This week we celebrate two years with our precious Haven.
Haven is one of the greatest blessing the Lord has ever given us.
She will be ten years old in just a few weeks.
Haven needed a ‘safe and sheltered place’ after her first adoption fell through–which is why she bears her name.
She is absolutely beautiful–inside and out.
Haven has a smile that can light up a room.
Our sweet girl has many struggles, but has come so very far in two years.
She loves us with a passion.
Home is where she loves to be most of all. It is her safe place.
Our angel tries so hard to do things that are NOT easy for her. Even the simplest things are a challenge for her.
Haven is still non-verbal. She is really no further along in her speech than she was when she came home two years ago. And that’s okay.
She does NOT need words to communicate with us. We understand her needs perfectly well.
She will not use sign language.
Haven adores her little sister, who is kind of like her big sister as their growth and development are so far apart.
We still do not know why exactly she is unable to speak. Over the last two years we have received many opinions as to why she is unable express herself with words, but who knows?
She NEEDS to feel safe. Safety is everything to Haven. If she feels at all threatened, she does not do well.
We do know that she struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
She is finally mastering the art of brushing her own teeth, going potty, changing her own clothes (and putting them on the right way), finding her own shoes, bathing herself. Each one an enormous victory! We rejoice.
She is tiny–way smaller than her eight year old Chinese sister.
She is developmentally around a three year old level.
Haven loves to eat–even if most meals take her way longer than the rest of the family to get through.
According to Haven, sugar is God’s best creation.
She laughs at the silliest things. Her giggle makes me smile.
She is an absolute delight.
She does not need any toys–just a mirror to admire herself for hours and hours will do just fine.
She is one of the people who teaches me the most in this life.
We’re counting two years of such amazing blessing.
We cannot imagine our lives without her. This sweet little girl brings us such joy. How blessed we feel to be her parents.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for this most beautiful and treasured gift. We are so thankful that You chose us to be her mommy and daddy.
I get it now. I finally understand what redemption truly means.
I wrote about Haven’s gotcha day here last year, if you would like to read her story.
