Gotcha Mavery THREE YEARS!!

So much to say about Ms Mavery since that day we got her 3 years ago.  Mavery Monday, remember?  It has been quite the ride these last 3 years.  Up and down emotionally, physically and mentally.  As I read back on some of the posts through these past years such as this one  or back in the beginning this... I can read those now and smile.

We made it.

In one of the posts I talked about how sometimes I am told it takes as long as a child lived in an orphanage to adjust.

For Mavery that was almost 3 years.

And here we are.

THREE YEARS..

God is good. We are blessed.

There are times I look back on the hard days, and I feel much guilt. Things I could have done better. Some of the selfishness on my part. And there still is. I get tired. Worn down.

Yet the Lord is good to remind me, that I did the best I could at the time. It was not always perfect, but it was all I had.

I remember at times wishing AHEAD to when things settled down. It seemed SO FAR away to think of being home 3 years, but it was like this magic number I held in my heart.

And while I hate that time is going SO fast, life really is good.

Mavery is a miracle. She is MY miracle.  And I am so, so thankful that I am her mommy.

She is a different child than the one we met in China. The one home a year, or even 2.

No doubt, she still does better in a routine. She still prefers to hang out at time with adults. She still can spin out of control when she is tired.  Like alot of other children who are 5.

But when I look at her now, MY heart is softer. There is a tenderness there that is new. The wall that came up before at times when she would begin to scream, is gone.

I see SO much of the good now.

She is my little artist. She LOVES to color and draw pictures.

Her favorite is to write WOW Mom, love Mavery.

Wow!  My Mavery has AMAZING handwriting and drawing skills!

Wow! She can ride a 2 wheeler like a pro. Down "green grass hill" (our yard) and over the skate ramp.

Wow! She has yet to meet a stranger. She LOVES everyone and makes you feel like your her best friend.

Wow! She is the most polite and thoughtful child. Will share ANYTHING she has.

Wow! If you have not had a Mavery hug, you are missing out! And her kisses? She still has the best kissy lips ever!

Wow! She ALWAYS picks up, puts her shoes away, follows directions. (especially if it is ROUTINE!)

Wow! She has such a tender heart.

Don't get me wrong, if you know her you know she is full of SPUNK. ESPECIALLY if we are out of routine. She is brutally honest, so you NEVER doubt what she is thinking.  She will tell you if you are old, have funny hair, done something she is not happy with,  or doing something wrong. She can't always control her curiosity so if she wants to see what you are wearing under your dress, she will look!  She has one volume so in a quiet place is not a good thing.  She has a mouth on her at times and I was told this week that I was a mean mom because I do not let her say bad words like the neighbors mom does.  We have to keep an eye on her because we never know whose lap she will be in, whose food she will be eating, or whose purse she might be going through! Thankfully we are surrounded by family and friends who love our girl and enjoy her!  Well, maybe not the pulling up the dress part! ;-)

3 years. She has now lived with us officially longer than she lived in the orphanage.  I love that we have reached that point. Big stuff really when you think about it.

Last week I was telling her how beautiful her hair is. She is PROUD of her hair and gets REALLY angry with me when I even trim her bangs.  And she has GREAT hair. It is THICK and wavy and perfect. I asked her if she was sad in China when they would cut her hair. She said "Yes, they used this cutter thing like this and I would cry because they would cut it ALL off and I wanted long hair"! I was shocked, I did not think she could remember, but obviously she does, because what she described was a razor. And of course she had a shaved head in most photos and on gotcha day.

Her past is a part of her, and of course we don't want her to forget. BUT, we want her to be able to look back KNOWING that she is here now. Forever. Loved. Wanted. Chosen. 

So thankful for a God who carries us, directs us and loves us BIG. Thankful that He opened our eyes to adoption. So thankful that the little girl we met 3 years ago who we worried would never smile, now smiles from head to toes. So thankful for 3 years with Ms Mavery!