Turning a Corner

Well, we have been home almost two weeks now and I think we have really turned a corner.  We started out with a really unhappy boy who had two ear infections, what I believe was lactose problem, giahardia, and just a poor little heart that was lost…. and now it appears we have found a sweet, mostly happy, almost healthy little man.  Praise God. 

 These past few weeks have been really hard and left us wondering if we had misunderstood God’s call to adopt.  Eyob was sick, we were sick and tired, and Sean was sick and feeling misplaced… I think Sloan was the only one who has made it through in one piece.  He was excited to see us and his new brother and he has been a real trooper.  I think that I was dealing with a little post-adoption depression, but maybe it was just jetlag along with a real spiritual valley after coming off of such an intense few weeks.  This adoption was the culmination of  many months of prayer and planning and to have it over was kind-of shocking to me and in some ways disappointing.  Anyway, Brandon has been a rock for me.  Thank the Lord, he has been home on paternity leave.  He has held me up while I have gotten my feet back under me, he has changed more of Eyob’s dirty diapers than me, fed more late night bottles than me and reassured me countless times that Eyob will relax, our family is going to be alright and that this was the right thing to do.   He has been right. 

Almaz (Hannah’s Hope director) was right. She told me that two weeks from when we left, we probably won’t even be able to recognize the child we first met in Ethiopia.  Eyob is smiling more, crawling up the stairs after his brothers, he is ok being down on the floor by himself (most of the time), he plays peek-a-boo and claps his hands.  All of which he either, didn’t know how to do or was to afraid to do or to sick to want to when we first met him.  He has a great little laugh and a beautiful smile.  Things are now mostly hard because we have three little boys and where once I had a pretty good schedule going, I know have to start over.  My “free time” is mostly gone (hopefully, just for now) and our bedroom is not our own, but God is proving faithful in not giving us more than what we can handle.  I don’t know why that is so hard to remember in the middle of what you are handling but…….

This morning Brandon and I just looked at each other and laughed….. Eyob was hitting Sean, Sean was say, “No! No! baby!” and hitting him back and SLoan was whining about something….. we are truly outnumbered, out matched, but hanging by a thread and trying to enjoy the ride that these three boys are taking us on.