Thursday, February 23, 2012

Six Months Behind, A World Ahead

 
We have our six-month post placement visit this coming Sunday. (Nothing like saving it for the last possible chance in the month that we were supposed to do it, right?)
That means that I'm only blogging today because I'm avoiding writing up our reports.

Because of our social worker's recommendations at our three-month visit, we've been very careful to avoid talking about our attachment in public forums.  We had only vaguely referenced it previously, but thought it was wise to maintain Million's privacy.

Suffice it to say, there have been very hard moments.
And beautiful moments.
And daily we thank God for bringing this little boy half-way across the world to be grafted into our hearts and family.
The little boy who hugs mannequins in stores.
The little boy who thanks God for oatmeal in the middle of a play session.
The little boy who loves animals, books, music, and cars.

Here is about where I should put a little paragraph about "we don't think everyone SHOULD adopt, but everyone should consider it yada yada yada..."  But I can't bring myself to do it today.  I've gotten past the point of using my blog as a soapbox (knocking on wood!), and I'll just leave those kind of convincing paragraphs to the more talented writers.

Adoption is hard, beautifully and wonderfully hard.  However, being a first-time parent, I'm not sure how much of the beautifully and wonderfully hard is from adoption and how much is just from parenting.

I'm grateful I have the rest of my life to delineate between the two.   

3 comments:

  1. Congrats on 6 months home!!!! That flew by, and M is growing so much, and looks great! The hard is always hard I have learned, and blogging the harder parts can be helpful, once you are past them and can look back with perspective. Your family is a blessing, and very beautiful, congrats!!!

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  2. Congratulations! And yes-- many of my struggles I only in (somewhat) hindsight realized were 'becomming a mom' rather than 'his adoption issues'. To give you some perspective... 6 months made for huge milestones here. I was finally able to pee ALL BY MY SELF! Many 'steps forward'- they were short lived of course (expect that. it'll save your sanity) but slowly emerged again. It's been two years now here in this house. And lately- I feel like the grinch most days... not the mean part- but the part where his heart grows 3 sizes that day. I see it in him and I feel in me. It is an ongoing process. I also know to expect that to wax and wane again in big and small ways. Growth hurts. Even in hearts. It also produces the most beautiful hearts God ever touched! Six months is still.. so early. Despite that it feels like forever. You are right where you need to be and I think I read that you know that, through your writing- likely more than anyone else i've read over the years. Peace to you all!

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  3. Adoption is hard. We adopted two infants from Ethiopia and in a word I have been humbled. OK overwhelmed, too, but mostly just humbled. But you're right: as a first time Mom I think I would have been just as humbled if I had birthed these babies myself. And in another word: I am happy :)
    Congrats on six months home!

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