The gap in between blog entries speaks for itself! :) Adjusting to a summer routine all home together, just as we were exiting the honeymoon period as a family of 6, was a bit trickier than we'd thought...but we made it through! There is not any specific thing we can place our finger on that made things so rough...nor is there one specific thing that can account for the tremendous positive changes in the past week or two. What we know for sure is that the nearing SIX MONTH milestone will be a celebrated one!!
We also now can see that true "callings" carry true "trials." Part of God's purpose in that must be the indescribeable blessings we are all now sensing. The exhaustion we (and the kids!) felt in the teaching and reteaching is resulting in two very social and well-adjusted kiddos. Their humor is evident throughout the day, as if they are not having to work so hard simply to communicate. They are confident and totally independent in play dates. Ange-Laurette had a swim party with 5 friends and could not have been distinguished without her swim cap and great "tan." :) Pierre was invited to lunch and miniature golf with 3 boys this afternoon. You should have seen his face light up as he hugged me, said "thank you," and ran off. The spats around the house are the ordinary ones you would expect with 3 elementary schoolers looking for something to do. We get a kick out of them saying they are bored....and that they are too hot outside (in South Dakota?)!
The sweetest moments are those where they just "get it." They imitate a type of sarcasm with a smile; they learn a new family card game; they leave a note on the frig saying "Best mom in the world"; they answer the phone and take a message; they give the thumbs up across the softball field or basketball court; they "drum" out the beat as they sing along to the printed words at church; they wait to see their first fireworks; and even when they just greet us in the morning saying, "Hmmmm, looks like a pretty good day out there today."
Pierre and I were talking about privileges here in America and it led to talking about why he thinks his birthmother and birthfather chose adoption for him. He said simply, "They wanted me to have enough food to eat." I was expecting all those other things I list when people are surprised to hear that our kids do have living birthparents who love them still in Haiti. But we will never understand it as well as Pierre and Ange-Laurette. Pierre went on to explain that his birthparents wanted him to be able to see a doctor now and go to school. Then he added, "Maybe they knew I'd have my fun little brother Nate." Somebody knew. God knew. And, although we have a long ways to go before we can see all the pieces put together like God already sees, I sure like the "picture" better each day now!
