The hardest goodbye so far

Since we have new girls as of yesterday, I need to do my blog that I've been meaning to do about saying goodbye to Alex and Elizabeth.

They left almost two weeks ago, and we still miss them. This is the first time that I think that Clara has actually struggled with this, too. They were just such sweethearts, and, if I were ever going to adopt any of the kids I've had, they would be the ones. On Tuesday after 4th of July weekend, they went over to their dad's house for an overnight visit (we thought when Jeremy dropped them off that it was just for the afternoon, and then it turned into overnight). The next day, we were getting ready to go to Eastern Washington, and thought we were bringing them with us, but then got a call around 3:00 that the courts have granted custody to dad and that we could bring their stuff to his house. We had already packed overnight bags for them for the trip, so we brought them by on our way out of town, but they weren't there, so we had to just leave a note and drop them off.

The four days in Spokane were tough because we didn't feel like we'd gotten to say goodbye, plus we were just really excited to have them with us with Jeremy's family and get to "show them off." We knew, though, that when we got back we would bring the rest of their stuff to them and get to see them then. Clara asked for them almost everyday, especially Alex. In fact, when Jeremy went on a hike with my dad for two days, I was outside with her, waving goodbye to them, and she started really crying. It dawned on me that it is hard for her right now to distinguish between when people are leaving for a few minutes or days, and when they are leaving forever and not coming back. We have been working on really talking to her about it.

When we returned, I packed up the girls' stuff and took Clara with me to deliver it to them, so that she could see where they went. It was pretty cute to see her light up when she saw Alex, and Alex beamed when I told her that Clara had asked for her everyday for a week. It was pretty heart-breaking to see the conditions they are living in: Dad has taken in 6 kids, two of which are not even technically his, in an older house in East Tacoma, very close to here. They are all sleeping on old mattresses on the floor, and the upstairs where four of the girls are sleeping was SUPER hot, with no window open or a fan or anything. It isn't anything that is worthy of reporting, it's just poverty, but it was still difficult to see. I told their dad about our Vacation Bible school and AWANA program, and also gave him our phone number and told him we'd love to babysit or help out, but I doubt he will take us up on it, unfortunately.

After we left, all the way home, Clara said, "Alex, Liz, bye-bye. Alex, Liz, bye bye." The two new girls we got today, Marilyn, age 6 and Desiree, age 5, are hispanic and look similar to Alex and Liz. Yesterday, poor Clara was trying to learn their names, and actually looked at one of them and said, "Alex?" It's kind of breaking my heart right now. She has to keep asking me, "Who is that?" and point at one of the girls, then, when I tell her, she repeats it very deliberately, like she's really trying hard to learn it. That's my girl!

Here are some pictures from 4th of July at the Johnsons' and in Cashmere.

This one is Clara's first pony-tail! I had to make an event out of it, since it has been a long time coming!
With daddy at the Johnson's Lake

Feeding ducks at Decoursey Park on the 4th (Notice all the patriotic outfits!)


All-American girl!