6 Months with Peter!

"I want to earn one of the smiles and receive the warm greetings that Peter gives to these wonderful folks!  Then we'll know that he has fallen in love with us."

This is a quote taken from July 19th post while we were in Hong Kong.  By God's grace, we have recently been the recipients of the gift of Peter's offered affection in the form of excited smiles, kisses and hugs.  Looking back over these past months, we now realize that Peter has been in survival mode.  It has only been this past month that we have begun to see a fuller picture of our boy.

What amazing grace wraps these adopted children and keeps them during the initial placement with their forever families!  Peter has come such a long way on the knees of prayer and dependency on God and nothing else.  We have sought guidance from Bethany Christian Services (BCS) through the Post-Adoption Support Group (PASG) we attend bi-monthly, Yes!  We have received counsel from our BCS social worker, Jessica Armato, and received some very compassionate, timely wise words. Yes!  Our Pastors have continued to care for our souls individually and as a family during these first months. Yes!  All are valuable to us.  However, what dawned on me was this thought, "Wow, what would this have been like if God hadn't planned this all out before any of it came to be?"  The truth is there are many tools in our arsenal of parental care, but only God has the wisdom to help us apply these appropriately while keeping the Gospel central in the care of Peter and Eliot.

During the month of December, I was traveling back and forth to New Jersey helping my siblings with my parent's estate.  I had been away from Peter for about a 5 day span and when he saw me for the first time, he ran to me shouting, "Mama!, Mama!" and flung himself in my arms hugging me snugly and kissing my lips and face.  God ordained that incredibly encouraging moment.  The timing of all the ups and downs of this adoption journey has been set in place by God for this little boy's good while using the new tools acquired to facilitate those changes.  What am I saying?  God is in control of everything, even the tools given along the way.  That the tools are not an end in themselves but a means of help.  God is the center of Peter's story not PASG, not BCS, not Mother's Choice childcare home, not the Inglin family,  GOD.  And He is jealous that Peter's life reflect His magnificent grace and that God receives all the glory!

So here are some amazing new things we are seeing Peter do by God's grace.

1. Peter is eating all kinds of new foods including, broccoli, humus, chili, PB&J, regular milk, grapes, salad, tuna, sips of coffee, lemonade, ice cream, french fries, grilled cheese, basically anything on our plates
2. Peter is taking his medicine from us without us having to hide it in yogurt.
3. Peter is hugging and kissing all of the members of his immediate family as well as being affectionate to his extended family.
4. Peter has a friend named Lydia.
5. Peter went to Sunday School without us and not only stayed in the class without crying, but ran into class and participated in the activities.
6. Peter has learned 20 new signs and has increased his spoken vocabulary.
7. Peter has gained 9 lbs and grown 1-1/2" since coming home.
8. Peter loves riding on his little fire truck on the back porch.  He can climb up the sliding board ladder and slides down the slide.  He climbs up, with supervision, into the top bunk with Eliot.
9. Peter loves to read books. His favorite book is the children's Bible we are using right now.  His favorite movie that he loves to sing with is "Elmo's top 10 count Down" by Sesame Street, and the "Bob the Builder" theme song.
10. Peter has 2 absolute loves that are the same today as when he arrived home 6 months ago.  They are the water and music.  He loves to play along with us during music times and he goes completely crazy when we tell him it's bath time.

God is the only one who can bring about change in our lives.  He knows what tools will work in our hands and which ones won't.  He keeps all the threads weaving perfectly in each life and in each other's lives.  God will complete this work that is only just begun in our family and Peter as only He can.  I trust God.  I do!

And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Phil 1:6