Four years! 2018-2022 has somehow been the longest & shortest four years of my life, but I feel confident in reporting that this past year with Mila has been our best so far. We are finding the rhythms of our family through the year and I know now that fall & the holidays are Mila's prime time--full of people, excitement and activities that she thrives in. I also know now that spring & summer are higher times of discomfort and anxiety without her school friends and routine. But Mila has also had an explosion of vocabulary and communication that makes talking through disappointment, loneliness and fear a lot easier for both of us. She has even started to share details of life in Albania before Flam-ly. I asked her recently if she had bananas in Albania (she asks for the yellow fruit 3 or 4 times per day. Thinking it had always been her favorite food I thought I asked an innocent question). In classic annoyed teenager valley-girl style she responded "uh, nooooo.", as if I had asked her if there were bananas on the moon. ðĪŠ
Mila continues to LOVES music and continues to build her CD collection for her karaoke machine as well as joining the high school choir. In years past, she would hide or only mouth the words while "singing" her favorite songs. But since choir has started, I can hear her singing songs outload to herself as she makes her bed or helps in the kitchen--grooving along to a Kids Bop or worship lyric while she sets the table. Mila also craves time to work on art, specifically coloring. Sitting a coloring for hours on end has been a gift of the COVID life and to see her art progress in the last year has been fascinating to watch--she has a good eye for color!
I often describe Mila as my "no chill child". She has the uncanny ability to zing someone with the exactly perfect snarky comment without any idea of what she said being inappropriate, slightly rude or even exactly perfect. Its that combo that makes the comment all the more hysterical. Example: I knocked on Mila's door to let her know it was time for dinner. A lively "come in!" sang from her side of the door. As I opened the door her bright face instantly fell downcast and she greeted me with "oh....it's you again". ðēðð Who was she expecting?? ðð
Despite the teenage snark, snuggling is a new skill that she has been practicing. For the first three years Mila struggled with gently approaching people, specifically me. I regularly had bruises on my upper arms or back and had to teach myself to NOT react to the pain, rather choosing to take a big breath then turn into the person who had just hurt me and ask her to try again. She tried and tried and tried...and tried again. What an exercise in grace and faithfulness and unconditional love for us both. It's been my prayer from the beginning that the Lord would create me to be the mother that Mila needed--the answer to that prayer has changed us both.
We celebrated Mila's Flam-ly Day with a well timed trip to Disney On Ice. She was SO STINKING EXCITED. Several times during the show, I looked to my left to see her literally shaking with excitement, a smile so big it was contagious!
I wished Mila a Happy Family Day and gave her a big squeeze. She no-chill responded "my pleasure, mom!" ð
Here is a not little peek into our 4th year as a Flam-ly. A visual testimony to God's goodness in Mila's family.
Happy Family Day, Kamila Naomi. You are loved <3
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