One month mark!

We've known Lucy for one month as of June 25. She fits in so well that it feels like she's been with us for much longer. It's amazing to think of all the changes she's made in her life and how well she's handling it all.

She is learning English at warp speed - the other day I was cooking when I realized that Lucy was counting to ten in English then throwing a flag up in the air. She missed one or two numbers each time, but she was doing it. No one has ever taught her this, although some of the books we read have counting in it. Then yesterday I was telling someone that she's learned to count to ten and she started counting to ten. She understood what I was saying!

Yesterday, she rode a pony at a block party - big smile, not scared. One month ago she had never been out of an orphanage and now she's been in a car, bus,stroller, ferry, train, airplane, carousel and pony. Before we met, I thought of cocooning her at home for the summer, but when it's time to put on her shoes and get in the car, she's excited. She doesn't want to miss out on anything out there. We have taken her to some birthday parties and such for short times and she is shy and withdrawn at first but opens up quite quickly. Today we walked on the Pearl Street mall, watched the musicians and visited all the play spaces. She just soaks it all in, looks around to make sure we're close by, runs in for a hug and then back out to play.

She's also un-learning some of the less desirable orphanage behaviors. As one of the books said, "patient kids don't get ahead in an orphanage." When you think about it, pushing, whining, yelling and grabbing were probably the only way to get what you wanted in the orphanage. If I just say, "Lucy please be patient", "gentle voice" or "gentle touch", she does. She's been starting to say "please" and "thank you" much more.

Lucy still gets anxious when it's bed time and is still sleeping in our bed. When you think about it, she is entitled to cause much more disruption. Sometimes I need to lie with her for her to fall asleep. There have been times when she panics and cries if I get up to even use the bathroom. This is happening less and less. Why does the night or the stillness of nap time cause a kid to get so scared when she has been laughing and confident all day? Does it give her time to realize all the changes she's gone through without the distractions and excitement of the day? Is she grieving her friends and caretakers from the orphanage? She can cuddle so well in times like these - she must have been well loved.

She has no idea how brave and resilient she is!