Better late than never Easter post

My camera broke, my computer broke, I lost my phone cord, my dog ate it.

We did something different this year.  I made a Lent activity calendar, and every day of Lent we read a scripture or book, watched a video, did a service project or coloring sheet or craft related to Easter.  The kids really enjoyed it, but Lent got a little long for me. : ). On Good Friday we participated in an kid-friendly experiential worship service at a local church. We will definitely go again!  Papa and MeeMaw came for Easter.  The weather was perfect for an egg hunt in the back yard.  Daddy rescued Brett's new rocket off the roof.  We dug for worms in the garden. We released the butterflies.  What a blessed day with family!

 

new creation

if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come, the old has gone, the new is here

2 Corinthians 5:17

 

 

 

 

did she die?

A couple years ago, I decided not to worry about "adoption issues".  Not that I don't think "adoption issues" are real. I just decided to stop looking for them.

You see, I was worried because Brett seemed to have no interest in his adoption story. With all the books, blogs, movies, and friends that express a different reality, I thought there must be something wrong! But with any kid, and with Brett in particular, we have enough to worry about just dealing with the actual problems that are presenting themselves boldly.  I'm choosing to take this at face value.  To this point in his six-and-a-half years, he just really doesn't care that he was adopted.

A great thing about having two kids who were adopted is you know what to expect with the second one you get to have two totally different experiences.  Right on cue, the four and five year olds are curious about babies and where they came from and how in the world they all made it into this family.  Lydia, who has not quite mastered empathy, and where sibling rivalry is at an all-time high, likes to talk about how she grew in my tummy.  (This is where we play up how Brett was our first baby and Reggie is the only one who's flown in an airplane.)

Big questions never happen when I'm prepared with a thoughtful answer.  They happen when I'm drying Reggie off from the shower.

"Did Ms. April die?" 

I choke.

"No." 

He seems satisfied at the moment, but I know he didn't get the answer to his real question. The one his four-year-old brain can't put into words.

And then a few days later after I've tucked him in, he pulls me back toward him and asks," Mom, can we go see Ms. April tomorrow?"

"No, Honey, not tomorrow."

And this week as we are cleaning up our old house, the one all my babies came home to, "Did we move here after we lived in Georgia?" 

"No, we never lived in Georgia..."

Reggie, I pray you know this: it's okay to feel the way you do and to wonder all the things you wonder. We may not get to meet Ms April tomorrow, but there's plenty of room in our hearts for her.  And I'm curious about her, too!  I don't have a lot of answers, but one thing I know for sure-you were not rejected, you were loved.  You are loved.

(worm)

I'm still choosing not to worry.  I'm just taking it one question at a time and hoping I don't screw it up. (That's what normal parenting is, right?)

quote of the day

How long has it been since I've blogged a quote of the day?

Here's one worth pausing for.

 

It's the Easter season so we've been reading lots of stories and watching videos about Jesus' death and resurrection.  I'm trying something new this year, and each of the twelve days leading up to Easter, I'm hiding a "Resurrection Egg".  (See http://www.thissimplehome.com/2012/03/homemade-resurrection-eggs-printable.html) The kid who finds it gets to open it up at dinner, and we talk about what is inside.  Today's egg contained three dimes, representing the thirty pieces of silver for which Judas betrayed Jesus. (Matthew 26:14-16)  I asked the kids what the dimes had to do with Easter.

 

Lydia said, "Because Judas got money from the soldiers to sneeze Jesus."