Sometimes when my daughter is crying so violently she's about to vomit, I forget how much her world has changed.
Sometimes when my daughter is screaming for seemingly no reason, I forget that she's still a typical 5 year old girl.
Sometimes I forget.
And most times I get angry. At the screaming, crying fits that can't be stopped. The fits that have to run their course.
Sometimes I forget and have to apologize for losing my cool.
Sometimes I forget to be patient.
Sometimes I cry and am ashamed that I let my frustration take over.
And today, as I sought God after a trying morning, my eyes found Psalm 73:26 - "my heart and flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever".
I let that verse wash over me as I had Rend Collective on repeat. The album we listened to continually in Ethiopia.
Bertie always seeks me out when I put myself in "time-out". She found me sitting on my bedroom floor. She gasped in delight when she heard the songs playing. She remembers them from our time in Addis. She began singing softly and sat next me. She put her head on my shoulder and her hand in my hand.
I apologize.
She apologizes.
Then she sits on my lap and tells me how much she misses her friend and her big brother.
Her friend who slept beside her at night and sometimes cried.
Her big brother who would call her at the orphanage to talk.
Sometimes she tries to explain things to me that I cannot understand and tears run down her cheeks.
I wipe her tears and tell her it's ok to be sad. But that her friend is her friend forever. And her brother is her brother forever.
We will always have days like today. Because of the loss that comes with adoption.
Bertie remembers and will always remember. Its our job to help walk her through the emotions that come with remembering.
It's tough.
But He will help guide us. No matter how big of a mess I'll likely make of it at times, He'll still be there. ❤️
"Countless second chances we've been given at the cross..."
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