Tuesday, June 19, 2012

::Fitzroy 2012::


This was a monumental year for us. We arrived at camp with a sixth child. Last Wednesday we welcomed our first foster child into our home. We got that call in the afternoon as I was unwinding from my usual morning-rush, and I was told we had a few minutes to decide. "No pressure," the woman chuckled apologetically. It took me ten heart-racing, prayer-filled minutes to reach Aidan at work. But we arrived at a very quick yes. And our little girl arrived an hour later.

It breaks my heart that I can't share photos of her beautiful little face, or tell you much about her at all. But let me just say that, already, we love her so deeply. She has found it in herself to love me like a mother, and my little duckling trails behind me everywhere I go. I often have to stop and just hold her close until she feels secure enough to explore a little more. And, oh, her smile. We go to great lengths to bring out that smile. Her eyes disappear and two perfect dimples appear beside her mouth. It's addictive.

The kids have been amazingly accommodating. Caelah, especially, devoted those first days to being a second-mama to her new sister. Isaiah often comes along to pat her cheek. And Annorah. . . she is enthralled. Too frequently, she presses her forehead into --let's call her Ruah. It's a name I've loved for awhile and won't have occasion to use otherwise-- into Ruah's forehead with a loving intensity that leaves her sister a bit uncomfortable. But there are times that they form a partnership that works. I caught Nor feeding Ru her yogurt this morning. It was great big mess, but a worthwhile one.

Ru will be with us for at least a month. We don't know much more than that. So we'll savour the time we have.
{Photo credit: Some of these photos were taken by Sarah P. Thanks Sarah!}