Thinking back over this last year brings tears to my eyes. It's been wonderful, challenging, heartbreaking, emotional, and full of ups and downs.
The last time I posted on this blog, Tyler* and Jake* were very new to our home. They screamed for hours on end because they were scared, insecure, and didn't know how to tell us what they were feeling. Needless to say, the first three months seemed to drag on and on. I was just about at my breaking point when the boys started to make progress. The first time Tyler used sign language to ask for "more" macaroni-n-cheese instead of screaming, I literally burst into tears.
Since then, both Tyler and Jake have grown so much. Through Speech, Physical, and Occupational therapy (and lots of patient parenting from Chris and I), both boys are growing by leaps and bounds. They both are learning how to communicate their emotions instead of throwing tantrums. Learning this has taken quite a while and remains a daily struggle. Tyler can count to 11 and Jake can count to 7. Both boys can identify quite a few shapes and colors. Tyler is almost fully potty trained (nighttime is still a struggle). We started potty training Jake last Friday and he is doing fantastic with it. I was worried about potty training Jake because he is a pretty strong willed child, but he hasn't really fought me on it. I think he was just ready. Jake knows just about all the basic animal sounds and enjoys making them any chance he gets.
We love going to the zoo (Thank you Mamaw for the season pass). We go several times a month. Going to the park is one of our regular activities as well. When the boys first came to us, they had no idea how to climb on playground equipment or what to do at a park. Now, They run, climb, slide, and swing their way around like pros! Several months ago we took them swimming for the first time. Tyler loved it! Jake didn't like it quite as much. We have gone several times since then and I think he is warming up to it. We also took them to their first movie recently. We saw Madagascar 3. They absolutely loved it and were enthralled the whole time! We also saw Brave and the new Ice Age movie. Eight, maybe even six months ago, the thought of doing so many activities would have produced quite a bit of anxiety for me. I just can't believe how far they have come and how they are flourishing. It makes me want to cry, laugh, and jump for joy all at the same time. : )
We have several things we are looking forward to. Tyler will be starting pre-school in a couple months (*sniffle*). It will be hard for me to not have him with me all day, but I am excited to see him grow and make friends. We are also awaiting some very crucial test results that will hopefully give us a diagnosis on Tyler so we can make a developmental plan.
Most importantly, we are expecting to begin the adoption process on October 17th. We already have an adoption specialist assigned to our case. We are just waiting for the go ahead. We are very anxious to begin. We love these two precious little boys with all our hearts. Thank you, Lord, for bringing these boys into our lives. We couldn't be happier. It amazes me how God knows exactly what we need and when to give it to us. What a mighty God we serve, indeed!
God keeps His promises.
*boy's names were changed to protect their identity
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