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| If you return to the Main Page, we hope that you will sign our guestbook. We hope to share the encouragement and kind words with Maria someday. |
| 9/6/2006
I wanted a good verse on friendship, and I know there are some. But honestly I am too tired to search right now. So that will have to wait for another day... The reason I wanted a verse on friendship is that once again, God has provided for me in some very special ways. I received two e-mails today that my heart so needed to hear. One if a dear friend from Oklahoma...Katie, I so wish we lived closer together and could spend time together on a regular basis. She is such a strong woman of faith and someone I can learn about trusting God from. The other e-mail came from one of my dearest high school friends. Thank you, Melissa, for sharing those stories and experiences with me...they were such sweet words for my heart. As I said yesterday, I struggle with feeling isolated, since I am not teaching right now and Maria doesn't really speak much. After talking with other adoptive parents, I am finding that this feeling is very normal, which is ironic since this is the time I want and need others more than ever.. It is just where we are right now. Yet, even in the midst of it, I feel God's presence through others. Speaking of school, I was able to go teach a lesson to my class today. Maria just sat on my lap and handed me all kinds of markers. It was such a joy to see my boys and girls...even though we were only together one day, I just fell in love with my students. I look forward to our year ahead. After teaching a little bit, I ate lunch with Lauren. Or rather, Maria ate lunch with Lauren, I was just the provider of food. I want to say thank you to one of my co-teachers, an experienced mom herslef, who sat and chatted with me while I waited for Maria to finish eating. Again, it was such a provision from God during this time of transition. Afterwards we visited in the teacher workroom...I am so very grateful for the team of teachers in my building. They are supportive and seem so excited about Maria. It was wonderful to just share her with them. After eating, too, she was feeling pretty "good" and was hamming it up. I am glad that others can see the same little girl I get glimpses of throughout the day. As for Maria, she had a pretty good day. A few minor meltdowns, more two year old related than change related. I did get to see her dance today...that was a treat. She loves telling me these long stories, sometimes happy stories, sometimes NOT so much, in her little language "Maria-an". She is also picking up on some of the phrases I use with her, like "Hands, please" or "Pick that up." or "Are you hungry?" I am even hearing a word or two from her, like "Whee!", and "baby". She is still not jumping into Mark's arms, but for whatever reason, she wanted to play peekaboo with him today. She would hide behind a door and jump out and yell "Boo!". So that is progress! Thank you again for praying with us, even and especially now! |
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| 9/7/2006
Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. Okay, I know this is going to sound funny especially with as many differences as there are, but in the picture above where Maria is wearing a baseball cap backwards, I can actually see myself. I don't know if it is the expression or the face shape. It is definitely not the skin or hair color! But I do see a resemblance. :) Guess what we saw today? A cheerful look. And it brought joy to our hearts. I cannot say the whole day was that way. We had a couple of 2 year old meltdowns. (The kind where I am standing there thinking, "What happened from one minute to the next to bring this on?") But it was also full of a lot of joy. Today I told Mark that I really needed to go workout. I am feeling slobbish staying at home even though chasing a 2 year old could keep you fit I suppose. But I also enjoy that "quiet" time. Well, as quiet as a gym can be. We were not sure how that was going to go. And when I left, there was a tantrum like we expected. (Maria, not Mark :) I saw her shoe flying off...my last memory as I drove away. After my "workout", which felt REALLY good though I cannot say I am a weightlifter by any means, I came home to a quiet house. Maria did come running to see me and squealed. But Mark said she had been DELIGHTFUL. Yes, delightful. Even without me! Or maybe it is esepcially without me. :) Either way, we are feeling more hopeful about my return to work in a few weeks. After dinner and one more minor meltdown, we all stretched out on the floor in the living room and just played and wrestled and tickled. It was one of those moments you want to stop and hold onto. We heard laughter and joy and delight from all three of our kids. And even more importantly, Maria interacted with ALL of us. She is starting to play with Hunter and Lauren and has let Mark hug on her and help with her. It does my heart good. God is good! Thank you to everyone who has taken time to write or call! You are blessings to us too! As for Maria, she had a pretty good day. A few minor meltdowns, more two year old related than change related. I did get to see her dance today...that was a treat. She loves telling me these long stories, sometimes happy stories, sometimes NOT so much, in her little language "Maria-an". She is also picking up on some of the phrases I use with her, like "Hands, please" or "Pick that up." or "Are you hungry?" I am even hearing a word or two from her, like "Whee!", and "baby". She is still not jumping into Mark's arms, but for whatever reason, she wanted to play peekaboo with him today. She would hide behind a door and jump out and yell "Boo!". So that is progress! Thank you again for praying with us, even and especially now! |