Bringing an eight year old into our home has been full of difficult moments and beautiful moments. It’s made harder because of the language barrier. The language barrier hasn’t kept us from communicating about the basics, but it has kept me from telling him so many things I want to tell him. Well, some of these things I have told him anyway. And, one day I’ll get to tell him again. So, Oliver, here is what I want you to know one month in:
We didn’t adopt you to save you from a bad life. We adopted you because every kid deserves a family.
We saw the people who loved you for the first eight years of your life. Wow! They loved you so big…and the evidence is in how big you love.
Burundi is special. Your country loves you. They wanted you to have a family too.
It’s okay to be sad about leaving. You don’t always have to be tough. You left so much good. You left friends you’ve spent all of your days with. It’s okay to miss them desperately.
Even if you really like something (like the wheels in your teacher's bin at school or the price sign at Hy-Vee) you can’t take it if it isn’t yours.
Nothing you do will change our mind about you. You are our son. You are loved.
It’s okay to not always like us. I might not always like you. But, we keep loving. And, we keep showing up. That’s what family does.
It doesn’t always snow in Iowa. It isn’t always cold. You just came home in December. And, we hope you enjoy winter, because we mostly love it!
You can be a kid. You don’t have to take care of anyone else. You can just play and go to school and make friends and have fun with your siblings.
Our family is far from perfect. You will see new flaws and shortcomings nearly every day. But, we are a family. And, we do love each other.
Jesus is our Sustainer. He is the reason we are here today as a family of seven. He provides. He leads. He even sometimes drags us when we are unwilling. He is faithful. He is good.
You may wake up some days and be disappointed…that we are your family, that this is your life, that I am your mom. That’s okay. We can take it. We want you.
Your laugh lights up a room.
You are an amazing creation, knit together by a God who loves you.
We know it will take time for you to trust us, for you to know we are for you. And, we’re here for it. The good days and the bad. We are all becoming. We are glad for all you add to our family.
We don’t watch Christmas movies year-round…mostly because dad doesn’t let us.
Even when we know the language, we still make up words to songs. So, keep belting out nonsense words as you sing through the Encanto soundtrack.
I see how brave you are…so much new, so much different. Yet, you reach out and take our hand, climb in our bed, step onto the plane, all with an expectant hope and joy of what is to come.
Please keep asking “What is this?” And, please keep learning. There is so much to know. We want you to have the opportunities to learn and become and know all about this great big world God created.
Through this journey of life, we truly believe that in one-hundred years, the only thing that will matter is your relationship with Jesus. So, in our home, we want to you find Him, ask questions, build an authentic faith to carry you all of your days. We cannot wait to see how He grows you and where He calls you….who He is making you to be.
We love you.
Comments