Jun 3, 2010

Adoption Transition-Adoption Bonding

For those of you who might have happened upon me due to the blog post title...welcome! Per introduction, we are a Christian family who is radically following God.  Part of our following Him has led us down the road of  adoption. In April (2010) we came home with our eighth child, the seventh we've adopted.  Our girl is Ethiopian and we recently found out that she is 13 years old. 

I'd be negligent if I didn't tell you that everything at our house is taken to God in prayer.  Adoption transition is no different.  We pray: as a family, as individuals, and we ask our friends to cover us in prayer.  Without God, I can not tell you how bonding happens.  What I can tell you is that God is with us, that He has let her and us bond in ways I never even imagined would be possible in so little time.

By inviting God into our home and asking the Holy Spirit to come and help us, we have had such a beautiful time over the past few weeks of becoming a family of 10.  There have been hard spots, but as we sought God (hard) we have found Him so very faithful. 

The things that seemed impossible to overcome, vanished away at his touch.  (an example being:  anger and some hostility towards homeschooling.  By prayer and love, our daughter has now embraced the idea of being homeschooled and is now saying it is *good!*  Actually she says that she loves it.!!!)

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions that I might help you with.  Honestly, God has all of your answers, but I would count it a privilege to stand with you in believing Him to come into your situations with His Power and Presence. 

Here are some of the many things that God has led us to over the past few weeks...all of them helped in our bonding and growing in love with one another...



Cooking...
Our Ethiopian teen loves this! And of course great for any age child.



Teaching us
some Garage dance moves...
helping us to understand and embrace her culture.



Sitting and enjoying the day ...
lazy...
no agenda other than to enjoy one another


Painting nails. 

Actually my oldest (19) volunteered to take this task on.  She even (out of love) did toe nails.  (which if you know my oldest, was an act of God!)



Walking together...
enjoying a slow pace and some conversation.


More cooking...
Look at that smile!



A homeschool field trip...
visiting a farm.



Making injera (the bread of Ethiopia)







Doing homeschool...

learning cursive for the first time.
With her siblings at her elbows.  All of us have something we are studying and learning.
(I had planned on no school for a while, but this child is hungry to learn!)


Being silly...
with friends and family.


Culture...
learning how we celebrate birthdays as a family. This was her sister's ninth birthday...we headed to Chuckie Cheeses. (not something we normally due, but something that let everyone have a bit of fun!)



Crafting...
she is one of us after all.



Touch and time...
the importance of this is huge! Here her sister is painting her nails, after taking her out to buy the nail polish...a little sister adventure!



Relaxing together...
Rest is important over the first few weeks.  We all find ourselves exhausted at times.


Braiding...
She has slowed down to bless her tiniest sister.  Cornrows are a part of their culture and are now a part of our family!


Family...
Getting to know her grandparents.  A blessing and one she loves!

17 comments:

SUNSHINE said...

Thank you for sharing. I'm still having some trouble with my newest and oldest two. Thank you for reminding me to be more diligent in prayer.

SF said...

Wow Kimmie, what a beautiful post! :D What joy in those pictures and moments shared between siblings. You are doing an awesome job! GOd is so good!! xo

Dardi said...

What a beautiful post/pictures! Please continue to pray for our transition...to date, it has gone amazingly well! :o)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for being honest that things don't transition smoothly and that its o.k. to admit we need prayer.

Karen said...

Beautiful photos! Thanks for the reminder of the blessing of prayer. My 2-year-old absolutely hates when I pray for him during difficult times...so I guess I need to do it more often. :-)

Tammy said...

Thank you for the glimpse into your adjustment as a family! :-) God is good!

Blessings,
Tammy ~@~

Annie (larkin) said...

I am continually amazed at how God has worked within your family to bring Simenesh home! She is beautiful!

God bless,

Queen Lu

Unknown said...

Hi nice to meet you!

We are a family who has adopted 7 children in the last five years and desires only God's best for our family!

We just adopted a 12 yr old girl from Ethiopia. Sounds like we have a LOT in common!

We home-school and I have a blog with 100's of resources on it.

Looking forward to getting to know your family!

Blessings - Jill

Mrs. Sew and Sew - Karen said...

It was so good to read todays post. I am thrilled that the transition is going so well. It is so humbling to see how God has worked in your family. You have a beautiful family. God bless you all. ~karen

Ron & Maria said...

Does she have the cutest toes? My Ethiopians do!
Will she do my girl's hair? I'm desperate!
Can she teach me to make injera?

I know, I'm so needy!
Praying for your continued transition and bonding. I love this post!
Maria

Renata said...

Oh Kimmie - it feels like it's been ages since I've caught up with your blog - but I've been remembering to keep on praying for you all. I'm so pleased that Simenesh is settling in & it sounds like you're having a wonderful start to summer.
What beautiful pictures - thanks for sharing
Blessings
Renata:)

Andrea said...

Kimmie, this was beautiful! Thank you for sharing. It makes me want to be one of your kids. You have a beautiful family, and it's because the Lord is in the heart of it! Bless you for your desire to radically follow the Lord. I will continue to cover you and your family with prayers, and ask you to do the same for me if you feel lead to do so. Love you!

The Niedermeyers said...

Wonderful post!

Amrita said...

Lovely to see the bonding

Diana said...

Love the photographs. Simonesh looks like she's adapting well and quickly.

Cindy-Still His Girl said...

Hi Kimmie. It has been so long since I've been in blogland, but I wanted to come catch up on your family. I read many of your recent posts. The photo of your newest GORGEOUS daughter making bread was my favorite today. She looks so happy.

My heart still longs to adopt, and reading your posts stirs that. Still waiting for God to move Scott's heart in that matter. It may be several years, but I truly hope it will be part of our lives one day. I especially would love to adopt an older child! A friend of mine just adopted two girls from Ethiopia; arrived home last week. :) I'll send her to your blog.

Much love...

Chalk Inscriptions said...

Thank you for finding my blog! I love your pictures and how you have bonded. We are waiting for our daughter in Ethiopia. She is legally ours, but problems with US Embassy and Ethiopian Government. So we wait....it has been two months now and I am fasting and waiting. I cannot wait to bond!

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