Erin's 3rd family day

September 5, 2010 

I adopted my 5th daughter.

She was 13 at the time.

She greeted us with a shy but big smile,

and gave each of us a hug.

I felt the connection there right away

and thought, this is going to be easy.

 

 Moments after she was "placed" in our arms.

Monika, Jenny and Katie so excited.

 Tonight

You can read about Erin's Forever family day here .  

We found out within a couple hours that the connection I thought I felt wasn't really an connection.  

These past 3 years raising Erin have had some challenging times, times where I didn't know if I would make it through the evening with her as those were the hardest time.  She displayed so many emotions and actions that you never knew what she would do or say next, didn't know at times if we were safe or not, if she would harm her sisters, us or herself.  I knew that she was suffering from a lot of fear and PTSD and things she was told about America.  I leaned very heavily on God, Jesus and the holy spirit during those times.  Along with reaching out to family, friends, and any other resources I could get my hands on that could help Erin to work thru her challenges and allow Dave and I be her mom and dad.

Around 6 months after she came home, she finally started to feel a sliver of safeness. She hasn't turned back since.  Everyday she has grown spiritual, emotionally, mentally, academically.  She truly is resilient.  When I recall the stories she told about her life in China, the fear that you saw in her eyes, I often wonder how did she survive as long as she did without the love of a family.

Even though she didn't know it, the Holy Spirit was within her.  Jesus was along the side of her and God was making sure she found her family.  She told me earlier this year that when she was adopted, she didn't want to be adopted, she agreed to it because of the one nanny that she somewhat trusted told her she needed to be adopted.   I have heard stories of kids changing their mind being adopted when the adoptive parents arrive there to adopt them.  From what I know about Erin's past and how she was feeling and so forth, I am surprise she didn't say no to being adopted.  God knew she needed us and I am so grateful she made the decision to become my daughter. 

  Erin this summer really got to get to know her older sister Jade.  They never bonded very well due to the circumstances of how Erin was when she first came home and Jade being away in College and not knowing signing.  To watch them be so engaging with one another, to cook together, Erin teaching sign language, the laughs and enjoying each other company made it complete.  Erin has her own unique relationship with each sister in the family.  Does different things with each of them.

She continues to slowly improve on her English.  Her signing is amazing.  She made it again on the hearing school volleyball team.  There were 11 girls that got cut from the team, she has had to learn a lot on how competitive volleyball is once you are in 10th grade.  It is very different then 9th grade volleyball.  She also started part time mainstreaming at her hearing school.  She has enjoyed the first two days there.  I am hoping for a successful year doing the split deaf/hearing school.  We currently are in a battle with the IEP but that is a different post.

Happy Forever day Erin, I love you to the Moon and Back and so grateful that we all made it work to be where we are at now and can't wait to see what the future will show us.