Thursday, September 26, 2013

getting closer...things to do

must make photo book... think about packing (light)... teach grandparents how to use skype on my computer... getting excited. and a little nervous to leave most of the children at home. but mostly excited to meet our sweet wilson.

i'm continuing to practice being patient, though it's definitely not a strength of mine. i am lucky though that i have 6 children to keep me busy! it's hard to miss a child you love with all your heart, though you haven't even met him yet, but i do know it will happen soon and i am filling my time with fun activities with the kids. i am ready, so ready to meet you, wilson!

Monday, September 23, 2013

dance troupe african dancing

tonight we took sister L to an african dance troupe workshop where she learned traditional african dancing. she is going to try out for the dance troupe in october so we thought this would be a great opportunity for her to get comfortable with the dancing and instructors, and just simply being around other kids and people she doesn't know. those things are still so hard sometimes. 

she was fairly uncertain at first, but once things got going, i saw a fire in her eyes! she was grinning ear to ear, and trying her best. they moved fast, so fast, and a few times she was totally confused, but dancing is in her blood and her body knows how to move with confidence and grace. i had the time of my life. sister N and sister M were dancing with me on the side. the drums were beating so loudly that i got lost and thought i was back in uganda. i felt like i was home, surrounded by family. the drumming and dancing was powerful, and i felt myself come alive from somewhere deep inside. i almost cried at one point, watching sister L feel at home and i know that if she can get into this dance troupe, it's going to do something for her that i cannot. she needs to be surrounded by this community family and keep this very important connection in her life. i don't know what the criteria for getting accepted into the troupe is. sister L was definitely one of the younger participants in the workshop. i feel nervous and excited, but i'm doing my best to play it cool. whatever happens, we will maintain our support of this troupe and find more ways to be involved and grow our family with positive influences and love, while also seeking out ties to africa, and uganda. 

this is what happens when you adopt, suddenly your family expands... and not just with the children you adopt, but with remaining birth family members, friends in birth countries, and the friends we make here at home as we seek out support for our children. on the ride home from the workshop, i thought about wilson. what will we do for him, for his ties to his birth country? how much more will our family grow? we are lucky to have met some wonderful people adopting the same time we are and we will continue to seek to grow our family here as we support wilson and surround him with love. how lucky we are indeed to grow our family in such a beautiful way.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

another child ready for school

today we took sister M to visit her kindergarten teacher... she was shy but oh so curious.

i caught myself thinking about what a wonderful teacher the kindergarten teacher is, how thankful i am that sister M gets to start her school career here, and i felt a small sense of loss for wilson. he will likely start first grade after coming home and i know what a struggle that was for sister L. every child should be able to transition to school with kindergarten. of course you can work out half days or some other schedule, but kindergarten should be a rite of passage for all children. it is the perfect mix of new things, fun things, learning and playing, all designed to prepare children for the long days of school that lie ahead without the actual stress of a full day. we cannot get wilson home fast enough... we love you sweet boy.