Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Three Months Home



*** If you want to see more pictures of Nic and regular updates just go to my Instagram "downrightwonderful"***

Nic has been home for three months already.  In some ways the time has flown by and in other ways it's hard to believe that it has only been three months because it seems like the whole adoption journey was years ago and that Nic has always been a part of our family. 

I continue to be amazed at the way he blossoms every single day.  His smiles come easier every day and little things that we take for granted with our other children, such as a giggle when something delights him, can brighten our whole week. 

I never thought that I would WANT a baby to cry, however, a baby is supposed to cry for his mom or dad or when they need someone to take care of them and love.  Nic does not cry very often, but he is now crying for us and that is a beautiful development.  Several weeks after being home he cried in the middle of the night for the first time.  As I rubbed his back he became quiet and as I slowly got up to leave his bed he started to cry again.  I returned and rubbed his back until he was quiet, only to have him object to my leaving a second and third time with his cries.  The cycle continued and I stayed there in the dark and praised the Lord that Nic now knew love.  He knew that we would be there for him for no other reason then just to rub his back if needed and his cries would be answered.

His continuous head bobbing and rocking has completely stopped.  I learned that rocking and bobbing is a very common trait of children out of orphanages because it is the only way they get stimulation of any kind in their crib.  I don't know anything more behind this, but I am so amazed at how soon after he was home that this constant habit came to an end.  I just can't fathom what life must be like for these children in the orphanages. 

One of the hardest parts has been figuring out how to feed him properly.  He will not stop eating when he is fed and cries when his food is pulled away.  Knowing that he went hungry we want to feed him until he stops himself, however, we learned the hard way that he will NOT stop.  He will eat three days worth of food if we continue feeding him and then have a stomach ache and throw it all up.  Finding the tricky balance of giving him enough until he is full without giving him too much has just had to come down to measurements, trial and error and nutrition.  His blood tests showed how malnourished that he really was and so we know that it will take time and healing for him to learn that he will not go hungry. 

He is so loved by his brothers and sisters and of course us, mom and dad.  Watching our children love and take care of their new brother is a special gift that I couldn't explain in words.  When adopting people often ask, "what about your other children?"  I wish those people could see my "other children" with Nic.  There is too much to write here, but I'll just sum it up with the fact that they have learned more about God's love and giving of ourselves for others with every child that we have added to the family and to see them embrace and show that love even deeper to their newly adopted brother keeps me constantly thinking, "thank you Lord!" 

Adoption isn't easy and it isn't all "rainbows and unicorns", to quote someone else, not sure what that really means, but we went into it trusting in God and God is faithful.  He does not change.  He was faithful through the whole process and provided for every last detail and we know that in the hard and easy times, everything was and is in His control.  We continue to praise Him for bringing Nic home and for His love. 

Once again, thank you all for your prayers, love and support for Nic and our family.  There are so many orphans who need you.  They need your prayers.  They need you to take the leap of faith and adopt or to support someone who is adopting.

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends
John 15:13

Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.   
Luke 9:23

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27