My husband asked me last night if I was documenting the progress made with the children. Where's he been? Obviously he hasn't been reading my blog!!
I decided that I would make a list on this 30th day of the positives I see in the children.
Little Missy:
* Bonding is happening and growing with each day.
* Displaying Trust
* Calls us Mommy and Daddy
* Gets excited when Daddy comes home from work and runs to greet and hug him
* Knows the correct response to requests by me is "Yes Mom" and will remind brother
* Eats all her food
* Likes to help and can do a great job
* Enjoys playing outside
* Likes to pray and is willing for me to pray with her in a stubborn moment
* Is open to the Spirit in her life
* Will generally go potty in the toilet if we catch her in the right moment (THAT's progress)
* Laughs easily
* Tries to repeat words she doesn't know
* Has learned to sit through a story without interrupting with irrelevant facts and questions
Little Guy:
* Bonding is slower to grow but possibly stronger, better established
* Is now calling us mom and dad
* Is excited when Dad comes home from work
* LOVES story time
* LOVES music - it calms him, is a great teaching tool (more about that another day)
* Is quick to say he is sorry
* Has learned to eat bananas :-)
* Appreciates routine
* Enjoys quiet play like puzzles, trucks, felts, polly -pockets (YUP! )
* Dresses himself without fussing
* Knows the correct response to my requests is "Yes, Mom" and knows to use a pleasant voice
* Uses please and thank you when he is happy
* Likes to have his bath outside in the giant plastic tub with lots of bubbles and hot water
* Will pee in the toilet if caught in time. (I know, small blessings!)
* Is spontaneously giving hugs to his twin at night (used to only hug us after prayer time, but now makes a point of hugging sister, too)
* Excited to practice sign language alphabet (replacing some hand signs not appropriate for our family and it's worked)
* Really excited about learning memory verses for Sabbath School
This week's verse:
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. Psalm 32:8
Thank you, LORD! We take this promise literally.
Okay... must run. Someone is fussing about pottying!!
6 comments:
What a GREAT list that is. I am glad to see you can see all the good amidst the struggles.
I need to make a list about my kids too. It's always good to focus on the positives. Makes the negatives seem less discouraging. Thanks for the reminder. Glad to see progress. I know you are too, no matter how small, it's still progress.
What a great list! This is an awesome way to document (and remind yourself) of how far you have come.
Nice to see you marking the progress snd positives and that there are so many to note! Here is another great adoptive Mom website that you may be interested in reading. http://stellarparenting.blogspot.com/2010/03/10-tips-to-toilet-train-8-year-old.html
Blessings!
Saw you over at Kim's blog and thought I would come to give you congratulations on your progress and to offer support. Nice to "meet" you.
Peace,
:)De
Saw you at Kim's too. Just wanted to encourage you too. We are adopting a sibling group of 6 from the foster system. We've had them for just about 6 months now. We finally feel like we are coming out of that initial period of INTENSE hard work! You can do it by the Grace of God! Kids can heal. We have seen amazing progress in our children. It is so good to keep looking back (like this post) to see where you've come from. . . there is so far to go, that sometimes it feels like you're going no where but when you look back you can really see how far the Lord has brought you.
I would love to chat if you are in need of some encouragement. I know it has been SO important for me these past 6 months to have some good friends that can say "it's o.k., it IS hard, you are doing the right thing, keep trusting the Lord!" but who don't say "well, you brought this on yourself. . . " LOL!
Figure out a few things that really help both you and your husband to feel refreshed and renewed and make it a priority to put that in place for the next 6 months. If you can afford it, I would suggest getting someone to come in and clean your bathrooms and floors once a week (just for this hard transition, intense parenting season).
Sorry, didn't mean to offer a bunch of advice, mostly just thinking back on these past months and wanting to help make your transition time the best it can possibly be!
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