Amazed what 2 years can do.

Our first glimpse of Erin

 

She came to us all smiley and even gave us hugs.

In less then 12 hours, that changed

We saw that she had a lot of fear especially toward males and authority.

There were layers and layers of walls around her.

She had no trust in us

and wasn't sure what our intentions were with her.

First family picture

The two weeks in China, we did learn a lot of about Erin.  She wasn't one bit afraid to tell us how she felt, her likes or dislikes, whether it people, food, clothes or anything else.

Already in China, we could see that there was a lot of walls to break down.

She kept her dad a very far distance

and I wasn't that much closer.

6 weeks after we got home, the "honeymoon" phase was over,

We saw probably the worse of Erin at that time.

She said very hateful things,

She was destructive.

She really didn't want to be part of this family

She was asking other females to be her mom.

She asked friends if she could stay with them

When her dad moved out after she had been home 3 months.

Things got a tiny bit better with me.

Taken 2 weeks ago

Between Erin being in therapy, trusting God, having faith, being patient she slowly started to come around.

taken one week ago

This past April (18 months after being adopted), she finally felt safe around men and her dad.  She started going over to her dad's house with her sisters.  She was being more smiley, she was more relax, understanding what a family is.  What a mom and dad are.  She was learning trust.

She is realizing that she is worth something and believing us, as in China she was told she was worthless and  she couldn't trust anyone other then a couple of friends who also lived in the orphanage.  She is seeing that she is loved and is capable of loving back.

Her volleyball uniform

She understands she can live in both the deaf world and hearing world.  That in America, deaf people are the same as hearing people and can do almost anything that the hearing people can.  That she can try out for things or do new things and won't get shunned, belittle or teased  or abuse if she isn't successful the first time around. 

Her this year school picture

We always saw her sense of humor in her and now that she is feeling very comfortable, she has a great one.  She is very expressional 

Taken tonight

She helps out on her own and when you ask her.

She doesn't question the authorities much anymore, but will ask questions if she doesn't understand why things are this or that way.

taken tonight

Less then two weeks ago, she told me she LOVED ME.  She gives me hugs freely.  She isn't ready to do that with her dad yet, but she will sit next to him now and give him shoulder bumps.

She allowed her dad to help her dye her hair this past weekend.

She now has patience with his (and mine at times) signing and is willing to teach sign (6 months ago, she wouldn't have done it, she would have just got irritated with that person).

Many people who have adopted older children said it takes about 2 years before they feel settle in.  2 years sounds so long and had pray that it wouldn't take Erin that long.

Some days she took baby steps forwards

Some days she took a step or many steps backward

Some days were constant uphill battles that required

me to reach out to many different resources including family and friends.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

Other days she took leaps forward

Other days she flied forward

And other days she blossom into this

Amazing person that I am awe with.

Many things you take for granted with your love ones,

like love, hugs, affection, manners, respect and so forth. 

Erin made us earn them, and when we did, they were amazing 

milestones.

And when we did, Erin healed some more

and more and more.

The physical, emotional and other scars she has from the first 13 years of her life will always be within her,

but she is learning to grow from it and to learn from those experiences.

2 years seemed so long ago, yet it seems just yesterday

when you reflect on how much she as accomplished in 2 years,

she truly is an amazing person

and I am so proud to be her mom.

Happy 2 years Erin and many more.