First Steps

You may have noticed in all the pictures of Corrie to this point ,she has been sitting, or carried, or holding on to furniture. That is because she had not yet started walking independently when we met her in Ethiopia.


Our first update on her back in December ,after the director of our agency visited with her, said she was a very happy and content baby ,but she did want us to be aware that she was delayed in her ability to walk. Other children in the orphanage her same age were walking just fine and yet she was not even crawling or pulling to stand at that point. We assured her that we understood the situation, but that YES we were certain that SHE was our daughter ,as God had confirmed that over and over in so many ways. We, in every way , wished to move forward with completing whatever was necessary to call this little orphan girl....OUR daughter. The director assured us then that they would be moving her to their home in Adama where Tezera would work with her, giving her massage and attention as well as pray for her along with the widows in their weekly prayer meetings. I must admit that first week , I wondered what our life would look like if she was not able to walk for some reason. Even as a physical therapist, I knew that the inability to walk would make life complicated. But any concerns I had quickly faded with the total peace I had that I knew that I knew that I knew God had planned for this little girl to be in OUR family. We also began praying, along with our other three at home each night , that God would strengthen her legs as well as prepare her heart in the days that we waited to bring her home.



We received updates as we waited that told us she was happy and social, as well as beginning to crawl with one leg , pull to stand and walk with assistance. When we met her in June, she had progressed to crawling normally, and she could cruise along the furniture, and take somewhat unsteady steps with assistance. Of course , with her in our arms, we had never been more SURE that she was OURS.... FOREVER....no matter if she EVER took a step on her own.



On June 12th, 2010, any concern over her inability to walk was gone, as Corrie Sifan Rose took her first independent steps!!! Praise God for the answered prayers of many!!! She took 3-4 steps to me in the kitchen that afternoon, with Battle watching near by . Later that evening she walked down the hall and she has not looked back!! She is walking anywhere she wants to go!!!



And believe me, she is going LOTS of places!! She is into EVERYTHING!!!

Don't you love the concentration with the tongue sticking out!!! It must help with balance!! Before I know it, I will be running to keep up with her!!

I am oh so grateful that she is walking on her own, AND that God allowed me to see those first steps!! So very precious!! One of these pictures will go in our memorial box to REMEMBER God's goodness!!