We’ve come a long way Baby

When we first became a family, after about a week we tried to go down to the local coffee shop and have some amazing Vietnamese coffee and yogurt smoothies. We were out of the initial phase where My was in a bit of shock and just wanting to please us so that we would take care of her. We were in a transition, sometimes she would be sweet and smile and other times she would yell, scream, run away and hit. She was moving into the testing phase. This phase is all about testing our commitment to her. If is seeing if she acts like a little monster, will we abandon her or stay with her. During this phase, the time at coffee has hard! I laugh now but in the moment...it was crazy hot, We didn’t know her, she didn’t particularly want to stay with us, we were on a crazy busy road, she kept trying to run into the road to be squashed by the motorcycles, it was noisy...etc etc. I didn’t think I ever wanted to attempt that again. Well, despite that memory, we tried again. She was a different child! We have come so far as a family. We first went to the corner sidewalk restaurant for Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) then walked a few blocks in the heat (41 degrees) to the coffee shop. She sat so well, ate breakfast and enjoyed frozen yogurt. We felt like a family moving together in a nice cadence as a unit. Despite how long it takes, I am relieved that she can make attachments. I also see other great signs including empathy and sharing. There is no time period for the process of attachment. We are in a great place, but have many months ahead. I feel like I can now breath a huge sigh of relief and enjoy all the moments as the process unfolds.