365 days of Sam

1 year ago and 1 day ago was Sam's last day as an orphan. 1 year later and he is such an intrinsic part of our lives that I can't imagine even 1 day without him. A year ago he spoke no English, did not know how to be part of a family, and only ate like 3 foods.

Today Sam eats so many foods I can't list them all, he speaks practically no Russian, and most importantly he learns every day a little bit more about being part of a family.

Before we adopted we were told that there were two types of orphans: the resilient and the not resilient and since then I prayed for resiliency. I prayed that Sam would be able to leave the orphanage behind him and be happy. That prayer has been answered over and over again. Sam will always be adopted but thankfully he is no longer an orphan and the orphanage does not define him.

A year later and Sam is in kindergarten. He knows his alphabet and all the sounds. He can count to 100 (just ask him), he loves to color, he loves to jump off anything, he is finally growing out of the 3T/4T clothes we bought last year, he LOVES to play with other children, he is on a soccer team and isn't the worst player on the team, he's been to the beach and to Colorado, and he has been hugged, kissed, and loved for 365 in a row.

Almost every morning I wake up with Sam snuggled next to me and every morning I thank God for this incredible blessing. 365 days ago we weren't a family and now we are. Sam makes everything better. Even when I am sad, he finds a way to make me laugh. God made me to be Sam's mom, but more importantly God made Sam just to be my son and I'm grateful that I get to spend many more years with him.

Today we did all the things Sam loves. We ate donuts for breakfast, played at Goofballs, had lunch with papa, made a paper pumpkin for school, ate ice cream with Babushka, played outside, had delicious beef stroganoff for dinner and a Spiderman cake for dessert. Then we read our story and watched food network together until he fell asleep.

God is good. God can turn an orphan into a Sam. God can turn three people into a family. God has a plan and everytime I look at Sam I know it.

What God is Doing

A few weeks ago I listened to a sermon (the first I've heard in ages actually) and part of it was about sharing with others what God is doing in our lives. I really debated putting this on FB but God is moving and I feel like it's important to tell others. Some of you know, but most of you don't, that I've been pregnant since July. And last night around 6 pm I went to the ER and found out I had had a miscarriage. This was literally my worst nightmare come to life. The thing I've been most afraid of happening since I was maybe sixteen years old and first realized I could have a baby. Since I found out I was pregnant I have lived with neverending nagging fear.

And last night, with all my fears justified, my God came to me and gave me comfort. He assured me that I was not being punished and I was not to blame. He spoke to my heart that although Satan meant this for my harm God would use it for my good. Several months ago I read the book "10 Minutes in Heaven" and when he goes to heaven there are people he's known waiting for him to welcome him to heaven. And when I read it I thought about how there is no one waiting for me. Everyone I love is still here. And last night Jesus brought this back to me and let me know that maybe he just wanted me to have someone at the gate. My sweet baby Katie waiting for me with Jesus.

And now I have nothing to fear. No more reasons to be afraid. If God can walk with me through my worst nightmare then he will never leave.

My favorite song is a Jars of Clay song and the part that always comes to me in times of distress came to me again last night "Though the pain is an ocean, tossing us around, around, around. You have calmed greater waters and higher mountains have come down. I will sing of your mercies that lead me through valleys of sorrow to rivers of joy." Rivers of joy. That's what's coming.

Find more songs like Jars Of Clay at Myspace Music

Update

We have been such slackers in updating lately. It's hard to blog when all you can say is life is good.

Life is really good. Everyone said we would hit our stride at about 6 months home and we really have. Sam's English improves daily and his vocabulary is amazing. He talks all the time! Sometimes it's hard just to get a word in edgewise. He's very social and would rather play with a friend than do anything else. He's looking forward to school in a few months about as much as his mama is dreading it.

His new favorite thing is Ben10 Ultimate Alien and he is constantly smacking his wrist or Ben10 watch and transforming. His imagination never ceases to amaze us.

Tim started a new job this week and Sam and I are adjusting to his new schedule. Instead of getting home at 4 now he gets home around 6 and Sam is definitely missing his papa time. On top of that Sam has an unexplained fever that seems to come and go and have no other symptoms. I'm trying to get him to stay calm but he's all 5 and all boy so it's only partially working.

Attachment feels like it's progressing, although as Tim likes to say, you feel like your attached until something happens that says you aren't. Sam is still crawling in bed with us most nights and after a few hours away he will usually call to say he misses me but he doesn't mommy shop and he is getting really good at checking in when he's playing with a friend or by himself. He seems less anxious and more sure of himself daily.

Below is what you actually came for. The first video I took on the one year anniversary of the first day we met Sam and the second one is of Sam reading one of his BOB books.

Prayer for This Family

There is this incredible family, The Hooks, that is adopting a child from Russia with Down Syndrome. Their court date was earlier today and recently a judge denied a family who was also trying adopt a child from the same orphanage with Down Syndrome.

They have not updated their blog, so I do no have any further news. But just pray that God is with them no matter the outcome and that He will be glorified.

*Update*

I just found an update on their facebook page. There was a problem with their paperwork, so they will have their court date tomorrow (4/1) at 2am CST. Please be praying for them.

Sam's Boldness and How We Should Represent Christ

For some time now, I have been thinking about Sam’s book of pictures that we took to him on the first trip over there. It had photos of Carrie and I. It had a little story about us going on a plane and bringing him back to America. And maybe most importantly to Sam at least, it contained pictures of the cats. Apparently at some point between the time that we left Sam at the orphanage and brought him to America, some older boys took his book and hid it from him. They ripped pages out of it, and finally they throw it in the trash.

We really did not know what happened to it until Sam told Carrie all of this one night while she was putting him to bed. I cannot help to think about how that little photo book represented a promise of a new life to Sam. I cannot help to draw a comparison, because I love a good comparison. Sam’s photo book represented to Sam a chance for a new life just like the Bible promises to anyone who believes. The comparison fails in the sense that Sam is flawed, and we as his parents are blemished and have and will continue to be imperfect parents. The Bible, on the other hand, promises are perfect and the only ones screwing them up are us.

Why am I writing about all of this? Because as we (and I study more intensely) study Acts in youth group we are seeing the first Christians. And we are seeing the first Christians being persecuted for their belief. Our teacher, Chris White, said this past week that if we are really living boldly for Christ that we should expect to be persecuted. One of the questions, I was suppose to ask the guys in my small group was have they ever been persecuted for their faith? Most had no answer and the best answer I could come up with is that I had a job interview stop because I talked about doing charity for church. I really wish I could have thought of Sam and his persecution. I bet he was bold in his faith and his book that we were going to come and get him and bring him back to America. I bet he was even a little boastful. I am not saying that we should taunt non-believers with, “I am going to heaven and you are going to hell.” But we should be boastful in the since that what Christ has done and continues to do for us all. As a result of Sam’s faith and boldness, he was persecuted. How can a 4 year old boy who only met us for 8 hours have some much faith in us? He had enough faith to be bold and in turn be physically and emotionally persecuted.

Where is my boldness? Where is our boldness as Christians in a Christian nation? I hope Sam never looses his boldness and his ability to stand up for what he believes in.

All quiet on this front

January was the first month we had with Sam that wasn't littered with holidays/celebrations. It was a quiet month, evidenced by the lack of photos and blog posts.

Sam is improving leaps and bounds. His english is amazing. I never speak Russian anymore unless it's an endearment here or there. The biggest sign that the change in language is clicking is that he's started playing in English. Batman and the Joker are now fighting in their native tongues!

It is amazing to watch him change and grow. He has recently started telling long winded stories that only occasionally make sense. My favorite is about a wolf that came into the desky dom which Sam punched and then it was dead.

We're still dealing with some issues. We tried to take him to the learning center at church while Tim and I went to listen to the sermon and it was a disaster so he's still not ready to be alone with anyone except babushka.

Sam was home 3 months on January 31st. I took some video of him that night before bed just so you could all see how much he's changing. I also posted some pictures.



Sam Loves Papa
And cars
Mexican food...not so much! So handsome!

The Past & Present

A long time ago we found Sam's picture on the Russian Orphan database. Before we adopted him or were even saw him the first time, it is what I would look at when I was at work. It was how I remembered why we were doing this adoption. It tided me over from the hard times to easy times.

It was the past. He is no longer an orphan and no longer on that site. He had remained on the site for a couple of months after we had adopted him. He is no longer there and it just makes it feel that much more offical. He is ours and no longer parentless.

If you want to rejoice with us please click on the link below and enjoy the 404 Not Found page that it directs you too. He has always been a gift straight from God with Him this would have never happened. Thank you, God! He is still a gift even when he gets into our bed at 4am and doesn't go back to sleep until 5:15.

http://www.usynovite.ru/files/photos/uf/ufvj.jpg