Goofy pictures for a serious post

It's hard to believe it's been a little over a year now since Southern Darlin' joined our family. A lot can change in a year.  And boy, oh boy has it ever.  

When Southern Darlin' first came here, she raged like crazy.. Threw things across the room, lashed out at the other kids, screamed and kicked for Hours at a time.  It was not pretty.

Slowly things seemed to get better and then we'd have a small change in routine [school break, anyone!?] and all hell would break lose again.  

For the longest time, she worried constantly about us taking her back to that FarFarAway State and leaving her there.  If that state's name was brought up, you can bet a tantrum was heading your way.  She has had so little stability in her life that to her, we were just another stepping stone.. A pebble that was going to give way and send her back into the water to drown.

I won't say things are perfect but they are much much better!  The turning point?  The adoption.. I know, I bitched and moaned about having to waste our vacation time and money on going back to that FarFarAway State.. I also worried about her mental health as she was so opposed to going there.  But in the end, we waited til the adoption was finalized and then made sure to point out to her that we were in the FarFarAway state right now and we were heading home..

Heading home again was the key.. It was proof that we were not lying to her. That we really were planning on keeping her forever and ever amen.  Since then, we still have some small issues but it's normal kid issues.. She's turning into this more relaxed and secure child.. It's something I really didn't think I'd see.

Sure she still has some attachment issues but we're working on it.  Our therapist just went to a weeks worth of intensive training on R.A.D  which thrills me to pieces!  In fact, at our last session she got out some pictures that Southern Darlin' had drawn over the past 9months of seeing her.. It's amazing the difference in them..

In the beginning, she refused to draw. Instead there are letters jumbled all over the place, making no sense and it's very disorienting.. That is what she used to do at restaurants.. Instead of doing the mazes or coloring the pictures on the placemats, she would fill them with random letters all over.

Months later, we have some stick figures with a few letters.. All in black and white.. No color allowed.  She shunned colors.

Now we have a very detailed oriented picture of her and me.. She made sure to use lots of colors & gave me a balloon in the picture [which her therapist says is a HUGE sign].

Now I do not claim to be a therapist nor do I play one on tv but I was assured that this means she is feeling secure and confident.

My little girl is finally here.   To celebrate, some pictures we had fun doing [w/the phone] while waiting to see the therapist..  She had fun making faces & making me try the different settings on the phone.. lol.

Setting : negative

S

Setting :  Sepia 

Setting: Aqua 

Setting: Posterize  (my favorite) 

Setting: Greyscale 

Setting: Solarize  (her favorite)