An update that needs to be given

Maybe this is not the moment for blogging, but just to relax and enjoy the very strong bonding with Stephen---yet I cannot avoid posting that things cannot be better than they are. . . even better than my wildest expectations.

Although from the very fist day back in August I had been able to realize that he's very loving and able to make very solid attachments, he's so boyish that I never imagined he'd be so very cuddly as he is. During this trip his attitude for the first days had been friendly and polite, and yet there seemed to be some slight inner reservations. But on Thursday afternoon, after we were back from his medicals and the Consular appointment, it was a whole transformation, with an even more shining, more radiant attitude than during my first trip. He had been always playful, but became even more playful, with a new spark in his eyes. and much more love to give than I could even expect. He keeps on hugging and kissing me over and over again. He has even kissed my hand when I had it close to his face.

During the first two days at the hotel it had not been very easy to have him listen to some ESL for Children videos on You-Tube. From the moment we were done with the Consulate, he became extremely motivated to learn. And he's a really fast learner. In just one day he learned the Roman alphabet up to the letter 'r', and can type the alphabet with almost no mistakes. He can type his name, and can almost handwrite it. He perfectly understood me about the tongue position for the number 'three' not to sound like 'tree.'

He's trustworthy and incapable of doing anything wrong because of being upset. For instance, after I got his passport with the visa, I showed it to him, but when he wanted to hold on to it and keep on browsing it, I needed to take it away. He got very upset and threw himself on his bed--but on the bed he found one of my earrings, which I had not noticed missing, and no matter how upset he was, he immediately and spontaneously gave it to me.

He is totally full of life, has a very noble attitude in the face of his physical challenges, and there is something really special about him. I'm not talking about 'special needs.' Actually, he's so bright, so boyish, and so self-assured that you cannot think of him at all as a special needs child. As a matter of fact, his personality is so sparkling that you cannot even notice his wheelchair.

At the hotel restaurant in Sofia

During the immigration medicals

At the hotel lobby, after everything had been done. That's a picture that says it all, isn't it?