That's My Girl!

Several thoughts today...

Last night, it dawned on me that exactly a year ago (11/20/06) was the first time we learned of our soon to be daughter. It was a few days before Thanksgiving but we still didn't know anything official. My heart, stomach and everything else within me was beginning to do flip-flops. I went through the motions of family get-togethers but was totally distracted by the thoughts constantly going through my mind. We asked everyone around us to beef up the prayer support and things began to kick into high gear.

Fast forward a year and we have a beautiful family with a beautiful new member.

There was no school today so I had the opportunity to stay home with Emily all day. I have been enlightened yet again.

How cool is it that our daughter will applaud for me when I fit a shape into her Playskool Shape Sorter? I'm 35 years old and my daughter is excited for me and amazed at my skills. I'm taking it all in and savoring these moments because I know these moments won't last much longer.

How cool is it that our daughter still loves to play peek-a-boo and giggles with delight when I jump out from behind a chair to scare her?

I'm going to have to watch out... our daughter is pretty adventurous. I'm pretty sure Emily ate cat food today while "we" were making yummy food for tomorrow's festivities. Even better, I'm pretty sure she really liked it because immediately after I heard crunching, I heard, "Mmmmm!". Not only that, but after I removed the remaining cat food from her clenched fist and brushed her hands off, I started to nudge her away from the cat food and she made a dive for the cat bowl again and very determinedly grabbed another fistful. That's my girl! The kid won't eat mac n' cheese but she'll sit down to a cat food buffet!

Emily has learned a few more things since my last post. When I picked her up from my parents' house yesterday, she can now demonstrate the actions for jump, hop, swing and rock. When we ask her what daddy says she laughs and usually does the same when you ask what mommy says. She will also make her mouth open and close like a fish if you ask her what a fish says and she likes to "tell secrets" with Daddy.

Today while we were in the kitchen eating she did the sign for "more" on her own without me asking her. We also took a break from getting food ready and went outside to swing. She LOVES to swing and gives a pretty hardy giggle when you push her hard and fast.

This kid constantly amazes me. Tonight she reminded me how far she has come. We were getting ready for bed and she grabbed her feet again on the changing table and pulled them up to her mouth. She hasn't done that for a long time and it was a really long time before she was even able to do that. We have no way of knowing for certain, but our best guess is that Emily was about 9 mos. old before she could roll over on her own. She was 10 1/2 mos. old before she could sit up on her own and she was about 17 mos. before she began walking. She's catching up and catching up fast.

This year, the holidays are less stressful and more cheerful. I'm no longer living in the cocoon of never-ending adoption paperwork and the end that felt like it was never in sight has come and gone. It's like being in love all over again. Colors are more bright, the air is more crisp and I feel more alive.

This year, as always, I'm so thankful for my loving and supportive husband. I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to be Ryan's stepmom. And, I'm so very thankful for the opportunity to be Emily's mom. I'm even thankful for the speed bumps and problems that we ran across during our adoption. We grew through each and every one and though they were difficult they allowed us to be in Kazakhstan for God's perfect timing. We have so much to be thankful for and I continue to keep other families and couples in prayer that are going through infertility or adoption issues. (The holidays are especially tough for these folks. My public service announcement for today is to please be sensitive to their emotions, thoughts and feelings as everyone celebrates with families and are surrounded by children especially during the next
several weeks.)