Rescuing Victoria: Six Short/Long Months

Six months ago I stepped off a plane after a full day of traveling from Moscow Russia, with a tiny little girl holding my hand. Its crazy to believe that it has only been six months. It feels like she has been part of our family for much longer. She seems to have aged at least two years in just six months. In six short months Jaymi understands just about everything that we tell her in English. She can say many words in English and uses signs to help us when we can make out what she is trying to say. In just six months she has been able to see and do so many things. Things that most of us take for granted because they are just part of life, living here in the United States, as part of a family. However, they are things that she would have NEVER been able to experience living out the rest of her life in institutionalized care. Just look back through this blog over the past six months and you can see all that she has been able to do and accomplish. I feel honored to have been given a front row ticket to watch as she experiences her "New Life". It has not been easy and it has tested our patience in ways we never knew possible, but I feel like we are in a good place and things seem to be getting better and better. It easy to see all the things we have given to Jaymi by bringing her home and making her a part of our family. Today I would like to talk about the things she has given to us by so graciously embracing us as her own. Her mom. Her dad. Her sisters.

If Jaymi could write I think she might say something like this;

"I have helped my mom and dad learn how to be better parents to me and my sisters. They didn't have much experience in actual "parenting" until I joined their family. I helped them learn to be calm and positive when trying to teach me something new. That it will take me a while to catch on and learn new skills and behaviors so they are just going to have to be persistent and patient while I figure this out. I've helped them to appreciate the little things in life and to get excited about the fun things we do. I've taught them to take time each day to get down on our level and play with me and my sisters. To really engage with us and show us how important and loved we are by spending quality time with us. I'm teaching them how to love me unconditionally, even when I'm not doing what they think I should. But most of all, I'm teaching them how to love. From the very day my mama scooped me up in her arms and took me from the only life I have ever know, I have loved her, undeservingly, unconditionally loved her and I have only let that love grow.

And as for my little sisters, I have given them the worlds best big sister. I like to make them feel extra special so when I see them for the first time in the morning or if one of them has been away, I squeal out their name with lots of excitement. They are my best friends and I love to play with them and share my toys, snacks and pretty much anything. I am very sweet and tender with Kaelyn and like to play with her. She can't quite walk yet so I get down and crawl with her. I also help her by pulling the string on the front of her walker so she can learn to walk like me. I'm a very good example for my little sister Bryn. I have taught her how to put her pants and shoes on. Feed herself and help pick up toys and dishes and throw diapers away in the trash. She sees me helping mom and so she wants to help too. I also help her eat her veggies because she sees me eating them, so we wants to eat them too. I hold her hand and help her down the steps so she can learn to walk down them like me. I'm also very patient with Bryn, she still has a thing or two to learn and so sometimes she takes my things or pushes me. I don't ever push her back because I know that is not a nice thing to do. I hope she catches on soon and stops doing that to me. I love my sisters so much and am so happy I get to play with every day. I make life so much more exciting for them but showing them how cool everything we get to do is. I am very forgiving with my sisters and never hold a grudge, even if they do something that I don't like."

To celebrate our six month milestone we were able to go to the zoo with Grandma Bonner and all our aunts and cousins on the Bonner side. The girls had so much fun. I loved their reactions in seeing the animals that we already read about in real life for the first time. Jaymi's favorite was the Elephants, we had to go back and see them one more time before we left.