It’s been six months since our Nehemiah joined the family.
We had a post-placement visit the other day.
Our caseworker mentioned how relaxed he has become
compared to her first visit.
Ya’ know how it is when you are around someone,
you don’t notice the change like others do.
It was really fun to have her mention the relaxation of our newest son.
He is doing unbelievable!
Nehemiah’s English is beginning to come as well.
But there are some things that are so doggone cute,
I just don’t want to change or correct.
Like this:
Remember how I mentioned that without fail,
every single night, our treasures ask if I am going to come
and kiss them goodnight.
Well recently Nehemiah started asking as well.
Only thing is that it is not quite like
“Hey mom, are you going to come kiss us goodnight?”
Our newest treasure has his very own
“Nehemiah-version” of that,
“Hey Mom, you kiss guy?”
It makes me giggle every night.
Of course I definitely will not be correcting him.
In fact, truth be known, I will bum out when he learns
the real way to say it.
Reminds me of when Emma was a little tike…
she wanted to wear “lick-smick” in the worst way
{lipstick}
And it seems like I barely turned around and our ‘lick-smick’ girl
lives in Africa serving the orphan.
All too fast.
{ugh}
The other day we were going to head into Costco.
Every big person ‘partners’ with at least one little person
as well as me pushing Ruby in the stroller.
Isaiah piped up loudly,
“Mom will you be my partner?”
To which Nehemiah immediately chimed in,
“Mom! Nehemiah’s ‘prrrrranneddeder’?
He was trying to say “partner” but just schmeared a bunch of letters
together after saying the ‘p’ sound.
I repeated what he said and then I started to giggle.
He giggled too.
It was adorable.
When I am tucking the boys in at night, I hold hands
as kind of one big circle as we pray together.
But I only have two hands…and there are of course, three little boys.
So I rotate.
One boy gets a foot and two get hands…as I do a giant “X” between the bunk beds.
The giggles start when it’s a top-bunk boy’s turn to get mom’s foot.
Fifty-four years old and giving it my best to conquer a 3D Twister game move…
Nehemiah has been opening up about life before he came home.
His memory is impeccable and he has, in broken English, shared some painful and
very intimate details of the first 9 years of his life.
Two brothers, Isaiah and Elijah, have laid respectfully quiet
and listened to the tidbits of life as they have spilled out.
A solemn time.
And with each little piece Nee’s shared,
my heart has become only more emboldened to be the voice of those who have none.
Passionately determined to tell all who will listen of the joys of adoption:
whether older child or those considered ‘special needs’…
Everyone
deserves
a family…
Everyone deserves a mom to “kiss guy”.
Mmm. Sweet and hard. So glad you all have him!
Linny, I love you guys! I love yours and Dwights passion and all out love for your kids and all the kids who still need a family… Touches my heart deeply and brings tears to my eyes!!!:) So thankful Nehemiah was blessed with your family…(I know you are so blessed by him:):)
Sara, The thing that I'm not sure people truly understand is this: We wouldn't have life any other way. We have been blessed a bazillion times more than we could ever "bless" our kids. We get to and we couldn't be happier. Love to you…
LOVE THAT!!! Hooray for adoption!!!!
That little guy is so SO special! And I love how God has created your heart to be so wonderfully soft for him in just the perfect way to be his mama 🙂
Happy Six Months with your forever family, Nehemiah!!
I cannot believe the gift we were given when the Lord brought Nee to our home. He's a treasure in the truest sense of the word.
What a precious little boy! I am so thankful for your blog!
My heart is so happy for your guy to have your family!!!
Beautiful! Congratulation on 6 months together
samantha
Priceless. <3
He is oh, so precious Linny! A real treasure from God. There is something pretty special about our little (and not so little) boys! God Bless, Angie
So beautiful, and I'm so glad he has you to "kiss guy," and that you have been blessed with him. Amazing grace. I just love the redemption of adoption and how it mirrors what was done for us…
Isn't "Kiss Guy" the best? I giggle just thinking of him saying it. I need to get it on video. You know the truth of "Amazing Grace" through disruption. So much to be thankful for.
Aww I love these little quotes and stories. And that last picture is super cute of N & J. Do they both speak the same 1st language? And do any of the other children have another language they speak together? Just wondering if that eases communication as they master English.
Beautiful family.
All of our kids adopted internationally do not speak their native language anymore. I think there is something {although I have never researched} that many do not want to remember it and block it out quickly. Perhaps too painful to remember and all it represents? Not sure. But there is no doubt that Nee and Jubi are good buddies…
Love, love, love! So thankful this adorable little guy is starting to feel safe and loved. So thankful you get to cherish these moments.
Can't believe he's been home six months!! Feels like yesterday everyone was guessing his name and waiting to see pictures of him! And he IS as cute as a button, and so sweet! Love this <3
Kathi S. From CCAI suggested your Blog to me and I absolutely love this post!! Thank you for sharing and encouraging those of us who are only beginning our adoption journeys.
Kathi S is a rockstar!! Love that dear friend and CCAI is an amazing agency! I refer people to them all the time!
Yeah they do – every last one of them…
Great joy for your progress – lots of it!
hugs – aus and co.
He sounds like such a sweet fella. I'm glad he is home.
What a precious gift he is. I can't believe it's been 6 months!
What a great post, these little things sure make us smile! Thanks so much for sharing! ~hugs~
Wow! SO precious!
Warms my heart to see Nehemiah adjusting so well…but most of all because he is so loved!
He is so adorable. Keep lovin' on him!
Just look what love can do. He looks so happy and at peace. I love how the Lord continues to grow your family in so many ways. It gives me such hope and I am thankful for your listening and obedient hearts.
I have often wondered how Nee is doing and am so glad to hear that things are going well. He certainly loves his mama's kisses, doesn't he? I seem to recall that he tried to bribe a young man with mama's kisses when you went looking for a Christmas tree. What a precious treasure you have!
What a beautiful picture of your two treasures! Happy 6 months!
Blessings,
Suzanne
Our Melissa use to say paint nailish (nail polish) it was so cute I couldn't correct her. At 18 she says she still has to think about the correct way to day it.