Oh for the Love of Being a Toddler!

As I sat basking in the sounds of toddlerville (aka the local mall play area) recently, I found myself reminiscing through the last almost 7 months we have shared with Jonatan! As his pictures reveal (sorry for those of you on blog reader, you will have to visit our blog to see photos...I will add some more photos in a future update as well), he has grown much and taken on that 'bigger boy' look...he has all but two top molars in (these are coming in right now!)...grown 2 shoe sizes, 6", and 6#! And, as if that wasn't enough growing, his brain decided to absorb more English than we ever would have expected by this time. In short, it has been nothing but amazing to see all the growth he has been going through.

Today, Jonatan is speaking short phrases in English and Spanish; he runs with great confidence, is now tackling mastery of a tricycle, and is venturing into the art of jumping off things like couches and playground equipment! Yikes to that last two! There isn't a day that goes by that I don't find myself smiling over the person that we are discovering Jonatan to be. He is a little boy with a great sense of humor, a very caring and compassionate heart, and a lover of music. With this last one, we have found that the beat of Latin American music is his favorite...salsa and cumbia, in particular! And believe me when I say that Latin music really gets his soul moving! For 2 years old, he sure has some moves...that, and an ear for beat and rhythm...not to mention he loves to drum his little heart out when we put music like Carlos Vives' on.

I can't tell you how much we are looking forward to our first Christmas with Jonatan! I was thinking back to last year at this time...and to think that we had yet to even know who we would be welcoming into our lives. I remember praying with Dave over the process of our adoption and having this strong feeling that we would be soon to meet a son. I remember feeling pretty uncomfortable with my thoughts and feelings at that time...having a hard time discerning whether this hunch was now my own desire or a small window into the future and from the Lord. And then, shortly after Christmas while reading some more adoption material, I remember thinking "It's a boy!"..."no, it's a boy, and you can believe it." It was at that point that I began to allow myself to truly 'expect' this child that was to come. From that point on, whether in stores shopping or in speaking with family and friends, our son was on my heart and mind. Now, I can tell you that I did not share this with anyone buy my husband, but now truly believe that this really was a small window into the future from the Lord.

In entering the Advent and holiday season, we have found ourselves as parents considering anew the meaning of Christmas, our family traditions, Colombian holiday traditions, and what will now become our own in moving forward as a family of three. Getting to this place as parents really has felt a bit surreal at times. It truly is hard to believe that come Christmas we will have known Jonatan for 8 months! So much has happened in that time and I am so thankful and feel privileged to have shared in so much change in his young life.

In this Advent season I find myself so very thankful for Jonatan. What an amazing gift! I am particularly thankful for the care and love that his foster family shared with him in the 17 months that he was with them. It is so very clear in how he transitioned to us that they took great care to prepare him for what was to come and who we were. I can only imagine the sadness, and perhaps fear and concern, that also comes with pouring your heart into a child to prepare them for a forever family to one day see them go. My prayer is that this set of foster parents (as well as the countless others across the world)are reminded daily of the critical role they play in the life of their foster children...and, more importanly, may they be granted wealths of love, patience, wisdom, strength, and understanding for the sometimes tentative road they travel with their children. In this holiday season, words cannot express how terribly greatful I am for Jonatan.