Monday, February 2, 2009

Hair time/lovein' time


Time to do Alia's hair...
After I wash and condition it well, I find it easier to blow dry her hair straight...it just seems easier for me to braid it.


Now, time for the lovin'....

Here are the "after" pictures...after SEVERAL hours. Non-the-less, this should last a week or two. When Alia first came home from Liberia, we had some attachment problems...she was SO stressed, afraid, and stressed (I know, I said that twice...boy was she stressed-thrice).
The need was so big I wasn't sure at times if I had it in me to help her emotional hunger. Lisa wrote a great post called "mother hunger" and posted something that Erin had written; you can find them both here. It was so nice to see how other families have also parenting children who have come through emotional trauma.

Then, as I begin to learn to fix Alia's hair, something beautiful happened that I wasn't expecting. We really begin to bond during her hair time. She begin to relax and just "rest" and I was able to relax and just love on her. I would say "you have such beautiful hair" and "I love you and am so glad that God gave you to me" and she was able to receive this love better than when she was working so hard to meet the need in her little heart. I am thankful to the LORD who always shows me, in my weakest moments, His grace, His wisdom, and His love.

3 comments:

  1. Wow, I'm super impressed. How beautiful! Alia is such a pretty girl!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love Alia's hair, I guess the time probably flies by doesn't it?
    Each time I read your posts it's like God is talking to me through you! I mentor little girls at the Elementary school whose Mom has left them... really sad stories, I will share them with you sometime... bunch of Mommy issues, because they don't have a Mommy... they really don't even have a Daddy, but they are still in a home with the Dad. I have really been praying about how to reach these girls... and yes, I talk to them about Jesus in a public school... what are they going to do, fire a volunteer?... He pretty much answered it through you... the quality time is very important, so I need to make every second count.
    Thanks for being so faithful to Him Shonni... in your busy life, with all of those beautiful children... you still find the time to really write what is on your heart... a very special lady indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautiful Braids!

    Hair time at our house is also quality bonding time. Those are the days that all of the Ghana stories come out. Stories about the orphanage ... stories about the village ... lots and lots of stories.

    blessings,
    Laurel

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...