Taken May 12, 2010 Galveston Trip
It was two years ago today that officially Andrew and Kathlena became Shiflets. Time has passed so quickly and those two tiny Russian speaking children have blossomed into two confident, loving, adorable little kids. This second year has been a year of really getting to see a deeper level of their personalities emerge and take shape. With the addition of another younger brother there was a new time of bonding as the six of us experienced the birth of Calvin together. Watching Calvin grow through my pregnancy and as an infant has given us many occasions to speak about life and their adoption. The questions of where they were born and how have come up and we have chosen not to romanticise their past, but to be honest. Simply, much we do not know. Just like times in our lives when the Lord chooses not to reveal how or why something has happened, but we are to trust in faith knowing that He is good and His ways are best we are teaching our children (all of them) to accept that sometimes there will be no answers this side of eternity. What we could share with them as appropriate for their age we have been honest with them about. One thing for sure that we talk about is the amazing journey through faith that the Lord took us on to bring them home. The joys of seeing them for the first time, the pain of leaving them and the faith that the Lord would reunite us in His perfect timing.
It has been especially sweet to talk about those first few weeks with them and hear their side of the story since their English has broadened and matured to where they are able to better articulate what they remember. Of course most of Kathlena's memories are pictures and video she has seen, but that is okay as she is learning from hearing the story of love that joined us together. Andrew remembers snapshots of things and feelings of excitement over having a family...you can see it in his face when he tells the story of seeing us for the first time and leaving with us never to return to the orphanage. He was asked one time by some friends what his favorite thing about Russia was. His answer was simply, "meeting my parents". Wow! I am not sure I will ever grasp what that feeling was like for him. I know for me it was one of the happiest days of my life.
We spent the day together and had the opportunity to have dinner at a friends house. They too are adopting from Russia. They have a 14 month old son waiting for them now and Lord willing they will be bringing him home in little over a month. It was such a joy to share in their journey and see them meet their son for the first time...brings back sweet memories. We rejoice on this day for what the Lord has knit together in our family and for our dear friends who wait to bring their son home also.
We also talked about another family in our church who is right now in China with their daughter whom they will be bringing home soon. Adoption is something that is talked about frequently in our home and church and I am grateful that our children will grow up knowing many children who have been adopted from foreign lands and right here in America also.
While we have had struggles over the past two years too, the Lord has extended us much grace and continues to do so day after day as new things unfold. I love all of my children and treasure these days I have with them. I know they are but a vapor and before long their childhoods will be distant memories. How thankful I am to be their Mommy and to spend my days with them...a job I would not trade for anything else in this world.
