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| Caleb 22months |
Caleb has been home for almost 7 months!!! It is so strange to say that because it feels like he has always been here and 7 months doesn't seem like a long time. I get tons of questions when people ask me about how Caleb is doing and I will try to answer some of them now, keeping in mind that I don't spill any personal information about my other kids so I will not be spilling that about Caleb either.
When he first got home I was just so happy that I was in the honey moon phase. It was a difficult time because everything changed but I didn't care. I just wanted him home so bad. After that phase wore off I realized that I was having a hard time having patience with certain tantrums that he would have. After much prayer God was showing me that I wasn't raising him the way that God has asked me to raise all the children He has given me. When you are adopting you immerse yourself into every book you can get your hands on because with adoption comes trauma and I wanted to have some knowledge about what to expect. My advice to anyone adopting is to read those books BUT every child is different and just because the kids are adopted doesn't mean that every single thing they do is related to trauma. They are still sinners and still testing the limits just like any other child. I will say that my child was young so I realize that if you adopted older you do have to do everything completely different. I am only commenting on my son. Not judging or making assumptions on anyone else.
One thing that he does have that is adoption related is his issues with food. I was actually very surprised at this. I have read about this and have taken some great advice about how to best handle this situation. As months have gone on we have a better handle on this and know how to read him, but he still has a full on anxiety about food. If he gets hungry, he loses it. Not in a tantrum "I'm being a bratty kid" kind of way, but a full on anxiety and it takes a lot to calm him down. It breaks my heart!!! He acts this way because at one point he did starve and he knows and remembers that feeling. He will sometimes just want a cracker in his hand. He wont even eat it, but just knowing that it is there calms his nerves. On the wonderful bright side. He LOVES his mommas cooking. He joyfully eats anything I serve him!
Caleb is a crazy happy smart little man. He loves music, cars, water, sticks, and balls. He is obsessed with the park and strollers. He loves to hold my finger when I am holding him on my hip. (that may seem random, but it just melts me) He loves to sleep and will actually ask to go night night if we are out late. He has a temper, but he also has a caring heart and will hug any kid that he sees crying. I am so thankful that the Lord has chosen to knit all of our hearts together. All those emotions of feeling like I missed so much of his life has been healed. God has given me such peace over it all. I feel like I gave birth to him. Even with that being said there are days where I weep and pray for his first momma. I so badly wish that I could talk with her and tell her all about her incredible boy and the family that adores him.
All of my kiddos get along great and I love watching all of their relationships bloom. They play well, they fight well, they annoy well, and the love each other well. I am so thankful!! They love to take care of Caleb and they ask us all the time if we can adopt again because they want a little sister.
Now time for some pictures!!!!!!
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| He loves the water! A little to much, he has no fear! |
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| You mean you don't wear a Storm Trooper mask and dance around in your diaper?? |
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| You are sooooo missing out! |
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| He still lets me rock him to sleep |
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| My little goofball |
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| Just like his daddy |
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| Thank you Jesus!!! |
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My mission trip is coming along nicely. God provided the $100 that I needed the next day and I was able to officially sign up to be apart of the team. I am excited to see how God will use our team to encourage and help those ministries all ready on the ground. Oh and I can't wait to love on some beautiful children. I still have a long way to go and $500 of it is due July 1st. I still need $330 to reach the second goal. Any amount would help greatly. Could you please pray and see if the Lord would have you help? You can send me a check or you can always paypal me. Thank you!!
Resting in the arms of my redeemer,
Little sister of mine, I want you to know it is no different from your adoption to the two children brought into my life. You have to learn. You have to know their triggers and their comforts. They feel like I birthed them too for so long but for all sakes at hand you so desperately want their biological parent to know them and their daily, monthly, yearly accomplishments but you still so desperately want their bio to be involved in their lives. You know in your deepest heart that you cry for them not to have what you know is rightfully theirs. Not saying ..you or I would ever want to give them back to a world that was unhealthy to them, but deep in your gut you will always feel the pain for a child who was given life but not given the sole right of their own to know who brought them into this world. Their heritage means so much more than we ever realize (and our own biological children as well) until we are placed in another's life to love as our own. This gives you a different perspective than you probably never would have known......but do take a step back and see all of your children and know they all have heritage to learn and grow with.
ReplyDeleteThe pain of his loss will always be with you, but understand you have done a wonderful thing with this new addition in your family. Live you.
awwwww love this! So glad things are going well!
ReplyDeleteHe is the cutest :)
ReplyDeleteWe are so happy for you all!!