January 12, 2010 all changed & we wondered if he would ever get home.
January 23, 2010 our wait was finally over, and we were given our son in FL.
I can't believe that Amos has been home for ONE WHOLE YEAR. If you would have asked me three months ago, I would have told you that we were barely making it. Living minute by minute. Struggling.
Today this boy is a new kid. He is not the same as when he got here. He looks different. He acts different. He trusts different and even loves differently.
Just recently Shaun Groves announced that him and his wife are adopting and one of his first posts was about loss. The loss that kids go through to get to their forever families. You may look at Amos and think this kid has it all and should be grateful to have me as a mom and be here finally. Let me tell you it's not that way. Although Amos joined his family FINALLY last year, he also left all he has ever known. He left all the people that have ever loved him. He left his culture. He left his country. He left his family. He left his “normal” and showed up in ours. That my friends is hard on a kid. Adoption is pure joy, but there is always loss. Always.
I hate to sound like a broken record, but this year has been hard. #1 reason for it being hard was going from 2-3 kids and one going straight to hospital and not liking her dad, then 3 months later adding another kid that was 4.5 and brought his own struggles to the family. #2 reason was Amos. Adoption of an older child is hard. Very hard.
I am so happy to tell you that things are GOOD around here. I would even say that they are GREAT! Amos has come miles and miles and miles in the past few months. He still has miles to go, but we have come a long way my friends! He is loving us completely and he is accepting our love completely. I truly believe that he is trusting us with him and his life and his love. That my friends is huge. For him to truly truly believe with all his heart that I will never leave him was such a journey for him.
As I tucked him in tonight we talked about this day that was one year ago. I raved about how happy I was that he was finally home. Told him for the millionth time that I would never leave him and that we are finally here together forever! He smiled so big and giggled his silly giggle when he is so excited about something. We talked about him flying home on that big big airplane and then finally seeing Mama and Papa. He remembers a lot from that day and I'm so glad he does. I hope that one day he can watch the videos about his journey and see the love that we have for him and the plan that our God had for him in joining our family. Little does he know how much his story has affected so many people around the world. One day we'll tell him!
So today I'm so grateful that my son is home. Our family is together. Our family is all in one country. Our family is complete. Thank you Jesus for getting my son home when we saw no hope or end in sight.
Here's my blog post that replays that day we waited and waited and waited for Amos.
One of my favorite pictures from that day was my boys anxiously waiting to see their brother. Apparently Cayden was going for the shag look!
One of my favorite all time pictures. I LOVE the way Story and Amos are smiling at each other. They had lived together since a week after Story was born. When Story came home October 23, they were away from each for 3 months. Who knows what was going through Amos' mind when she left and he didn't. I still ask God to heal his heart from that pain.
I also look at this picture and see myself smiling through tears at the sight of all my kids together. I seriously wondered if it would ever happen.
ONE YEAR LATER:
Yes, Story is dressed up as Thomas the Train. She has three older brothers, can you blame her?
These two still have a HUGE bond. It is there and I know it will always be there. I'm beyond grateful for that and pray that God grows their sibling love leaps and bounds towards each other and their other brothers.
ah! Tears in my eyes as I read about your sweet journey to all be together. I love it! God is so gracious and faithful.
Gracious and Faithful he is!
Cannot believe it has been a year! I remember staying up late watching your twitter updates and getting up early the next morning to see that you finally had your Amos in your arms! What a blessing!
And I know this post is about Amos but good grief can Miss Story get any more adorable? That picture with her giving the thumbs up is too precious!
Congrats Jaime! I will second you on ‘adopting older kids is HARD’. Holy #$%@***^%$, it is hard!!!!! I finally feel like my head is above water… If we did not have our adoption/trauma therapist, I might have had a nervous breakdown. and she is not even RAD… just attachment issues… I lovingly refer to Angelina as my ‘jealous’ boyfriend. If she could dominate my entire day with her, she would. I am more important than air and water to her. It is getting better though… L-Theanine got me through some very sketchy hours…
Love ya girl…
Rebekah
Love this, Jamie! Such a beautiful, God-written story!!! Thanks for letting all of us in on it 🙂
Happy 1 year at home, Amos! All these pictures made my heart happy. And I’m so glad to hear that things are going well. Praise Jesus!
So happy for you all. I read the homecoming post just now and it made me cry! So so wonderful.
Happy anniversary! Very happy for all of you!
What a beautiful story, a representation of God’s lavish love on us – you guys have done the thing so well!!! SO many prayers continue for you and your precious family! I am always blessed to see pictures of your kids, but these are particularly profound. Praising God for all of you! much love.
Dang you for making me cry!
You and yours inspire me. Thank you for living generously and publicly enough to move the rest of us. Thank you.
-Shaun
Became a huge fan of your husbands music last summer at a Student Life camp. I was in attendance as an adult leader to our highschool kids from our Newspring Church in Wichita, KS. The first thing I noticed about your husband, was his genuine love for Christ!! It shined bright!! And, unlike years past having him lead worship made me feel like I was at home!! Mainly because I could tell he was being REAL in his leadersip of worship!! And ever since experiencing that at my home church, I miss it and long for it when I don’t feel it in my worship leader. He was just worshiping his Lord and Savior, and we were BLESSED to be included!! So, I made sure I got a cd before leaving camp!
So, I came home and told my husband and daughter all about Aaron! Even went online to see if I could find pic’s of Aaron and some of his amazing tatoos! Being an artist, and so is my daughter, I wanted her to see them!! Lol! Instead I found his facebook, and added him immediately! And as a result have learned a lot about your unique, and awesome family!! I now read Aaron’s blog, follow his tweets and after watching the video of Amos’ homecoming have started following your tweets too!! And reading your blog!! I feel like if we lived close by we would be FAST FRIENDS!!
In the past year a close family friend, someone I’ve known since 7th grade, went to Haiti on a medical missions trip. He’s a nurse! In the past year, we have prayed for and helped raise money for him to make numerous trips to help! On his first trip he met his, son Jeremiah! And we prayed and helped raise money for him to come home to his forever family! And as of Dec 13th his adoption was finalized here in the states!! So when I started reading your blogs, and saw the movie of Amos’ homecoming I forwarded them to my friend! And he, along with my family have cried with you in joy over all God is doing in your family!
I also have to ask you for prayer! My husband and I married very young, I was 20, and he was 19. And we had our kids young too!! I was 20 when my son was born, and 21 when our daughter was born. We’ve always thought we would adopt sometime, just have not known when or how. After seeing and reading about your journey, as well as our friends, I feel like we need to start looking into it. And most likely from Haiti. Not sure hubby is ready yet…so that would be the first prayer request!! And to know, for sure if we’re supposed to. Especially since he was just recently commenting on how he likes the freedom we now have that our kids are older. So, I’m struggling to know if I’m being caught up in emotion or if I’m feeling God’s calling.
Sorry I wrote so much, but really wanted to share with you!!
Gosh I miss your family! I continue to pray for you all often. 🙂