Nine Months!

Today the wee Frankie has been home nine months! Amazing! He has been with us now just as long as the time he spent in Nsambya Babies Home. What a changed boy he is now - self confident, friendly, funny, is completely monolingual in English, talks SO well, and his personality has really exploded!

The kids were in their room playing yesterday and I heard Frank's little voice say, "You're making me so mad, Ella. You're not sharing!" I couldn't help but smile and think back to nine months ago when he couldn't speak English and either screamed when he played with his sister or totally disassociated. Thank you Lord for helping us all hang in there through some really crappy, difficult months!

Ella's love, acceptance and devotion to her brother (even when he was at his worst) is truly convicting and challenging. Sadly, she has loved her little bro far more unconditionally than I have through these difficult times and I'm the "mature" parent! Adoption, especially with an "older" child, is truly about commitment and perseverance - those overwhelming feelings of love don't always come immediately and can take time (usually while the kid is fast asleep in their bed :). In some ways, it's much like marriage and can be hard. God does reward our commitment however, and I can truly say that I love my son now. In fact, I love him more and more everyday...

"Will they continue to make me wear pink in my new home?"

Every time we would go see Frank (several times a week) we would find him in pink! He is a rather pretty little boy to begin with and in pink, well, he looked just like a pretty little girl!

NO MORE PINK!!!

Then

Now

Then

Now - the way it should be!