From 1st Christmas to 2nd Christmas

One year ago, Erin was celebrating her first Christmas in America.  We were experience the difficult adjustment time.  She was wanting a new mom and dad, was hating her current family.  Having emotions on such a roller coaster I never knew what she was going to do and when she was going to be cruel to Dave and I or someone else and then the next minute be as sweet as she could, especially when it was something she wanted.  I was antitipating the seperation from Dave, and yet putting on a brave front for everyone as most people were not aware that on Jan. 1, 2011 he would be moving out of the house.  Fast forward to Christmas 2011.  Erin no longer hates us, she has been making leap and bounds especially since she gave me a hug over a week ago, she is tolerating Dave better, staying in the same room when he is around, even eating at the table with uson her own when he brought over pizza.  

She  gave him a Christmas present this year, she was given a choice and she initially said "why" I just said "yes" or "no", after a couple of times of her asking why and I am telling her it isn't a why question and that I am asking yes you want to give dad a present, no you don't.  She said "yes whatever", I then informed her to go into my bedroom and pick a present out.  Her younger sisters where in there already looking at the presents.  Monika got so excited when she heard that Erin was giving their dad a present.   

The therapist last week also made headway with helping Erin.  She was able to help Erin express how her body feels when she is around different types of males (father, uncles, cousins, strangers, teachers, ect.)  This was the first time that she really express that.  She will give reasons (to us, didn't really validate, but for her  I am sure it did) why she didn't like dad or other males in America, that same day she also asked me some questions about a incident that she saw that involved her dad, she misinterpet it and hadn't said anything about it for months, now that we got that cleared up, I am hoping she will continue to make improvements with her dad and males in general.
Dave asked for us (Erin and I as he already had the other 4 girls) to celebratewith him on Christmas Eve afternoon before going over to his parent's house.  He wanted us to open all the presents at his house and hopefully Erin can see that his house is not bad house or whatever thoughts she might have.  I wasn't sure I wanted to do that, because this Christmas Erin was excited about it and was even shopping for gifts for her sisters.  After this past Tuesday and what Erin told the therapist and myself, I felt I needed to do this for her and Dave.  She did pretty good over there and we even got a couple of smiles out of her.  Hopefully she will see that it is fun over there too.  My neice Cassie called me at work on Christmas eve, asking if she and her dad could take Erin shopping for a Christams present.  I said sure, they came and got her and brought her to one of my favorite store.  She initially wanted to get me "young" people clothes, Cassie was able to talk her out of it.  I am so happy in the progress she has made and I know she will continue and just need to be patient with her.
I had to work today, it was hard not being with the family, but it was nice at work and I enjoyed watching families come in and visit with their love ones or take them out.  Only if we had a white Christmas and not a brown one. 
J*sus birthday is just wonderful and he gave me that best present, his life and allowing me to serve him and love him.
My girls got this from faith formation and I thought this was very good with the Christmas Spirit

Look at the candy cane
what do you see?
stripes that are red
like the blood shed for me.

White is for my Savior
who's sinless and pure!
"J" is for Jesus my Lord, that for sure!

turn it around
and a staff you will see
Jesus my shepherd
Was born for Me.

Jenny also has been doing awesome lately.  This summer and fall she was having some challenges of acting out whether it was saying hurtful things, stealing, lying, etc.  These last two months she really has come around and is handling things so much better.  I along with dave and others have been very complimentary to her about the positive behavior.  I hope it continues to do well.