Bella, Post-Adoption: 2 Years Later

Dear God, 

Thank you. 

Amen. 
__________

Two years ago, we met our daughter, the missing piece of our family, the one who God knew was ours from the instant she was conceived. He held His hands over her: protected her from the moment she was found as a newborn to the moment we were finally able to sweep her up and into our arms 26 months later. 

When we met our daughter, she was hidden away inside of herself. A shell of who she would become. We knew she was in there, knew God had protected her heart, but we waited for her light to shine. And my oh my, shine she does. <3

Bella brings joy wherever she goes. She truly is LIGHT. 

Bella is also fighter. She is now 4 years old. Yet, she has had to fight for everything she has accomplished over the last two years. When she came home, she was 2 years, 2 months old. She couldn't walk. In fact, she was far from it. She couldn't crawl up stairs. She couldn't stand. Her legs turned out completely to the sides. Bella also couldn't speak. She could babble a few sounds and that was it. She had never heard a word of English; so, not only could she not speak, she could not understand a word of this new language that was suddenly all around her. She struggled to grip things between her fingers. She didn't know how to scribble or manipulate small objects. She didn't know how to play - she would simply bang toys together. In some developmental domains, she had the age equivalent of a 1-month-old. In all developmental domains, her abilities were below that of a 1-year-old. 

Over the last two years, Bella has received one-on-one speech, physical, and occupational therapies every week. This has increased even more since she started preschool last Fall, as she now not only receives these therapies at home (one hour each per week) but also at school. She now has a hearing aid to address hearing loss in her right ear. She wears ankle-foot-orthotics. She has had surgery on her spinal cord. She has undergone ear tube placement; had a full cardiac work-up, ultrasound of her kidneys, genetic testing, allergy testing, multiple sedations and neuroimaging scans, and so much more. She is now on a gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free diet secondary to autoimmune and gut issues. I have lost count of the number of specialists she's seen and tests she's undergone. She has been poked and prodded and has fought and battled for every milestone she has achieved. She has worked harder than any 4-year-old should ever have to, just to do things the rest of us take for granted that our kiddos will naturally achieve. And yet: she shines. Our girl is hard work and perseverance and resilience. She is strength and determination and courage. She is LIGHT. 

Bella has changed my life. She has helped me re-prioritize my world, taught me to persevere, focus on gratitude, and expunge negativity and comparison from my life. She has been the impetus for my new motto: Be where your feet are. She has reinvigorated my purpose on this earth: to be the LIGHT for others. In fact, she is the reason I now wear a bracelet every day that says, Be The Light. Because she is LIGHT. 

I don't know what we ever did without her. 

When we met Bella, she could only babble a few sounds. Now? Every night before bed, she  carefully clasps her hands and says, in her precious, joyful, light-filled voice: 

Dear God, 

Thank you. 

Amen. 
__________

Bella Elizabeth, thank you for changing my life, for changing all of our lives. Thank you for bringing clarity to what truly matters in this world. Thank you for inspiring me to be better, to do better. Thank you for the twinkle in your eyes, the belly laughs you share, the resilience and grace you embody. Thank you for being exactly who God designed you to be. You are LIGHT, my precious girl, and I cannot wait to continue to watch you shine. 

With All My Heart, 

Momma 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5

(For a look at Year 2 with our Bellaboo, check out this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQQ1T2l4go0) 

(Year 1 video posted here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDaIREXM-Fk)

(Gotcha Day video posted here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJzWYI_rjwo)

(Adoption Journey video posted here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z33Be7meJSk)