Wow, Ella has been home for four months now! She is completely recovered from surgery and from a physical stand point is 100%. Her pink lips and fingers still catch my attention. Frequent doctors visits will remain a part of our immediate lives but after a year should really taper off.
I LOVE YOU. Those words are muttered daily by all Hammond family members to each other. Yep, Ella now tells us she loves us with words in addition to signing. I will never forget all of us sitting at the dinner table when Colin told me he loves me. A minute later we all hear Ella say “Jia love Da.” Pause … shock and silence from the rest of us. Then with her cute little voice comes “Jia love Colin, Jia love Carleigh, Jia love Ma”, as she pointed to each of us. I have to say that I began to cry at the sound of Jia love Da and then tears were streaming once she covered the whole family. Praises to God! What a great memory. Several times a day little Miss Ella comes over, gently touches my leg, looks up at me and says “love you, ma.”
Music to our ears and above, are the prayers that come from a beautiful, dark headed little angle who is just learning to speak English. As a family, we pray before meals and at bedtime. Colin prays regularly and while we have attempted in the past to have Ella repeat us in prayer, we were met with much resistance and so, backed off. Two weeks ago while putting the kids to bed; Paul asked Ella if she wanted to pray. She almost always says “yes” but then nothing comes out of her mouth so we just pause and then continue. This time was different. Ella in her soft, high pitched voice says “Thank you for Colin, Carleigh and Mommy and Daddy” There it is, a masterpiece by anybody’s standards. I wasn’t there to experience that first prayer myself but now hear them daily. Ella asks to pray at meal time and always offers an evening prayer. Whoever thought in only four months we would hear the words “Ella turn pray God – K?” We often pray for the neighbors so Ella’s prayers always include us and usually some of the 7 Flint’s who live next door as well.
Speaking of neighbors, Ella had her first play date all by herself this week!! This is monumental for us. Except for Sunday school, Ella has never been anywhere without at least one family member to accompany her. When asked if she wanted to go next door and play she responded with enthusiasm and excitement. I explained in our broken sentence code that I wasn’t going, Colin wasn’t going and Carleigh isn’t going, only Ella. I also explained that Ella will come home later and sleep in her own bed after playing. While this may seem obvious – it isn’t to her. We do a lot of accounting for who is leaving and who is staying in our house at Ella’s prompting. She repeated back to me that she will go and then come back and I offered assurance. Then to my delight she hurriedly put on shoes and her coat. I asked Colin to walk her over, still not convinced she wasn’t coming right back home. Forty five minutes later at the prearranged time, home came a happy little Ella with a proud mommy to meet her at the door. The fact that it was the Flint’s house is not to be overlooked as they are our second family. However, I took this as a huge notch in her belt that she feels a degree of trust and comfort that she has a permanent family and home to come back to. This was a milestone in our adoption journey. On this day my baby walked. Just happens the baby is 3 ½ years old and that she walked next door.
I LOVE YOU. Those words are muttered daily by all Hammond family members to each other. Yep, Ella now tells us she loves us with words in addition to signing. I will never forget all of us sitting at the dinner table when Colin told me he loves me. A minute later we all hear Ella say “Jia love Da.” Pause … shock and silence from the rest of us. Then with her cute little voice comes “Jia love Colin, Jia love Carleigh, Jia love Ma”, as she pointed to each of us. I have to say that I began to cry at the sound of Jia love Da and then tears were streaming once she covered the whole family. Praises to God! What a great memory. Several times a day little Miss Ella comes over, gently touches my leg, looks up at me and says “love you, ma.”
Music to our ears and above, are the prayers that come from a beautiful, dark headed little angle who is just learning to speak English. As a family, we pray before meals and at bedtime. Colin prays regularly and while we have attempted in the past to have Ella repeat us in prayer, we were met with much resistance and so, backed off. Two weeks ago while putting the kids to bed; Paul asked Ella if she wanted to pray. She almost always says “yes” but then nothing comes out of her mouth so we just pause and then continue. This time was different. Ella in her soft, high pitched voice says “Thank you for Colin, Carleigh and Mommy and Daddy” There it is, a masterpiece by anybody’s standards. I wasn’t there to experience that first prayer myself but now hear them daily. Ella asks to pray at meal time and always offers an evening prayer. Whoever thought in only four months we would hear the words “Ella turn pray God – K?” We often pray for the neighbors so Ella’s prayers always include us and usually some of the 7 Flint’s who live next door as well.
Speaking of neighbors, Ella had her first play date all by herself this week!! This is monumental for us. Except for Sunday school, Ella has never been anywhere without at least one family member to accompany her. When asked if she wanted to go next door and play she responded with enthusiasm and excitement. I explained in our broken sentence code that I wasn’t going, Colin wasn’t going and Carleigh isn’t going, only Ella. I also explained that Ella will come home later and sleep in her own bed after playing. While this may seem obvious – it isn’t to her. We do a lot of accounting for who is leaving and who is staying in our house at Ella’s prompting. She repeated back to me that she will go and then come back and I offered assurance. Then to my delight she hurriedly put on shoes and her coat. I asked Colin to walk her over, still not convinced she wasn’t coming right back home. Forty five minutes later at the prearranged time, home came a happy little Ella with a proud mommy to meet her at the door. The fact that it was the Flint’s house is not to be overlooked as they are our second family. However, I took this as a huge notch in her belt that she feels a degree of trust and comfort that she has a permanent family and home to come back to. This was a milestone in our adoption journey. On this day my baby walked. Just happens the baby is 3 ½ years old and that she walked next door.
How beautiful... We are so happy for all of the Hammonds. She is such a joy in your lives and it is a true blessing.
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