“Words are like nets-
we hope they’ll cover what we mean,
but we know they can’t possibly hold
that much joy, or grief, or wonder.”
-Jodi Picoult
They sit out there every afternoon, those egrets…
One by one, they fly over to those twiggy trees from all edges of the lake. Reminds me of a giant cotton plant…big white birds, dotting tall, skinny brown sticks.
They gather just before the sun starts to set, usually right around 5 o’clock. I’m sure it has something to do with safety in numbers (and height) overnight, but I like to think they’re just smitten with the sunset, too. 🙂
You wouldn’t know it from these hazy-day photos, but they really do have a front row seat from that spot.
Unfortunately, I’ve discovered it’s a seat built only for birds…
One step too close, and they all head for the hill. Oops! Sorry, egrets! I didn’t know you were so skittish!
There’s that word again: know.
It’s been on my mind a lot this week.
I told my Aunt Chriss yesterday, it’s such an interesting feeling to know someone is your child, but to not know the someone that is your child, yet.
Thanks to Three Angels Facebook page, I’ve known since last summer what what it feels like to know of him. I know his soulful eyes through my screen, but I don’t know how it feels to be seen by his soul yet. I know 7 seconds of his giggle, but I don’t know how it sounds in the air right around me yet.
This year though, I get to know! I get to be seen his soul, and I get to hear the sound of his spirit while he’s sitting right in my lap! 😀
The adoptive mamas in Haiti were kind enough to share some more fun “knowns” with me this week, too:
1. Our boy is a sunbeam. He has been nicknamed “The Greeter” because he is, as my friends put it, “the world’s friendliest little person, always smiling and toddling up to greet everyone who enters the orphanage”.
2. He “talks” a lot and his voice sounds like Boo from Monsters, Inc. He is very good at repeating words, and currently speaks Crénglish. Some Haitian Creole (which is a lot like French), and some English. (Wow. Friendly, cute and smart as a whip.) #TripleThreat 😉
3. One of the adoptive papas taught him the sign for “more” because he LOVES playing Ring around the Rosie. Another adoptive papa taught him how to say “beep beep” while he was riding around on the orphanage’s toy car.
4. My friends are still “reading” him the photo book we sent, so now he’s talking to MAMA and PAPA, too.
There’s a good time comin’, y’all. I can feel it in my knowns. 🙂
PS- For more adoption updates and pics between posts, join me over on Twitter, Facebook and/or Instagram!
Each day is one day closer to the day that you’ll be together. We’re all waiting with you…so excited to KNOW the THIS is the year that your son will finally be HOME! Hugs.
What a beautiful post! I feel the joy! As a mother of a now 7 year old boy I KNOW you are in for a future of the most amazing moments of love and laughter and I am so happy for you!
Love these updates. Soon you will know how his hand feels in yours.
Wonderful Layla, Just Wonderful! love to you all!
oh my goodness. such precious words. i’m left crying with joy for you. cannot wait to see this beautiful story unfold. his story and yours. so very precious. prayers to you.
Layla I was adopted and forever am indebted to my parents for loving me and caring for me as their own. God is getting your little guy ready for his wonderful parents and soon your family will be just that…a family! Love your story and this post so much.
Lovely post! I’m so happy for you and this little one who is already basking in your love and getting to know you through your friends and the book you put together for him. Bless you all!
Goosebumps and happy tears over here. So happy for you all.
Layla…, I agree that this is your most powerful, touching post ever! There are so very many people waiting with you and Kevin for this precious baby boy! Ya’ll will be such a blessing to him, as he will also be to you!
Such a beautiful and heartfelt post Layla. Oh the wait is sooooo hard. We just celebrated the date (Feb1st) of when we first got our daughter’s photo. I think back every year to the first time I saw her face even though she was not yet ours. But she was in our hearts:) SO SO happy for you all!!
Gosh, with each post, I cry. Teras of joy for you and Kev. I know you ache to hold this sweet little P!!!!! To feel his warmth, to kiss his cheeks and to hear his laughter.
I can’t wait either, but I know we must. I long to see his little face and hear your stories about him adapting to your lovely home in AL. I wonder how fast it will take him to pick up the slurry slang sound of the south. I say that with great admiration!!!!! I am married to an East Tennessee man and his southerness got me before anything else!!!!!
I think we all “KNOW” close to what you are feeling. I can’t wait. I can literally feeling the JOY coming………………………..
P.S. Plus, he is such a smart little guy! What a blessing.
Oh, Layla, when I finished reading this post, I let out a contented, knowing sigh. You see, each time our daughters were expecting our grandchildren, we knew how wonderful they would be just by remembering how wonderful their mamas were when they were born. Ah, but when the grandbabies were actually born, and we began to know them in the flesh, well, one cannot describe that joy! I pray that you and Kevin will know that joy sooner than later, in God’s good time. blessings, Karen
Amazing how excited I can be for someone I haven’t ever met in person but read for several years. So looking forward to more mama posts. Get ready for your heart to grow ten times its size and inexplicably leave your body and toddle around.
Aw, this post made me want to cry, it is so sweet and thrilling! I cannot wait to meet this little boy through your posts. What joy!
Oh this is just the most wonderful post!!! While there are certainly lots of unknowns in adoption, they just make the “knowns” that much richer and sweeter. Thank you for sharing your heart during this process- it has really helped me along the way during my own, especially when I’m feeling down and a little hopeless. So thanks for that! =)
I’m so excited for you guys to meet your sweet little greeter!!!!!
Reading what you wrote today I immediately thought of one of my favorite passages and a poem written with the words –
“Be still and KNOW”
I just thought of you watching those birds, everything quiet around you…my, how loud the silence can be. That’s when I listen. I listen to hear Him.
Be still and know.
Soon that silence will be shifting. You will have to go in search of it!
God bless,
Kari
I stumbled upon your blog and your story some time ago, and feel like I am taking this journey with you. How wonderful for you to share this experience, I feel blessed to be able to be part of it (even if I am just reading your blog) I loved your photo book post but this one just made my heart sing. Thanks again for sharing your journey. Looking forward to meeting “The Greeter” 🙂
so excited for you… its great.. the most wonderful feeling in the world is holding a child and thinking you have the privilege of teaching them to be a wonderful person to the world.
Heart melting here…I can only imagine how you feel. <3
I love this post.
How beautiful! It sounds like his little personality is so perfectly matched for you two! I can’t wait to hear more! God bless you 3!!
happy stuff. happy friday. thanks for making my day. 😀
xo Heidi
Soon your son will be there running and watching the birds soar away from him and into the sky!
Congrats—my daughter and son-n-law have been fostering a little boy that they recently found out they get to adopt. What a blessing!! I still can’t wrap my mind around this blessing for our family!! Enjoy this anticipating time for when you know!!! This is the foundation of your life as a parent.And of course as my mom told me years ago…enjoy sleeping and doing the little things you can now.
You are lovely. The end.