For the next few weeks, I will be blogging about our adoption journey to Uganda & beyond! The Lord took us on a sweet adventure to become a family of 3. We were in Uganda adopting Walker for about 3 weeks. There were ups & downs. Highs & lows. Joys & triumphs.
My husband & I chronicled our adventures on a private Facebook group we created to keep friends & family up to date on all the latest happenings.
This is a re-cap & remembering of our journey ONE YEAR ago!!!!
May 23, 2012 - 1st post of the day
WONDERFUL NEWS this morning. All 8 bags have made it to Entebbe! I think that we are sending our driver to get our bags & bring them back for us either today or tomorrow. SO, SO thankful for everyone's prayers! We are going to stay in Ft. Portal until court on Monday. We had considered going back to Kampala b/c the lodging is more expensive here. However, the lodging here is SO nice. It has a great area for the kiddos to play, & we have a front patio on which we can sit & talk & hang out with the other family. It's really nice compared to where we were previously. Hopefully we can fit in a safari or monkey tracking or something like that while we're out here. We are 7 hours ahead of y'all, so it is nearing lunch time. I'll try to give another detailed update about our day this evening.
May 23, 2012 - 2nd post
This post may be a little more about ME than WJ. :)
This was a semi-difficult day. Of course, I’m running off almost NO sleep, so that could be the biggest issue of my day. Last night was a really poor night’s sleep for me. WJ is a LOUD sleeper – bouncing around all night long, snoring, snorting, whatever, just LOUD. Also, the sunburn on the back of my neck was hurting me VERY badly. I almost cried twice b/c I just couldn't get to sleep; I was tired but every time I would fall asleep I would either be awoken by my sunburn or by WJ’s loud sleeping.
The Dad of the family with whom we are traveling (another adoptive family) said this yesterday about kids sleeping with you: “It is a really sweet time when they are falling asleep & when they wake up in the morning, but the 7 hours in between are awful!” Yeppers, that’s about right. Thankfully, we have a baby bed in the room & WJ sleeps in that, so that is light years ahead of sharing the bed with him like we did the first night. I’ve taken some Melatonin & hope to be out soon.
Today was a very rainy day here. The weather was quite cool & very nice. I even had to put on a jacket to keep warm. We hung out all day with our adoption buddies (the other family); we both had the doors to our rooms open most of the day & the kiddos came in & out. It was nice. It was definitely a movie kind of day. We watch Nemo (thank you LK for the suggestion – WJ really, really liked it) & Toy Story 1. He was quite enthralled with both of them. I am wishing that we had Fox & the Hound & the Lion King also; I think he’d really like those as well.
We had been told by several people at the baby’s home that Walker was quite a stubborn little boy. When they told us, they just laughed & said you would have to speak firmly & say things twice sometimes before he obeys. Um, yea, no! Maybe if we spoke the same language that would work, but WJ wasn't having any of that today. I noticed that at times he seemed to be “talking back” to us, but since he’s speaking Tooro most of the time I wasn't sure. But either way, there’s not a whole lot I feel that I can do. So, we just kinda made our way through it. It was by NO MEANS awful or terrible; but after the first two days going so well, I wasn't prepared for push-back from him today. Kinda crushed my heart a little & I feel like it put a little bit of distance between me towards him. I know our relationship won’t be great & good & fab instantaneously (& like Scott said, I need to hang on to what happens in the quiet, small, little moments), but my overly tired self doesn't want to be patient. Can anyone else relate to those kinds of selfish feelings? Anyway, I’m not really asking for parenting advice, just need someone to hear & pray & be there when I am ready to ask for advice. Still a bit overwhelmed from the day. However, I will share with you a funny from my little sinner’s stubbornness. WJ very nearly refused to go to bed. He told us “No!” We were able to get him in the baby bed w/o a problem, but the child absolutely refused to lay down. We tried & tried, but to no avail. Little Bit firmly wrapped his tiny hand around the side of the crib & refused to be moved from his sitting position. We just kinda gave in. Our attitude was – "Fine! I might not can make you go to sleep, but I surely will make you stay in your bed." So, with the lights out we laid in our bed & he sat up in his. He was VERY sleepy, & dozed & rocked & wobbled but refused to release his grip on the bed thus maintaining his sitting up position. Finally, after about 45 mins. he fell over & went to sleep. Scott & I laughed & laughed & laughed as we watched his little body fight off the sleep. I wish we could have recorded it for y’all. I think it would've given you a good chuckle.
Tomorrow, someone will be delivering our luggage, & we are so thrilled! It will be like Christmas morning around here. Thank you all for your prayers! I definitely know it was the Lord who intervened to sustain us on limited toiletries & 2 outfits & who has chosen to deliver our bags to us now. We are just thankful he said Yes to our prayers for the bags. We knew He’d sustain us either way, but so glad it will be with our own bags now. :)
We have decided to go on a safari this weekend. Our delayed court date has allowed us some extra time, & we've chosen to have what may be a once in a lifetime opportunity to go on a safari. We are very excited! Also, we are thankful that we were able to find a much less expense safari option that what had been quoted to us earlier. Previously it was out of our budget, so we are thankful that this one is in our budget!
Finally, please continue to pray for us. We covet your prayers, & so appreciate you praying as the Lord directs you. There are SO many things to pray over, & I always feel like I’m leaving something out, BUT with you praying too, I feel like everything is being covered & smothered in prayers!
***HEAVENS TO BETSY! I distinctly remember that night where Walker would NOT lay down to go to sleep. Since we were all 3 in one small hotel room, Scott & I got to watch him FIGHTING off that sleep....... it was quite comical..... even if we were a bit delirious from parenting our new 5 year old son. I also very clearly remember the tough, tough days I had in UG. I remember feeling helpless & alone as he started to push back. Looking back, I think our adoption agency coordinator was right --- I think he was acting as badly as he could to see if we would send him back. {bless his little hurting heart}***
