Big, brown eyes, so brown they're nearly black. Long, thick, silken black hair that cascades down her back like an ebony waterfall. A shy demeanor. A smile that shows itself when Noa is in a good mood, and a scowl that could melt steel when she is having a hard time of it.
Yes, that's our Noa Graciela. We adopted her just a few short months ago from Ecuador; she was an orphan and spent most of her life in an orphanage. She is thirteen years old and is absolutely beautiful!
We had wanted to adopt an older child ever since our neighbors, the Sanduskys, started adopting over 16 years ago. Now the family has blossomed into an incredible amount of children, children of all ages, races, nationalities, and disabilities, and they manage to touch people's lives wherever they go.
We already have two children: a son, Wyatt Earl, aged 15, and a daughter, Kennedi-Joy Michelle, aged 12. They were the ones who suggested we'd adopt; after all, Kennedi-Joy kept grousing about "not having a sister". Plus we saw the Sanduskys, with their one million children, and something stirred inside of us; this was how we eventually ended up adopting Noa Graciela into our family.
Things are still new and unfamiliar for Noa. She is learning English quite rapidly; we are finally able to hold a conversation with her without having to consult the Spanish-English dictionary, so we can figure out what she is saying or what she wants. She is still trying to figure out the concept of "fast-and-convenient" or things like ATM machines. Drive-in car washes. Self serve gas stations. Twenty-four hour stores or restaurants. Urgent care centers. Daycare centers or after-school programs for children.
Noa is also trying to figure out that even though this is America, there are people of different colors and languages living here. It confuses her whenever she hears people speaking Spanish; she thinks they ought to be talking in English exclusively.
Noa is in the sixth grade. She is developmentally delayed and may have some mental retardation in there somewhere. She reads at the level of a first grader, and just learned to write her name about a month ago. She is very immature; she acts more like a six-year-old than a thirteen-year-old. She would rather spend her days watching television or holding her favorite doll instead of playing a game of cards with her brother and sister or running outside.
We are trying to understand her needs, but it is hard to explain to Wyatt and Kennedi-Joy why Noa doesn't like to take a bath or why she is so far behind most kids her age. They try to be patient with her; it's very difficult at times, especially when Noa throws one of her gigantic temper tantrums or turns stubborn on us.
Well, I have to go. Noa is calling me; have to see what she wants. I will write in here again soon; until then, this is Rosie Tate signing off! Take care, and may God bless you always!
I will write more about Noa, Wyatt, and Kennedi-Joy in the near future. This isn't the last you will hear from me!
~Sincerely, Rosie Irene Tate, Nashville, Tennessee. :)
