KHS Assistant Principal Rob Burnside’s family has finally grown by one more member.

He and his wife recently cleared the final hurdle to bring home their newly-adopted daughter. As of Dec. 25, Zhana Ruth Burnside, eight years old, originally of Russia, was officially in the Burnsides’ custody. As of Jan. 1, she was home with them, ready to begin her new life as a U.S. citizen.

“She is very happy and loves her new family,” said Burnside.

While the rest of the family is working and at school, Zhana goes to school with her new mom, Burnside’s wife Angel. For half of the day she is with her new sister at her school. For the other half, she learns English with the alphabet and number system.

“She understands yes, no, okay,” Burnside said. “She has little communication skills (in English)”.

The language barrier is not the only obstacle Zhana will have to overcome. She will also have to deal with emotional distress from her past.

“For every 3 months in an orphanage, you are put back a month emotionally” explained Burnside.

This means Zhana is already about two years behind in her emotional development. But Burnside said he and his family “are prepared and know what we have to face.”

Eventually Zhana will have the option to be able to visit Russia. Burnside said he will encourage her to embrace her culture. Anywhere in the world, she is an American citizen – except in Russia. If she decides to go back she would have to renounce her Russian citizenship.

“We still have no information on any family,” said Burnside. He said they would love for Zhana to be able to reconnect with her intermediate family, but as of now there is no information on who are where they may be.

Burnside said he and his wife, while making their way back to the U.S. with their new daughter, found a special strength through the words of this song:  

 Out of these ashes, beauty will rise.
 And we will dance among the ruins. We see it with our own eyes.
 Out of these ashes, beauty will rise.
 For we know joy is coming in the morning.

“It was an intense, exhausting process but the important thing is, she’s home now.”

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