A Special Picnic at Minnewaska

Today, Sierra and I finished camp around 12 noon.  I was trying to figure out what to do for the rest of the day.  It was gorgeous, the kind of summer day I love.  The sky was blue, the grass was green, there was a breeze and the temperature was in the high 70s.  No way I wanted to go home and clean, or do anything in the house!!  We live in an area called the Rondout Valley.  We are nestled between two mountain ranges.  Close by are two mountains, each have beautiful lakes.  When they boys were younger I used to wait for a summer day like this and take them hiking on one of the mountains.  It was always one of my favorite days.  We used to watch the hawks when we were on top of the mountain. They would fly out and glide down below us.  Anyway...I digress!!!  Since it was already after noon time I decided we would go on a special picnic.  One of the mountains has a road you can drive up right to the lake.  There are plenty of hiking trails once you get up there.  Since I didn't have a lot of time...that is the option I chose.  We stopped and got some lunch and then drove to the mountain.Sierra hadn't been there before.  We parked the car and walked up the path.  I told her to run ahead to see what she could see.  When she saw the lake she simply squealed in delight.  " Mommy..its the most beautiful lake!!"  We found a rock and had our lunch.  She just kept saying how much she loved nature and we were really in nature now!!  After lunch we walked around a little.  The mountain is a state park and they even have a swimming area.  It was the perfect thing to do on a perfect day!

 No matter where we are Sierra always spots the new moon.  Do you see it??

Three and a half years later...

I remember when my boys were babies.......I remember their little arms reaching back out to me when someone else was holding them...and they had had enough...and wanted me back.  I remember when they fell as toddlers, again they ran over to me, crying and wanting me to pick them up to kiss away their boo boos, and wipe away their tears.  They came to me and I took care of what ever their needs. It came naturally...for them and for me.
When you adopt a child at the age of three, it is not the same.  The first time Sierra fell and got hurt, she lay there, not  crying, not moving, NOT reaching out to me.  She really didn't want me to pick her up, but I did anyway/. That incident was over three years ago.  Since then we have spent   much time teaching Sierra what the role of parents are.  She didn't know....there had been no one for the first three years of her life that was there for her.  We knew we had made great progress, we knew she loved us and trusted that we would be there for her.  But still, the other night, an incident brought home to us, how far she has come.  We were at a friends house for a graduation party.Sierra was playing with a group of children.  We were near by but not in sight.  All of a sudden she came tearing around the house, crying.  She was looking and looking, amongst the  many people there, for me.  She found me and I picked her up and held her close.  She had gotten hurt, she had fallen and hit her ear.  I brought her in the house and Scott followed us.  We put ice on it and with in 5 minutes she was good to go!!  She ran back out to rejoin her friends.  I started to get teary eyed.  I looked at Scott and I knew he knew what I was going to say.  "Do you realize that it was  the only time that I can remember that she has run to me when she has gotten hurt?"   I could tell , even in her frenzied state, that she was looking for us.  Not just anyone...us!   Three and a half years.......she is finally....really....truly......home!!!