Hopes Everlasting Spring: A little time for Maida

I think it's high time I update you all on how Maida has been doing these past several months that she has been home. (I will update you all on Sevi's fundraiser tomorrow morning).

It has been three months since Maida has been home. Can you believe it?! It feels like forever yet at the same time only yesterday that I walked into that orphanage with my mom and met my sister for the first time.

In these months that she has been home she has blossomed physically (really, she grew 3 1/2 inches in two months!) emotional, and mentally. Attachment has never really been a problem for her (although there is always struggle, especially at first) and we are so thankful that the Lord has blessed us with that. She does have a bit of an attitude though :) She loves all of her big sisters and brother. I frequently find her hanging on me, calling me, and wanting me to play :) Her English skills are also growing in leaps and bounds. One of her favorite phrases to say is "Maida do it!" :)
With her starting to prefer speaking English, Lingala has really taken the back seat. She still uses it and has specific words that she uses daily, but I find myself sometimes having to remind her what a word is. I think this is a good thing (that her English is growing) but it makes me sad as well. It will be a part of her that she has lost and my mom and I both know neither of us know enough of it to help her really keep it. I also don't know what Sevi will feel like when she comes home and sees Maida again, but realizes she doesn't really understand her anymore. We are all trying to soak up as much Lingala as we can though so we can help both Maida and Sevi in this regard.

I will write a post specifically for Sevi here soon after this fundraiser ends on the 14th, but for today I will leave you with some pictures of this pretty girl.

First morning home

My little sister Bella showing off her Rhino necklace from Congo :)

Maida meeting her niece Rylie for the first time. There is just a year and a half difference in age between them. How fun that will be for them, getting to grow up with each other!

Meeting her one and only big brother Andrew (we have seven girls now including Sevi, but only one boy. I think my brother secretly digs the attention ;) )

And her one and only sister-in-law Amy :)

My moms birthday was on the day we landed in Congo (I know right?!) and a certain six year old didn't want her Mama's big day to go unnoticed.

Maida's first interaction with the violin, her destined instrument. We all play different string instruments (I play viola and violin) but my mom is set on violin for her...we shall see, I think she would look great on the harp ^^