She's here...

It's nearly midnight. Right now, I am downstairs on the couch playing Farkle while the other 2/3 of our family snores away upstairs.

Upstairs... which has changed dramatically since 6:00 this evening. Upstairs... where there's a sign on a door that emphatically states "Tyla's Room", with a precocious looking Tinkerbell on it. Upstairs... where I listen for every little sound, wondering if she's doing okay so far, if she's having nightmares, if she's really sleeping at all. Upstairs... where our new life is.

Tonight was different. Tyla was different, and so were we. We all knew that this wasn't a sleepover, it was something more. When she arrived, her foster parents brought in all of her clothes and toys, so there is nothing more to move in. She's here. For good.

Tonight, Tyla was more reserved, withdrawn, edgy. I was, too. I disappeared to the kitchen to make her something for supper, which she didn't eat. Thank the goddess for Lisa's ability to just play and make things fun - cut through all the anxiety and tension and get to the fun stuff. I, of course, was more worried about unpacking and organizing and list-making. Where should this go? What makes the most sense? Where does she want things put? What do we need? When should we start building an addition?

By bedtime, we had found some sort of balance amid all the chaos and weirdness. We played Chutes & Ladders (her favourite game), then watched all of 10 minutes of Coraline before she fell asleep in her chair.

Here's hoping we continue to find that elusive balance as we continue meandering through this journey. With 2 social workers coming to visit in the morning, that will definitely be a challenge.