Passport

I have to start this blog by apologising.  I asked those of you who pray to keep Lutaaya's passport in mind, to get it through speedily.  I have been so rushed since receiving it that I haven't had time to blog and actually say that the passport arrived.  It actually took under two weeks to come back....amazingly.  God always works out things to the very last detail.

Lutaaya was over the moon when I told her it had arrived.  I even had a hug and those of you who know her, will know that is very out of the ordinary.  This was the one thing she wanted that to her made her British.

And the reason we wanted her passport back so quickly.....to have a holiday.  My parents birthday present to me for my 30th was a holiday.  Due to Lutaaya's passport not being here they weren't able to book anything for my birthday, so we waited.  Obviously having work committments meant that Dad had to pre-book his time off work.  He booked three weeks off to give us a little room to move but those three weeks happened to fall in October, giving us not too much time to wait on a passport return.

'My God is able'......goes the little song I've heard the children in Uganda sing so many times.  And oh so He is!

Passport returned and holiday booked all in one day.  Cuba we here we come!  Look out Lutaaya, here comes your very first family holiday!

Not just PERFECT!

Well 15th September saw me turn the big 3-0!  And might I add, it feels no different to being in the 20's.

The week leading up to my birthday was a little chaotic in our house to say the least.  Lutaaya did not deal well with the pending birthday.  There was no jealousy of the day or anything to that nature, she simply did not know what would be happening.  I guess my girl simply felt as if she was out of control.

We worked through the issues and I think I needed to remember there is only me and her in the house.  It's easy to fall into the trap that she's been here a long time.

She hasn't.

She has yet to be in the UK a year.

It's easy to forget that when she fits in so well and copes remarkably with everything she faces.

So having Mam's birthday, is another first to add to her long list.

Lutaaya had never had a Mam, let alone one who would have a birthday celebration.  So the morning of my birthday, when Lutaaya refused to speak to me at all, as she just couldn't work out what she would say, or when she would give her gift etc, had to be taken in my stride.  But you know what, I can get over that when it's all a learning curve.  She got there in the end, bless her.

I'm fortunate enough to have a brilliant Mum myself, who had arranged for all my friends to get together the night of my birthday.  Lutaaya loved having such a full house.

Then within the week, we received her adoption certificate!

Yay!  Yay!  Yay!

Big time excited.  I could not wait to scoop Lutaaya up from school and go get her photo taken so we could send off all the documents for her passport application.  I was so excited in telling her and she just didn't get it.  Apparently this isn't the exciting part to her.  She will be excited when the passport drops through the door.  So excuse the pun, but we'll keep you posted on the passport updates. 

If you are the praying kind, please keep the passport in your prayers.  They tell us it can take up to six weeks to come back but we are hoping for a holiday in the next few weeks.  Believe me, after this year, this girly needs a holiday.  Let's get this passport back in super fast time so we can book a holiday.  (My birthday present off my parents.)

But in amongst all the celebrations of birthday's and adoption paperwork, there was another celebration.  Lutaaya entered year 6 this year and came home from school last week, all happy and smiles.

As we drive home she tells me........

'Mam, I'm perfect.'

Hmmmm strange little statement for a little girl who lacks self esteem, and quite out of the ordinary.

'You're perfect sweetheart?'  I reply.

After a little thinking time, she explains that she may have got the word mixed up and reaches for something in her bag.

Prefect = perfect!

She's a prefect in school!!!  Wow!  You go girl! 

She was so enthusiastic listing off the details of her responsibilities as prefect.  She has to go look after the nursery and reception classes, helping hand out their milk and fruit, then helping them find their way back to class and hanging their coats up on the right hooks.

A perfect job for my perfect girl! 

And you know what???

She will always be perfect in my eyes.