Metamorphosis

I'm challenging myself on using this analogy... because she's always been beautiful. And one might think that a caterpillar is not. So please bypass that part of the analogy and concentrate on the metamorphosis that my daughter is going through.

She came to the United States only 4 short months ago. She's was, and is, and will always be, a beautiful Ethiopian.

She came to a whole new world. The United States. Not quite yet, but soon, she will be a beautiful Ethiopian who is also a US citizen.

To cushion the change, the shock, to transition...

In some ways we helped her be in a cocoon.

Waiting before we took her to Wal-Mart, or to church. Not throwing her in school the week she came home. Slowly introducing her to new people, to this new world.

Tonight I noticed. Her cocoon is cracking. I'm afraid this part of the process is going to be a hard one. But one she has to go through to succeed...to come out a butterfly.

She has been so excited to go to school. Off the charts with anticipation.

Tonight she, along with 4 of her siblings, went to Bible School in a nearby town.

She didn't like it. It was hard, she said. Too hard.

She knew almost no one aside from Sierra. She didn't know the songs. She didn't know how to play the game they played (soccer), and her English isn't far enough to understand what her teacher was talking about.

Crack.

I think I came to realize that school is going to be harder than she (and I) anticipated. She's so excited. I hate the idea of it being hard and overwhelming for her.

I can help her. I can guide her. I can be patient with her. I can pray for her. But, I can't do it for her.

But after the birthing pains...she will emerge.

More beautiful than ever.

Svanna, honey, I can't wait to see you fly! Praying for you, sweetie.