The Lee Three

The Lee Three

Monday, December 5, 2011

December 5, 2011

I felt like I had a little bit of school going on in my kitchen this morning because while Zoe was doing Rosetta Stone, Claire was writing out all the words to the song, Your Great Name (copying what I wrote). It was fun to see. We left at 10:00a togo to Des Moines again today to get all three kids’ blood drawn. Claire didn’t have a hard time at all with it, but the other two sure did. We survived! Abram stayed at Kate’s.

Speaking of Abram, this morning I heard him trying to speak more Lingala. Isaiah calls his little matchbox cars (that are permanently affixed to him) ‘motocars.’ I heard Abram try to say it like that but it came out something like ‘supercar. Cracked me up!

When we got home around 2:00p and both boys were sleeping, the girls wanted to go outside so I let them go by themselves. They bundled themselves up and went out for a little bit, but not too long. J I love that they still want to go outside and I equally love that they are old enough and comfortable enough to go outside (and stick near the house) by themselves. Once they came in, they played dolls/house (where they make furniture out of blocks and rooms with train tracks/baseball bases!) from about 2:30-5:00p. Seriously, they often will play like that for three hours at a time. I love that they love to play and play and play!

The boys both took monster naps. Isaiah always wakes up half way through his nap and goes back to sleep – without fail. Most of the time he goes back to sleep on the bed, but sometimes, like today, I hold him for the second half of his nap. It is good for both of us (for attachment) to do that every now and then. I was sitting with him in the back room, just watching the girls play on the other side of the room. I loved it. It was one of those simple moments that filled me with such joy. I started thinking, too . . . Seeing my girls lay on the floor playing so comfortably, like they’ve always lived here, I started thinking about the them living in the orphanage. I wondered what how they “played” there. I wondered when they first met each other and just how long they’ve been friends. And did they immediately became friends or was it a friendship that grew over time? I just sat there with Isaiah – loving that I could hold him today for those moments - and took it all in. There will never be words to describe seeing your child thrive (at least for that moment) in your home, knowing they lived in a filthy, horrible orphanage for a significant amount of time (not all orphanages are bad, but we have been told this one was). I clearly don’t think about this all the time, but I am grateful for the time I had today to ponder these things . . . and thank God for giving them a family – OUR family!

Never Give In, Never Give In

I just read this post by one of my favorite (and thus, very helpful, adoptive blogging moms). It is a must-read for anyone adopting, having adopted or loving and supporting those doing so. I also found it timely considering what I wrote yesterday about the song, "You'll Come."

Sunday, December 4, 2011

December 4, 2011

Finally (from the girls’ perspective), today was Sunday and we got to go to church and worship together. The girls start asking about when we get to go worship by about Wednesday during the week. Such a sweet blessing. And they are never ready to leave church. . . I’m guessing because church in Africa is a near-all-day affair!

It was also pretty sweet after church to see SEVEN former orphans from Congo (from three families), two former orphans from Ethiopia and one former orphan from Ghana. Not to mention several other kids I saw who I know have been adopted. It was a beautiful sight to behold. I LOVE WHAT GOD IS DOING IN OUR CHURCH!

One of the songs we sang at church was “You’ll Come.” It has so much meaning to me in this new life. The part that I was in tears singing and continued to pray throughout the day was this:

Chains be broken
Lives be healed
Eyes be opened
Christ is revealed

CHAINS BE BROKEN
There are chains and strongholds in our children’s lives that need to be broken. Specifically the strongholds of fear, rejection and rebellion. My friend (that I mention all the time from CA) has adopted from Africa and been to Africa and told me to pray specifically against those three strongholds. I haven’t been super faithful about doing so but this song encouraged me all the more to pray in this way.

LIVES BE HEALED
Our children’s lives – the places deep inside their hearts – need to be healed. There is fear, rejection, hurt and pain from their pasts. If you saw my kids today in my home, you would not think that at all . . . and sometimes I forget this is the truth. But most of their bad behavior stems from these hurts so I do see it – just not all the time.

EYES BE OPEN
I pray that God will open my kids’ eyes and hearts to His truth. Healing will only come through His truth.

CHRIST REVEALED
Oh how I pray Christ will reveal Himself daily in my home. That is our only hope. It is my only hope to love, discipline and train them the way God would have me to (which I am still figuring out daily). And it is my children’s only hope to heal, be saved and come to terms with the pain of their pasts and allow Jesus to use it for His glory.

I’ve decided to bake a whole chicken on Sunday mornings to have for lunch after church each week. The kids get really excited about seeing a “biggy” chicken! Putting the whole chicken on the table (the one time we do put food on the table) and letting the kids pick their own pieces to eat off the bone is a HUGE treat for them. They love it. And I like the start of this new tradition!

After lunch, despite the 27 (but felt like 17) degree weather, the girls still wanted to go to the park with their dad. So, we put long underwear on one of them (that we recently bought foreseeing this would be the case!) and snow pants on the other, two pair of socks, etc. and they were ready to go.


This pic is from family movie night last night. It is not the best picture, but Zoe has her hands wrapped around Abram, holding him on her lap . . . a beautiful first!
Zoe showing off her huge can of chili beans.
The monkey and the frog making an appearance before bedtime.