective mutes. (Kaia, I believe I failed to mention, does not talk because of the trauma of witnessing her mother kill her father.) It turned out badly. They avoid each other at all costs – or did, but now they are doing better. I think it helps to have someone that understands you, you know? Either that or intimidating. Anyway, Hope has been a great help to Adelaide. Helping her new sister seems to be healing for Hope in itself. Anna seems curious about Adelaide; Whitney and Sofia are a little scared of her; Wai wishes they could be friends but fails; Andreas is too young to realize that anything is "wrong" with her.
Trials never cease in a family like ours, but we are eternally grateful to have these beautiful, talented twins in our family. Thank you from Sari, Malachi, Hope, Wai, Whitney, Anna, Sofia, Kaia, Andreas, Thea, and (eventually) Adelaide!
Sincerely,
The Seppänen family
This message was edited 4/22/2007, 5:51 PM