Year of the Butterfly

If there was a Chinese Year of the Butterfly,
Delilah would be the symbol.

She squealed with delight when we passed shops on
Shaimen Island decorated with butterfly flags.
But it took longer for us to see
she not only loved butterflies,
she was becoming one.

I will confess
when we first shared photos of Delilah
many friends warned me
there was something very impish about her.
They told me I was in deep trouble.
And I was afraid.
Was I too old for a spirited child?

Ha!
Can you imagine me in China
watching my new daughter hurling her bowl of noodles
against the wall!
I wondered if I would always feel so exhausted.

What I didn't know yet
was the magic behind those laughing eyes.
And the gentle soul that puts stuffed animals in the freezer
and then wraps them in blankets and coos to them as they thaw out.

She came into our family, promptly claiming the spot as "baby",
she surprised me by being such a good and gentle child.
She likes to sleep on top of us
and she has a lovely singing voice.

Delilah spends most of her time in dress up clothing.
She believes she IS Mulan
and she shows a sympathy for other people's hurts
far beyond her age.

Delilah is like a butterfly,
carefree and beautiful to watch,
and a joy to follow as she lights gently
on the stepping stones of her life.