November 14, 2011

Well, I not only survived today, but it was actually a great day. UNBELIEVABLE, even as I write this. I am sure it is because many people were praying for me/us. Of course the day wasn't without a lot of discipline issues, etc. (whose isn't as a parent) but my home and my soul were filled with peace and joy that can only come from God through the prayers of many. 

I made a check-off box system for the basic things that need done in the morning (vitamins, clean up from breakfast, baths for the girls, change clothes, brush teeth) and all four kids are into getting to make their own check marks! It takes a good while for the girls to get their baths and clothes changed so we don't get rolling onto playing until 9:30a or so.

I also made a very loose “schedule” that basically includes mostly structured play (along with the chores/tasks that have to get done in a day).  I got to talk to another adoptive mom (the one some godly advice came from that caused us to keep the girls home from school) on Sunday and it helped me A TON! She encouraged me to let the girls relive their preschool days at home with me. She encouraged us to put away all the noisy toys (doing that tonight) and have options of a dolls/dollhouse, trains and dress up clothes available for them to just play a lot (minus the dress up clothes, those are the two main things we have – yay!). When she first suggested this, I was leary that the girls would go for it. But, over the last two days, they have spent HOURS playing with their dolls and doll houses and they love it. Getting to go back and be a child (younger age than they are currently) is so good for them and their development.

Yesterday we played “Duck, Duck, Goose” as a family (something to get them moving and do as a family) and they all LOVED it and I did it again with them today. I plan to do a fun game like this after breakfast/getting ready for the day each day. Then, the girls worked on some more coloring and the boys played trains. Abram had the hardest time of all of them. L I think it is still hard that all of his toys and spaces (for playing) have gotten invaded. Before lunch I realized how nice it was outside and we walked to the park. It felt like a victory to do that by myself! They didn’t last at the park a long time (the girls only like to swing and not climb around) so I had us walk the long way home just to be outside and walk. We had peanut butter sandwiches, yogurt, granola (thanks, Jess Crawford!) and fruit. I’ve decided we are having PB sandwiches for lunch every day for awhile. It is just too easy with very little clean up (no plates needed). Hallelujah!

The boys both took naps at the same time (yay!) while the girls continued playing dolls. After awhile Zoe Mujinga (younger one) took a few dolls over to the other side of the room and started incorporating blocks to make chairs, couches and rooms for her dolls. It was SO FUN to see her using her creativity and imagination. We are learning that Claire Muad’s love language is physical touch. While she watched a few books being read online (PBSkids.org), she laid her head on my lap while I rubbed her back. Thankful for that.  Before the boys woke up I had Claire Muad help me get some food ready for dinner. After the boys woke up, I got out the play dough my sister made for me (thanks!) and all four kids LOVED playing with play dough for an hour before Jason got home. They were all very excited to see DAD, by the way. Claire Muad wanted to call him at lunch, so we did that.  After dinner we did our new, usual listening to worship songs as a family and dancing around the living room. Zoe Mujinga is going to be quite the worshipper when she comes to know Jesus (maybe she does now – how are we to know?!). She dances with her whole being! Meanwhile, Jason sat in the rocking chair with Claire Muad which was great, too.

This is basically the plan for our days from here on out. Lots of structured play with simple toys and tactile things (play dough, fingerpaint, rice, etc.). Lots of the girls helping me in the kitchen and around the house. Lots of reading, too, but the girls are slow to enjoy it because they don’t understand English yet. I am planning to just start anyway. And I am planning to incorporate our new (received today – YAY!) Rosetta Stone English (homeschool edition no less) into our daily routine! Jason is getting is set up as I write. We are both so excited and thankful to have this. A huge thanks to the family who is reading who got this for us. What a way to help care for orphans!

Several of you have loaded us up with groceries lately and we are so thankful. Beyond thankful! There is no way I will ever get formal thank you’s written to so hopefully my thanks on the blog will be sufficient. A couple other friends text me whenever they are at the store to see what they can get for me. We are being so well cared for by our community, which is allowing us to care of our (former) orphans in distress. What a blessing! In fact today when a friend from our connection group dropped off groceries, it was at the perfect time (boys were sleeping and girls were playing) so I got to sneak outside and talk to my her and get a hug from her. And she prayed for me. It was just what I needed, when I needed it. God continues to come through each day!

I just remembered I didn’t write about going to church yesterday.

It went well¸ as far as we could tell. We got there at normal time and sat up in the family section. We got to see the Scotts right away and I think it was fun for the girls to see Owen. It just so happened to be Orphan Sunday so they showed a video (that Jason found) to highlight the plight of orphans and the need for adoption and foster care. Of course I cried my eyes out! Getting to worship as a family was very wonderful – almost surreal. We left part-way through the message to avoid the crowd afterward. After church we ran a couple errands and the girls were asking again about when we were going to “sambela” (pray/church), so I’m not sure what that was about.

While the language barrier is stil there, I think what has made the last couple days go much better is that we have found ways to communicate with the kids about most of the daily basics. It is a gradual process and in fact, I don’t really realize how the communication is growing until I start looking back. As with all kids, they understand more than they can communicate so we are starting to say more and more what we would say if they could fully communicate so that they can grow in their understanding.

This morning after breakfast, Claire Muad was on the couch looking down. I went to her and asked if she felt sad (while using a facial expression for sad) and she nodded that she did. I asked if she was sad because dad is at work and she nodded that she was. So, while I can’t delve in deeper to how the kids are feeling, at least I can ask and get a response. And I think she just needed me to know. Soon after that she was back in the swing of things. So, I guess all of this is to say that God is providing the amount of language we need to get by. And He will continue to do that.