So, 1 year ago today I went to my job knowing that when I got home that afternoon 2 little people would be standing there needing me to be their mom. I remember fumbling through class, entertaining questions from all of my excited students and co-workers about them. I remember being super nervous that we wouldn't get them that day since 2 other drop offs had failed earlier that week. I remember thinking " what in the world does a 6 year old even look like, is he waist high? can he bathe himself? will he like me?" . I remember googling "what do 18 month olds eat?" "can an 18 month old eat a casserole?".
I got home in record speed, made sure that I looked like a fit mother, you know hair done, make-up done, spiky boots on (bwa hah ha). I looked over our home several times looking for possible danger zones or things that may break if a child threw them.
10 minutes before they were supposed to be there Adam and I stood in our kitchen and just held each other, knowing that this was our last true alone time, shaking from nerves and knowing that God had been preparing us for this for over a year.
Then a knock on the door and we rushed to it.
Outside stood a lady who said " they are very upset, they didn't know they were being taken away today".
She had tears in her eyes and we ran out to the car. I went to Goober knowing in my heart that he would need a nurturing mommy right away. I leaned into the car and grabbed his little hands, thinking " he is sooo little" and he is crying too hard. I told him it was okay to cry but that we were so happy he was here. I told him that we had a big room set up just for him, cats that would be his very own pets, that he would be going to school with me and that we were going to have lots of fun. He finally agreed to walk into the house with me to see his room. When we got in he just sat on his bed and all of us started to talk.
Adam got Ribbit out of the car and was holding her walking around, talking to the worker. Soon, our worker and adoption coordinator showed up and all of us were back in the living room talking. Adam put Ribbit down in her room at one point and when she stood up straight and walked , he said " woah, you are stable". This made all of the workers from both agencies laugh. I didn't laugh because I was just as shocked that she could stand. From that point on I think everyone was a little nervous about leaving the kids with us because, yup, we were just that ignorant.
Once everyone left and things calmed down we ate dinner, hamburgers. Goober told us all the food he liked and didn't like. Ribbit just ate and ate and was passed from lap to lap..of course we didn't have a high chair!
Then we headed to Wal-Mart, they needed some items and we let Goober pick out some favorite food...anything to make him feel comfortable. We also needed diapers and wipes....DUH!
That night it took Ribbit some convincing to sleep in her room, eventually Goober slept with her 1/2 of the night, us 1/2 the night and Ribbit slept with us the other 1/2 of the night and therefore no one got any good sleep. I can remember laying in bed crying with Adam about how good God had been to us that day. We were crying and smiling so hard. I can't imagine our life without them. Goober told us today that it feels like he has been here a lot longer than one year...we agree.
Adam and I have been praying about what comes next...he does finish in May. We aren't sure if he will pursue a job in the field of his degree or how any of that will work out. We knew without a doubt that God wanted us to come to TX, so much so that we left our new home in TN (that we still own) to come here. We have decided that God brought us here for one purpose, to get our kids. Adam's degree is just a bonus. We couldn't have been matched with more perfect kids, who seem to look, act and respond like us more every day.....and so if being obedient to come to TX meant getting some great kids, then we wouldn't have it any other way.
I'm not sure if its blasphemous to film your kid praying but I had to. Ribbit has started saying that she "wants to talk to God" before dinner. She just prays and prays her little heart out, most of the time mommy or daddy have to end it with "amen". She already knows that talking to God is super important!!!!
amazing! :)
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