Tell Me the GOOD Things

Yesterday I posted the following message on a chat room for parents adopting from Ethiopia:

Will you indulge my husband an I? Tell us the wonderful stuff... we have heard the hard stuff... I asked Ben's cousin who has adopted 2 and is getting 1 more soon to tell me about her worst days, and it didn't scare us away... But today I need to hear about the great part of bringing children into your home and calling them your own. The good part when the bio kids are snuggling and loving the new kids - when you look at each other and say... this is wonderful! I would love to hear what you say!Love,brooke

This was my new friends Robin's reply...
Oh Brooke, I could write for days and days about the good stuff. I will try to make a list for you.We brought home our 3 children July 20th, Isaiah is 8, Sarah is 6, Lydia is 4.

The good things...Last week when Isaiah cried big crocodile tears at soccer practice when I asked him if his coach could give him a ride home. He said very sweetly, "No, please mommy, I want you"

Seeing Lydia and Sarah loving and caring sweetly for their baby dolls. This might not seem like much but when they first came home, they were not tender at all with them. They would look at them strangely and throw them down and laugh. They had no idea how to pretend. Now Lydia is so tender with her baby. Sarah is starting to catch on now and has also started dressing and pretending to feed her baby.

Tonight, before story time, Lydia brought me a bottle that she used for her dolly and crawled up in my lap and handed it to me. She wanted me to feed it to her like she was a baby. I cuddled her so tight and put the bottle in her mouth. She snuggled up and closed her eyes and I think she was really imagining that she was a baby. It sounds weird but it was very tender and sweet and totally initiated by her. I almost started to cry. She came from a somewhat abusive muslim family and says that no one loved her in Ethiopia. She is a wounded little child and is soaking up the love of a mother in a way that you can actually feel. When we went to pick her up at the care center, her eyes lit up and she crawled and climbed across other children and ran to me with tears. She clung to my leg hugging it tight and I had to pry off her arms to pick her up. It was so incredible.

Hearing the Ethiopian children squeal and giggle in the back seat on the way home from church. Listening to them speak Amharic, which is truly a beautiful language.Hearing Jonathan speak Amharic, and listening to Lydia and Sarah and Isaiah laugh and squeal at their lilly white American brother speaking their African language. They think it is so funny.

Sitting in church watching my black son and my white son lovingly touch eachother's hair over and over because it feels different than their own.Out of no where in the middle of the day just being amazed at the fact that we actually went all the way to Ethiopia and brought home 3 children!

Teasing Isaiah and Sarah and Lydia, saying, "Mommy and Daddy got on the airplane and went ALLLLLLL the way to Ethiopia to bring home two silly girls and one silly boy" and listening to them laugh hysterically. And then hearing Lydia say that when she was in Ethiopia she was not silly because America made her silly.

Hearing Sarah tell me many times a day that she loves me very big.

Showing Lydia where her birthday is on the Calendar so that she can show everyone. She is so excited that she has a birthday. Listening to the girls sing happy birthday to eachother over and over again and watching them prepare elaborate birthday parties for everyone in the family in their toy kitchen with their toy food. This is a HUGE thing with them since they never celebrated their birthdays in Ethiopia.

Ok, I don't like this part but some of you might, 4 squealing little children throwing open my bedroom door at 6:30 in the morning and jumping all over me giggling.

Tucking them in bed at night and hearing the question that I know is coming FOR SURE, "Mommy, tomorrow snowman coming?" They so can't wait for their first snowfall. I am praying that it will be big and sticky and perfect for snowman making!

Hearing Isaiah's ten million crazy questions that are impossible to answer. He thinks I know everything. Someone at CWA must have mistakenly told him he was getting a smart mother.

Laughing at Isaiah because he is so much like Lane it is not funny. EVERYTHING is a competition to him. He asks me "which one win" about everything.

Laughing at Sarah because she is just so stinking cute you can't help but laugh. Reading books to them every night and hearing them fight over who gets to sit right next to me. We now have a schedule!

Hearing them sing, "Run, Run as fast as you can, you can't catch me, I'm the ginerbread man"Hearing them sing, "I'm so Blue oo oo Blue oo oo" and "A Thankful Heart is a Happy Heart" after watching the Madam Blueberry episode of Veggie Tales.

Watching Jonathan and Lydia and Sarah race up and down the driveway on their big wheels. Boy are they FAST!

Seeing Isaiah smile and cuddle up to my kisses when he used to pull away as if he was afraid.

Walking past their Sunday school rooms and just being amazed that they are finally really here.

Watching Isaiah play soccer in his Royal Blue Soccer uniform right smack in the middle of America! People come up to me after the game and comment that he is amazing to watch. Like a bolt of lightning he will come out of nowhere to steal the ball and move it down the field. Kicking it with skill and jumping over feet and legs to regain possession of it. Moving it up the field and making a perfect pass to a teammate who is in front of the goal. I don't even like sports but I love to watch him play.

Taking them swimming and seeing the pure joy on their faces as they go under the water over and over again and squeal with delight when they come up. Sarah and Lydia insist on having their hair "free" and love the feel of it floating in the water when they go under.

Taking them to the zoo and watching and listening. Laughing very hard because they want to know whether or not the animals taste good. American kids never ask this question when they go to the zoo.

Watching them stuff huge mouthfuls of injera and tibs into their faces and lick their fingers.Hearing them call me mommy a million times a day. Hearing them say, "No Thank you" instead of YUCKY!! when they are offered a food they are not about to touch with a ten foot pole.

Seeing Isaiah eat a great big bowl of cheerios and milk for breakfast. (He used to say YUCKY!!) and yes, he was shouting. Watching Lydia eat a Big and Tasty and fries and thinking that she looks just like a little American and then feeling guilty for feeding her junk food.

Watching Sarah eat anything! She is truly amazing. She can somehow manage to get the food in the middle of her back. She is such a... well... lets just say, well, uhhhhh she's messy!

Tucking them in bed at night and listening to all the stories they tell about their lives in Ethiopia. Laughing at the funny ones, and crying at the oh so sad ones.Knowing that God chose me and allowed me the incredible blessing of being the mother of these sweet, silly, happy, loving, talented, smart, coordinated, beautiful, Ethiopian Children.



So, the good stuff definately wins! :) I read that post 3 times today and it made me smile each time. I also got to speak with our Case Worker today. We spent an hour on the phone talking about EVERYTHING that can/should/might happen with our adoption. It was super helpful!

We also did some costume shopping tonight. Danny is planning on being George Washington and was so dissapointed that we couldn't find a wig for a boy. :) He cracked me up! If you asked my kids what their favorite part of the day was... it would be a toss up. Going to Burger King and playing on the toys for a dinner date with friends OR Danny (The Schuldheisz Family) winning a Wii at school for fundraising! (Thanks Brian for your great donation). The kids are running back and forth from the couch to the window as quickly and loudly as possible... got to go!