143,000,000 orphans

YODA!

Micah enjoyed his first Halloween handing out candy. He loves to be social so this event was so exciting for him! I was surprised at how many kids knew who Yoda was! We got a lot of comments of how Micah even walked like Yoda. Way to get into character buddy :)

Happy Birthday Micah

Our Gotcha Day Video.... finally only 7 months later :)

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My thoughts on my state of mind/soul one year ago - waiting for Micah

Wow! hindsight sure does make you laugh..and cry sometimes! October of 2008 was a very rough time for me emotionally as we waited for Micah. I look back and feel very strongly that he was born this month and that my inner struggle (which prompted much of the pleading and 'crying out' type prayers) were ordained by God - I was to pray for my son as he entered the world and the rough months ahead for him. I also needed to yearn to hold/comfort, as only a mother can, her son. No child should have to face rejection/abandonment at any time after birth (whether immediately after or at a later time). It is such an injustice! A world of injustice really is what we live in - broken and fallen. We all are born into the tragedy of what we coin "sinful nature". Some beginnings are more blatantly tragic... like Micah's. He was left under a tree at about 1 month old. Why would his birthmother, birthfather, relative, have to do this? Such a horrible injustice! But his story is not without hope, or joy. He was found early in the morning (I assume he wasn't left long - and assume he was left early in the morning with hopes of someone finding him). He was taken to an orphanage and eventually to our agency's orphanage. He was tiny but well nourished at that point. This makes me think he was loved and cared for his first month. He was our son - and eventually would be home in his forever family. I cried so often this month - sometimes cried myself to sleep - sometime a primal sort of cry. I was often on the edge of tears and usually just bit my tongue for fear of breaking down in front of a stranger or friend who just wouldn't understand. If you've never adopted and had to wait for your child, you just won't get it - why we who are on this adoption journey, get so emotional over waiting, or referrals. All the adoptive mothers and father (but especially mammas) 'get it' and some reading this may be so agonizingly close to that referral and are experiencing many sleepless nights and frantic reactions to every ring of the phone. Back then, I found NO solace in comments like "one year from now, all your sorrows will be behind you and your son will be home." If you are ever talking to an adoptive mom and are not one yourself - PLEASE don't say this. It gives no solace. (although for some reason, it seemed ok at times on the YG) Back in October, I wanted a shoulder to cry on - someone to grieve with me for my son and pray with me for his safety. An adoptive mother understands the agony of knowing your child is an ocean away and possibly scared, sick, cold, etc and you cannot be there to hold and protect him/her. It just makes you cry and grieve as a mother - and sometimes there are no words of comfort. I did a lot of crying one year ago - a lot of praying - some journaling but a lot of praying/pleading with God on behalf of my son, our Micah.

Here is my post last year on October 19, 2008 - doesn't capture my emotions but captures my assessment of our time. Which was a bit off!

so that is where we are - waiting still - maybe even until the end of November now - we will likely travel 8 weeks after receiving a referral. I know I mentioned in the last post that I thought our son would be at an orphanage or our agency's transitional home - now I really am unsure - not really sure of anything to be honest! So we wait and pray that he is safe and protected!

I laugh that I thought we'd have our referral by the end of Nov - HA! More like Dec. 17th :) and we traveled 14 weeks after that, NOT 8! :) again another chuckle. Other adoptive parents also know (and if you don't, heed my advice) - you simply CANNOT plan an adoption or the timeline - even if your agency gives you timelines and contines to give you updated timelines. We prayed often for God's timing (I know - it's so cliche and I even cringed when I prayed it out loud with Roscoe because I hate cliche prayers - but we truly wanted it!) There were so many variables that had to fall in place with Roscoes' business. And now we know we couldn't have been a day later - Micah's health was so fragile.

So what's my point with my post. I don't know. I'm pensive today - thinking back on our journey to bring Micah home and his journey to come home to his forever family. Looking back at last year and the waiting of adoption. Soothing my son to sleep (who just woke up as I was typing because his pacifier fell out and his blanket was snagged in his legs). I really don't think knowing or seeing any of this back then, would have made my wait any easier. I needed to go through October of 2008. It wasn't the hardest things I've ever had to go through - not nearly - but it was new and evoked many new emotions I had never felt. The mother in me was taking form.

Walking...or should we say Toddling!

Here is just a glimps of our newest developmental milestone! We're starting the toddle :)

One Year Check Up and First Birthday

So Micah had his one year check up on Wed. He is doing so well! Below are his stats :) I just love stats! The doctor typically doesn't print out the growth charts but when she came in she said "I just have to show you his amazing progress - look at that steep incline!" Micah doesn't quite have a curve - it's more two big steep lines :) He went from under 0% in everything, especially weight, to 50% weight, 40% height, and a little over 50% for his head circumference! We definitely can feel that he is a chunk! He is 22.7 pounds now and 29 inches tall - his head is somewhere around 18 inches or so.

So he had his one year check up - so you're wondering why on earth I haven't posted about his birthday? Well, here is that story. We first did not feel as if we wanted to post many details on his story. It is his story. But it's not shameful, it's not bad - it's God's sovereign plan in the midst of a fallen and broken world. That's how we see it. So while you may not learn the nitty gritty details, we will share enough of an overview for our adoption to make sense and to shed some light on some occurances of how children come to be adopted into forever families. Micah was found on November 13th under a special tree - a eucalyptus tree! That tree can withstand drought and the worst of all circumstances. I don't think it's a coincidence that God chose to place him there to be found by his angel. Micah has such a strong and determined spirit - much like that eucalyptus tree. He could withstand much sickness when we brought him home and fought a tough battle back to health. Back in an earlier post just after our referral, I noted that Micah's eyes showed us he is a fighter! How true that gaze in his pictures turned out to be! While we know nothing about Micah's first few months, we prayed for joy and peace to be filled in him. He emanates joy and peace today!

So this brings me to his birthday. When he was found on November 13th, his age was estimated at 2 months. When we received his referral on December 17th, 2008, he was estimated at 3 months old. We consulted a doctor at the International Adoption clinic at Nationwide children's hospital and it was first mentioned to us that he appeared to be only 2 months at referral and not 3. At time of referral, he was 7.9 pounds and 20.9 inches long. He looked well nourished. When we passed court on March 13, 2009, the ET govt issued a birthday of 9/14/08. There is no significance with that date. It is just an estimate. After having Micah home and watching him grow, we agree more and more with our doctor. We feel his estimated birthdate was not accurate. It is not a big deal - not even that big that we had thought we would not change it. But as we thought more about it and realized there is no significance with that date, we felt more compelled to change it. After all, we have to re-adopt him and change his name anyways. For me, I will always believe he was born in October. We love the month of October and love the odd number days that Micah's God ordained milestones in early life occurred on (found by a special angel sent from God on 11/13, referred to two overjoyed and grateful forever parents on 12/17, deemed our legal son in the eyes of ET court on 3/13). Therefore, we have chosen October 21st as Micah's birthday. This date feels appropriate for his story as it has significance to us and to Micah. You'll have to stop back in October to see the 1st birthday bash photos :)

Bucknut!

This post is dedicated to family we miss in Africa! We love you Joel, Elizabeth and Isaiah! Buckey season is just not the same this year. We'll see you in Africa for adoption #2 :) (little do you know that we're planning a family vacation around our next adoption - yeah!)