Week 2 of Our Faith Walk

Valentine's Day Week marked Week 2 with Christian.

We are learning more and more about him first hand... but unfortunately, without any new information from CPS. C's social worker has been out with the flu all week... we're hoping for more news during Week 3.

Some things we're learning are:

1) He is extremely attached to me. Sometimes when I leave the room he cries, and once when I had Mark watch the kids for 20 minutes while I ran upstairs to work on Valentine's Day gifts,  Christian cried himself to sleep at the bottom of the stairs not allowing anyone to comfort him.

2) He loves being tickled, chased, and playing peek-a-boo. He has an impressive dinosaur "Roarrrr!" and loves singing "Zise-a-me! Zise-a-me!" which is his version of "A pirates life for me!" (kindly modeled by Ethan)

3) He is quick to pick up athletics... not sure how much exposure he's had to scooters and tricycles, but he picked up on them quickly and is quite natural at it.

4) He LOVES food and is motivated by it. I know this is diagnostic of several things... we're working to establish healthy eating habits.

5) He has many words but doesn't use them to describe his needs... also something we are working on. He gets very frustrated when his whining and pointing won't suffice. 

6) He loves wrestling with Daddy and Ethan. Mark says he can tell someone has taught him how to wrestle... must be a guy instinct?

7) Going to sleep is possibly the biggest struggle. He cries and says "No!" Sometimes flailing his body. 

Each night we rock him for a few minutes, then he asks to get into bed. This is where the protest begins... eventually we are able to rub his back and sing him to sleep. 

Every night that I've put him to bed, I sing him a number of songs but he falls asleep to the serenade of Amazing Grace... he must like that one best :)

8) He says, "Thank You" like a southern boy... emphasis on the /a/ ;)

9) He's not a fan of long car rides

10) He has only meet my parents and Mark's parents once yet points them out in the hallway photos as "Grandma" and "Papa"

***

I had lots of fun doing Valentines Crafts with the boys and making them a heart shaped pizza for dinner...

Here are their masterpieces

Riding in the pink car at Whole Foods.

This is a rare opportunity as there are only 2 double cars in the whole store.

So, naturally I followed a family to their car while they unpacked their groceries... tried my best to convince them that I wasn't creepy but absolutely desperate for that cart!

(They were very gracious)

Shameless. It's a new role I play :)

Our first day trip to the Sacramento Zoo!

It was loads of fun but a bit over stimulating for Christian.

Again, not knowledgeable about his exposure to groups/crowds of people... we could tell some parts of the trip were a bit much. 

There were moments of flailing... once to the extent that he bonked his head on the concrete floor. 

But all in all, it was a wonderful day for our entire family.

Lots of running, giggles, and meeting "wild animals" for the first time (a good guess).

Our sweet friends, the Jarvis Family, asked us to join them for the day.

They fully blessed us from a Venti-Iced Caramel Macchiato (much appreciated by yours truly!), driving us to the zoo, packing all the kids a lunch, and getting us in with their VIP family pass (skipped the large line!).

God has always been faithful in providing Mark and me with friends throughout our marriage who shine bright lights into our lives. Their presence in our lives reminds us that we are not in this journey alone. 

Thank you, Jesus :)

***

The boys at their Drive-in Movie :)

Ethan has grown up a lot in the past 2 weeks.

He says things like,

"Are you tired, sweet boy?"

"It's okay, buddy."

and my personal favorite is, "Child!" in reference to Christian as he runs away or does something he shouldn't. 

Out of the mouths of babes ;)

Although we take turns, I primarily have put Christian to bed while Mark puts Ethan to bed. 

(Ethan has decided to sleep in our bedroom on the floor lately)

Anyway, Mark has enjoyed reading several Bible stories to Ethan at bedtime... it's become their special time alone.

One day, Christian will be ready to sit through books and stories... but for now, Ethan is at the beginning of this fun stage :)

His Bible has replaced his stuffed animals in this picture

As for me, I'm diving straight into scripture and adoption books.

Thriving as an Adoptive Family is recommended by Focus on the Family. 

So far it's been super helpful! I'm open to recommendations too!! 

James (hence Christian's middle name) has been the primary book God has used in His calling me to adoption. I have a long ways to go, but I have memorized Chapter 1. 

On a particular day when I was thirsty for answers, I prayed that God would speak to my heart in reading James 1. There is a difference in reciting memorized paragraphs and reading scripture with a fresh pair of eyes and an open heart. 

I didn't have a burning bush moment, but absolutely a confirmation that what we are doing is right. 

It's what He asks of us... to love Christian as our own son despite the uncertainty of his future.

This is a faith walk if I've ever walked one. 

We have more questions than answers, but God did answer one question for me that day:

God loves this little boy... no more or less than our son, Ethan... so we will too.

If he is adoptable, then we will adopt him.

If he isn't, then we will have been blessed to be used to love on him during this season.

Either way you slice it, it's good.

And there again, is God... very present in this journey.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us life through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all He created."

(James 1:17-18).