The Other Children of GLA

Thus far, I've blogged almost only about "my" children. Let me now take a moment to tell you about the other children of GLA. Each day, these scores of other babies and toddlers dig their way deeper into my heart. At first they were just a lot of cute kids that I didn't know. Now I know almost all of them by name, and even better, they recognize me. The energy and enthusiasm and excitement that greets me when I walk into the big nursery often brings tears to my eyes. I'd like to introduce you to a just a few of them here :)

This girl is BEAUTIFUL. She can be serious, but her laugh is becoming more and more frequent. Her smile is radiant. Her volunteer left on Monday, but I'm hoping to bring her up on the balcony any way. She is the sweetest, prettiest little girl.  

This boy is so much fun! He has the best grin, and a super awesome, mischievous, fun-loving personality. He never fails to make me grin.

This girl is amazing! She came from the other orphanage and was hospitalized for weeks because of rat bites. She's doing super well now, though, and her eyes, her smile, and her whole countenance are beautiful to behold. She's also put on a lot of weight since coming to GLA - she gained five pounds this past month!!!

This girl's story is beautiful! You can read more about it on GLA's blog here. I especially love her smile - she has the best dimples!

This fellow here (on the right) is quite the chap. He's turning three this month, but is sadly in the minority of children here who do not yet have a family. He is an intelligent, inquisitive boy who I greatly enjoy.

This girl is sweetness itself! She is always content, always smiling, and so kissable and lovable. Her smile always elicits real happiness inside of me. She's beginning to recognize me, and her attitude of joy is contagious.

I love this boy! He's the roly-poly-est, smiliest little chap. He turns one this month. Spending time with him is always a joy. He was recently matched to a wonderful looking family, and I'm so excited for him to go home and give them the joy he's given me.

This baby boy was one of the first I saw when I walked into the NICU, and his smile warms my heart. He has a full head of hair (about twice as much now as he did when I took that pic!) and he's also gaining weight quickly.

This girl is quite the character. She has an undiagnosed developmental disorder, and she was so sick that she almost died when she first came to GLA.  She is doing well now, though, and she has a mind of her own. She always has an agenda that she must accomplish or else agonized wails will ensue. I adore her smile and her laugh. She loves the bounce house, and she can't stop laughing whenever she's on it!

This boy is such a cutie! I've just started to get to know him better in the past couple of weeks since he has a volunteer now. He is full of the craziest kind of energy, and his smile is the best!!!

These twins are so great. They are really smart, really interactive, and really fun to be around. They also love each other very much - one night when I walked into the big nursery, they were standing quietly in their cribs, holding hands and looking at each other lovingly. My day always gets a little bit better when I see them.

This girl is just the sweetest. She's a tiny little thing, and she just started walking. She is particular friends with my Tuesday boy. She smiles at me whenever I walk in the nursery.

I already talked a bit about this boy; his parents were the ones that visited a few weeks ago. He greets me each time he sees me with a hearty laugh and by jumping up and down and giving me hugs and running circles all around me!! I just love it!

This girl is quite famous on the GLA blog. She just got back from surgery in the Dominican Republic about two months ago. She's extremely smart, interactive, and fun to be around. She does something cute, funny, charming, and endearing every time I see her. She speaks an interesting mix of Creole and English. The other day during lunch, I saw her running around the kitchen chanting, "Eat, Eat, Eat, Eat, Manger, Manger, Manger, Manger!" (Manger = eat in Creole). Getting to know her has been a joy. She has a family waiting to bring her home from Luxembourg!

I just love this girl!!! She is the oldest here at the Main House, and she really should be at the Toddler House, but there isn't room there, so she's here for now. She and I have so much fun together. I can have a different kind of a relationship with her since she's older and able to understand a lot of what I say. The games we play together are so much fun. Her laugh makes me happy beyond belief. She always gives me a hug when I go into the nursery. 

So those are just a few of the many wonderful children here at GLA. Each one has a unique personality, crafted so perfectly by the Creator. Each one brings something wonderful and irreplaceable to GLA. And slowly but surely, each one is finding a place in my heart.