Meeting our New Family....Well some of them!

This week was a great one! So great that I was too tired to get everything uploaded for a Sunday blog! There are quite a few pics at the bottom of this blog --- what a big week! My Precious Peruvian got to meet her Aunt Steph & Uncle Bubba and cousins J and A... and Aunt Mary & Uncle Jack (probably Mamaw & Papaw) and cousins Janice, Johnathon & K! We ate (Thanks Aunt Mary & Uncle Jack for making all of my faves.... Tomato gravy & Biscuits and Gumbo!) and played together and had a great visit! Little Bit did really well, she was off of her schedule with a house full of folks... and she just went right along with it all! She didn't seem bothered by any of it! She had a blast playing with J & A and went to bed worn out every night! Her cousins showed her how to make the Cozy Coupe go REALLY fast, and just what she needed to cook in her little kitchen! Too funny! And, she has all of them wrapped all around her little finger!
She learned all kinds of English words this week, and has learned that she can immitate what everyone says.... sooo "Be careful little mouth what you speak!" has now become the motto at my house! This is great news for her language development! I am so proud of her! And, I am so thankful for God's work in her life! She is making huge strides and doing really well! Everyday is a surprise to me! I think she finally understands that this is home, and this is where we will be. We moved to HER room this week, Mom still sleeps in there with her, but she is in her room..... the first night she didn't sleep as well as she had been, but after that, she has done well! That is a big adjustment too!
This coming weekend Grammie comes, YAY!! We are so excited and can't wait to see her again! We will be showing Grammie what all we can do, and it will be a great time of bonding with Grammie, Mama is so excited!
Well, our week was full and exciting and I will just let the pictures tell the story... sorry if they are kind of random, it was hard to get them all on here in order! Thank you for your continued prayers and love and support, I am so encouraged and blessed!
Blessings!

Cousin Johnathon brought his guitar and played it for my Precious Peruvian... we almost had to take him home with us! She LOVED it, and he even let her play --- good thing the strings are still ok!

What? You want all three of us to smile at the same time?!?

Uncle Jack is my new buddy.... got that big guy wrapped around my little finger! Look, I even got to wear his hat!

Well, a girl can never learn too early.... make the boys take care of the car!

"Sub-One in the Navy Loves Me" -- a sweet gift from Uncle Bubba!

My Precious Peruvian with A & K at Cracker Barrel -- we almost had to take that chair home!

A picture for Grammie... your kids and awesome grandkids!

The Suarez crew...... ya just never know!

God's promise showed bright and beautiful above my house on Friday this week, it was too pretty not to share!

The BLESSING

FINALLY! I am sitting down to write this blog that has been on my heart for the better part of a month now.... but let me just tell you, God said to me just now, "Sit down and write that blog....NOW!" I don't know why NOW, right this minute, but I have learned to listen to that Voice! The prompting from God actually came from a package I received in the mail today..... I have received so many beautiful gifts, of which I am so incredibly thankful and blessed, but today, I received my child's BLESSING! Let me go back a little bit....
About a month ago, I was craving some time with God and something to dig my teeth into and chew on for a bit. (Do you ever do that? Sometimes, you just need something to prompt that growth in your heart that is just dying to spring forth!" So, I went to the Christian bookstore one day and was looking around for something, I didn't even know what I was looking for really... but I thought a book on Christian parenting might be a good place to start. Well, I perused a couple and then saw this one on the end of a row, just as we were about to leave. (My Precious Peruvian doesn't enjoy books quite as much as Mama, YET!) It is called "The Blessing" and it caught my eye b/c of my very own BLESSING, that I had just received. So, I picked it up and perused it a bit, and quickly decided that this must be the book I was supposed to buy that day! Well, as I spent time reading this book, I realized that indeed, God had picked it out for me that day! There are two things that God uses to Bless me primarily.... MUSIC is #1 and books, especially His Word. Well, this book, written by John Trent & Gary Smalley, about 25 years ago, spoke volumes to me! It is all about BLESSING our children just as Isaac did for Jacob. It is this BLESSING that we crave in our lives. We need to hear a blessing from those we love in our daily lives.... it is what makes us who we are, it is what guides us and helps to direct our paths in life. There is a lot more to the book, but this is the basic premise. An example from my own life is this: My Mom alwasy told me that I was going to go to college because she never got to.... well, I didn't really understand all of that when I was young, but as I got old enough to go to college and then graduated with 2 degrees, what exactly that meant for my life..... and what it meant to my Mom to see me fulfill that Blessing she placed on me came to life. She went to work at 3:00 in the morning for a lot of years so that she could somewhat afford to send me to college..... and then she rejoiced with me as I graduated and determined my life's work. (She did hope I would be filthy, stinking rich so that I could buy her a little red Mercedes sports coupe.... but well, that didn't work out! --Sorry Mom!) But, this is an example of a blessing you might give your child.... but as I learned in the book, the BLESSING is much deeper too. There is a blessing for everyone, but sadly some NEVER reeive any blessing at all from their parents, friends, no one! Oh, it is sooo sad to me! But, God is there, ready to give us the blessing that we all need and crave!
I was blessed to have blessings on me.... they were not necessarily given like the steps this book provides, but they were there! The book gives 5 elements to the BLESSING: 1. Meaningful touch, 2. A Spoken (and or written) Message, 3. Attaching High Value, 4. Picturing a Special Future and 5. An Active Committment to make the Special Future happen. These are as the book describes the BLESSING we receive from others.... great book, GO READ IT!! But, God also gives us a BLESSING and speaks a BLESSING over us... it is there in His Word, every time we open it up! And, He uses others in our lives to bring about the other 5 elements of the BLESSING, which is why it is so important for us to surround ourselves with outher believers.
So, as I was reading this book, I realized something spectacular... well spectacular to me anyway! I had titled this Blog "Becca's Blessing" a long time ago, about a year into my adoption journey b/c I knew that this adoption was a BLESSING from God. I had NO idea how God was going to use it, but I intended it to bring Him all honor and glory! What I realized is that God has spoken His BLESSING over me and my little one through this whole journey! All the while, as I waited and waited, and prayed that my little one would come soon, God spoke Blessings to my soul through prayer, His word and the encouragement of others! So many would say, "that is so incredible, I can't believe you are doing that"... "you are so brave, generous, etc...." (I don't really deserve any of that, but God used it for encouragement!) Then, while I was in Peru, so many Peruvians spoke words of BLESSING over me and my child... with things like "She (My Precious Peruvian) is so lucky!" "You have such a good heart, she is going to do great with you!", etc. Wow! The words were like "streams in the desert" to my ears. They washed over me and renewed my spirit! Then, when I arrived home, there have been SOOOOOO MANY words of encouragement and blessing for both of us! So many kind and generous deeds that have BLESSED us and so many who have committed to pray for us and to support us in so many different ways! ALL of this is God's BLESSING that He has given me! WOW!!! I am speechless (well, apparently not according to this blog's length!) but seriously, speechless that God has chosen to BLESS me! In the Old Testament times, the BLESSING was reserved for only ONE son.... thank the good LORD that because of Christ's blood, the BLESSING is for everyone!
Well, as I began processing all of this realization of God's BLESSING being poured out over me, I began to realize that I needed to make sure that I was blessing others. I pray daily that I can do that! And, being a teacher, I believe I have had tons of opportunites to BLESS young people, sometimes I did and sometimes, I have failed..... oh may God remind me of that every day that I walk into the classroom that I have exactly ONE class period with each student to gvie them the BLESSING that some will NEVER receive! I might be the only person even attempting to BLESS them! May I NEVER forget that! BUT NOW, I have the life that I am to pour every ounce of BLESSING God gives me the strength to give, into. My Precious Peruvian. God has given me a life to BLESS and to commit to fulfilling her BLESSING! With this responsiblity heavy on my heart, I began praying that God will give me the BLESSING that I am to pour and pray over her.... and as always HE provides! That leads me to TODAY!
In the mail today, I received the most wonderul present for my Precious Peruvian from a man and woman who poured BLESSINGS into my family. Uncle Jimmy worked with my Dad and for a time was like a Father to my Dad who lost his own Father way too young. Then, as we went to Sunday school and church with Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Lurleen, they spoke BLESSINGS over my brother and I and my sweet Mom too! Well, several years ago, my Grandfather passed away and we asked Uncle Jimmy to do his funeral service. And, God had laid it on my heart to sing... now I LOVE to sing, sing in the choir no problem, but have always been a nervous WRECK about singing solos. But, God laid it on my heart that He had given me this voice to sing with, and that my family needed to know He had given me this gift.... and it was, for me, a gift for my Grandfather. Well, I was a nervous WRECK that day, but Incle Jimmy prayed over me, and spoke words of BLESSING over me that day! It was also during these few days in my hometown that I got to share with Uncle Jimmy that I was adopting a little girl from Peru. I didn't know who she was yet, but that God had it all worked out already. Uncle Jimmy again prayed for me, and spoke a BLESSING over me and told me that he would continue to pray..... OK--- so today's gift was another BLESSING from Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Lurleen! It is a song (again, the thing that speaks MOST to me and my child --- tell me God didn't have that planned!!!) and it is called "I BLESS YOU!" (Now, it is important to note here.... Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Lurleen have NO idea about any of the "Blessing" messages I have been receiving from God! --- Oh my!!! How cool is that!!! In fact, I am going to have to print this blog post and mail it to them, so that they can know, just how they have BLESSED us!) But, this song, as I read it's words, I realized is the BLESSING that I want to pray over and our into my child! I don't know the writer of this song or anything like that, but I will tell you, it is NO accident that however many years ago (and I think it was a lot!) God knew I would be looking for these very words to ecpress the BLESSING that awaited in my heart for my child! I am so overwhelmed with emotion, I don't even know how to put it on paper!! WOW! WOW! WOW! is all I can keep coming up with!! Here are the words to the song --- and now my child's BLESSING --- "I Bless You!"

I bless you with joy and peace and love that won't let go
I bless you with grace and faith and fire in your soul.
I bless you with dreams and visions, most men don't know of.
I bless you with deeper knowledge of our Father's love!

I bless you with joy and laughter.
I bless you with a steadfast faith.
I bless you with the hopes and the dreams that your heart goes after,
I bless you with Amazing Grace.

I bless you with stregth and power, grace through any trial.
I bless you with wisdom and with comfort in your smile.
I bless you with great adventures, journeys yet unknown.
I bless you with a heart gone wild beacuse you are His own!

I bless you with joy and laughter
I bless you with a steadfast faith.
I bless you with the hopes and the dreams that your heart goes after.
I bless you with Amazing Grace.

I bless you with the heart of a warrior, grace to stand and fight.
I bless you with brother (and sisters) who will stand right by your side.
I bless you with courage till the battles have been won.
I bless you with the Faith to hear your Father say... "Well Done!"

Wow! Every word in my heart, already put to music a very LONG time ago... just for me to hear TODAY, and for me to share with my Little One all through life's way! God just spoke words of BLESSING over my sweet one and me too! I don't know if Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Lurleen have read this book I spoke of or not, but this BLESSING they have given me today tells me they learned this lesson a VERY, VERY long time ago! They told me in their card that they used to sing it to their girls..... oh the beauty of the BLESSING! Who are you going to BLESS today?!?! God has someone for each of us to BLESS, and if we listen closely, we just might hear God singing His BLESSING for each one of us too! Who knew the word BLESSING would come to mean so much to me when I picked it for a title for this blog? Thank you, each one for BLESSING me and I pray that I will take each opportunity God gives me to BLESS others! Will you do the same?
BLESSINGS!!!
Becca

A Few Tough Days!

It has been a tough week! There I said it! Mama is tired! Oh, but how My God supplies ALL of my needs! And, this too shall pass! This week was tough because Little Bit wasn't feeling well! The hard part was that Little Bit couldn't tell me she wasn't feeling well! We made an unexpected trip to the pediatrician's office on Thursday and are thankfully on the road to feeling better really soon! And, oh how I hope so! It is so hard to see your child in obvious discomfort and pain! I didn't know how hard it could be, but I have seen it this week! We have cried together! But, she is doing better now and will hopefully be improving a lot more really soon! On top of that, Mama had to have round 2 of steroids for the allergic reaction to sunscreen and now the dog is having allergy problems because she likes to eat EVERYTHING my Precious Peruvian allows to fall on the floor! So, tomorrow, the doggie gets to go to the doctor too! And, thankfully, it looks like round 2 of the steroids worked for Mama this time!

We did have some fun this week though! On Tuesday we went to our frist music class with our friend M. at Gymboree! And, on Wednesday we went to art class there! My Precious Peruvian loves some music and art and is quickly learning how to do new things! On Monday we had lunch with Tia Gia, then our speech therapy evaluation and Little Bit did very well, and turns out she is exactly where we thought she was. Thank you for those prayers. We will set an action plan this week. We have learned to ask for some things this week! What an answer to prayer! We have learned to ask "Again" when we want to hear something again.... we have listened to Mickey's Countdown at least a million times this week.... but when asked for it, she gets it! This week, if she asks for it, she gets it! We'll work on reversing that later on! :-) But for now, it is good that she is beginning to ask for things! She asked me for help for the first time this week and asked for more water and several other things too! We are also working on saying when we don't want something... this has been a little bit harder battle! We will continue working on though little bit by little bit! I am just so excited for the strides she has made this week in spite of not feeling well!

Please continue to pray for us! This week has been a tough one! Mama is tired, please pray for God to give me more stength and wisdom and a limitless supply of grace! Please also continue to pray for our attachment and bonding! Little bit is becoming more and more secure in her surroundings and this is a great sign that she is attaching! Thank you for those continued prayers for that and resiliency! While in Peru, when she was not feeling good, she was very shut down.... this week in spite of not feeling well, she was still very open to me and sought out comfort from me! She didn't even give the pediatrician a frowny face this time! She didn't like it one bit and fought still, but when all was said and done, she said Bye, Bye and we went on with our day! So, thank you for those prayers of resiliency, AGAIN!

Here are a few pics from our week at home(apparently, I talk on the phone a LOT!) and Gymboree, thanks Tia Alison for taking pics! And, thanks to Miss Ena & our friend E. for the awesome Minnie Mouse sun glasses.... we LOVE them!!!

Remembering...

Wow! Today is the 2nd Month Anniversary of our sweet Blessing Day! Oh my goodness, I can hardly believe it myself! Additionally, this past week, we celebrated the 1 month home mark.... and whew! What a busy week it has been! But, this week, I have stepped back to remember where my Precious Peruvian was two months ago today, she is definitely NOT the same child!! Oh My goodness, if I could only put into words all of the changes and strides she has made, in spite of insurmounting changes and moving to a new country, leaving the only 6 people she had ever known, moving to a place where everyone (it seems) speaks English to her, and then all of the newness of what is around her.... Oh my! I am overshelmed!! Seriously, My Precious Peruvian is doing incredibly well! I can hardly believe it myself! I won't say we haven't been working hard on some things, because we have, however, she just is not the same child scared of anyone new to her, she isn't the same child that lived in a shell, she is AMAZING! I need to find some way to put into words how well she is doing so that I can remember it, but it is almost impossible to do so! If I have ever seen a complete 180 degree turn, she is it!
We met with the International Adoption Clinic again this week, and again, thank you for those prayers! It was a much better visit! Thank you God! But, no one had to examine her! She did see a developmental specialist, who put her developmental progress into a good clear picture for me. The other HUGE praise is that she does Diagnostic testing for one of the things that was said might be an issue for my Precious Peruvian, and this Developmental Specialist said... "No Way!" She wouldn't give my child that diagnosis for nothing..... she said, there is "No way she could have any part of it!" What an amazing answer to prayer! I know, you are wondering what in the world I am talking about, but for my Precious One's privacy, I am going to not put that on the blog... you can ask me and I will be glad to tell you just how BIG our God is!! But, all praises be to Him for this great answer to prayer! My Little One is still a good bit behind where she "should be", but with some more hard work and love and dedication, I am sure she will continue making strides!
We have also had a great week with some new friends! We went to the zoo with our friend E. last weekend, and on Monday we went to play in M's pool! The awesome Parker family had us over for dinner, and boy was it yummy!! Then M. and my Precious Peruvian played this week at Gymboree! Gymboree has an awesome Mom & Me program during the summer months and we are LOVING it! We get to go play, and this week we will start a music and art class! The best part is, Little Bit gets to try out lots of new things in a safe and fun environment where she won't get hurt! She is learning to climb a ladder, jump, etc. I was reminded this week as she was crawling through a tunnel, which they did have at her orphanage, that it was how we met each other for the first time! Oh what joy it was to see her coming through with a smile on her face as if it were the easiest thing she had ever done! She was really afraid to do it, and had to be coaxed through the tunnel on the day that I met her... not this day! So amazing!
So, yes, this is our busy but amazing week! She is doing great! The attachment is coming along very well, and then there are some days, like today, that we just stay close to home! However, we did go to church today! Again, she did well in her SS class, but Mama drug her to big church to hear our prospective pastor preach... and she did great then too! She was even trying to sing "Mighty to Save" with Mama, and a couple of other songs too! So cute! So amazing how she just new "God was in this place!" Church is one of the places I don't have to talk her into getting out of her carseat, she jumps right out and is ready to go! Oh, thank you Lord!! I am sure not every Sunday will work out so well, but God has been so good and so gracious!
Thank you for your continued prayers! This week, we start with Speech Therapy evaluation, as this is her biggest and most challenging delay! She is "talking" a lot, a whole lot more than she did when I first met her, but we aren't there yet with words! She struggles with expressing her needs, and this is partly because when an orphan has a need and expresses it, said need, may or may not get answered.... so a lot of orphans just stop saying what they need. So Sad! This is the hardest part for me as a Mama, I don't know what to do for her sometimes! I worry she gets enough to drink or eat or whatever b/c she doesn't know how to ask for it! So, as you continue to pray for our attachment and bonding, and resiliency for Little Bit, would you please add this to your prayers, prayers for her to learn to express her needs! (This is dangerous too though! In a few months, I might be asking for you to pray she stops talking! :-)) But, in all truthfulness, this is an area of great struggle for her... she wants to, she just can't quite make the words come yet... so thank you for your prayers here!
And, as always, I am so incredibly GRATEFUL for your thoughts and prayers! I feel so incredibly BLESSED to be able to share our journey with others! I was also reminded this week of how short this life is! A colleage at work lost his battle with cancer last weekend, please pray for his family during this diffiuclt time, and pray that we will all celebrate life because God is the Giver and He is so full of LOVE and compassion for each one of us! Below are some pics from our week!
Blessings!

Our first meeting 2 months ago.... Now just look at her! All thanks be to God!

Movin' Along!

Movin' Along! That is what we are doing! It has been a good week! A little more testing a little more grieving, but significantly better than last week! I think she is finally getting a sense of this is home! And, Mamá is getting a little better at this "Mommy thing"! I have discovered that being a Mom requires a lot of planning and there is no room for procrastination! Uh-Oh! Mamá WAS the Queen of procrastination! Notice, I said WAS! I am learning.... although I am also learning that if the dishes don't get washed, it is ok, life does move on! Thankfully, I have been able to keep up with that and most of the laundry! :-) Honestly, things are going really well! Mom got to go to the Chiopractor and get her hair cut! And, Little Bit even let Miss Melissa cut her bangs! Yay!! Now I can see those beautiful brown eyes!! There are moments, but that is all they are, moments! And, because of the "Mommy Grace" that God gives all Moms, I don't even remember some of them! But, my Precious Peruvian is learning all kinds of knew things! She is learning more and more English words, and even saying a few spontaneously here and there, which she had just started doing in Spanish 3 months ago..... AMAZING! She has learned Stand-Up, Sit Down, Come on, and she is using more signs like "help" and "more please", etc.. Above all, she has learned how to make Mickey Mouse's Clubhouse appear by saying "Miska Mouska, Mickey Mouse!" She just stated saying this spontaneously today and I wasn't all together sure what she said at first, and then I realized what it was! YES, WE LOVE MICKKEY & MINNIE at our house! (Below is a picture of her with her "Ra-Ra" (AKA Minnie Mouse) while she watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) She has also learned to make the Princess Cozy Coupe go forward and backwards! I think backwards is her favorite still though! Then yesterday we went to the Zoo! This wasn't her first trip to a zoo, but with Mamá it was! We went with our neighbors and she and my neighbor's little girl had a great time! Unfortunately, the sun drains Mamá and my Precious Peruvian too, so we'll have to limit our trips to early morning hours and be ok with not seeing everything at one time! Next time we go, we are going to see the llama at the petting zoo.... I think she'll like that! :-) We are also getting ready to start some fun summer classes, Play and learn, Music and Art.... and the best part is Mamá gets to play too! I am really excited about these classes because they are a great opportunity for more bonding and for her to play with and see other little ones! It is going to be fun!

Another big moment for my Precious Peruvian this week was Sunday School! We have been going to her room for three weeks now. The first was just a visit, but last week we went and stayed the whole time and again today we went and stayed the whole time! But, the best part was, I told her we were going to her class room and when we rounded the corner and went inside and she realized where she was, she did a little happy dance and started "talking".... it was soooo cute! She was so excited! And, this week she played a lot more independently (without Mamá). She still came to check in every once in a while, but I was able to just sit in a chair and watch her play, and she did great with the other kids in the room! Oh! What a happy day! We are still a few weeks away from leaving her completely, but she is progressing greatly there! And, I am so thankful to all the wonderful people in the children's department at my church for making her feel at home!
Well, I wouldn't be being honest if I didn't say there were some difficult days... there have been! But, this week, the difficult days have turned into difficult moments! It is such a good things that she tests Mamá, but we are learning a little bit about the word WAIT and obedience. It is difficult for any 3 year old to understand the word WAIT, so no big surprise here. Obedience, this is more part of the testing..... and she is a VERY obedient child 95% of the time, so NO complaints here! But, we have had a few instances where we are learning that we don't always get what we want, when we want it, OUCH! A HUGE lesson for Mamá too! Funny, how God teaches us the same thing at the same time! Anyhow, we have both learned this week, and I was able to tell her and teach her that when she is obedient she can get "MOST" of what she wants. She will always get ALL that she needs though, even if she doesn't WANT it (just as we always get what we need from God!) And, as I was telling her this I was reminded of God's promise to us "If you will obey ME, I will BLESS you and if your disobey ME I will punish you." Now mind you, I am soooo glad that God is God and that I am NOT! This world would be a messed up place, but the lesson was the same for both of us again -- and neat how God uses spiritual principles in everyday life! And, it was a reminder of the blog that I haven't written yet... "The Blessing!" In an effort to keep this blog from being an epistle, I am going to save that for another time... still coming, I promise --- but there is only so much a person can read at one time!
I will say this, I am BLESSED beyond measure... EVEN when I don't deserve it! I have felt satan testing me this week, and I am so thankful that God is full of grace and forgiveness and that each morning is fresh and anew and loaded with opportunites to bring Him honor and glory! I hope that my life does that! But, I know that there are times when I don't bring Him honor and glory and I pray that He will continue to give me the strength I need for these times! The best part is... I KNOW He WILL!

Thank you for your continued prayers for strength, wisdom and grace for me and continued attachment and resiliency for my Precious Peruvian! She is doing very well in both these areas and I know that it is ONLY because of God and the prayers you all have so generously offered up that she has done so well! PLEASE keep them coming! PLEASE also pray as we go back to the Doctor this week for another 3 hour appointment, thankfully this time we won't have to take any blood, but there might be more needles and she will see the pediatrician for a little bit, so we need lots of prayers! And, many blessings to all of you for this week, Memorial Day, a chance for us to celebrate our troops, veterans and those who gave so much to protect our freedoms, and the first week of SUMMER!! Oh! I want this calendar to slow down for a few more months, so that I can savor EVERY day as a "Stay-at-home Mom"! These days will pass by soon enough, but I LOVE being home with her and having this time with her! So, Yay for summer, but please don't pass by too fast!
Blessings!

Also a few pics from the zoo, and showing off her sweet Sunday dress.... this weeks Sunday dress that is! :-) She has so many beautiful ones thanks to the generosity of so many! Again, thank you!

Quick Update!

Wow! What a busy but great week this one has been! Monday we started Music therapy and my Precious One LOVED it! She was completely enamored with the guitar that the therapist had and she even got to touch it and strum it..... she would have done anything for one more song! She did great though in her evaluation, and tomorrow we start working on some different areas for her! She has already picked up some English words, and doing several things she wasn't doing a week ago! Bravo! She has also learned that all things that fall on the floor go to Mia..... in fact when she dropped a Cheerio the other day, she called for Mia to come get it! Too funny! We are doing great and while Mamá wasn't sure she was going to make it past Wednesday, God sent in reinforcements! Friends who said, Hey! Let's go to the park and dinner! So, Thursday started looking better! My Precious Peruvian is doing great! In fact, she is doing so well in the attachment area that she has started testing the waters! (This is a good thing, it means that she is trusting me enough to test me) We are finally on a schedule, well mostly! Last week she got up at 5:30 4 mornings in a row... so Mamá finally decides she needs to get with the 5:30am program, went to bed really early Wednesday night..... and wouldn't you know it?!? Little Bit slept until 8:00 the next morning! That is ok! I think we both needed the sleep that night! This week was spent trying to work out insurance and chasing others' mistakes! Oh, I had to give a LOT of grace this week to others, and I was struggling! It seems that the Lord had me on a paper chase this week.... not sure why, but my patience sure was tested! But, even though I was frustrated, God gave me the strength to move on through! I don't understand it, but I guess sometimes challenges are put in our path to keep us depending on Him for our strength! I realized real quick this week, that I can't do everything on my own, I have to depend on Him! This weekend we got to enjoy a birthday party, dinner with friends and today we got to go to Church again! Today we went to her Sunday School class and she loved it! Mamá stayed the whole time and then waited to see how long she would stay after the Sunday School hour. We stayed all the way through church too, of course in her class! She did fantastic! And, this evening I said we are going back to church to hear some music (Our children's choir did a great job with their musical!) and she was ready to go! Thank you Lord that my sweet one loves Your house, please may this always be so!! Please continue to pray for my Precious Peruvian and me as we journey together!Thank you for your continued prayers!! I have some more blogging to do, some things that God is laying on my heart, but no more time tonight! Hopefully tomorrow I will get to write about what is on my heart... it is "The Blessing"!
Blessings!

Our First Week Home

Wow! What a CRAZY busy week! Monday was kind of spent recovering from our trip still. Tuesday, we went for a visit to Lifeline to meet all of those who prayed for us and helped Mamá get this precious one home! It was a fun visit! Then Wednesday was a BIG day! We had a retirement reception for someone in my department at school, so we made a quick appearance. She was a little tentative, but overall did really well! But, then we had to go to the International Adoption Clinic for her evaluation #1 there. I am so blessed to have this service in my community! The Doctors there are FABULOUS and they all understand Internationally Adopted children and the issues (healthwise and otherwise) that they come with because they all have Internationally adopted children of their own! And, boy is this Mama glad that they understand b/c my child sees a stethescope and completely flips out! We had a very, very, very difficult 31/2 hour visit there, but that is behind us now! We will work on this going to the Dr. thing... it is tough for her, really tough! And, so far "Elmo" and his video about going tot he Dr. hasn't helped us, NADA! I had been seeing an increased lack of sleep in her, and the pediatrician was able to help with that, so that we could get on a more normal schedule.... let's hope so! But, she is doing much better sleepwise! Well, poor thing, Thursday was still a rough day for her.... she was overly exhausted from the past two weeks of not sleeping well, and then traumatized from the Dr's visit.... so we had a total of 7 meltdowns on Thursday..... 5 within 2 hours. Well, the thing is, I just can't blame her! I might be having meltdowns too if my world just got dumped upside down and I couldn't do anything about it! So, I pray for more grace, so that I can give it to her.... and leave a little for me! :-) Thank God, He has plenty of that to go around!
But, the good news is that the the weekend was a lot better! We are finally getting the sleep we need and she did great all weekend! Friday we had lunch with our friend Deanne, then Saturday morning a birthday party (she got to meet lots of internationally adopted children there) where she got to ride a carousel for the very first time! At first she wasn't so sure, but then when it got moving, she loved it... and asked for more when it stopped! She had a death grip on Mamá the whole time, but loved it none the less! Then we had Tia Valeria & Tio Rob and her new friend over for dinner.... she and her new friend played pretty well together and they had fun! It was good for Mamá too!! Today we went to SS school and she sat like a perfect little Angel through the whole SS hour! "Lord, can I PLEASE keep that FOREVER?" What an amazing gift it was to me to be able to go to church today! I have missed my church and my SS group soooooo much over the last 6 weeks! It was a gift to all of us to have this sweet answered prayer sitting in class with us this morning! There are so many who have prayed for her and me in the last 2 years and 8 months..... and it brought joy to all of us to see His perfect gift with us today! Then we went to what will be her SS class and she seemed to like it pretty good! She was stuck to Mamá like glue, but eventually started warming up! Hopefully, in a month or so, she'll be comfortable enough to stay there. Then, nap time (she took a good long one!) and then off to the park to play! Oh, and she remembered it very well from last week! She went looking for all her favorite parts of the park! She had a good time! We got to meet some more of Mama's friends who were great "big brothers" to her..... and they brought her Papa Lay..... a HUGE box of them!!! She had a small meltdown b/c she was mad at Mamá for taking her off the playground to find some other adventures....Ooops, sorry little one!
The best news is that she is bonding! There are things that we don't even think about that show bonding, like wrapping her legs around my waist when I carry her, looking for me when I leave her presence, asking for me..... ALL of these things she is doing this week! She even wraps her little arms around my neck and lays her head on my shoulder! Oh! What an answer to prayer! Please continue to pray, while giving thanks to God, for her attachment! Learning to attach is a daily process! It also comes with a little bit more testing. Now, her testing so far as been really mild, but she has started testing the waters a little bit.... so please pray that I will continue to give her grace and gentleness even when I have to discipline her a little bit. Thankfully, she isn't difficult to discipline. I can say something to her, even mildly, and it hurts her feelings...... so she corrects pretty easily! She is a gentle and sweet soul (who can fight like the Karate Kid --- just ask the pediatrician and nurse who took her blood!)! But, please continue to pray for wisdom, strength, courage, and grace as we continue to navigate into her new BIG world! Also, PLEASE continue to pray for the resiliency that my little one needs during all of these adjustments!! Thank you for your continued prayers! I covet them, each and every one! And, I pray the Lord's blessing on each one who has walked with us throught his journey!
Blessings!
PS A few pics of her favorite things... the Cozy Coupe & the Park!