one month ago today

All the children are down for the night, and we actually are relaxing with a fire in the fireplace. I can hear the chiming clock ticking away, and I’m just sitting thinking about the fact that we met our daughter one month ago today. On one hand, it seems like I can’t believe it’s already been a month. On the other hand, it seems like she’s always been a part of our lives.

I’ve been enjoying getting to know her as, I think, she sort of is figuring out who she is herself. She was cared for well at her orphanage—seemingly, her basic needs were met and the caregivers, the 7-8 we were told who rotated caring for her, really did care about her. But, still, it was an institution.

This was her room—a room with obviously many other cribs, many other children who also had needs and demanded care. That’s her in the bottom picture in pink with her cribmates taken not long before we received her. In the last month, we’ve seen quite a change in this little girl. I recognize that a lot of that change is because she has gotten more and more comfortable with us. But, I also think the change in her is largely due to the fact that she is seeing new things, is able to explore, and has two caregivers who are quick to respond to whatever she wants. It’s like she’s really becoming herself. She’s come alive in this last month, and it’s so fun to see.

What a good day to schedule a visit to our adoption agency, Living Hope, and introduce Miss Lyds to the ladies there. I was so excited for Sarah to meet her—makes me teary eyed thinking about it even now. Sarah was with us in the very beginning back in the spring of 2007 when we started this process. Through the years, she became less of a social worker/adoption facilitator in my eyes and more of a counselor and friend. She was instrumental in Lydia joining our family—she found her for us (read about it here). I consider her an extension of our family. So, I was so excited for the two to meet. Lydia, on the other hand, was not so excited about sitting with Sarah for a picture and clung to me—which made both Sarah and me quite happy actually! So, instead, Sarah had to just try to sit close for the photo while Lydia refused to smile.

Here’s a little video of what Lydia was doing just today, one month after we received her, now a very happy little girl.