Grieving and Growing--Kind of Like an Onion

This past week was finally the time when Penny started really grieving and talking about her past. On Wed. she started talking to me about how her birth mom ran away from her at the hospital the day after she was born. She also talked about her foster parents who took her back to the orphanage. She said that her foster mom had been a star, but then they lost their money and their house. She remembers them pushing her away from them as she tried to cling to them when they dropped her off. I asked her if she was feeling rejected. This all came out when she was mad at me after I had disciplined her for something. Well, I wondered when the hurt of the past would come out. And you know what?! Ever since then, our daughter has been the happiest I've ever seen her. She's been expressing appreciation for us and things we do for her more than ever. She's been smiling and happy most of the time. She has started to talk more and more about things she did not like in Udon Thani and at the orphanage. When I told a Japanese friend of mine about how she's been expressing her grief this friend said I can feel very blessed that she's already feeling safe to get it out now. She said she had a lot of pain from her past that she did not reveal to anyone for a very long time. She said it made it that much harder to come to grips with her pain. She said to expect that it will be like peeling an onion. Just when you think she's better there will be another layer to peel off. Well, I am thankful that she's already feeling loved and safe enough to begin that healing process. Please pray for patience as we try to be there for her while the layers gradually peel off.