Oh, how I want to get home. Chris and I have been sick for the last week with a severe sinus infection. Wednesday when we arrived in Bogota I started breaking out in hives. This was most likely due to stress and the many bed bug bites I got from the cot in our hotel room in Neiva a few days into our stay. I have been in a battle with the little buggers ever since. I am anxious to get the kids home and establish a set routine. They need a settling atmosphere. There has been a big difference here in Bogota in just the short time that we have been here. They are much more calm and they have more freedom. There are a lot of kids here to play with and this has been a break for us.
I want people to know that adopted children come with a lot of baggage, even though we recieved them with only the clothes on their backs. We are just beginning to unpack their luggage. It is hard to remember that they are not typical children. They have deficits that you just don't think about until they are apparent. In many ways they are like toddlers. You have to watch them every minute. They put everthing in their mouths. We started saying, "Adios," to any food that fell on the ground to let them know that it was gone and not to be eaten. We have a lot of work to do. We try to tackle one thing at a time. It is a daunting task, but we are committed to them and cannot wait to see how they transform.
Home will be an exciting experience. They can't wait to get there and I can't wait to get them there. I am ready to begin our life together as a family in our community.
2 comments:
They do come with alot of "baggage". We are still learning things after 2 1/2 years and I know that it will continue. Being home with them will help and as they acquire more English that will help too. I think your being in familiar territory and more stable makes it easier to deal with the issues they have. I read something that helped me with the touching everything, etc that they seem to come to us with. It talked about family age. The concept that they act and you treat them as if they are about as old as you have been a family. Ours are now "2 1/2" and in many ways we treat them as such. They still require alot of watching and explaining things too, but it does continue to become easier. Glad you have had a relatively short trip and are on your way home.
I have enjoyed following along and please let us know how it's going.
Karen
Oh that all sounds so familiar! You are exactly where we were this time last year. Just keep plugging away, a kingdom (nor a family in our cases) is not built in a day. You just have to remediate the big issues first and work your way down - I had to learn not to sweat the small stuff.
I've enjoyed your blog too. Please keep blogging so we know how you all are doing!
-Anne
Post a Comment