Saturday, February 3, 2007
We’ve had a busy weekend. I went to the eye doctor yesterday morning, and found out my eyes are worse. I wasn’t surprised. Just means stronger contacts.
Mom and I had lunch while Alesia was in her art class – our usual Saturday routine now. Alesia is proud of her accomplishments in the class, and learning to draw more expertly will be useful in whatever field she chooses, or just as a hobby.
My friends Paul and Kathy came over with their daughter Alyona. I was so pleased to see Alyona ate some pork roast and mashed potatoes, cucumbers and strawberries. They are feeling overwhelmed, being first time parents to a 15 year old. They handle it well.
Paul loaned us some DVD’s of American movies dubbed into Russian. Alesia watched V for Vendetta last night on my computer – it wouldn’t play on the TV players. It was an excellent copy. She admitted she didn’t always know what was going on, though. Her English is now better than her Russian. I had no clue what was going on. I read a book.
The kids at church today were selling sub sandwiches in the fellowship hall, for people to eat while watching the Superbowl. Great fundraising idea. They are taking a mission trip to New Orleans this summer. To my surprise, Alesia said she wants to go.
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Paul brought the computer back for Alesia to use. He said he will have some good parental control software to me in a week or so. I am pondering letting her use the computer while I’m gone, within limits, of course.
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I am so emotional these days it’s embarrassing. Everywhere I look, I see little boys, and I want to cry. I cried in church this morning when the choir sang the anthem, because it was so beautiful. I cried at lunch today, at Ryan’s, because mother said something about America being a “melting pot.” She asked me to explain it to Alesia, and when I tried I started crying. It’s embarrassing. I just want the adoption stuff to be over so I can see my boy. It’s akin to the feeling women get when they are big pregnant, I think.
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I cannot stop reading this blog: http://www.thebodiebunch.blogspot.com/ - this remarkable single woman adopted 38 kids! She has one biological child. She was a school librarian for years and is now 52 and retired. Her adoptions were all of children from the foster care system, including many sibling groups of Hispanic kids.
When I first started reading her blog I was sort of fascinated and appalled, that anyone would think they could accomplish anything with so many children. However, I have come to admire her. She has energetic parents who help, and the older kids help with the younger ones. She lives in a rural area somewhere here in Georgia. She gardens a lot. She shops for everything at Goodwill and yard sales. I have decided this lady is my hero.
Here’s a quote from today’s blog, talking about a 9 year old son who was raging at school the other day – most of her kids came from terrible backgrounds with their birthfamilies:
Again this is life with traumatized children, it's not a
question of normal, they do grow out of it if I don't quit on them, if I love
them through it for decades. "How can you love me when so many other
people didn't?" is their age old wonderment, but I do. I really do, and I
can't explain it with words very well.
Eventually the kids don't question it anymore, but expect it as the natural
right of a son or a daughter to a mama. Yolie, Daniel, Joe, Jesse, Sergi, Gina,
Cristy, Deysi, Saray, Marcela, Carolina, Sonny, and Monica no longer even think
about it, it is a solid emotion, buttressed by years and years of my commitment
and adoration of them, but I wish I'd written about it, my tough life with them
and all it took to get to this point, so that others would know...but I suppose
the proof is in the pudding now in their ability to return the love back to me.
I have superb grown kids who strengthen me to go on each day.
