She's been with us for an entire year.
It's incredibly hard to believe that a year ago today we brought Maylia home .
Funny enough, as hard as it is to process that she's been with us a year...it's almost harder for me to comprehend what life was like B.M. -- before Maylia. It feels like she's always been part of our family.
It's been an incredible year with her, though sadly not as well documented as I would have liked. Thankfully there has been no shortage of photos, but also no shortage of fun, laughter, love and memories that sum up the past 365 days. I took a short video during our little 'Home-iversary'celebration and had everyone say why they were grateful to have Maylia in our family. Grayson said because she is so hilarious and cute, Sophia said Maylia was her best friend, Steele said there was no shortage of entertainment, and Todd and I both said that she was everything --and we mean everything-- we had hoped for.
But I suppose more important that considering how much our lives have changed over the past year because of her, how much our family has learned and grown, it is more significant to consider how much she has changed, learned and grown over the past year.
The physical changes are the most obvious, she's heavier, taller , and has longer hair. That spark of personality that was so evident even in the first few days of meeting her has grown into a mischievous and fiery fun personality. Developmentally she progressed so much, her language, her gross and fine motor control, her independence and physical ability, though she still has a ways to go.
It's funny, a few weeks ago I was expressing some worry about her language development, remember ing that her doctor at the International Adoption clinic had said that once a child has been with you for a year that they should be at developmental level. She does not have the language ability that many of her peers do and I had started to worry about that. After expressing that concern to my grandmother, she remarked that I shouldn't focus on what she had't learned yet, but instead on what she had.
Over the course of the day I began to do that and, as my perspective changed, so did my appreciation of her growth, as measured by what is truly important.
She has learned her name and looks at you when you call her.
She can recognize herself in photographs and says "me!" when she see's her picture or reflection.
She has learned that she is a sister, a daughter, a granddaughter, a cousin and a niece.
She is learning how to share and that she has friends and teachers.
She has learned to pray.
She has learned to show reverence and at times, to sit still.
She is learning to say please and sometimes, even to wait.
She has learned to be strong and independent and to ask for what she wants.
She is learning to accept no for an answer and to accept and make a different choice.
She has learned to trust -- that she if she is hurt she will be hugged, if she falls she will be picked up and that if she jumps she will be caught.
Above all, she has learned that she is part of a family, that she belongs to us and that we belong to her and nothing,
nothing,
nothing in this world will ever change that.
Happy Homecoming Maylia. We can't imagine life without you.
