RUTHIE'S ADOPTION DAY!

Waiting. Patience. These two words have been our life the last 10 years!

I chuckle when I think about how Dan and I had it all planned out. 3 years married and then start a family. There is a song I sang at church and the title is "When God Has Another Plan". Right now, sitting in my home, with my THREE children sleeping safe and sound and healthy , I am so completely grateful that God had another plan for Dan and I. I am a "barren" woman, and as Psalm 113:9 says, "He has made me a joyful mother of children"!

In just a few more hours we go to court to finalize Ruthie's adoption! 18 months after meeting her, she will finally be legally ours. She will have our name! This long process of "having a child" will be over!

It is making me remember the day we met her. It was a happy day, in the sense that we were being blessed with another child, but it was a hard, sad day too. She was so scared, and little and I can hear her little whimpering cry clear as day still. Her eyes shot around the room constantly checking to see what everyone was doing. It was hard for her, but she let us hold her.

I wanted to take her in my arms and leave. To drive her to our house right then and just hold her and rock her. To protect her wounded heart until she could relax and not be so scared. At 15 months old she had already lived through too much! Her face and body showed it. She was wounded.

This was not like when I brought Ben and Hannah home. They were infants. They were taken straight from the hospital and never lived in an abusive home. Ruthie would take time and patience and lots and lots of love. It has been a tough road. As all foster adoptions are. At first it was simple things we had to work on. Like not pulling her hair, and learning to stop eating on her own. It took a good 6 weeks for her to become confident that there would be a next meal and snacks every single day. She finally stopped eating when she was full, instead of stuffing herself at every meal. She sure enjoyed herself while eating though :)

I learned FAST that one of her FAVORITES was spaghetti!!!

Her new brother and sister were the ones who helped her the most those first few months. Dan and I did all we could to help her, but being with the kids was what she needed. This little one had to learn to "play". To relax and let herself have fun. And Ben and Hannah were just the ones to do that! We watched her go from spectator, sitting in the corner watching them play, to being completley involved in whatever is going on! They are quite a threesome! During the first five months, while visits were still going on, she was in survival mode. Just trying to deal with what the visits did to her emotionally, was a lot for a little one. It was neat to see the older two, especially Benjamin become protective of her and concerned when she would cry and whimper on the way home after a visit. They took on their role of older siblings in a wonderful way and did so much for their little sister!

She is a special little girl and I am so so so blessed to be able to be her mama! It is neat to see her grow and learn. What a journey this has been! As the last part of Psalm 113:9 says...

Praise Ye The Lord!