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-Leila and Leland are doing great. They don't talk to Milan and me very often, but often confide in Leah. They wanted to share a room, despite the space we have, so we gave them our bedroom, which is the biggest, to accomodate their belongings. They spend a good bit of time outdoors exploring our 12 acres. Leila has discovered she likes dancing and asked to be enrolled in ballet. We told her we'd think about it, but only to surprise her furthermore when on her upcoming birthday she discovers she's the newest member of our local ballet classes! She'll be thrilled. Leland has an intense passion for sports. You can often find him and Milan playing one-on-one basketball in the driveway. Both of these wonderful children seem to adjust better and better each day. Leila's even having a friend over Friday night for a sleepover!

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-Leah is having a hard time adjusting. She won't talk to Milan, or anyone else but Leila and Leland. lately, however, she's been opening up to me. Leah gave birth to healthy twin girls, whom she named Cecelia Annabeth and Magdolna Poppy. She's going to attend high school as a sophmore this year and can't wait, although she's a bit apprehensive about leaving Cecelia and Magdolna. She trusts me enough to watch over the girls while she's at school, which is a tremendous event for her. She's told me that sometimes she thinks that Milan and I will abandone her, like she's been all her life. We reassure her that everything is fine, but I'm heartbroken that this young girl has had a rough life and can't trust because of it.

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-Grigori is doing quite well. He hasn't been in any serious trouble, mainly teasing the other kids. He's become a lot more gentler over the months than when he first arrived. He really enjoys the company of Jodi, who managed to soften him up a bit hrough a common interest: dogs. Milan and I find it adorable that Dima falls asleep right next to Grigori (despite that fact that Grig's bed isn't big enough for the two of them. We're getting him a larger bed soon!).

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-Jodi is also doing well. She does not take medication for her depression, as, since coming here, her depression has almost disappeared. She often plays outdoors with Grig and Dima. She loves dogs so much, we took her to a pet shop. She picked out a long-haired standard dachshund, who she named Nova. She loves to draw and is an impressive artist. She also likes to babysit (with my supervision, of course) newborn Cecelia and Magdolna.

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Thanks so much for the newest additions of our family!
Milan, Serafina, Leila, Leland, Leah, Grigori, Jodi, Dima, and Nova! (See below for a picture of Nova)

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Nova (f): http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Std_Dachshund_600.jpg