A New Year

I’m sitting in my living room this morning, drinking coffee (of course) and watching my little man read. A New Year, a new beginning.

RJ has been doing amazing! He started at his new school and so far he is doing great in every aspect of the transition. He is working hard on his school work, he’s excited about riding the bus with Laila, talking about meeting friends, eating hot lunch (VERY EXCITING ;)) and…….. he is sad. I know to the outside parent that might not seem like a good thing but it is. The fact the RJ is having appropriate emotions AND actually sharing them with me is a HUGE milestone in his development and our relationship. I have really been trying to use this situation as a learning experience for him on sharing his feelings and how that is a safe thing to do with us. May sound crazy since he’s been here for over four years already but it’s a reality in the world of older child adoption. I think trust will always be something we work on.

Laila has been doing ok. Not as great as before but not terrible. She has been having pain and discomfort in the middle of the night so we’re not getting much sleep around here. Thankfully our nurse has been coming to help get her up and around with me some mornings so I can at least get a cup of coffee in and be somewhat tolerable to the other kids. The doctor did X-rays and we’re still doing our lab work and nothing is showing that could be causing this so they said just keep doing what we’re doing. They are also going to try to have us feed her again starting in February which is terrifying. I do not see that her intestine is working better, but worse. But TPN is crazy expensive so we have to let her get sick again to prove she really needs it so they will pay. Sad, but true.

Jackson is a doing great in school this year (as always) and is really enjoying it. Today starts a new sports season for him. He is playing basketball for the first time and is very excited. He’s been working so hard and practicing every chance he gets. He’s playing in our local Upward league and has a great coach. He wanted to play in this league before he gets to jr high next year so he could know the game a little more than just driveway basketball ;) I’m really proud of him for thinking to do that. He’s definitely always been our analytical thinker :) We’ve never been a weekend sports kind of family because we like to be on the go but Laila slows us down these days so it’s nice to have something locally to do.

Emma is in the middle of a huge life decision. We placed in her hands the decision of where to go to high school. Jack and I had been talking and praying and didn’t feel God’s clear direction on it but instead felt that we need to start letting Emma take some responsibility for her own decisions. Yep, I actually just said that. This controlling, chart making, over the top momma is giving up the reigns on this one. And you know what? I’m so stinking proud of her! She has visited one high school already and is making a pro/con list and praying and truly asking God to put her where HE wants her, where HE can use her those most. I really have no idea what the result of this is gonna be but I am blessed to watch her be so mature and her follow our example of prayerful decision making instead of just doing what is assumed, easy and popular.

So, that’s the book of the Hamstra’s for today. I’m thankful for a new year, a new start and eyes wide open to see God’s amazing blessings in my life.