Brothers

Last night I had to go to an appointment.  Joseph watched G for me.  I came home to this:

These boys are 14 years apart, but they are BROTHERS.

Thought for Thursday - last Sunday?

I just posted something, but it appeared down as if I posted it last Sunday.  Not sure why that happened.  Feel free to scroll down if you're interested.

Today's Adoption Adventure

Today I was on a government conference call with - I don't know - maybe 1,000 other people.  People like me who are navigating the process of adopting a child from Haiti.

Remember how we were told that we'd have to maintain custody of our children for two years before they'd be eligible for citizenship?  And then our government came up with a new process to eliminate that two year wait?  Today's conference call was to further clarify for us how the new process would work.

There was a huge, long, sometimes helpful, sometimes painful time when adoptive parents asked their questions of the government officials.

I thought you would enjoy some of the highlights from those calls.

Caller #22:
"So, on the form, where it asks for the visa number... well, our kids don't have visas, so what do we do with that line?"
"You'd leave it blank."
"But then - what about the next line - where it asks for the date of the visa?"

Caller #46:
"I've been able to finalize the adoption of my children.  So, on the form there's a blank where it asks for the name of their mother.  What do I put there?"

Caller #3,481:
(Over two hours into the call, when everything had seemingly been explained 50 times)
"So, I'm confused.  How exactly does the two year wait work?"

Seriously!

But the main highlight is - There is a way!  And we can do it!  And some day, less than two years away, this wild child will be a citizen.  Hooray!

 

Improvement

It seems that we have a day care solution.  I've been feeling cautiously optimistic, but we've made it a week, so.. maybe it's for real?

My friend's husband has been out of work for quite some time.  He is fabulous with children, and has agreed to come & watch G every day after school until I get home.  So far, we seem to be going well.  He's not reported any biting/spitting attempts.  He has reported that G is napping regularly.  And G's funny personality seems to be re-appearing.

Some recent exhibits:

A.
(From under the kitchen table)  "Mama?"
"Yes, G?"
"I not here today."

B.
(Said mournfully)  "Dis die-EE-rah.  I dot lots poopoo."

C.
Joseph: "G is not going to be a dumb jock."
G: "Don say dat."
Joseph: "Are you going to be a smart jock?"
G: "I no smart jock.  I fish."

D.
(Pointing to family photos around the house).  "Das not Mama; das Scott.  Das not Aunt K; das Scott.  Das not Grammy; das Scott."  As he was doing this, G was laughing hard.  This was hilarious.

It is fabulous to have this boy laughing again.

Hypothetical Question

This question is about a week overdue, but I still thought you'd enjoy it:

If a young child who bites transitions to being a young child who spits... is that progress?

:) Smiling only because this phase seems to have resolved itself now.  May it never return.

Thought for Thursday / Books to Read

Last year I decided to try being more purposeful about reading things that would shape me in positive ways.  I read some great books.  I wish I would've shared more about them with y'all.

Lately I've been feeling "enough with the nonfiction already."  I want a story.

A friend gave me a gift card, and I picked up "Same Kind of Different as Me."  I remembered seeing a recommendation for it, and that was enough for me.  I don't like to actually KNOW about a book before I read it.  I was about halfway through this one, when it occurred to me that it might be a true story.  "No way!  You're kidding.  You're KIDDING me!"  I flip to the back of the book:

"A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery.

An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel.

A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream.

A story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it."

There you have it.  Definitely worth reading.

But this weekend I finished a book that is a MUST READ.

"The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom.  It's been on my radar for years, but I never got around to it.  If only I'd known.  A life-changer, for sure.

Yes, it is about a woman who worked to save Jewish people during WWII.  But - No, it was not depressing.  It was very motivational.  The kind of book that helps you (me) to change the way I think.

Here's one piece:

There were certain types of Jewish people who were more difficult to hide.  One day a mother and her newborn came to Corrie's home.  It doesn't get much harder than hiding a newborn, eh?  It was a huge problem since the houses were so close together and neighbors could hear the baby crying.  Corrie prayed about the situation and a certain pastor came to her mind.  He lived in a more secluded home, well off the street.  Would you believe that he came to their home to visit the very next day!  Such an example of God at work.

Corrie asked the pastor to take the mother & child.  She showed the baby to him.  She described what happened next:

"There was a long silence.  The man bent forward, his hand in spite of himself reaching for the tiny fist curled round the blanket.  For a moment I saw compassion and fear struggle in his face.  Then he straightened, 'No.  Definitely not.  We could lose our lives for that Jewish child!'

Unseen by either of us, Father had appeared in the doorway.  'Give the child to me, Corrie,' he said.

Father held the baby close, his white beard brushing its cheek, looking into the little face with eyes as blue and innocent as the baby's own.  At last he looked up at the pastor.  'You say we could lose our lives for this child.  I would consider that the greatest honor that could come to my family.'

The pastor turned sharply on his heels and walked out of the room."

Don't you feel sorry for that pastor?  God placed him in position to participate in something great, and he missed it!

Doesn't that make you want to live bigger?  Fearlessly following God?  It can't just be me.  I hope you read this book.

So - I wasn't very successful in finding fiction stories, but I hit the jackpot with GREAT stories. 

Enjoy!

Snow Day

Yep, the snow caught us.  School and work closed for a day.  A whole day for me to spend with G.  I crammed it full of living.  It was like re-experiencing my maternity leave on fast-forward.  How much did we cram in?

The obligatory playing in the snow.

G insisted on helping me shovel.

Um.  Thanks for the big help, G.

We baked gingerbread cake 

 AND banana bread.

There were crafts involving popsicle sticks.

And TWO of G's current most favorite things to do.  Washing dishes..

..and measuring things.

Note: Everything he measures is "45."  That couch?  45.  My foot?  45.  We live in a house full of 45.

Good times.