It has already been one year?

Our first glimpse of Erin, she came in with a big smile and a wave.  I sure she was very scared inside, but she put on a brave face.

 Our first family pictures (without Jade though :(, She enjoyed having her picture taken and didn't mind having it taken

Picture in May on her 14th birthday. 

A couple of months ago, Erin's therapist asked me to write about the different "behaviors" or incidents, both positive and negative that Erin exhibit and write how she acted, how we acted and how she and us felt about it.  I was very lucky to have my blog as I was able to write in details and specifics about everything we have gone thru at that time 10 months.  It made me have  a lot of mix emotions while doing this.  Erin has come so far in many ways, she has learned she does have a better life here then when she was in China, she learned she has choices, that she can make them, she learned about rules even though she doesn't like them at all and occasionally with be a typical teenager and break those rules.  She is slowly learning about trust, how to be in a family.  She has learned at school that she can ask for help, that she doesn't need to be afraid or feel that no one will help her.  She is learning about friends and relationships and what relationships mean.  She learned that she doesn't have to spend all her time wondering about when she is going to get food or enough food, if she will be safe or if someone is going to harm her.  She just recently started to dream (or at least vocalized it).  She has learned that she is accepted for who she is and that being deaf isn't a bad thing like it was in China.  She has made my life very challenging at times and has learned that I still love her eventhough I can't say it to her because she gets upset, she is learning that there are other ways to show love.  She is a expert in cleaning the kitchen is a pretty good helper.  She has had some setbacks and it does sadden me that her relationship with males still needing a lot of attentions and learning.  I greatly sads me that her and Dave can't have a relationship at all, that she can't get past her PTSD at this time to see that her dad is a great dad.  I pray every night that she will overcome the fear she has with males in general and learn to view each person individually and not by gender.  Erin also no longer lets me take pictures of her, so I don't have any current pictures of her.  With doing that project for the therapist, she has come a long way since she came home with us, sometimes you need those reminders.  She also has open her heart slightly to Jesus, that in 10 months from being home, she in 4 days at the deaf mission camp opened her heart to Jesus, Praise the lord on that. 
Happy Gotcha Day Erin and happy Family day everyone.  Thank you God for this past year with Erin and look forward to many more years with her.