I started this post a week before Mother's day and am bound and determined to finally finish it. That whole week I was just savoring the joy and the privilege of being called "mama" to these four precious gifts. It's a high calling and I don't take it lightly. It's the hardest thing I've ever done. I've learned more about my Father and his grace and patience with me though parenting these little munchkins. So, I want to freeze time where it is and remember the stages each one is at in this present moment. Never want to forget these days and I'm terrified that I will because we are living in a fog. On Mother's day we took a picnic to a lake and walked around it after lunch. We found a huge swing hanging from some big oak trees. Kirk snapped this picture of me and the kids swinging on it. (The past few months I'd been complaining that we'll never again have a good family picture, and we probably won't, for a while anyway). But this was
perfect. Because it's exactly how my life is right now.
Grace:
She's wrapping up the first grade. She's growing up too fast. She recently insisted on getting her haircut and knew exactly how she wanted it cut. We think she looks 3 years older. She's been a rockstar with Yoyo, which we are forever grateful for because it very easily could have gone the other way. She's Yo's second mama and when Grace is home, they are attached at the hip, literally. She helps with feeding, bathing, bottles, bedtime, you name it. She carries her around like a doll and Yo cries when she puts her down. Many times she's said "I'm sooooo glad she's home mom! I mean, she's actually here and in our family and ours!" It's precious. She's a natural caretaker and teacher.
When she's not mothering Yo, she's playing school in her room with the boys and usually at least 2-4 other neighbor kids. She has a "classroom" set up in her room (stations, school boxes, workbooks, artwork on the wall, the whole shebang). I often stand around the corner and secretly listen to her while she's in her element. She's pretty bossy but very effective and usually has great control over her class and students! Impressive. She's taught Ben how to write his name and more and when it needs improvement, she makes him practice over and over. He often comes out crying and frustrated and it ends up in a big fight. But it's so darn cute. She writes me notes all the time and leaves them around the house where I'll see them and they always make me smile!!
She loves writing, reading, music, art and creating. She talks all the time and shares everything about her day; who did what, said what, got in trouble, what's going on in so and so's family and home, what her teacher wore, etc. I know I will appreciate this one day but now it can get a little daunting. She talks about things like Just Dance 3, Justin Beiber and saving up her money for the new ipad. What?!?
Her passions run deep and her emotions even deeper. She has a hard time expressing her feelings and it usually comes out in her temper or bursts of anger and frustration. I'm not gonna lie, she and I clash often but love each other to the depths of our heart. I love my occasional alone time with her, to just hang out and do big girl things. I've known it from the moment she was born, this girl's gonna do some great things in life.
Ben:
He's getting so tall and big boyish. It's killing me. He has one more year at home with me. I can tell recently we've had that slight change in our relationship where he's starting to spread his wings and get more independent, but he loves his mama and is a mama's boy, so we're learning together how to let go just a little. I'm thankful for the time he still wants me to lay with him every night before bed, holding my hand until he falls asleep. And he still loves to cuddle. He's affectionate. He's the first one to run out the door when he hears the garage open every evening and dad drives in. He loves his dad, wants to be just like him. He loves his alone time with dad too, doing guy things together. He recently learned how to ride his bike without training wheels and I have to say he's a little stud at it. Fearless. He would live on that bike if we let him. He'll be taking swim lessons this summer and he's pretty fearless in the water too so this will be great for him. Not to mention he has the best olive complexion and tan skin. Grace asked me the other day if he was a Mexican.
He is compassionate and kindhearted; giving and forgiving. When G talks about saving her money for an ipad he's the first to run into his room and bring out change, "here Grace, you can have my 2 quarters." He loves to help me fold laundry and doesn't mind his chores. Is that weird? He smoothers Yo with affection almost to a fault. He loves his baby sister and treats her as if she's been with us forever. He'll often pull her into his lap and ask me to take a picture of the two of them together. He lets Rhett follow him around 24/7 copying
every.little.thing.he.does. This does annoy him on occasion, but for the most part, they're pretty tight.
He's a natural techy. Loves his games and phones and computers. He has to control the TV and DVD player for the babysitters. He knows how to get on Netflix. Kinda scary how good he is.
He's a faithful good friend. I worry about him. His best friend in the whole world is getting ready to move half way around the world. indefinitely. We talk about it casually but I really don't know how great the impact will be. They were born 2 months apart and have practically been inseparable for the past 5 years.
He takes his infusions 3x a week like a champ. We're starting to have some really good conversations about what hemophilia is, why he has it and others don't, why God made everyone different and unique in their own way. He's taking an interest in helping with the mechanics of the infusions, knows all the supplies by name, what order they go in, even helps with pushing the factor through the syringe.
I'm cherishing these days with him. The boy has my heart.
Rhett:
Oh Rhett! My little mischievous, giggly, charming, loving, naughty and nice baby boy! I can't really call him a baby anymore. We'll be celebrating his 3rd birthday in a few short weeks. The kid is a character! He keeps us in stitches. He really just started talking about 6 months ago and he's still not very good at it. I think speech therapy may be in his future. But it's kinda cute for now. He has a squeaky, high-pitched little voice except when he's pretending and then it gets deep and gruff. He can entertain himself for hours. He's dropping his afternoon nap but I still lock (yes, I said lock) him in his room for "quiet time" and if he doesn't fall asleep eventually, he plays contently but only after he has dumped out every single toy and book he can find. And if there's a pen or marker anywhere in the room, he will find it and draw all over himself and usually some on the furniture or walls. Trouble is his middle name and I am having to dig deep and get dirty with finding the types of discipline that will work for him! He makes it so hard on us when he's getting in trouble as he usually just makes funny faces or giggles the whole time or droops his shoulders, sticks out his lower lip and says "I dinnnit do innnnneeeeeeeting!"
He loves to build things and make towers. He will stack or line up anything he can get his hands on. If I am in the kitchen, he is right by my side, up on a stool, "helping" me. He is fascinated with mixing and stirring and washing. He's usually pretty good about picking up his toys too as long as we make it sound like a fun game. He's all about having fun. He can play outside for hours, digging in the dirt, putting rocks in his dump trucks, pretending, getting muddy, just being a boy. The joy he brings to my heart is a breath of fresh air and he has helped me to lighten up a lot and not sweat the small stuff. It's safe to say my coffee is stronger and my wine glass is fuller because of this little guy, but I wouldn't have it any other way!!
Yohana:
Our sweet baby girl has been in our home for 3 months! It feels SO GOOD to say that. All those months we spent waiting and praying and hoping and now she is here and with us and we can hug and kiss her every moment of the day! It's still a little surreal. She is starting to feel so comfortable in our home and with us. She KNOWS us andTRUSTS us and LOVES us...and that is a indescribably wonderful feeling. She is still very cautious around strangers and new places and faces and always clings a little tighter to me when we are in a new place. She is cautious and quiet and tenderhearted. She loves to be held and rocked and spend time in her room. She loves to sleep and feels the most safe and secure in her own crib. The first month we were home she slept all the time. Usually 10-12 hours a night and then two naps a day. I think she loves the quietness and comfort of her own room and not being awakened at random hours as I'm sure she was in the care center. She will go and find her special "blankey" and suck her left thumb when she's tired. We are starting to ween off the bottle. She is a great eater! She will eat anything as long as she can get it down. Meat, fruits, veggies and oatmeal are her favorites. We think she's super smart. :) She catches on really quick and does so well with sign language and signing the right signs for the right words. She will mimic almost anything we do. Not to make her sound too perfect, the girl can scream. When she's tired or Rhett is annoying her or being mean to her, man she has some lungs! She says dada (the most), mama, baba and jabbers a lot. I feel like she has grown so much since we got her and everyday we get to see her personality come out more and more. I still get teary just writing all of this because we are just so grateful that she is ours and we are hers and we are together. We really couldn't have asked for a better transition and are forever grateful. We are a family of 6!!!!
We had Rhett and her dedicated at church on the Saturday before Mother's day. 4 years ago on Mother's day we had
Ben and Grace dedicated, how time flies. It was actually "birth mother's day" and in honor of her birth mom, I put her in the first Ethiopian dress I bought for her in Addis the day that we met her in November. She looked beautiful. It was a lovely evening and so many of our close friends came to celebrate with us.
I am truly one blessed mama.
