Hi dear friends and family!
It is hard to beleive that it has been 6 months since we landed in the US with Bedilu! I have wanted to send out an update for a few months but cannot honestly tell you where the time has gone! Today is a special day! Not only is it the 6month marker of bringing this special little boy home today is his 5th birthday!
Bedilu was so excited when he openned his presents this morning...we got him a scooter! His very own..as he has been "using" Sam and Jacobs. He is actually out riding it as I write this! I am hoping the rain holds off for a little bit so he can ride up and down the long driveway!
There have been many changes to the Hebbe house since we brought Bedilu home! Not only do we have this high energy go go go litlle boy living here now, but we have a grandbaby here too. In December Jessie and baby (Melinda Jade) moved in! So we have a house full. Jessi went back to work in February and gramma laurie is babysitting. It is just part time and she is so precious!
The days just seem to melt one to the next. I don't know where the time goes... I knew that having a four yr. old would change things up but it is unbelievable! In some ways it feels like those days when I had Sam and Jacob. 2 kids! not just 1. We do breakfast and have started doing some "informal" school and then its lunch time and then outside and before you know it we are getting ready for bed! I wouldn't have it any other way! It is an awesome life that we get to have! We have our moments like anyone else with a house full but that just comes with the territory!
Bedilu is learning and growing! We have a hard time keeping up with clothing size changes for him. He has gain 10 lbs. since he came...and grew taller too. He speaks English seemlessly...but I try to have him use Amharic too.... I so don't want him to forget it! His little accent is almost gone...only once in a while do we hear it in certain words...oh I miss that! But it is so cool to watch him grow! In every way.
For the most part Bedilu is adjusting very well. Some days it seems like he has always been here. Then there are times when we just cannot imagine where he is coming from with things! We stuck close to home after he first came home...then we started to venture out. Christmas was great for Bedilu...he spent the day with eyes wide open. We soon started taking him to church and out to more friends houses. It didn't take long before we realized that we were missing something. I found out that he wasn't as "adjusted" as I thought. We think he has bonded with us but he is not attached to us....exclusively. We have made some changes to our world to help him bond with us! Basically we found out that he was fully expecting that we would be sending him to another family.... heartbreaking but not really surprising when you consider his history. He fully expects that he will be leaving. We have told him that we are his family forever! That we will always love him and not ever leave him! SO.... we have pulled in the reins on our social activities. We are keeping him with us. Kindof starting the bonding process over again! One thing that has been amazing is our bedtime routine. I have started to rock him to sleep at night...after the usual rituals of bath, reading praying and singing..... I rock him to sleep. It is an awesome time of bonding and precious time for him and me! We don't know how long it will take to have Bedilu completely trust that he is with us forever..but there is progress. In the mean time we ask for your help in deepening our family bond. Ways that you can help him are first and foremost keep praying for this little boy! For healing from the past for understanding the present and peace for the future! Also, when you see us out together we would love to have you greet him with a "high five" or handshake saving the hugs and kisses for mom and dad! We are blessed with so many things that you have generously given us to help care for him...we are humbled at your generousity. We just ask that if you have something you thing he could use or would need, please ask us first before you present it. He can be easily overwhelmed by gifts...and it can create confusion in his little heart with regards to attachment. These are things that will help Bedilu see what a family really is! He doesn't understand the emotional connections that come with a family.
I know that God is using this time to build a bridge of trust and love that runs deep into our veins. God's plan is so precise and He is in the details. He brought this vision of adoption to our hearts years ago...and he continues to work out this plan for His Glory!
Isaiah 46:9-11
New International Version (NIV)
9 Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.’
11 From the east I summon a bird of prey;
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned, that I will do.
In all of this God has blessed us with little nuggets of his promises fulfilled.
Since we have tightened our reins, we have experienced random unprompted hugs and kisses from our little boy.
And he has told me 2 times unprompted and during quiet times that he loves me... I will never forget the first time he said it! Just so simple and sweet... Mom, I love you! OH boy...yep... I was melting...trying to get out an "I love you too Bedilu"...without choking!
We have been blessed in so many ways by all of you! Your prayers for our little one are coveted! Keep 'em coming! We appreciate all that God has done in so many people's lives through this journey of Bedilu's life!
Roger & Laurie Hebbe