The first night with Daniel...in a word...I can't write the word to describe the awfulness of it. We arrived on the train at 11:40 pm to Kiev. The trip was good. Trying to get him to sleep...well, it didn't happen. At. All. No lie. I laid down with him envisioning this cuddly bonding time. I started to nod off and WHAM! He flipped. Scared out of his mind. It really is heartbreaking to see a child struggle so much with what others have done to him. Even in the midst of his storm he would occasionally quiet and pet my face and tell me he loved me, and then back to the hurricane.
By the next night I was very worried about what would happen. Thank goodness it was better. It really is just that new places are very overwhelming for him. Imagine being eight and spending your entire life in three rooms and a fenced in yard. Then suddenly you are with strangers. On a car. In a train. In a new bed. Not being able to communicate with those new people.
I was praying over him. Whenever I pray over my children. I always say, "Dear God, thank you for (insert name here)" and then so on... I said, "Dear God, help me to be thankful for Daniel..." and then I heard God's response in my heart, "No one has ever prayed thanksgiving over Daniel." And I was convicted.
It is hard. Again, the unknown.
But I cling to what I know, and that is that Daniel has a kind and funny heart. And that even though there might be better mothers in the world, I am Daniel's mother. God gave me to him and him to me. And that God will supply everything that our family needs.
Highlights:
Going to get Daniel at the orphanage and having him chuck his clothes, put his new ones on, hug a few friends and book out of there.
Having Daniel tell me "Good boy, Mama" when I do something nice for him.
Daniel sleeping. I mean, as hard as he fights it, once he succumbs a bomb could go off and it wouldn't make a bit of difference.
And....Drumroll....
Our passport being ready today! (More details to follow!)
No comments:
Post a Comment