Moving Forward

Last week, we marked nineteen months and one day since we met Annie. It happens that Annie was nineteen months and one day old the day we met her. My heart is filled with so many emotions as we now move forward. From this point on, Annie will have a family longer than she went without.

We've come a long way in the last nineteen months. I have to remind myself of that on the days that aren't so easy. There have been a lot more of those lately. I suspect a lot of it has to do with changing routines - Papa and Nana have left, Daddy's been working at the pumpkin patch - she's had a little bit of upheaval again.

The good news is that she's gaining the language to be able to express her needs and feelings. She is aware when she is crying and when she is happy. She misses her mommy and daddy when we aren't around. She is feeling safe enough around us to unload the emotions that overwhelm her.

So we give her a soft place to fall. And we give ourselves grace when we fall as well. As we fall together, we celebrate the fact that family helps each other up, and we move forward.