Touching Moments...

Today is adoption eve. Ethan has been doing so good. He told me he is feeling half good and half bad about the adoption...which makes sense. I'm just thankful it's not all bad. When I wake up each kid in the morning, I try to bribe them to get out of bed my kissing them all over their sweet faces and necks. Then I tell them what to expect that day. I woke Ethan up that way and told him that today was the day I was coming to his class to bring cupcakes. Apparently this was not the good news I thought it was. We had come to terms with the idea of this over the weekend. (I bribed him with video games if he would let me come, plus he'd be so popular for bringing treats) Ethan just started screaming that he didn't want me to come, and he's too shy, and I can't come. He was not going to school today. I talked him into it again. I dressed him and coaxed him upstairs for breakfast. Everything was horrible and he hates everyone. Nothing was right in the world this morning.

Last night my younger brother Chris came over to play with the kids and for dinner. Devon is the only one who did any homework. We didn't even look in backpacks last night. Chris comes about once a year, so it's a treat when we get to see him. Homework was put on the back burner last night. This morning I looked in Ethan's backpack and found a thick manilla envelope. His homework was to see the attached envelope. I assumed it was a homework packet, or possibley forms to fill out about name change issues....I was wrong.

When I opened the package, it was a book for Ethan to celebrate his adoption. It was Max Lucado's "You are Special". I own this book, but had not thought to read it to him on this occasion. We sat together and looked at the book and read the first page, which read to Ethan, from Mr. Whiting on October 14, 2009 (adoption day) I am so glad you have a family that loves you. It calmed him right down. He got on the bus with his book, happy as a clam. It was what we needed to calm his fears today.

When I went to school he was thrilled to see me. He gave me a hug, and listened attentively to the story. He was happy to hand out cupcakes and sad to see me leave. Thank goodness for thoughtful gifts at the right time.