Dream...Learn...Create...Repeat...
This was the advice at my commencement ceremony today. Today I "graduated" junior college with my A.S. in general studies. I actually have three classes I have to take this summer before I get my degree but commencement for 2012 graduates was today.
I had dreams... I had many many dreams. My biggest dream as a young girl was to be a mommy. I wanted to be married and have a family. While some children played school, or wedding, I played being pregnant and being a mommy. I babysat since a very young age. My biggest desire was to have a large family and be a mom.
I also had other dreams. I dreamed of graduating college. I left my private high school during the fall of my senior year for many reasons, but I went to college that spring semester. It was 2001. I set my first foot on the North Idaho College Campus as a student 11 years ago.
After that semester I moved to Boise met my husband fell in love and moved across the country. I planned on going back to school where we lived in South Dakota but God changed the plan.
I became a mommy in 2004 but it was nothing like how I had dreamed. I became extremely ill and was diagnosed with lupus during my pregnancy. This resulted in damage to my kidney's, bed-rest, a host of medications, more hospital visits than I could count, and a premature delivery at 33 weeks. It was all worth it though... Christian is AMAZING. I never got a chance to enjoy pregnancy and do all those fun milestones and experiences like belly pics, and breastfeeding. I was a mommy but not how I had dreamed.
The fact I developed lupus nephritis during my pregnancy meant no more babies for me. My dr. said the next time could kill us both. My heart was broken. My dream of being a mom to a home full of children was gone. I had no idea at that time what a journey God had planned for our family. How He dreamed a different dream for us.
Over the course of the next couple years I tried to finish my degree a couple of times. I got sick a couple of those times with a lupus flare and ended up on chemotherapy. I tried school from home but again had too much going on to finish. God decided to throw us another change.
Our adoption journey started with being licensed as foster/adopt parents. We could not afford foreign adoption and wanted to grow our family. Shortly after we became licensed our first placement Chloe came to live with us at six weeks old. Amazing, beautiful, baby girl who blesses our lives every day. With our new little one, the dream of college was tabled yet again.
We have been fostering for five years now. 13 children have lived in our home. We have adopted two. We have done respite for even more. I am a professional parent and have been mommy to house fulls of children.
I went back to school again full time this fall. This time was different. This time I had a goal. I wanted to get my bachelors in social work. Our experience with the foster care system has changed me forever. You see I had dreams before. But God had better dreams. I learned so much from the experiences of the last eleven years. My life looks nothing like I though it would yet I am so incredibly blessed.
You see, I think we dream and then we learn. We learn about ourselves and our "superpowers that God has given us" (the way Christian describes gifts). We learn about God and His plan for our life and what He is going to do with our dreams. He wants us to have the desires of our hearts. It just doesn't always come in the packaging we expect. God creates for us an amazing life and story full of testimonies of His love and provision if only we are willing to let Him lead.
Repeat... I would repeat it all...I wouldn't take back anything. If I had been able to have my dreams the way I planned, I would not be who I am today. 11 years ago I stepped foot on that campus with dreams. Today I graduated.
I am excited to see what God is going to do with my dreams today. I continue to dream of doing things. I am going to finish my bachelors and maybe even my masters degrees. But most of all I am anxious to learn more about the Heavenly Father I serve and leverage my superpowers for Him. I know that He will create another beautiful amazing chapter in my family's life.
And then... it will all repeat again...
Friday, May 11, 2012
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Support for invisible disabilites...
I spent a good portion of this week talking to several adoptive families that I know about whether they would be interested in an adoptive family support group. We have a support group in our area for foster and adoptive parents. It is an amazing group where you can meet and get training and walk through the journey of fostering and adopting within the system with people who "get it".
But what about those families that don't foster anymore? The families whose lives have been transformed through the miracle of adoption and they are done fostering and working in the system. This group doesn't really fit their needs.
When you are a foster parent you have a million people in your life and your business. Sharing parenting with literally a village of individuals. This is a double edged sword for families. It is overwhelming and frustrating and a blessing all at once.
When we took a long break and were no longer fostering all of our kids adopted. I realized I missed those people. As much as it drove me batty. As much as I wanted to be done with all of their opinions and them telling me what to do. I missed them. I missed the support and understanding. The people who understood and validated my feelings. I missed my community.
Re-entry back into the "real" world from being a long time foster parent is not as easy as one would think. I struggle to know how to talk to "normal" mom's about their "normal" children. I am constantly on alert of how my children behave around typical families. I fear judgement.
My children have special needs. Our life could be a reality TV show. You can spend a day with us and laugh and cry and think to yourself... "did that really just happen?" We are a full blown three ring circus of awesome sometimes. Society does not always look to kindly on a three ring circus.
My husband and I want to connect. We want support and relationship in our church. But we are petrified to just go over to someone's house for dinner. Our children are predictably unpredictable in the their behavior. Is Christian gonna melt down cause he doesn't like the food and say somethings rude and burst into tears? Is Josiah gonna hit their children and pick on the other kid causing screaming and tantrums. Is Chloe going to have and outburst of behavior or invade someones space inappropriately? Maybe we shouldn't try to go to other peoples houses.... They are going to think we are bad parents... let's stay home... or get a sitter... wait our family supports are busy... we don't have a sitter... let's just not go.
This is why parents of children with special needs struggle with isolation and sometimes depression. This is why the divorce rate is over 80% I wish I could find solace in my church community. Unfortunately, frequently the Christian community is very judgmental about parenting. I have been told that kids just need more biblical discipline. I am not opposed to spankings they have their place at times. However, I can't fix my children's behavior with spankings. I am not saying all churches and Christian's are this way but it is more common than you might think. I feel the need to explain my children's histories so that people will understand. You can't tell my children have disabilities by looking at them. Their disabilities are "invisible" to the outside person. It just looks like they are spoiled and naughty, and that they have ineffective or lazy parents.
It is exhausting to try to explain things to everyone all the time. I just want people to think before they judge. To act in love towards my children and my family as Christ would with no reservations. To see that perhaps things are challenging for us and offer us support, help, with no strings, no judgements, no explanation needed, no advice.
Please don't try to fix my children. I have logged countless hours working with professionals and Google learning about how to best parent my children. Even more hours praying, crying out to God for wisdom and guidance. Your love and logic, 123 magic or biblical discipline advice is not needed. Your love and acceptance and support is. Your willingness to learn how to help my children, how to take care of them, so I can have a break is needed. Your listening ear and partnership in prayer when I am struggling would be salve to my heart.
Christians need to remember... Judgements can wait. Love and acceptance cannot. We are to be lights to the dark world. What does it say when some adoptive families find more acceptance in the darkness than the light. To me it signals a need for a change of heart and perspective.
I think we are going to start a support group for these families. The ones who need to get support from others in their shoes. But a support group is not enough. We need to do more.
The churches need to stand up, and step up, to be light and love in these families lives. No judgements, no advice, no strings. Just Christ centered love and service.
What can you do? What can your church do? What do you think when a child is screaming about cookies in the store and his mother just keeps shopping ignoring him? What do think about that mother? What about that kid that is socially awkward and is a little weird? Do you tell your children to go play some where else? What do you think about that child and their family?
Judgements my fellow Christians can wait... Love, kindness and acceptance cannot.
I just wanted to add...while this post originated around foster/adoption. This is something many families of children with invisible disabilities face biological or adopted. In our family we have been blessed with children in both ways.
But what about those families that don't foster anymore? The families whose lives have been transformed through the miracle of adoption and they are done fostering and working in the system. This group doesn't really fit their needs.
When you are a foster parent you have a million people in your life and your business. Sharing parenting with literally a village of individuals. This is a double edged sword for families. It is overwhelming and frustrating and a blessing all at once.
When we took a long break and were no longer fostering all of our kids adopted. I realized I missed those people. As much as it drove me batty. As much as I wanted to be done with all of their opinions and them telling me what to do. I missed them. I missed the support and understanding. The people who understood and validated my feelings. I missed my community.
Re-entry back into the "real" world from being a long time foster parent is not as easy as one would think. I struggle to know how to talk to "normal" mom's about their "normal" children. I am constantly on alert of how my children behave around typical families. I fear judgement.
My children have special needs. Our life could be a reality TV show. You can spend a day with us and laugh and cry and think to yourself... "did that really just happen?" We are a full blown three ring circus of awesome sometimes. Society does not always look to kindly on a three ring circus.
My husband and I want to connect. We want support and relationship in our church. But we are petrified to just go over to someone's house for dinner. Our children are predictably unpredictable in the their behavior. Is Christian gonna melt down cause he doesn't like the food and say somethings rude and burst into tears? Is Josiah gonna hit their children and pick on the other kid causing screaming and tantrums. Is Chloe going to have and outburst of behavior or invade someones space inappropriately? Maybe we shouldn't try to go to other peoples houses.... They are going to think we are bad parents... let's stay home... or get a sitter... wait our family supports are busy... we don't have a sitter... let's just not go.
This is why parents of children with special needs struggle with isolation and sometimes depression. This is why the divorce rate is over 80% I wish I could find solace in my church community. Unfortunately, frequently the Christian community is very judgmental about parenting. I have been told that kids just need more biblical discipline. I am not opposed to spankings they have their place at times. However, I can't fix my children's behavior with spankings. I am not saying all churches and Christian's are this way but it is more common than you might think. I feel the need to explain my children's histories so that people will understand. You can't tell my children have disabilities by looking at them. Their disabilities are "invisible" to the outside person. It just looks like they are spoiled and naughty, and that they have ineffective or lazy parents.
It is exhausting to try to explain things to everyone all the time. I just want people to think before they judge. To act in love towards my children and my family as Christ would with no reservations. To see that perhaps things are challenging for us and offer us support, help, with no strings, no judgements, no explanation needed, no advice.
Please don't try to fix my children. I have logged countless hours working with professionals and Google learning about how to best parent my children. Even more hours praying, crying out to God for wisdom and guidance. Your love and logic, 123 magic or biblical discipline advice is not needed. Your love and acceptance and support is. Your willingness to learn how to help my children, how to take care of them, so I can have a break is needed. Your listening ear and partnership in prayer when I am struggling would be salve to my heart.
Christians need to remember... Judgements can wait. Love and acceptance cannot. We are to be lights to the dark world. What does it say when some adoptive families find more acceptance in the darkness than the light. To me it signals a need for a change of heart and perspective.
I think we are going to start a support group for these families. The ones who need to get support from others in their shoes. But a support group is not enough. We need to do more.
The churches need to stand up, and step up, to be light and love in these families lives. No judgements, no advice, no strings. Just Christ centered love and service.
What can you do? What can your church do? What do you think when a child is screaming about cookies in the store and his mother just keeps shopping ignoring him? What do think about that mother? What about that kid that is socially awkward and is a little weird? Do you tell your children to go play some where else? What do you think about that child and their family?
Judgements my fellow Christians can wait... Love, kindness and acceptance cannot.
I just wanted to add...while this post originated around foster/adoption. This is something many families of children with invisible disabilities face biological or adopted. In our family we have been blessed with children in both ways.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Updates, thoughts, challenges, victories...
Wow I haven't had time to write in so long. Well, at least not for pleasure. In the past year to two years since my last post our family has gone through a whirlwind of changes.
Change 1: I am a full time student. I went back to school in the fall full-time and am going to be walking in commencement ceremonies in May for North Idaho College with my A.S. in General Studies. I will then go through 8 weeks of an intimidating 8 credit summer semester to get my actual degree and graduate. I am then off to the Lewis and Clark State College Coeur d'Alene campus in the fall full-time to finish in two years my bachelors in social work.
Change 2: We have just gotten an accepted offer on a house and will be moving in hopefully the next 30 days. We have been sharing housing and expenses with my parents for almost three years now and our 5 person family has been living in 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom with 950 ish square feet. We are excited and also a little sad. Multi-generational housing can be a tremendous blessing and strength. We have been so privileged to have such amazing support in my parents and the help with everyday life will be missed. It will also mean a huge amount of changes in our children's lives. My children like many, thrive on consistency, and hate change. Unlike other children, my babies usually have substantial reactions to even normal changes in routine. We are bracing for impact and planning for extra supports even now.
Change 3: We are all older.... Some days I feel like I am 60 years old and decrepit and other days I am still fighting the fact I am now 29 and the thirties are coming and I still feel 24ish ! However for all of us with an increase in age has come growth, maturity, and well more challenges!
Christian: He is our little professor. I am pretty sure he might be smarter than me in a year or two. He is doing really well for the most part. We have seen him rise to the challenge of first grade this year in a way we didn't even dream of. He still has his struggles but he is reading at the top of his class and excels in academics. The exception to that being handwriting. He is learning to have empathy and compassion. Christian has developed a passion for God and wanting to in his own words "be what his name means... a follower of Christ" I am in awe of how much he care about others relationships with God. It comes out in funny ways sometimes but he truly wants others to know Jesus. I blessed and surprised by him almost daily. He brings great joy to our lives and our life will never be boring. He still struggles with many things related to Aspergers but he is truly unique and a gift from God.
Chloe: My baby girl. Not any more she just turned 5 years old this month. She is a ball of emotions and energy. She feels life in every way. Her emotions are like a wild horse. Some days she is in control of that horse, and other days she is along for the ride. She has been doing well in many areas this last year. We are in a bit of a rough patch with anxiety and the upcoming months will be hard for her. She struggles with change and we will need to work hard to help her feel secure and safe in the months to come. She also has lived up to her name though... Chloe has blossomed. From where she was 5 years ago an overstimulated delayed meth affected infant to a beautiful, passionate, and compassionate young girl. She is extremely bright and she loves to help and spend time with me. God truly gave us an amazing daughter. She is capable of greatness and I know with God's help we can help her exceed expectations and thrive.
Josiah: Little man has changed the most in two years. He has gone from a stone faced, flat affect child to larger than life in every way. He has navigated multiple surgeries, feeding tubes, hospitalizations, therapies, and more. He has made huge strides in every area but there is much more to still be done. We are still unsure of what all of his challenges are going to be and we are concerned about the potential of FAS Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or ARND Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder. Just the thought of that being the ultimate diagnosis grieves my heart and soul. He wants to make good choices so badly but impulse control is one of his biggest challenges. He is so funny and engaging and he wants to please. He just struggles with knowing how to do it. I see pieces of the sweetest heart in him. Some days he blows my mind with what he says and does. Other days he blows my mind but not in a good way. It is challenging for him to control his behavior and temper. We struggle to find any discipline that works right now. My heart aches for him. I am praying that we can find someone to guide us and help us to help him succeed. We have not found that yet but we are looking. We are looking for answers, looking for tools, looking for a way to help him.
This is why I have decided to write again. I believe our children and our story can help others. We do not know what the future holds for any of us. I know that God has a plan. God does not give us more than He can help us handle.
I feel some days that we have been given an impossible task. To parent these babies that have been given to us is no small feat and I feel woefully inadequate most days. Today is one of those days. My heart aches for my little J-funk. Deep in my soul I ache for him. I want to do something, anything to help him. To make it so he is not so frustrated every day. I am scared and worried and full of questions. Today I have no answers. Tomorrow will probably be the same. I may never have the answers I want. I pray that we will have the wisdom and strength that we need to do the job that God has given us.
At a conference today I learned many things. One of the things I loved was to leave the past and future alone and stay in the present.
"My child has a disability and needs my help today to be successful. "
Yesterday and tomorrow are not the point.
I need to do the best I can to help my child today. God has the rest covered.
Change 1: I am a full time student. I went back to school in the fall full-time and am going to be walking in commencement ceremonies in May for North Idaho College with my A.S. in General Studies. I will then go through 8 weeks of an intimidating 8 credit summer semester to get my actual degree and graduate. I am then off to the Lewis and Clark State College Coeur d'Alene campus in the fall full-time to finish in two years my bachelors in social work.
Change 2: We have just gotten an accepted offer on a house and will be moving in hopefully the next 30 days. We have been sharing housing and expenses with my parents for almost three years now and our 5 person family has been living in 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom with 950 ish square feet. We are excited and also a little sad. Multi-generational housing can be a tremendous blessing and strength. We have been so privileged to have such amazing support in my parents and the help with everyday life will be missed. It will also mean a huge amount of changes in our children's lives. My children like many, thrive on consistency, and hate change. Unlike other children, my babies usually have substantial reactions to even normal changes in routine. We are bracing for impact and planning for extra supports even now.
Change 3: We are all older.... Some days I feel like I am 60 years old and decrepit and other days I am still fighting the fact I am now 29 and the thirties are coming and I still feel 24ish ! However for all of us with an increase in age has come growth, maturity, and well more challenges!
Christian: He is our little professor. I am pretty sure he might be smarter than me in a year or two. He is doing really well for the most part. We have seen him rise to the challenge of first grade this year in a way we didn't even dream of. He still has his struggles but he is reading at the top of his class and excels in academics. The exception to that being handwriting. He is learning to have empathy and compassion. Christian has developed a passion for God and wanting to in his own words "be what his name means... a follower of Christ" I am in awe of how much he care about others relationships with God. It comes out in funny ways sometimes but he truly wants others to know Jesus. I blessed and surprised by him almost daily. He brings great joy to our lives and our life will never be boring. He still struggles with many things related to Aspergers but he is truly unique and a gift from God.
Chloe: My baby girl. Not any more she just turned 5 years old this month. She is a ball of emotions and energy. She feels life in every way. Her emotions are like a wild horse. Some days she is in control of that horse, and other days she is along for the ride. She has been doing well in many areas this last year. We are in a bit of a rough patch with anxiety and the upcoming months will be hard for her. She struggles with change and we will need to work hard to help her feel secure and safe in the months to come. She also has lived up to her name though... Chloe has blossomed. From where she was 5 years ago an overstimulated delayed meth affected infant to a beautiful, passionate, and compassionate young girl. She is extremely bright and she loves to help and spend time with me. God truly gave us an amazing daughter. She is capable of greatness and I know with God's help we can help her exceed expectations and thrive.
Josiah: Little man has changed the most in two years. He has gone from a stone faced, flat affect child to larger than life in every way. He has navigated multiple surgeries, feeding tubes, hospitalizations, therapies, and more. He has made huge strides in every area but there is much more to still be done. We are still unsure of what all of his challenges are going to be and we are concerned about the potential of FAS Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or ARND Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder. Just the thought of that being the ultimate diagnosis grieves my heart and soul. He wants to make good choices so badly but impulse control is one of his biggest challenges. He is so funny and engaging and he wants to please. He just struggles with knowing how to do it. I see pieces of the sweetest heart in him. Some days he blows my mind with what he says and does. Other days he blows my mind but not in a good way. It is challenging for him to control his behavior and temper. We struggle to find any discipline that works right now. My heart aches for him. I am praying that we can find someone to guide us and help us to help him succeed. We have not found that yet but we are looking. We are looking for answers, looking for tools, looking for a way to help him.
This is why I have decided to write again. I believe our children and our story can help others. We do not know what the future holds for any of us. I know that God has a plan. God does not give us more than He can help us handle.
I feel some days that we have been given an impossible task. To parent these babies that have been given to us is no small feat and I feel woefully inadequate most days. Today is one of those days. My heart aches for my little J-funk. Deep in my soul I ache for him. I want to do something, anything to help him. To make it so he is not so frustrated every day. I am scared and worried and full of questions. Today I have no answers. Tomorrow will probably be the same. I may never have the answers I want. I pray that we will have the wisdom and strength that we need to do the job that God has given us.
At a conference today I learned many things. One of the things I loved was to leave the past and future alone and stay in the present.
"My child has a disability and needs my help today to be successful. "
Yesterday and tomorrow are not the point.
I need to do the best I can to help my child today. God has the rest covered.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Conversations with Christian....
I have had several interesting conversations with Christian as of late. Here are a couple of my favorites.
The Devil made me do it.
I went to pick up my darling son after school one day and the teacher looks and me and mouths "I need to talk with you". Great... that is never good. After the majority of the parents leave the hallway the teacher proceeds to tell me about Christian's "hard day' . He talked without stopping when he wasn't supposed to, even after warnings, and couldn't keep his feet to himself at the table and was putting them on his table mates. Perfect! So I decide to have a little chat with my young son.
Me: Christian, you wanna tell me how your day was today?
Christian: It wasn't good mom.
Me: Why didn't you make good choices?
Christian: It isn't my fault... Mrs. Booth said I just forgot how to control my body;.
Me: Christian, you are responsible for your choices and you need to make good ones.
Christian: Mom, it isn't my fault! It is all Satan's fault.
Me: (what the heck? must hold back laughter) Christian, it is isn't Satan's fault you made bad choices.
Christian: Mom it is Satan's fault!
(back and forth a couple of times)
Me: Ok fine, how is it Satan's fault you made a bad choice?
Christian: Because, he is the one that committed the very first sin by thinking he could be better and more powerful than God. And, he tried to talk others into to trying to be more powerful than God. Now everyone makes bad choices, so it is all his fault.
Happy New Year
Today, we were leaving school when Christian mentioned that his teacher said she would see him next year. I said that is true, on January 1st it won't be 2010 it will be 2011. Christian then informed me that meant that Jesus was almost 2011 years old then. I asked him where he heard that, he said... I just know mom.
Some days I am not sure how I am going to make it through the next 13+ years of parenting my son... I am gonna have to brush up on some things and fast!
The Devil made me do it.
I went to pick up my darling son after school one day and the teacher looks and me and mouths "I need to talk with you". Great... that is never good. After the majority of the parents leave the hallway the teacher proceeds to tell me about Christian's "hard day' . He talked without stopping when he wasn't supposed to, even after warnings, and couldn't keep his feet to himself at the table and was putting them on his table mates. Perfect! So I decide to have a little chat with my young son.
Me: Christian, you wanna tell me how your day was today?
Christian: It wasn't good mom.
Me: Why didn't you make good choices?
Christian: It isn't my fault... Mrs. Booth said I just forgot how to control my body;.
Me: Christian, you are responsible for your choices and you need to make good ones.
Christian: Mom, it isn't my fault! It is all Satan's fault.
Me: (what the heck? must hold back laughter) Christian, it is isn't Satan's fault you made bad choices.
Christian: Mom it is Satan's fault!
(back and forth a couple of times)
Me: Ok fine, how is it Satan's fault you made a bad choice?
Christian: Because, he is the one that committed the very first sin by thinking he could be better and more powerful than God. And, he tried to talk others into to trying to be more powerful than God. Now everyone makes bad choices, so it is all his fault.
Happy New Year
Today, we were leaving school when Christian mentioned that his teacher said she would see him next year. I said that is true, on January 1st it won't be 2010 it will be 2011. Christian then informed me that meant that Jesus was almost 2011 years old then. I asked him where he heard that, he said... I just know mom.
Some days I am not sure how I am going to make it through the next 13+ years of parenting my son... I am gonna have to brush up on some things and fast!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Adoption... A Blessing and a Challenge
We have been blessed to have adopted our youngest two children. However, with the blessings of adoptions come the challenges.
No one really knows for sure. It is individual. It is a nebulous area of "what do you think is best?"
I struggle with this sooo much. How do I help my babies if no one can tell me what to do?
If I do this wrong,... If I mess up this conversation about: her mom, her dad, his mom, his dad, their families... will that impact them forever? Will it cause them a lifetime of pain? Will it make things worse? How do I spare them the pain I know is inevitable in their lives?
Tonight I hope I did it right. Chloe and I talked about her journey to our family, her tummy mommy and daddy and who they are. We talked about why her and Josiah look alike in baby pictures. We talked about how permanent adoption is and that you can only be adopted one time. It is forever, and ever.
She yearns for these conversations. She has known she was adopted for a long time. This was not our first conversation. Each time I pray for wisdom and try to organize the feelings, and ease the hurt i know she doesn't understand yet.
Heavenly Father, Please guard my children's hearts and help them to heal. I love them so much. You gave them to me to watch, protect, love, and train to follow you. I know the road ahead for them will be littered with trials and tribulations. I know that You know their pain and can heal their hurts. Give me wisdom in every conversation that I have, that I may speak words of truth into their hearts. That they will know that their birth parents loved them, but could not care for them. That you chose our family to be their forever family. Keep them safe from the darkness the enemy will try to bring to the beautiful thing adoption is.
- No one can really tell you how much contact with a biological family is good/bad.
- No one can really tell you how old to start such contact.
- No one can tell you how to help children navigate the strong feelings of abandonment that adopted children have.
- No one can tell you how to talk to your kids about their adoptions and family the "best way"
- No one can tell you how to help heal the hurts of the past.
No one really knows for sure. It is individual. It is a nebulous area of "what do you think is best?"
I struggle with this sooo much. How do I help my babies if no one can tell me what to do?
If I do this wrong,... If I mess up this conversation about: her mom, her dad, his mom, his dad, their families... will that impact them forever? Will it cause them a lifetime of pain? Will it make things worse? How do I spare them the pain I know is inevitable in their lives?
Tonight I hope I did it right. Chloe and I talked about her journey to our family, her tummy mommy and daddy and who they are. We talked about why her and Josiah look alike in baby pictures. We talked about how permanent adoption is and that you can only be adopted one time. It is forever, and ever.
She yearns for these conversations. She has known she was adopted for a long time. This was not our first conversation. Each time I pray for wisdom and try to organize the feelings, and ease the hurt i know she doesn't understand yet.
Heavenly Father, Please guard my children's hearts and help them to heal. I love them so much. You gave them to me to watch, protect, love, and train to follow you. I know the road ahead for them will be littered with trials and tribulations. I know that You know their pain and can heal their hurts. Give me wisdom in every conversation that I have, that I may speak words of truth into their hearts. That they will know that their birth parents loved them, but could not care for them. That you chose our family to be their forever family. Keep them safe from the darkness the enemy will try to bring to the beautiful thing adoption is.
~Amen
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Christian's version of storytelling...
While Josiah was in the hospital I had a couple of people help me out. One of them was the developmental therapy company for Christian. The owner picked him up from school for me. It was a huge blessing.
Well today I am chatting with Colleen (owner) on the phone. She shared with me a jewel of a story about my amazing blessing Christian.
(Christian and Colleen in car on way from school to center)
Christian: I am going to tell you a story... I can tell you the one about Adam and Eve, Noah and the Ark, or Daniel and the lion's den. Have you ever heard of any of those stories?
Colleen: I have heard all of those stories but I would love for you to refresh my memory!
Christian: Oh... ok, well you pick one.
Colleen: Adam and Eve
Christian: Ok well there was Adam and he was a man, and there was Eve and she was a woman. God told Eve not to eat the fruit but she did anyway. God told Adam not to eat the fruit but Eve told him to and he did anyway. Then they were naked, and then there was a baby.
At this point Colleen told me she laughed hysterically all the way to the therapy center with my son. She said it was one of the best stories she had ever heard!
I told her maybe we need to work on sequencing events in stories a little more in therapy...
Well today I am chatting with Colleen (owner) on the phone. She shared with me a jewel of a story about my amazing blessing Christian.
(Christian and Colleen in car on way from school to center)
Christian: I am going to tell you a story... I can tell you the one about Adam and Eve, Noah and the Ark, or Daniel and the lion's den. Have you ever heard of any of those stories?
Colleen: I have heard all of those stories but I would love for you to refresh my memory!
Christian: Oh... ok, well you pick one.
Colleen: Adam and Eve
Christian: Ok well there was Adam and he was a man, and there was Eve and she was a woman. God told Eve not to eat the fruit but she did anyway. God told Adam not to eat the fruit but Eve told him to and he did anyway. Then they were naked, and then there was a baby.
At this point Colleen told me she laughed hysterically all the way to the therapy center with my son. She said it was one of the best stories she had ever heard!
I told her maybe we need to work on sequencing events in stories a little more in therapy...
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Josiah
Josiah was born prematurely just like Christian. In fact he actually weighed more at 3lbs 15oz. However, he was born exposed to methamphetamine just like his biological sister Chloe. He spent 8 weeks in the NICU and has faced many medical challenges: severe asthma, severe reflux, aspiration issues, and feeding problems. Toss in substantial developmental delays and you have a perfect storm of obstacles.
Now a year later he is still our child with the most medical issues. I am writing this blog while staying in the hospital with him for yet another asthma flare. While we have conquered the feeding issues and no longer use the feeding tube we still have many hurdles to face. He has the most substantial developmental delays of any child we have had. We are not sure yet what exact cause of all his delays are, but we are testing him to exclude autism next week.
In the end it doesn't matter to us. As I tell my friends... "They could tell me he is a purple snoopy dog and I wouldn't care as long as we get him what he needs!" We meet him where he is and do our best to get him the support he needs to move forward.
Josiah has many strengths! He loves climbing on things and walking around the house. He also LOVES food. His favorite game is peek-a-boo and his favorite words are mama, uh-oh and of course no! He also has one of the best belly laughs I have ever heard! Josiah is my two year old, who is more like a 1 year old, and I love him for all of his quirks and challenges. Most of all I love watching him blossom into who God designed him to be...an extremely special blessing!
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