I was scared

We've known since we met our sweet Ethiopian that she was an amazing communicator.  Here's a post I wrote just one week after having her in our arms.  At that point in time she would communicate (without words) about how she wanted us to hold her bottle while feeding her or how she wanted to be held while we read her a book.  Sixteen months later and a whole world of vocabulary she's able to communicate emotions.

We have a picture book that has Melia's referral pictures in it and a few pictures of our family all together.  I wish it was the book we sent her while she was in Ethiopia but I promptly lost that within months of bringing her home.  That's how I roll, I lose things a lot.  The good thing is that because of my forgetfulness I've learned to hold loosely to possessions.  Anyway, I found Addie picture book the other day and it's become one of the books I read with Melia before nap.

Tonight while Michael was putting her to bed they were looking through the photo album when they got to the picture that was just Caleb, Nathan, and Addie.
Melia asked "Was I borned?"
Michael replied "you were born.  You were in Ethiopia.  We were waiting to bring you home.  Do you remember when we brought you home?"
She nodded.
Michael asked "What was it like?"
She said "I was scared of Mommy and Daddy."
Michael asked "Are you scared of us now?"
Melia giggled and said "No, mommy and daddy always come back."

Here's some pictures of the first time we met her....

Yeah, it was really sad.  They aren't pictures that will be posted on the cover of any adoption magazine.  But she's right there was definitely fear here.  She grieved heartily.  She wasn't so sure about the Lord's choice in parents for her (I don't blame her, we're real white) but now 16 months later, there's no place she'd rather be than with us.  Michael and I weren't surprised at her response to us.  The amazing woman who runs Hannah's Hope, Almaz (for some reason this is the only picture I can find of her), warned us that Serawit was very attached to her special nannies and would have a hard time coming to us. 

It's incredible to me that in such a short time she's completely comfortable with us and knows that she's safe.  Her confidence in me "always coming back" makes me feel so content.  I praise the Lord that He used us to heal her broken heart while blessing us with the joy that comes from being with this magnetic little girl.  

I'm also completely shocked that she was able to verbalize her fear of us when we first met.  It makes my heart so sad that in her short life she has had to go through so much but I'm amazed at her resilience.  What an amazing child, thank you Lord that she's mine!