Defying the Odds

One year ago today, we spent the day relaxing with other adoptive families at a resort on Lake Awassa in Ethiopia.  It was a beautiful day, but we were all anxiously awaiting the next day, when we would remove our children from their orphanages and welcome them into our families once and for all.  I can't believe it's been a year.  It's been a really beautiful, great, happy, hard, painful, emotional, and crazy year.  Sometimes I feel like I'm glad it's behind us, but at the same time, this past year holds some of the best family memories and beautiful moments we will ever have.  We wouldn't change a thing, and we would do it all over again.

Hippo watching on Lake Awassa, Ethiopia

Aubree has blossomed into an outgoing, funny, loving, and independent girl. You almost wouldn't recognize her as the shy and scared little girl who came into our lives last year.  I remember the look on her face the day we took her away from the orphanage. Now that I know her, I recognize that look as fear.  It must have been terrifying for her to leave everything she knew with two strangers who didn't even speak her language.  Looking back, I'd have to say that she held it together pretty well as we made our way through the embassy appointment, to the airport, and eventually home.  I will never forget the unsettling feeling I had as our plane was taking off for home.  "She's losing so much.  Right now, in this moment, she is losing so much."  I fell in love with Ethiopia.  With the people, the culture, the food, the landscape, everything.  It hurt so bad to watch my daughter lose all of the things that even I had fallen in love with in such a short amount of time.  One could argue that she was gaining a lot in that moment too, but the loss was so devastating to me and I wondered if she realized it too.

Just before leaving the orphanage

Scared girl in her pretty embassy dress

The last leg of our long journey home

 Those first few weeks at home were tough.  There were eating issues, sleeping issues, sharing issues, and of course, the language barrier.  But for all the hard moments, there were precious ones.  Watching her accomplish so many "firsts" was so much fun.  First snow, first swimming pool, first trip to the mall, first bicycle ride, first sand box, first trip to the beach, etc.  It was amazing to see things through her eyes.  Her language improved quickly, and before we knew it, we weren't referencing our Amharic language book anymore.  During her first summer at home, she learned to swim independently, ride her bike without training wheels, do a perfect cartwheel, and write her name.

First snowfall

First trip to the mall. She also got her ears pierced that day!

First time riding without training wheels!

First time writing her name independently

She has adjusted so well in her role as a sister.  Dylan and Aubree are very competitive, and yet they are the best of friends.  I can't imagine that it's easy for either of them to be so-called "artificial twins", but that definitely has some advantages too.  They are never without a playmate.  Aubree's relationship with Reed is very sweet.  She is a very caring older sister, and loves to take care of him.  She is always trying to carry him around (despite my best efforts to stop her), tickling him, kissing him, and telling him how cute he is.  Reed doesn't remember a time that Aubree wasn't with us, and he just adores his big sister.

Taking care of Reed

Best buds!

First Christmas together

Aubree started preschool in the Fall, and has been loving it.  She loves to learn.  She's the girl who doesn't like field trips and special parties during class because she'd rather be learning her letters.  So opposite of what I was like at her age.  She is driven and focused. Even at home, give her a workbook and she's a happy girl!

First day of preschool

I remember worrying about her right after she came home.  It seemed like she had so far to go to catch up, mostly because of language.  My worry was completely wasted. Today, Aubree's preschool assessment came home in her backpack.  This is the skills assessment that tells whether or not a child is prepared to enter Kindergarten.  As I read through it, my eyes just welled up with happy tears.  My little girl has defied the odds.  She has bounced back from the setbacks she had early in life, overcame language obstacles along the way, and is now sitting at the top of her preschool class.  She scored PERFECTLY on every section of the assessment, with the exception of knowing her address (she is close).  I was beyond proud to be reading comments like,

"Aubree expresses her feelings with complete confidence."

"Aubree is very confident in who she is, which such a delight." 

"Aubree is a delight to have in class. Her smile is contagious. Keep up the good work, Aubree!"

I'm not surprised by this assessment, but when I step back and look at the big picture, I'm just blown away! A year ago, this is exactly what I would pray about for her.  She has come so far.  She really has defied the odds, and I just couldn't be more thankful or more proud.  I know her birth family, nannies, friends and social workers in Ethiopia would all be proud of her too.

Today at preschool