One month home with Ruthie V.

Home for a solid month, our daughter for six weeks. 

 

Ruth has gone through significant life changes these past few weeks. 

 

She was separated from the only family she has ever known. Her foster family is constantly on my mind, for our great gain is their loss. 

 

She lived in different hotels, flew on planes, traveled around China and was finally brought to her forever family in a new country.  

 

The two weeks we were in China she was the center of our world. She was amazing. 

 

Then her world changed again and she became the youngest of five. Her big sisters adored her. She did not always reciprocate those feelings. While the four oldest girls have thought and prayed for her before we knew her name, they were relatively new people in her life. And these people missed Mama and Daddy and were taking attention previously reserved only for her. 

 

There have been some hard moments of jealousy (mainly Ruth jealous of the other girls). At first Ruthie was very particular about who could come into her room. The older girls were hurt by this at first because they have always loved going into the baby's room to get them up in the morning or from nap. But Ruth would scream at them. Just last week I finally told Anne, that it's ok. Go into the room. Speak lovingly to her. I will stay out and let her work through these feelings. 

 

And she did. There was some crying at first, but eventually she raised her arms and let Anne pick her up out of the crib. It seems small, but it was a delight to her heart. Just today she climbed into Caroline's bed and snuggled up to her. 

 

The girls have learned not to get offended if Ruth is being particular about who she wants near her. The longer she is with us the less particular she becomes. 

 

Caroline and Ruth have had the hardest time. Caroline was so thrilled to be a big sister that it hurt her heart when Ruthie would smack at her or push her away. Trent takes the two youngest for wagon rides after dinner almost every night. At first Ruth did not want Caroline in the wagon with her. But now, Ruthie will pat the seat for Caroline to sit behind her 

 

One of the first days Ruth was home the girls found a toad and were so excited to show it to Ruthie. Unfortunately, Ruth was terrified of it and cried. Not anymore. 

 

 

 

She's yelling "Anne!" In this picture. She wanted Anne to pick it up because it hopped out of sight. 

One thing that has not changed is her love for a good laugh. If something is funny once, she will do it ten times. 

 

We spend a lot of time with our neighbors so she is very comfortable with them. Our neighbor boy plopped this hat on her head tonight and she had a grand time playing peek-a-boo. 

 

She still doesn't like to be woken from her nap, but what 2-year-old does?

Ruthie V. will still only take her bottle from Mama. It doesn't make me sad. 

 

She does wear her pjs zippered backwards because she was undressing and removing her diaper in the middle of the night and changing a wet bed at 4 am is not my cup of tea. 

 

Obviously we have times that are difficult. She wants to communicate so desperately. When we are all sitting round the table for meals and chatting she chimes in with a string of babble. She wants her voice to be heard. 

 

She can be feisty and firey. Her strong spirit has helped her persevere these past two years. And while we don't want her to lose that, we want her to know that she is loved. She is safe.  She is home. 

 

One month home. We love you Ruthie V. You are a special girl and a delight to all who know you and know your story, all around the world.