Loving

If I had one word for my girl, this is the one:
loving
Ruth lives life to the fullest, and she loves with all her heart.
The girls are part of that love, and I watch each day as she expresses her thoughts and feelings to them. I see how much growth she has made as I hear her explain how to add numbers or make a choice about lunch. She gives her all, and then some. :)
Loving...
Ruth loves to read, to paint, color, and take care of her cat, BamBam. I have evidence of the reading coloring and painting in every room of the house. Sometimes in places I wish I didn't, like the light bulbs....
BamBam has been worried over all of his life. We fostered for his mother, and he was part of the package at 2 weeks old. We could let them go when it was time, so we adopted them. This cat has patience. Currently, he is sporting a bright orange collar, complete with rhinestones and a jingle bell. He has been given his special canned dinner, with a bit of milk mixed in. And played with his new cat crate. Tonight he will be allowed to use the new remote controlled mouse. :) All purchased with Ruth's Christmas money. Gifts for her kitty bought with gifts for her.
Loving...
Those moments when Ruth wraps her body around mine in an effort to be as close as she can. Maybe it is meeting her need for input, but for me, it is showing her need for sharing the love she feels. I cannot describe the joy in my heart as I consider this little girl's loving heart.
Forget the rest of the battles of clothes, and toys and sounds and food.... remember the
loving......

and then there were three


Our stepson and his family moved in several months ago. Ruth has always had a room to herself, and now must share with 2 others, girls her age, who are close as sisters ought to be, and do not understand her needs. We still struggle daily with this, and Ruth just doesn't get how if she shares, and they don't, how they can be angry with her when she does something like stretch her legs across theirs. I mean after all she is sharing her space with them, isn't she?
This morning I woke to her tears. She was in trouble for writing "I hate you" to C, after feeling left out and neglected once again. Strong emotions, come from my strong girl. I see so much growth every day, a giving nature shines through often. Gifts of simple nature, things like the thought of how the girls miss their kitty, and asking if they could adopt one of ours.
I hope that someday, her love will be able to overcome the walls that others build...