Tonight I put Levi to bed and gave him a big hug. The next time I hug his neck, he will be 9 yrs old. Yes, it will be his first birthday since being home here in America.
I was sitting here trying to figure out why I feel so emotional tonight, and it hit me. Normally, as I think of my children's birthdays, I automatically go to the day of their birth as I recall the details of labor, delivery, and later-those early morning feedings and times of getting to know their little personalities. Obviously, I don't have the privilege of those memories with Levi, but I thought of his first mommy. Levi was the firstborn to his mother who passed away just a few short years later. I wonder what that day or night was like for her? Was she scared? Did she have lots of family around her? Did she have a difficult labor or was it easy? Levi comes from an extremely remote area of southern Ethiopia. It was a two days' journey from the capital city of Addis to his village. He's shown me what kind of "home" he lived in as we sat and looked at various pictures I found on the internet. It was a hut made of sticks. If something happens in labor in those types of living conditions, there's no chance of medical care or saving a life there. Oh, how we take so much for granted. When she delivered that sweet baby boy, what were her first words to him? As she nursed him, probably up until around the time she passed away two years later, did she have dreams for him like I did for my biological children? Did she pray over him? Did she know she was dying? Did she have any final wishes?
The tears just overwhelm me for Etenesh. That's her name. Isn't it beautiful? I'm so thankful for her. I hope that one day I might get to see her in heaven to talk to her, mom to mom, about our sweet little boy. That I could tell her stories of how God's plan for her life connected to mine through a little boy we both called "son." That God's story for Levi did not end when her life did, nor when his biological dad had to leave, or when his teenage uncle could not afford to care for him, but that God's delicate and intimate care took Levi from a poor village in Ethiopia and through many detours--difficult detours-- brought him into my arms. A child I had prayed for, as I had prayed for my other three. Etanesh, God heard both of our cries, and in His great mercy, somehow orchestrated the tiniest most amazing details to join our lives together.
Levi continues to walk through difficult detours. Despite what many see on the outside as a happy-go-lucky, very active little boy, he has many present fears and future challenges. Schooling is tough right now. Very tough. It's hard to try to start at the beginning of a language, reading, and writing when you're 9. Also, as his verbal language has grown, he's been able to better communicate the things he is thinking to us. This week has for some reason brought his homeland to his mind. Maybe, like me, he's reminiscing, and thinking back. He's homesick. He remembers enough of his biological family to miss them. He misses his culture. He shared some stories with us this week that brought tears-for him and for me. He still battles abandonment issues...especially with his biological father. He has questions, and he doesn't understand. All we could do is hug him, listen to him, comfort him, and pray. Only God can heal this little one's heart. Only the Holy Spirit can bring true comfort to him. There are things we do not know the answers to, and we may never know. But there are things that we do know. There is nothing too great or tragic that God's love and grace cannot redeem. I will tell him this sweet gospel story as long as I have breath. I would imagine that if Etenesh knew Him (and there are a few details that we do have that make me think she did), she would say the same thing.
Etenesh, our boy is growing fast. In just seven months that he has been here in his new home, he has grown 3 inches and gained 4 lbs. From the time we first met Levi Yishak face to face last November, his health has dramatically improved, and he is physically thriving. Most importantly, I promise you that we will constantly seek the Father as we care for our little boy. We will point him to Jesus for the rest of our days, so that one day he might trust Him as his own. Then, we will all be reunited in a place where there is no more sickness, no more poverty, no more orphans, and no more separation. One day we will not be in this prison of earth, but will be free together in the presence of our Father for eternity.
Tonight, I honor you, Etenesh. Levi will always know about you and the love I know that you held for your firstborn son from the time you first held him in your arms until you had to let him go.
Thank You, Father that you set the lonely in families, set the prisoners free, and give them joy." (Psa. 68:6) We count on your promises and know You are faithful to every one.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Monday, September 17, 2012
Six Months!
Six months ago today we were flying into Norfolk International airport. jet-lagged and yet ecstatic. We had FINALLY brought Levi HOME! It is hard to believe we've only had six months with him. When you hear others say it feels like he's always been here, they are so right. Yet it isn't that we don't remember life without him either. We have raised two other children and are in the trenches process of raising our 15 yr old daughter now. To say we don't remember life without him would dismiss all of those precious years we have had with Andrew, Ashtyn, and Baylee. I think it's more like it just seems he's always been here because he has fit so well into our family.
I have been going through Kelly Minter's, No Other gods lately. I'm on the chapter where she talks about Leah. At first I saw in Leah a lot of myself and us women in general, which I wrote about here. Yet, I could not help but think back to our adoption of Levi. It was so fitting for today. Adopting was always on my heart for as long as I can remember. My parents were the first model to me of this, and God has used several others to show me the power of His love through adoption over the past 43 yrs. When I used to think of adopting, it was for a baby, or a young toddler. It was never an older child. Sean was the first to bring up adopting an older child. As we began to pray about this possibility, God began to stir my heart for this older child as he had already been leading Sean. A child who perhaps felt unloved. Who was not among the "chosen ones." The sweet little babies and toddlers that all the young families seemed to go for. But what about the older kids? The ones who are just as cute and sweet, but have sat there and watched the little ones come and go, and yet they remain? What about the ones who maybe haven't been at the orphanage that long, but have experienced lifetime traumas which brought them here? What about the ones who have dealt with loss of their parents, only to be turned over to an orphanage, and watched as day after day the families come and go.....yet they remain--more loss, more grief piled onto what brought them there to begin with. Orphaned. Alone. Feeling unloved. Not chosen. Leah felt this way. Scripture says that Jacob's love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. As Kelly pointed out, in other words, his love for Leah was less than his love for Rachel. How horrible would that be? To feel unloved and unchosen. Less than.
From what we can figure, Levi had been in an orphanage since he was about 4. His mother died when he was 2. His uncle took responsibility of him (his uncle was only a young teenager at this time). His father had left to go find work, and was scarce for the next couple of years because of that, although did return towards the end of Levi's time in Ethiopia. His uncle helped to run a small shop out on the road selling things and brought home about .50/day. He lived with his uncle, grandparents and a few cousins in a very, very remote area of southern Ethiopia, close to the Kenya border, and his uncle was his primary caregiver and breadwinner. Around the age of 4, they could no longer care for him, so in probably one of the hardest decisions they would ever make, they surrendered him to a local government run orphanage, with hopes of a better life, which actually translates into food and shelter. Levi spent some time there, we don't know how long, before he was brought to the government run orphanage in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. We are learning that this was a time of some deep fears for Levi. He has recanted several experiences from this to which we have just cried, held, and assured him that he is safe and loved forever now.
So, back to the Leah.... Leah in her desperation to be loved and chosen, decides to bear children, hoping Jacob would finally love her and choose her. Kelly said she was curious to know where Leah arrived after bearing all those children. She wondered if Leah ever settled into the idea that she might not EVER be chosen- at least not by Jacob-and perhaps that was the most liberating conclusion she could ever come to, because she would finally be free of needing to secure his love for survival and would be open to the only love that could feed life into her. That Jacob's love was not the key to her wholeness....only God's could. It's interesting to be able to look generations down the line of Leah's lineage. Christ Himself was born through Leah's child, Judah. While Jacob had chosen Rachel, God had chosen Leah.
This is what we want Levi to know. He was loved dearly by his family, yet he deals with abandonment issues. A child cannot grasp that a love would ever cause their family to give them up. And yes, finally he has a family. He was chosen. And bless his heart- he got us. (I'm so thankful for God's grace and promises! Shew.) But you see, WE are not Levi's solution. Sure, we will model to him unconditional love, security, instruction in the Lord, and all of those things a parent should do. We so fiercely love him because he's our son! Yet, his wholeness can only come through Jesus. That is our prayer for every one of our children, not just Levi. Kelly says, "Human love is God-given and to be celebrated. It's needful for life. Certainly, God would not command us to love one another, or be so forceful on the importance of loving your wife or husband, or children, and being faithful to them at all costs, if human love was optional. But if seeking the love of a person becomes the ultimate thing, if it takes the place of seeking the love of God, if it becomes the first and most prominent pursuit of our lives, everything gets out of order and begins to fall in on itself. God still must sit at the top of the chain." Oh, how I thank God that He chose us, so we could teach Levi that He chose him, too. There is absolutely NOTHING special inside of us outside of God's amazing grace and love that allows us to simply be a vessel. A jar that is filled and then pours out. We fail miserably at this parent stuff, but God in His grace continues to fill us every time. There's no way we could do this without Him!
So, now for some fun updates.... Levi is in school. He's in the 3rd grade, although he is not by any means on that level. He's around kids his own age, but goes to ESL (English as a Second Language) to continue to learn how to read and write. He absolutely LOVES school! When he prays at night, he thanks God for school, for friends, and for fun which is what he attributes to his school experience. We went on vacation this summer where he got to meet my parents for the first time, as well as other family members. We went to Gatlinburg so he could see the big mountains. He spent many days at the beach this summer, which he loved. He has no fear of the water and loves a boogie board! He learned to aggravate his sisters (and vice versa), and so we especially feel a little bit more normal with sibling bickerings going on now. He went to Kids Camp with Sean and I where he learned his first scripture verses by memory. (Romans 12:1-2) He went to Soccer Camp and now plays on a soccer league here in our community. He loves to go to church and has an incredible memory. I pray that God will use that so Levi will always be able to remember God's hand in his life as well as being able to recall truth for the times when he struggles.He is very social and has made lots of friends since being home.
Despite the fun things, let me just say this. It has not been easy. Life has been tough. Some weeks we have wondered what in the world were we thinking...were we too old for this or just weren't prepared?. Am I the only one that thought after I brought my firstborn home that I had made a big mistake because I had NO idea how to do this thing? It was kinda like that, but add 20 yrs. The enemy knew EXACTLY when and how to target our family in every direction. We have been in big time warfare for six months. I'm sad to admit that many times I tried to fight in my own strength, which left me bruised on the floor often. Duh, right? Just like Leah did, I tried to take matters into my own hands and was always left feeling worse. I failed so many times to just trust God and put my hope in Him. BUT.....God always sent sweet reminders to me. Like Leah, He has chosen me and loved me. He sees. He knows-EVERYTHING. He is Sovereign. He is my Equipper. He is my Defender. He is my Daddy. *I* am in the lineage of Christ. He's always leading the way to show me what to do, and He's always got my back if I make a mess of it. He's always got a Word when I am open and still enough to listen. He's always gracious when I need reminded. He's always faithful when I am faithless. He's also been teaching me more about the armor I had let down in my exhaustion and circumstances of life. I cannot tell you that despite the difficulties, the sweetness of His presence has overshadowed it all. Levi has taught us, as children often do, more about trusting God no matter what. Sometimes, the Lord just does that. He has us learn something through experience so that we can share it with more grace when it comes time to teach it. I'm savoring the sweet time that comes after a period of testing, and hoping that my memory will be like Levi's when it comes to remembering all God taught me through it. Our marriage, family, and relationships have become stronger and in that, God is glorified. That's all that matters.
"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan." Ephesians 1:1-11
I have been going through Kelly Minter's, No Other gods lately. I'm on the chapter where she talks about Leah. At first I saw in Leah a lot of myself and us women in general, which I wrote about here. Yet, I could not help but think back to our adoption of Levi. It was so fitting for today. Adopting was always on my heart for as long as I can remember. My parents were the first model to me of this, and God has used several others to show me the power of His love through adoption over the past 43 yrs. When I used to think of adopting, it was for a baby, or a young toddler. It was never an older child. Sean was the first to bring up adopting an older child. As we began to pray about this possibility, God began to stir my heart for this older child as he had already been leading Sean. A child who perhaps felt unloved. Who was not among the "chosen ones." The sweet little babies and toddlers that all the young families seemed to go for. But what about the older kids? The ones who are just as cute and sweet, but have sat there and watched the little ones come and go, and yet they remain? What about the ones who maybe haven't been at the orphanage that long, but have experienced lifetime traumas which brought them here? What about the ones who have dealt with loss of their parents, only to be turned over to an orphanage, and watched as day after day the families come and go.....yet they remain--more loss, more grief piled onto what brought them there to begin with. Orphaned. Alone. Feeling unloved. Not chosen. Leah felt this way. Scripture says that Jacob's love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. As Kelly pointed out, in other words, his love for Leah was less than his love for Rachel. How horrible would that be? To feel unloved and unchosen. Less than.
From what we can figure, Levi had been in an orphanage since he was about 4. His mother died when he was 2. His uncle took responsibility of him (his uncle was only a young teenager at this time). His father had left to go find work, and was scarce for the next couple of years because of that, although did return towards the end of Levi's time in Ethiopia. His uncle helped to run a small shop out on the road selling things and brought home about .50/day. He lived with his uncle, grandparents and a few cousins in a very, very remote area of southern Ethiopia, close to the Kenya border, and his uncle was his primary caregiver and breadwinner. Around the age of 4, they could no longer care for him, so in probably one of the hardest decisions they would ever make, they surrendered him to a local government run orphanage, with hopes of a better life, which actually translates into food and shelter. Levi spent some time there, we don't know how long, before he was brought to the government run orphanage in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. We are learning that this was a time of some deep fears for Levi. He has recanted several experiences from this to which we have just cried, held, and assured him that he is safe and loved forever now.
So, back to the Leah.... Leah in her desperation to be loved and chosen, decides to bear children, hoping Jacob would finally love her and choose her. Kelly said she was curious to know where Leah arrived after bearing all those children. She wondered if Leah ever settled into the idea that she might not EVER be chosen- at least not by Jacob-and perhaps that was the most liberating conclusion she could ever come to, because she would finally be free of needing to secure his love for survival and would be open to the only love that could feed life into her. That Jacob's love was not the key to her wholeness....only God's could. It's interesting to be able to look generations down the line of Leah's lineage. Christ Himself was born through Leah's child, Judah. While Jacob had chosen Rachel, God had chosen Leah.
This is what we want Levi to know. He was loved dearly by his family, yet he deals with abandonment issues. A child cannot grasp that a love would ever cause their family to give them up. And yes, finally he has a family. He was chosen. And bless his heart- he got us. (I'm so thankful for God's grace and promises! Shew.) But you see, WE are not Levi's solution. Sure, we will model to him unconditional love, security, instruction in the Lord, and all of those things a parent should do. We so fiercely love him because he's our son! Yet, his wholeness can only come through Jesus. That is our prayer for every one of our children, not just Levi. Kelly says, "Human love is God-given and to be celebrated. It's needful for life. Certainly, God would not command us to love one another, or be so forceful on the importance of loving your wife or husband, or children, and being faithful to them at all costs, if human love was optional. But if seeking the love of a person becomes the ultimate thing, if it takes the place of seeking the love of God, if it becomes the first and most prominent pursuit of our lives, everything gets out of order and begins to fall in on itself. God still must sit at the top of the chain." Oh, how I thank God that He chose us, so we could teach Levi that He chose him, too. There is absolutely NOTHING special inside of us outside of God's amazing grace and love that allows us to simply be a vessel. A jar that is filled and then pours out. We fail miserably at this parent stuff, but God in His grace continues to fill us every time. There's no way we could do this without Him!
So, now for some fun updates.... Levi is in school. He's in the 3rd grade, although he is not by any means on that level. He's around kids his own age, but goes to ESL (English as a Second Language) to continue to learn how to read and write. He absolutely LOVES school! When he prays at night, he thanks God for school, for friends, and for fun which is what he attributes to his school experience. We went on vacation this summer where he got to meet my parents for the first time, as well as other family members. We went to Gatlinburg so he could see the big mountains. He spent many days at the beach this summer, which he loved. He has no fear of the water and loves a boogie board! He learned to aggravate his sisters (and vice versa), and so we especially feel a little bit more normal with sibling bickerings going on now. He went to Kids Camp with Sean and I where he learned his first scripture verses by memory. (Romans 12:1-2) He went to Soccer Camp and now plays on a soccer league here in our community. He loves to go to church and has an incredible memory. I pray that God will use that so Levi will always be able to remember God's hand in his life as well as being able to recall truth for the times when he struggles.He is very social and has made lots of friends since being home.
Despite the fun things, let me just say this. It has not been easy. Life has been tough. Some weeks we have wondered what in the world were we thinking...were we too old for this or just weren't prepared?. Am I the only one that thought after I brought my firstborn home that I had made a big mistake because I had NO idea how to do this thing? It was kinda like that, but add 20 yrs. The enemy knew EXACTLY when and how to target our family in every direction. We have been in big time warfare for six months. I'm sad to admit that many times I tried to fight in my own strength, which left me bruised on the floor often. Duh, right? Just like Leah did, I tried to take matters into my own hands and was always left feeling worse. I failed so many times to just trust God and put my hope in Him. BUT.....God always sent sweet reminders to me. Like Leah, He has chosen me and loved me. He sees. He knows-EVERYTHING. He is Sovereign. He is my Equipper. He is my Defender. He is my Daddy. *I* am in the lineage of Christ. He's always leading the way to show me what to do, and He's always got my back if I make a mess of it. He's always got a Word when I am open and still enough to listen. He's always gracious when I need reminded. He's always faithful when I am faithless. He's also been teaching me more about the armor I had let down in my exhaustion and circumstances of life. I cannot tell you that despite the difficulties, the sweetness of His presence has overshadowed it all. Levi has taught us, as children often do, more about trusting God no matter what. Sometimes, the Lord just does that. He has us learn something through experience so that we can share it with more grace when it comes time to teach it. I'm savoring the sweet time that comes after a period of testing, and hoping that my memory will be like Levi's when it comes to remembering all God taught me through it. Our marriage, family, and relationships have become stronger and in that, God is glorified. That's all that matters.
"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan." Ephesians 1:1-11
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Lost in Translation
Language is still a big barrier between us and Levi. He is picking up English really well, but there's just some words that he doesn't get and others he can't really pronounce well. A few of these have made for some funny moments here at home.
Sunday morning I was in a battle with Levi. He kept saying, "Bubbles to church?" No, Levi. No Bubbles to church. "Mommy, bubbles to church?" (a little more frustrated) No, Levi, we do NOT take bubbles to church. After a few rounds of this, I was pretty much to the counting to 10 mark. We do NOT take BUBBLES to church! Period! (Breathe)..... That is, until Levi takes off running and comes back with his BIBLE! Oh, Bible? Well. Um. Okay, yes Levi, we do take BIBLES to church. (hiding under a rock) No wonder the poor child was looking at me like I'd lost my mind. He doesn't yet know that I really have!
Yesterday, we had a house full to feed for dinner, as I was keeping a friend's kids after school. Tacos always works for an army, so that's what I fixed. I was asking Levi if he wanted soft or hard shells. He looks at me like, "Huh?" I asked him again and showed him each type of shell. Hard? or Soft? He started cracking up laughing. "Soft?" Then, I got it. The word "soft" is Amharic for toilet paper or tissue. He ended up having a Charmin taco.
It would be so nice to have the luxury of someone who spoke his language around us. I hate that he will one day lose it. For now, we soak up his sweet accent, faux pas and all. He continues to melt our hearts as we pour God's love into his. Despite the language barrier, it's comforting to know that God's love is powerful enough to rise above these language barriers and can be demonstrated in any language.
Sunday morning I was in a battle with Levi. He kept saying, "Bubbles to church?" No, Levi. No Bubbles to church. "Mommy, bubbles to church?" (a little more frustrated) No, Levi, we do NOT take bubbles to church. After a few rounds of this, I was pretty much to the counting to 10 mark. We do NOT take BUBBLES to church! Period! (Breathe)..... That is, until Levi takes off running and comes back with his BIBLE! Oh, Bible? Well. Um. Okay, yes Levi, we do take BIBLES to church. (hiding under a rock) No wonder the poor child was looking at me like I'd lost my mind. He doesn't yet know that I really have!
Yesterday, we had a house full to feed for dinner, as I was keeping a friend's kids after school. Tacos always works for an army, so that's what I fixed. I was asking Levi if he wanted soft or hard shells. He looks at me like, "Huh?" I asked him again and showed him each type of shell. Hard? or Soft? He started cracking up laughing. "Soft?" Then, I got it. The word "soft" is Amharic for toilet paper or tissue. He ended up having a Charmin taco.
It would be so nice to have the luxury of someone who spoke his language around us. I hate that he will one day lose it. For now, we soak up his sweet accent, faux pas and all. He continues to melt our hearts as we pour God's love into his. Despite the language barrier, it's comforting to know that God's love is powerful enough to rise above these language barriers and can be demonstrated in any language.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Holding Tight
Yes, I'm typing this RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of the U.K. Final Four game against U of L. Crazy! I don't want to forget this though. Levi just reminded me of some things so so sweet and so very important. He's not been feeling well with a bug in his tummy and congestion. He even ran a fever today, while I have also been sick with an earache. After some good meds, he got a little energy this evening and sat in front of the stereo singing along to a Kids Praise CD. This CD has become one of his very favorites. It's an oldie- a lot of the "old songs" that I can remember singing as a little child. Soon, I heard this...
"Love, love, love, love, the gospel in a word is 'love.' Love your neighbor as your brother. Love, love, love."
And he sang it over and over and over...
I'd never paid much attention to those lyrics before, even though I sang that song many times as a child. Because of the repetition of words in the song, it's one of the few he can sing in his sweet broken English. I thought what a simple, sweet, and TRUE statement. The gospel in a word IS love. Period. Love God, love others. Love, Love, Love! I thought of God's sacrificial love so that we could know and then live this truth. We are entering Holy Week, as we prepare to celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. All of this was out of LOVE, not duty. He died to show us love and to give us love through an act of love. What a great reminder in the midst of the craziness of life, sicknesses, and March Madness. Sad that we can get so caught up in other things and completely miss this.
Levi sat there for quite a while until he spotted some things on the bookshelf. One of them being an old Bible of mine in a cloth case. He inquired about it, and I told him it was one of Mommy's Bibles. Just saying that stung. One of Mommy's Bibles. Mommy probably has at least four. And some people have none.....
The conversation then went like this:
Levi: "Mommy Bible?"
Me: "Yes, does Levi want it?"
Levi: "Levi? Bible? Dis? (this)
Me: "Yes, you can have it."
Levi: "Levi? Bible? Dis?!" (getting excited)
Me: "Yes, Levi Bible."
Levi (BIG SMILE): "Ohhhh...tank you Mommy! Tank you!"
And he gave me a huge hug.
Levi took the Bible held it against his chest. Then, walked down the hall to take his newest treasure to his bedroom.
Lord, thank You for how You continually teach me through the fresh eyes of Levi. Please let him never forget Your love for him and through him and may he always hold tight to Your Word as if it's a newly found treasure. Please do the same for me,too.
"Love, love, love, love, the gospel in a word is 'love.' Love your neighbor as your brother. Love, love, love."
And he sang it over and over and over...
I'd never paid much attention to those lyrics before, even though I sang that song many times as a child. Because of the repetition of words in the song, it's one of the few he can sing in his sweet broken English. I thought what a simple, sweet, and TRUE statement. The gospel in a word IS love. Period. Love God, love others. Love, Love, Love! I thought of God's sacrificial love so that we could know and then live this truth. We are entering Holy Week, as we prepare to celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. All of this was out of LOVE, not duty. He died to show us love and to give us love through an act of love. What a great reminder in the midst of the craziness of life, sicknesses, and March Madness. Sad that we can get so caught up in other things and completely miss this.
Levi sat there for quite a while until he spotted some things on the bookshelf. One of them being an old Bible of mine in a cloth case. He inquired about it, and I told him it was one of Mommy's Bibles. Just saying that stung. One of Mommy's Bibles. Mommy probably has at least four. And some people have none.....
The conversation then went like this:
Levi: "Mommy Bible?"
Me: "Yes, does Levi want it?"
Levi: "Levi? Bible? Dis? (this)
Me: "Yes, you can have it."
Levi: "Levi? Bible? Dis?!" (getting excited)
Me: "Yes, Levi Bible."
Levi (BIG SMILE): "Ohhhh...tank you Mommy! Tank you!"
And he gave me a huge hug.
Levi took the Bible held it against his chest. Then, walked down the hall to take his newest treasure to his bedroom.
Lord, thank You for how You continually teach me through the fresh eyes of Levi. Please let him never forget Your love for him and through him and may he always hold tight to Your Word as if it's a newly found treasure. Please do the same for me,too.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Livin', Lovin', and Learnin'
It's such a joy to experience life with fresh lenses through Levi. Most everything he sees and does is new to him. It has brought such an awareness and slice of joy to our hearts. We watch him as he experiences simple things like going to the library
learning to ride a bike
going to the beach
playing at the park
or riding in a race car grocery cart
You would have thought he was at the fair! He made all the car sounds (brakes, horns, and rumbles) throughout the ENTIRE TIME I was in the store. I'm pretty sure they were ready for us to go, especially as we raced through the parking lot afterwards. I haven't giggled like that in a long time though. Just watching the joy and thrill on his face was so fun!
Sometimes, God asks us to see things with new lenses-His eyes. They give us perspective, which changes everything. When we know we are loved, treasured, and secure in Christ, we experience a freedom that brings the ability to trust Him and trust all the details of our lives in His care. This enables us to live life. To endure. To persevere. To even enjoy, maybe as never before. Levi has been given a new life, but so have we. God teaches us so much through this little boy. As we continue to learn more about our son, we continue to see deeper into the heart of God and His incredible love for us, His children. This road is exhausting lately, but I'm thankful for the ability to "stop and smell the roses" or rather as the Message puts it in Psalm 46:10, "Step out of the traffic and take a long loving look at our High God...above everything." God's Word always shines light for us and brings clarity where life is cloudy. It's these sweet moments on pause that God keeps giving us where we truly see through His eyes the simple joys of life in the midst of chaos. We also see His incredible love given us to receive and to share. He has so much that is bright and beautiful right in front of our eyes if we would only take on His eyes and most of all, remember His heart. Oh, that we would all join Levi in the dance of life!
"We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that He has for us. " Colossians 1:11-12
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Forever
I constantly am amazed that Levi is here...finally here forever. As hard as it is for me to believe it, it is even more difficult for him to comprehend it. We aren't just another family, another orphanage or transitional home. This is his forever family. He's not grasped that yet, but this will take time.
Last Sunday morning was our first "BIG" battle with Levi. After spending 24 hrs with us, I'm guessing he was feeling doubts about so much. Being in a new home, new culture, new language, and rules he never had all gave him an excuse for a meltdown, and meltdown he had. Everyone else had gone to church, so he and I just went outside to take a little walk and get some fresh air. This boy wakes up wanting to go outside from the second he opens his eyes. He misses friends and the life he knew where everyday was beautiful, sunny, and a place he could go play nonstop. So, as we ventured on this short walk, we talked about flowers, trees, skies, birds, and especially cars, and looking both ways. He was doing really well stopping to look before we crossed the road. We walked down to the bridge that overlooks the water, and like any boy, he wanted to spit over the bridge. Boys are boys in any culture! :) As we walked back, he picked up a stick. I told him he could hold the stick. He pretended like he was going to throw it, and I told him gently, "No you can hold the stick. We don't throw it. " He pretended a few more times and I gently reminded him each time that we sticks are for holding, not throwing. We were just about home and a car drove by. As soon as the car came to where we were, that stick went flying. I didn't overreact, and thankfully the driver of the car was totally unaware. But Levi knew he wasn't supposed to do this, and he did it anyway. There had to be a consequence. I leaned down and told him we would have to go inside now. He said, "No"!" I held his hand to which he jerked it away. I cuddled him in my arms, and then the shoulder shrugging began.
In Levi's culture there are many gestures that communicate words. This is similar to us nodding our head for a "yes". In Ethiopia, they raise their eyebrows. So if you are ever talking to him and his eyebrows are going up and down, that means "Yes"...don't ask a thousand times like I did before I realized he was answering me and getting frustrated that I was asking him something to death. Another gesture is the shrugging of the shoulders. It means, "No, absolutely no, I don't like this, you can't make me...heck no!"
Well, by this time, the shoulders were shrugging almost to the point it looked like he was having convulsions. I literally had to pick him up, constantly telling him in his language that I loved him forever, and bring him inside. Once inside, I sat him down in a chair, all the while he was screaming and kicking me-shoulders just going up and down like crazy. I kept telling him, "Mommy loves you forever." He only kept shrugging and crying. He sat in the chair for a "time in" as I told him over and over that I loved him. Forever. I didn't want him to hurt himself or someone else by throwing sticks, but I love him so much. More shoulder shrugs. He wanted to get up and go to his room, so I let him. He sat quietly in there for a few minutes. I sat on the couch crying, just wishing I could somehow be able to let him know how MUCH he is loved and how he doesn't need to fear, but I couldn't. I didn't have the ability to speak to him all I wanted him to hear. So I prayed. I knew the Lord could be everything Levi needed. He'd been there before me, and He was with us now. I cannot tell you the peace that I felt as I poured out to the Lord for Levi and for myself. When I went to check on Levi again in about 15 minutes, his entire countenance had changed, too. Even to the point he would hug me. God was faithful to him. Again. Once again, God's phone number rang loud and clear. JER333
"Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and unsearchable things that you do not know." Jer. 33:3
I was also reminded of the difficult journey of adopting an older child who has suffered more than you and I could ever imagine. This journey is still God's. He is leading. He equips us. He gives us everything we need. He proves Himself over and over throughout this, the same way with the other three children we have and continue to parent. What a comfort that it isn't up to us! Levi's story will be one of beauty for ashes, and that is promised. However, I'm comforted to see just a little bit of the beauty in the midst of the fire we are in right now. Only God could do such a thing. What a blessing that we get to be a part of what He is doing and learn right alongside with Levi that God's presence is real and His promises are for us--forever.
Last Sunday morning was our first "BIG" battle with Levi. After spending 24 hrs with us, I'm guessing he was feeling doubts about so much. Being in a new home, new culture, new language, and rules he never had all gave him an excuse for a meltdown, and meltdown he had. Everyone else had gone to church, so he and I just went outside to take a little walk and get some fresh air. This boy wakes up wanting to go outside from the second he opens his eyes. He misses friends and the life he knew where everyday was beautiful, sunny, and a place he could go play nonstop. So, as we ventured on this short walk, we talked about flowers, trees, skies, birds, and especially cars, and looking both ways. He was doing really well stopping to look before we crossed the road. We walked down to the bridge that overlooks the water, and like any boy, he wanted to spit over the bridge. Boys are boys in any culture! :) As we walked back, he picked up a stick. I told him he could hold the stick. He pretended like he was going to throw it, and I told him gently, "No you can hold the stick. We don't throw it. " He pretended a few more times and I gently reminded him each time that we sticks are for holding, not throwing. We were just about home and a car drove by. As soon as the car came to where we were, that stick went flying. I didn't overreact, and thankfully the driver of the car was totally unaware. But Levi knew he wasn't supposed to do this, and he did it anyway. There had to be a consequence. I leaned down and told him we would have to go inside now. He said, "No"!" I held his hand to which he jerked it away. I cuddled him in my arms, and then the shoulder shrugging began.
In Levi's culture there are many gestures that communicate words. This is similar to us nodding our head for a "yes". In Ethiopia, they raise their eyebrows. So if you are ever talking to him and his eyebrows are going up and down, that means "Yes"...don't ask a thousand times like I did before I realized he was answering me and getting frustrated that I was asking him something to death. Another gesture is the shrugging of the shoulders. It means, "No, absolutely no, I don't like this, you can't make me...heck no!"
Well, by this time, the shoulders were shrugging almost to the point it looked like he was having convulsions. I literally had to pick him up, constantly telling him in his language that I loved him forever, and bring him inside. Once inside, I sat him down in a chair, all the while he was screaming and kicking me-shoulders just going up and down like crazy. I kept telling him, "Mommy loves you forever." He only kept shrugging and crying. He sat in the chair for a "time in" as I told him over and over that I loved him. Forever. I didn't want him to hurt himself or someone else by throwing sticks, but I love him so much. More shoulder shrugs. He wanted to get up and go to his room, so I let him. He sat quietly in there for a few minutes. I sat on the couch crying, just wishing I could somehow be able to let him know how MUCH he is loved and how he doesn't need to fear, but I couldn't. I didn't have the ability to speak to him all I wanted him to hear. So I prayed. I knew the Lord could be everything Levi needed. He'd been there before me, and He was with us now. I cannot tell you the peace that I felt as I poured out to the Lord for Levi and for myself. When I went to check on Levi again in about 15 minutes, his entire countenance had changed, too. Even to the point he would hug me. God was faithful to him. Again. Once again, God's phone number rang loud and clear. JER333
"Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and unsearchable things that you do not know." Jer. 33:3
I was also reminded of the difficult journey of adopting an older child who has suffered more than you and I could ever imagine. This journey is still God's. He is leading. He equips us. He gives us everything we need. He proves Himself over and over throughout this, the same way with the other three children we have and continue to parent. What a comfort that it isn't up to us! Levi's story will be one of beauty for ashes, and that is promised. However, I'm comforted to see just a little bit of the beauty in the midst of the fire we are in right now. Only God could do such a thing. What a blessing that we get to be a part of what He is doing and learn right alongside with Levi that God's presence is real and His promises are for us--forever.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
All In a Week
The day had finally come for Levi to get on that "aeroplane" and go "whoosh, whoosh" as he kept telling us. We had a long, but uneventful flight home. He slept for about 5 hrs. Not much. He enjoyed pushing all the buttons on the airplane to watch movies or play music. One time, I looked over and he was going to town dancing his little hiney off, and so I leaned in to see what he was listening to....
Black Eyed Peas. Uh......okay. Let's find Disney again! :)
We arrived in Washington, D.C. at Dulles airport. After going through customs, our sweet little Irish Ethiopian boy was officially a U.S. citizen. Yay, God!!
Finally, we arrived in Norfolk after nearly 24 hrs of flight/delays. There's just something about adrenaline rush that keeps you going though. Levi had still to meet his sisters! We had several friends waiting with them, as well as Sean's parents. It was a sweet, sweet reunion with LOTS of tears of joy.
Even though Levi is home, our journey is really just beginning now. This is where the rubber meets the road and life begins. Real life. Hard life. The good, the bad, and the ugly. There will be so many challenges before us. We're already seeing glimpses of this, and it is so easy to feel overwhelmed. Therefore, I want to be sure to document the GOOD things, too, and celebrate those. I need these so that when the hard days come, I am reminded.
So, here goes some "Yay, God!" moments since we took custody of Levi last Monday.
In just one week.....
Levi now is using a trash can. It took several days, but now he instantly takes his trash to the can. It just was something he was never taught. It's normal to toss your trash wherever it lands, which is why Addis is such a dirty city.
He is now using toilet paper and wiping well. Yeah, that's a praise. Toilet paper is not something he was accustomed to. Hard to believe, but paper products just are not common in Ethiopia. They're not considered "necessities: and are expensive. So, we spent the first few days wiping noses and butts all over again. God gets a BIG "Woop! Woop!" for this one.
Levi goes right to sleep when we lay him down. We set up a ritual from the first night we had him. Sit on bed with small light/lamp on. He is petrified of the dark, so we've decided for now, he gets to sleep with a lamp on. Security is huge for him. We read a book, pray together, lay him down with hugs and kisses and walk away. He stays in bed and goes to sleep within minutes. Last night our first night home, he was gone in literally 60 seconds! He doesn't get out of his bed at all unless he has to go to the bathroom, and this morning, I found him playing with a book in his bed. Praises go a long way, so I praised him for obeying and staying in bed. That big smile melts my heart. What a start to my day!
English. His English grows by the hour! It is already amazing how he is beginning to form sentences. We've noticed a difference in the past 12 hrs. since coming to America. He is no longer surrounded by Amharic, so he has no choice but to learn and speak English. We've heard him go from just a few words to some sentences now.
He is a great eater. He's not too picky at all, and he likes healthy foods. This morning, for his first breakfast at home, he had eggs, bacon, biscuits, a granola bar, and some juice. Ate every bit! He loves all kinds of fresh fruits.
He had a horrible cough and congestion when we got him. He's been on antibiotics on and off the past 3 months. Since being with us almost one week, that has just about cleared up with Mucinex, pushing fluids, and cleaning out his nose. I have never seen so much snot. Whoa.
He loves ritual/routine. Once he is taught, he wants to do it that way, so things like showering, brushing his teeth, getting on pjs, getting dressed, etc., he is so good to do.
We've learned that when he sings in Amharic, he's comforting himself. It helps us to know what he's feeling without him being able to verbalize it. I love seeing how music does for him often when it does for us. Comfort, encourage, bring joy..... it's cool for me to share this love of music with my boy.
He adores his siblings, and they adore him. I'm thankful that he has taken to all of us well, but we are just pouring the cement here. Realistically, life will not be rosy, so don't think this is our "happily ever after." We need your prayers more now than ever. Please! Everything before now is just the prologue. We are just now reading "Once Upon a Time" and turning the page. Our real journey begins now. I'm so grateful that God goes before us to lead, and behind us to cover all our messes. There will be plenty.
"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. " Phil 1:6
Black Eyed Peas. Uh......okay. Let's find Disney again! :)
We arrived in Washington, D.C. at Dulles airport. After going through customs, our sweet little Irish Ethiopian boy was officially a U.S. citizen. Yay, God!!
Finally, we arrived in Norfolk after nearly 24 hrs of flight/delays. There's just something about adrenaline rush that keeps you going though. Levi had still to meet his sisters! We had several friends waiting with them, as well as Sean's parents. It was a sweet, sweet reunion with LOTS of tears of joy.
Even though Levi is home, our journey is really just beginning now. This is where the rubber meets the road and life begins. Real life. Hard life. The good, the bad, and the ugly. There will be so many challenges before us. We're already seeing glimpses of this, and it is so easy to feel overwhelmed. Therefore, I want to be sure to document the GOOD things, too, and celebrate those. I need these so that when the hard days come, I am reminded.
So, here goes some "Yay, God!" moments since we took custody of Levi last Monday.
In just one week.....
Levi now is using a trash can. It took several days, but now he instantly takes his trash to the can. It just was something he was never taught. It's normal to toss your trash wherever it lands, which is why Addis is such a dirty city.
He is now using toilet paper and wiping well. Yeah, that's a praise. Toilet paper is not something he was accustomed to. Hard to believe, but paper products just are not common in Ethiopia. They're not considered "necessities: and are expensive. So, we spent the first few days wiping noses and butts all over again. God gets a BIG "Woop! Woop!" for this one.
Levi goes right to sleep when we lay him down. We set up a ritual from the first night we had him. Sit on bed with small light/lamp on. He is petrified of the dark, so we've decided for now, he gets to sleep with a lamp on. Security is huge for him. We read a book, pray together, lay him down with hugs and kisses and walk away. He stays in bed and goes to sleep within minutes. Last night our first night home, he was gone in literally 60 seconds! He doesn't get out of his bed at all unless he has to go to the bathroom, and this morning, I found him playing with a book in his bed. Praises go a long way, so I praised him for obeying and staying in bed. That big smile melts my heart. What a start to my day!
English. His English grows by the hour! It is already amazing how he is beginning to form sentences. We've noticed a difference in the past 12 hrs. since coming to America. He is no longer surrounded by Amharic, so he has no choice but to learn and speak English. We've heard him go from just a few words to some sentences now.
He is a great eater. He's not too picky at all, and he likes healthy foods. This morning, for his first breakfast at home, he had eggs, bacon, biscuits, a granola bar, and some juice. Ate every bit! He loves all kinds of fresh fruits.
He had a horrible cough and congestion when we got him. He's been on antibiotics on and off the past 3 months. Since being with us almost one week, that has just about cleared up with Mucinex, pushing fluids, and cleaning out his nose. I have never seen so much snot. Whoa.
He loves ritual/routine. Once he is taught, he wants to do it that way, so things like showering, brushing his teeth, getting on pjs, getting dressed, etc., he is so good to do.
We've learned that when he sings in Amharic, he's comforting himself. It helps us to know what he's feeling without him being able to verbalize it. I love seeing how music does for him often when it does for us. Comfort, encourage, bring joy..... it's cool for me to share this love of music with my boy.
He adores his siblings, and they adore him. I'm thankful that he has taken to all of us well, but we are just pouring the cement here. Realistically, life will not be rosy, so don't think this is our "happily ever after." We need your prayers more now than ever. Please! Everything before now is just the prologue. We are just now reading "Once Upon a Time" and turning the page. Our real journey begins now. I'm so grateful that God goes before us to lead, and behind us to cover all our messes. There will be plenty.
"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. " Phil 1:6
Last Day in Ethiopia
Thursday March 15, 2012
This morning we went to Mt Entoto, which is the highest point in Addis. The altitude is around 12,000 feet. All I know is we were pretty high up, and it gave me a horrible headache. What blew me away the most was the sight of women carrying huge bundles of wood up and down this incredibly huge mountain. I wanted to cry for them. This was their "norm." The way they made a living. The only way they could eat and feed their families. Our driver told us they would walk up the mountain in the mornings and come down with the wood by early afternoon. Sometimes, they would make two trips. I see why Ethiopian women don't live long. You add this hard labor to sickness, poverty, and disease..... It just was almost more than I could take in. :( While we were at the top of the mountain, we took a tour of the original palace of one of the greatest kings of Ethiopia. The views were amazing. We had hoped to also get outside the city to see some wildlife, but by the time we were done and stopped for lunch, Levi was just really needing a nap. (So were mommy and daddy!)
Today was our first official tough day. Levi has decided that he doesn't really like that he has discipline and protection in his life right now. I can't imagine how overwhelming it must be to go from a "free for all" and "fight for yourself" lifestyle to a normal, somewhat structured life with parents. It felt like we were saying, "No!" all day long, and I couldn't think of a "yes" every single time to replace it with. Here's an example of our afternoon.....
“Don’t hang your head and neck out the window when we are driving. It’s not safe.”
“ Don’t put as many bites as will fit into your mouth whenever we eat. Slow down.”
“ No, we don’t spit “loogies” in places like the Sheraton fountain or at the dinner table.” Ugh.
“Don’t run away from us when we go out. Stay close to Mommy and Daddy. We don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Don’t run into the road.” (He truly doesn’t understand danger.)
“We don’t throw trash down everywhere. We use a trash can.”
“Don’t hang over the balcony."
"Don't put food in your pockets.”
Bless his heart. It is so hard. We’re trying to give him freedoms. We go down the street to play soccer in the big yard of our sister guest house. He can run and play wherever he wants to. He gets to order his food when we go out. He picks his clothes out himself. Today, he was quite cranky towards us though, and preferred our driver who is a sweetheart of a man. He’s a grandfather and just oohs and aahs over Levi. He also speaks Amharic to Levi, which Levi obviously prefers. It’s Levi’s safe place, and understandably so.
Today, we stopped back at the Sheraton to treat our driver to lunch, and I have to say, it’s just a comfort spot for me. It was so nice to have American food-something that looked and smelled familiar. As much as I love trying new foods and enjoy lots of ethnic foods, I just do not like Ethiopian food. At all. I don’t like the smell of the spices or the texture of injera. It actually gags me. Therefore, I have lived on so many carbs from noodles, granola bars, potatoes, and fruit this week, I feel like I could explode. Having something familiar was my comfort after the past week. I get just a teeny tiny glimpse of what Levi is feeling. Isn’t it just nicer to go with what is familiar or what feels good, even if it’s not good for you? Am I the only one who feels this way? How many times have we given up something, only to go right back to it, whether it’s a bad habit, addiction, fattening foods, dangerous relationship, etc? Each time we go back to familiar or where we feel secure out of habit vs what is best-what is GOD’S best. We forget that God is always looking out for our best interest and we can trust Him so much more than ourselves. He’s not setting boundaries or limits to keep us from good or fun, but to protect us from harm and show us Himself in fresh ways. He wants us to seek Him rather than ourselves. He loves us so much.
Levi has a long way to go. So do I. Despite what we see and know as Levi’s good in leaving this lifestyle he’s known, it’s still comfort to him. He would prefer all he has ever known rather than having to change it all, or have it changed for him. All his bad habits are all he knows. They are survival and protection as he knows it. What he doesn’t yet know is they are false securities. Lies. The things he has put into place to keep himself safe won’t work. He is going to have to let go of this and this independence he has built and learn to trust. This reminds me of him swimming for the first time, and Sean teaching him to float. It was a great trust lesson for Levi to trust that His father is holding him up, and will never let him go-even moreso, his Heavenly Father. Levi will have to learn what is true despite what he has experienced in his short little life and despite what feels right to him. He will learn that following his heart leads to destruction, but listening to the voice of God and trusting Him leads to joy, security, and safety. He’s been a survivalist and these behavior traits aren’t indicative of his character. It’s just a habit he learned in order to cope with where he was. Bad habits though. I’m seeing myself in a lot of Levi already. It’s obedience into a new place- a more spacious place of freedom. I think he’s gonna fit in perfectly here with the McKenzie family as we all learn together what it means to let go of the old and trust God with our new life.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Wednesday in Ethiopia
Wed. March 14, 2012
This morning, we went out to the dump in Korah to visit with a group of widows through Mission Ethiopia. God continues to draw us to this area, so when asked if we were interested in going back out there this morning to see what the Lord was doing through the ministry of the guest home where we are staying, we jumped on it. We also want to instill in Levi a desire to help others. He will now get to be on the other end of how his life used to be, so our prayer is that he does remember, always love his people, and has a heart for them like we do. There is SO much to learn from them. We can already see so much compassion in this sweet boy. The widows we visited lived in Korah come and make necklaces to sell in order to make a living. We were invited to sit down with them as they showed us how to take a single strip of paper, roll it, and turn it into a bead. Then they cover the “beads” with varnish, paint them, and string them to make beautiful necklaces. Sean’s hands are so big that they got tickled at the way he was trying to roll this small strip of paper. We’re pretty sure there was quite a bit of gossip goin’ round that table about him. One lady had a Bible on the table. Sean asked if it was Amharic, which it was. He opened it, and said, “Which book is this?” The lady with us said it was Jeremiah. I then asked her if she would read Jeremiah 29:11 to the ladies. I asked her to tell them that it was my favorite verse because it is a promise from God that He has a hope and future for each one of us. She read it to them in Amharic, and we heard many “Ah’s” which is Amharic for “yes.” It was so beautiful to watch their faces as it was being read. I was praying they would know the truths that were spoken. We then got to see the finished products, where we bought some of the necklaces to bring back with us. I am so blessed by the resilience of these women and so many here in Ethiopia. The poverty here cannot even begin to be put into words or pictures. There is desperation like I have never seen in my life. Yet, it is their life and they live it with smiles on their faces. They don’t just survive; they thrive. America has much to learn from them. We complain over the dumbest stuff.
In the afternoon, we went over to the Sheraton hotel. Talk about a contrast! There’s never been two greater extremes. Starting with the armed guards at the gate, the doorman in top hat greeting us at the front of the hotel, the lobby filled with impeccable marble and décor, beautiful lush green gardens throughout the grounds with flowers we had never seen before, it was quite the display. The pool was surrounded by posh chairs and umbrellas, with a restaurant and bar enclosing them, as people came to your chairs to wait on you. It felt so wrong after coming from Korah. I have to constantly remind myself to sit down and enjoy this, and enjoy, we did. The weather was gorgeous-probably 85 degrees, and the water felt great. Levi had never been swimming in a pool like this. I’m not really sure if he had been swimming at all. This boy had a BLAST, and so did we playing with him and watching him soak in yet another new thing.
Afterwards, we ran by to pick up our visas which were all ready to go even sooner than the Thursday they told us to pick them up. Another “Yay, God!” So, we have EVERYTHING we need to get back to America with Levi. Once he enters the airport in Washington, D.C. and goes through customs he will be an official citizen of the United States of America. Each morning he wakes up, he holds up his hand for the number of days before he gets to come home to America. It is the sweetest thing.
Last night Sean had to go down the street to the market for a few items, so Levi played soccer with our guard and wore the poor man out. This kid has so much energy…if we could bottle it, I am convinced it would sell more than Red Bull. Afterwards, we came up for our bedtime ritual. He got a little giggly and started saying things like this:
“Levi toot!” (then made the sound with his mouth) Boys really are boys no matter where they are.
Then he said, “Daddy toot!” (he made the sound with his mouth again)“Mommies no toot!”
Sean started laughing and said, “Mommies toot!”
Levi says, “Noooo. Daddies toot, Levi toot, mommies no toot. Right, mommy?”
Levi says, “Noooo. Daddies toot, Levi toot, mommies no toot. Right, mommy?”
I said, “That’s right, Levi. Mommies no toot!”
Sean started rolling his eyes and then Levi let out one of his huge giggles that you will soon have the blessing of hearing.
So, there you have it folks. In Levi’s world, mommies don’t toot. I’m just gonna stick with him on that. ;)
By the time we finished a story and prayers, he laid his head on the pillow and was gone in 5 minutes. Sean and I both still go in and watch him sleep. It’s just like when our newborns were sleeping. There’s just nothing sweeter than to know God has blessed us with more children and look at them in awe of Him. We thank Him constantly. We can’t wait for Levi to meet his sisters soon. (Andrew had to leave before we could get back.) He is already YELLING out their names all the time. They are going to love him so much!
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