Embracing Deaf Culture~ One Hug At A Time

First of all, HEY!!!! Hubs got me me through my login issues...so I'm back! Again..

Secondly, I am writing this with nothing but love, honesty, and respect for Deaf community!!!!! I can never repay the debt of love and acceptance we have received....we love you guys!

I am, Eva, I am a reformed touch-me-not.

I was not a hugger...I mean I would never want to offend someone so I would do it, but inside...no. I have always been uncomfortable hugging people. Okay, honestly, I don't even like to shake hands.

Then we brought our Deaf daughter home and started going to Deaf events...with that came the hugs!

Let me first say, when we started going to events, I was terrified that one of these amazing people would learn my secret...I was hearing. No, I mean really hearing...I was rusty in my ASL, I had a lot of fatigue using my second language (ASL) all of the time, I all of a suddenly forgotten all of the Deaf Culture I learned in college, and worst of all I thought in English~ like really English-y.

I was terrified that someone was going to approach me and tell me that I should never have adopted my daughter...that I wasn't good enough.
~It never happened.

I was loved, accepted. I was greeted every playdate with a with a hug. I was offered support, friendship, acceptance, and hugs every time I entered the community.

Funny thing, I didn't mind the hugs so much...they were expressive...they seemed to say so much that I was hoping to one day feel. .
The hugs expressed a simple message of~ suppport, acceptance, and happiness to see me...no matter how little I knew and how inadequate I felt. I felt relief....

When we went to the family weekend at the Deaf school I looked forward to seeing my friends, and there I was the first time~ I was the one with open arms!

I was not only embracing my friends, but also other moms that maybe felt a little out of place as I once did not so long ago.
I was embracing my daughter's culture and community.
I was embracing my daughter....she and her sister are my very heart beat!
I was embracing life, and my new place in it.
Most of all, I was embracing, yes, hugging...me. I was the one embracing.