Transitioning Kids (Part 2: One Pearl of Great Price)

Let's talk about our "Perla" as she is called in Guatemala.  Pearl has a very "go with the flow" personality, as long as she has a sibling with her.  ;)  From an early age she attached to her older sisters.  She does EVERYTHING with them and prefers to never be alone.  For this reason, I knew school might be a challenge for her.  The first day we visited the girls' new school, she immediately said, "I can not go in a class without my sisters," with her lip trembling and eyes watering.  BROKE THIS MAMA'S HEART.

So the very first day of school, she cried so hard the principal went to Sophie and Annabelle and asked them to calm her.  In typical Sophie fashion, she felt Pearl needed to get over it!  In typical Annabelle fashion, she comforted Pearl and mothered her.  I love these two girls and their personalities and the way they reacted to Pearl.  This pattern went on for about two weeks but now two months into school,  Pearl goes to class each day with a smile on her face and doesn't need consoling.  She has handled school like a rock star and I am so proud of her! 

Living in Guatemala is something I never want to take for granted.  This was the country of my child's birth.  We reside in the same country as her first mother.  My desire is for us to embrace as much as I can while we are here and to have Pearl do the same.  I want her to LOVE her birth country.  I have a lot of questions about how Guatemalans might view Pearl.  How do they view international adoption?  Are they disappointed that we didn't teach her Spanish?  I took this sweet blessing away from her birth country, her native language, her culture.  Sure, we have tried to celebrate Guatemalan holidays, celebrate her ethnicity but really, we have fallen short.  I am thankful we have the opportunity to live in this beautiful, richly diverse country and I pray she sees the blessing in it.

Soon we will celebrate our 90 day mark in living in Guatemala.  Pearl has grown so much during this time.  She has gained more self esteem, independence and joy.  Sometime in the past few months, she became an older sibling to her brothers.  She's always been considered one of the youngest but now she is a helper to mom and dad, a friend to her older sisters and a leader to the boys.  It's been so much fun to watch her grow!

School friends!

Dancing the salsa!

Enjoy typical foods at the Festival of Maiz.

Just absolutely love this gal!  And those dimples...




Matthew 13:46  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking fine {goodly} pearls; Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.