The story of how Danil came to join the Vorndran's. . .
We were waiting for a child from Thailand (for 2 plus
years) when we once again got a call from the adoption agency, "Would you
be interested in a special needs boy from Russia?" came the question. We've
heard this question before--that's how we got our other son! This time it was
for a 5 year old boy with musculoskeletal problems. Once again we said "yes".
We had subconsciously felt that the Thailand adoption wasn't going to happen
so we had started building a new house. All of this happened just as the new
house had gotten underway. Panic time! How do we pay for all of this at the
same time? Our agency suggested "A
Child Waits Foundation" to us, which
we felt was divine intervention as it is based in the same town in which Jane
was born!
So the end of 2003 was busy getting the new house built, then, with just 2 weeks
before travel, the old house sold. So the Vorndran's had an extremely busy time
putting finishing touches on the new house, moving, cleaning the old house,
AND trying to pack for a trip to Russia! Nervous breakdown time! We managed
to pull through and had a very dear friend move into the new house to stay with
our three children as we took off for Russia--in March. Let me interject now
that March is not the greatest time in the world to go to Russia. Lots and lots
of snow and Very Cold!
Well, we make it there and after dropping off our suitcases at our hostess's
apartment, we were off to meet our new son. He came shyly into the room we were
in and they asked him, "Do you know who these people are?" He answered
"Da (yes), Mama and Papa." We went outside to play with him while
our coordinator left us to do some "official stuff." When she got
back Danil said something that made her laugh. She told us that he said she
had to teach us to speak properly. He couldn't understand us and we couldn't
understand him!
We had a wonderful time during our time there, we stayed with a lady named Svetlana
and also shared her apartment space with a couple from Garret, IN who adopted
2 little children. We had 5 adults and 3 children in a small apartment! We got
to know each other very well! Fortunately this other couple was a lot of fun
and really enhanced our trip. We stayed 3 ½ weeks and came home the Wednesday
before Easter with our new son.
As he is 5 years old we decided it was awkward to change his name so it remains
Danila which I believe we will drop the "a" as it is not pronounced.
Da-NEAL is the pronunciation. So he was Danila Sergeejevich Popov and is now
Danil(a) Micah Vorndran. He is missing his right arm and shoulder bone and has
½ a left arm. He only has 2 fingers--l works--but what that boy can do!
We help with dressing and toileting--that's all! He has one leg shorter than
the other and a 46 degree curve to his spine. He is one of the smartest children
I have ever known. His English is doing very well. His first day of school he
came downstairs and said "Mama, I say, Jonah, gee up and he say, I sleepy
and no gee up!" His teachers love him and everyone marvels at his dogged
persistence. And to think his future would have been begging in Russia. What
a blessing he is to us.
So after 1 child by birth and 3 by adoption (we also have a daughter from China),
our saga of acquiring children seems to have ended. But the story is far from
over. It's just beginning! Thank you so much for helping us build our amazing
family.
Mike, Jonah (7-Russia), Danil (5-Russia) Jane, Bailey (14-birth) and Zoe (7-China) Vorndran