7 Months

As of February 18 Felmata has been home with us for 7 months. Most days it's difficult to remember life without him. He continues to be an emormous source of joy and laughter in our house. He is growing and changing and becoming more and more American. There are days when I long for him to sing me a song in Oromo (his native language), but he just looks at me and giggles. As much as I'd hoped he would mantain his Ethiopian heritage, it is becoming more difficult. I bought him some injera (a very common food in ET) a while back, and he declared he'd rather have PB&J ... with NO crusts. American indeed! I do allow him to drink coffee (gasp!), only because it's truly the only thing left of Ethiopia in his world.

We have been sending our quarterly reports back to Ethiopia, where we're required to answer lots of questions about his progress, and also include pictures. I've also included with the reports an additional envelope filled with pictures for his birth mom. I have no way to know if she gets them or not, but I sure hope she does. I had some contact with our agency lately, and they asked the question for me. Our contact is Ethiopia assured me that she "definetly gets the pictures". I can barely allow my mind to go to what that must be like.

I hope when she looks at them she can see that he is well. That he is loved. That he is our child; just as much as Noah and Ella. And that we are doing as we promised we would. She remains in my heart and thoughts more often than I had thought she would. This woman who is so different than me, and yet so much the same. This sister in Christ who I have spent 30 minutes with, and yet am connected by a bond that is stronger than most in my life. She remains in my heart.

Felmata has seen several pregnant ladies lately, and has asked me if he grew in my tummy too. I gently remind him of his ET Mom, and explain that while he didn't grow in my tummy, he grew in my heart. He loves this word picture and I do too; because it is so true.

To think that we flew all the way across the world, picked up this 3 year old child whom we had never met before, brought him into our home, our lives, our hearts. Just 7 months ago. And really truly love him like he's always been ours.

It is a miracle.

All in itself.

God didn't have to bless us this way. And yet He did.

And I am grateful.