They marched into the chapel and I was so excited because I brought the video camera with me and as soon as Nick saw me, he broke from the line and came marching straight to me. No bonding problems here! He would not go back up and sing but did great hand motion and sang a few words here and there while sitting in my lap! Oh well, he still looked cute. He did walk up and get his jingle bell for the song so I snapped a picture for the illusion that he participated but then came straight back to me.
They had a cute little table all set up for them and he sat nicely for the prayer and the snack although he only ate the m&m's......the red and green rice krispie treat did not appeal to him (secretely, yeah!) he sniffed it and touched it to his tongue and sat it back down where it stayed until thrown away. It is still anyone's best guess what he will and will not try........
He loves his homeroom teacher, Ms Marsha and even left Mama's lap to go talk to her about Santa, who had just come in and freaked him and a few other kids out. He will wave from afar but won't even consider sitting on his lap. He is a GIANT after all?? Not too worried about this one either....would rather him learn about THE ONE that Christmas is all about vs. develop a deep affection for Santa.
He is standing here in the circle with both of his teachers, Ms. Marsha and Ms. Vicki. I am so thankful for these women who have been so loving and patient with Nick. A wonderful first impression of School and Teachers for Nick.
He looks pitiful here but actually, he was the first to get the present as they passed them around hot potato style. As the gift stopped with them, they removed the child from the circle. Here in this picture, he reminds me of our dog Amigo salivating over the treat that we are making him wait for the command to grab........can I open it, can I open it?? He and all of the kids did a great job waiting until all of the kids had received their present.
Nick makes us laugh all of the time with his facial expressions and funny creations. This is his pirate patch and he is yelling "ARGH".......I have no idea how the spoon reminded him of a patch but that is what we have to make it.....and only certain spoons fit just right under his glasses...So Funny!
This is our other crack-me-up look but because we were asking for it, the look is not actually completely authentic. When he does his "umm" while thinking of choices/alternatives, it is much funnier and more theatrical but you get the idea.
We are on the Christmas countdown! In less than 3 days, we will be headed to Ata Bob and Grandma Ruth's house. Nick is so excited about the snow and sledding. We are done with our Christmas shopping so should be able to relax once we get up there. I have already decided that I pretty much will be crying all the time because I can't even THINK of Nick running for his new toy with all of his multiple expressions without almost boo-hooing. As I commented on someone else's blog, even though momentous things have happened to him over the past 8 months, he (being a boy/male) will probably just be going wow, what a cool rocket but I on the other hand will be filled with flashbacks, thoughts, and remembrances of the litte boy walking in the room looking scared and lip quivering just a bit and not quite understanding who those people in that green room were....... He did not even speak much in Kazakh or Russian ......and now we are constantly saying "Nick, Volume Control" on the singing or proclamations of the moment. Nick has been a complete picture of the metamorphasis of a caterpillar to the butterfly. As many days as Pat and I feel like we have been horrible parents or made too many mistakes, we can't deny the fact that Love and simply Love has changed our little boy into the most interactive, jovial, "Mr. Happy" per his Teacher, affectionate, and mind-boggling creative and funny boy that we could have ever imagined 10 months ago when we met him. Many people have commented on how this will be a great Christmas because we can see it thru a child's eye now but I don't think that is it for us. Adopting Nick took us on an unexpected journey to ourselves. We came face to face with our God thru the whole adoption experience......the highs and the lows brought us into a place of understanding that we could not have experienced before going to Kaz. So we will not see Christmas different this year just because we have a child but because we have been taken on a life-changing journey by another child that came to this earth to become like us so that He could sacrifice Himself for us making a way for us to be "Adopted" into His family and have life everlasting. When I hear Nick say the name "Jesus", I get chills. Just like the song, there is just something about THAT name. To know that we were hand-picked by God to introduce Nick to the JESUS that can change and, in many ways, has already changed his little world forever is nothing less than momentous and if I never, ever feel any other God given purpose on this earth, I feel that I have experienced the greatest purpose already. God is so Good and He truly knows what we need and makes all things work together for His Good purposes. Thank you God for the best Christmas present ever this year!
6 comments:
Nick looks sooo cute dressed for his Christmas party!! He will have sooo much fun playing in the snow, I took Nicholas out to play in the snow yesterday, we were only out for 10 minutes but he had fun! It actually took longer to get him dressed to go outside than being out there. Have a very Merry Christmas with your new son!
Karen, you can always bring tears to my eyes. Nick is so blessed to have you for a mama and you are so blessed to have him. Enjoy your first Christmas together as a family of three (four with Amigo). I pray that next year will be a little more relaxing for you and Pat.
You must stop writing these deep emotional blogs that make me cry! I can't even tell you how much they move me. I do wish that we had more time to talk about these deep things. We must make the time to get together. I can just forget about trying to take Libby to preschool on Fridays! Plus I really need to be praying and asking for prayer about me teaching next year. I know I have to make it through this year first but I am already thinking about next fall. I don't know when you all return from your trip (have a good one) but I work on 1.2-3.08 so do you all want to get together on that Friday 1.04? Thanks for taking the time to sit down and share your amazing revelations about your journey. akml
Can't wait to build a snowman with Nick (and, of course, see you and Pat). Think I will leave the sledding to princess, as I am getting more protective about the mid-section. Must admit that I got a bit teary at the thought of Nick singing jingle bells. Perhaps we can do a bit a singing in WI.
The spoon is too funny!
It warms my heart to read about your family. :)
I know you are in Wisconsin now, but hope you read this additional comment at some point. You guys are really the best to recognize that Nick is a gift and to have such appreciation of that.
I am sure you are all enjoying yourselves with the grandparents and aunts and uncle.
Love, Carol
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