Guess who's 8?

Yes, it's Peterson's 8th birthday today. So hard to believe. I never would have guessed that we would still be so far away from his homecoming. Absolutely no end in sight. We've been told that he's full of mischief and loves to laugh. I think this picture shows his silly side.

Eating cake at the March birthday party.

Gaëlle with a friend. She looks so much older to us in this picture. Robin and I feel fortunate that we don't grieve all of the moments that we're missing. I read blogs of adoptive parents that are so distressed because of all the lost milestones. I don't know why, but we aren't burdened by that. But I do feel disconnected sometimes. There's just so much about them we don't know. That's difficult. And we're so concerned about the long term effects of institution living for both of them. I've been reading too many attachment books lately and it weighs on my heart. No matter how good the orphanage is, it is still an institution and there are negative effects not to mention the trauma of the loss of birth family.