The Parsley Patch: March 2012

We are truly blessed! Samuel had a wonderful first birthday with his new family. He grinned from ear to ear most of the day. He woke up to the birthday song which he found quite amusing. By the end of the day, he was singing it too! He went out to eat lunch with his Mommy and Daddy- Corn dog de jour with papas fritas (french fries), a lollipop complete with a helium balloon attached to bounce all over the table, and a giant chocolate cupcake with hot fudge sauce and whipped cream. He got a kick out of the singing waiters. By the end of the song, the entire restaurant knew it was his first birthday with a family. They all oohed and aahed over him.
As if that wasn't enough, he came home and he and his older siblings all played in his new "baby pool" which he thought was totally the best thing ever! His lips were blue and he was shivering , but he had a ton of fun. Then, we commenced to a Chinese dinner with chow mein, egg rolls, and rotisserie chicken followed by bing-ja-ling (Chinese for ice cream) and Lightning McQueen cake which he absolutely wanted to dive into head first. We all had as much fun watching him as he did have fun playing. He received some new Thomas the Tank toys , bubble toys, and pool toys for his birthday. So-he is set! We just need a new bathing suit that actually fits him now!
The day ended with him lying in his crib singing "Happy Birthday" to himself. I think he understands the whole process.
He is too sweet for words and we all are truly blessed to have this cute little boy (and his older foster brother- Timothy) in our lives. Not to mention, the 5 older siblings who " rock our world " on a daily basis.
Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Kristin and Marcus

I saw you meet your child today
You kissed your baby joyfully
And as you walked away with her
I played pretend you’d chosen me.

I saw you meet your child today
But this time there was something new
A nurse came in and took my hand
And then she gave my hand to you.

Can this be true? I’m almost six!
And there are infants here you see?
But then you kissed me and I knew
The child you chose this time was me.

~ Debbie Bodie, The Waiting Child

We have officially been home 2 weeks now with Samuel (2 years) and Timothy (5 1/2 years like the little child in the poem)! We feel blessed beyond comprehension. They are wonderful, smiling, (at times) mischievious little boys! They are so thrilled to have a family. We are so blessed to finally welcome them home! Life is much busier for us with the addition of 2 at one time to make a total of 7 kiddos. Marcus and I NEVER sit down to chill out anymore because they are full speed ahead. Plus, they really need the attention, love, cuddling, and support of their new parents so they can feel connected and emotionally safe right now.

I cannot imagine what their life would have been like if they had not been chosen. Marcus and I will admit that initially it was quite hard on Timothy. We are his 4th living situation change in his short 5 years of life (orphanage, group foster home, foster family, then us). He spent his first 3 years of life in an orphanage (hundreds of kids) rolling around in a walker (unrepaired spina bifida) until he was brought to the most fantastic and caring foster home called New Day Foster Home in Beijing. His eyes and face from those early photos speak extreme sadness. He was vacant! You can only cry so much without someone to hear you before you just stop crying at all. Silence in an orphaned child typically means there was no one to respond to their cries so they just cease trying. How sad! I think as a biological parent as well it can sometimes be difficult to understand (if you haven't adopted )what emotional pain these little kids must go through. There is no "loved from the moment of conception" thought process. No immediate bonding with a mother immediately after the birth when they place the sweet baby in your lap for its first hug, kiss, feeding, etc. Many are abandoned at the steps of an orphanage to be discovered by passerbys. Abandoned for many reasons, I'm sure. But, the main reason is their lack of a healthy body. When we sit back and think about it, who will/ would step forward to care for a child who is broken - broken hearted, mid thoracic spina bifia, right lower limb deformity, scoliosis (just to name a few), hydrocephalus, urologic deformity? What if more of us did? There would be less orphans in this world. Certainly, more of the world would be aware of how truly wonderful special needs kids are.

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."

James 1:27

"Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families."

Psalms 68:5-6

But, the honest truth, is we are loved by them. Despite their imperfections, they are "perfect" for us and we absolutely love and adore them. They giggle, laugh, play, and eat cookies like any other normal child. We are the blessed ones! Timothy is the creator of Legos, the puzzle builder, the expert computer navigator, Daddy's boy, and the most bilingual 5 year old we've ever met. Samuel is the life of the party, Cheerio gobbler, top Lightning McQueen fan, Momma's boy, and fastest most top heavy 2 year old we've ever met (always a smile!)!

To say, we are having a blast with them is an understatement. We have tons of stories to tell, but I shall save them for a future post as they are calling my name......