Observations

This week another family was in Thailand picking up their 6 year old boy. The process has been very unsmooth (is that a word?) for them and it didn't end smoothly either. Thankfully it all ended well and they are flying home right now as I type. I'm thrilled for them, they were approved at the same board meeting we were approved at and are just now traveling. Their agency has been difficult to work with to say the least, but I also think the officials in Thailand made things difficult because the foster mom really wanted to keep the boy, which to me begs the question, why didn't she petition to adopt him? Maybe they aren't allowed to I don't know but to think she would rather this boy remain an orphan all his life and would likely remain in that institution his entire adult life as well makes me wonder. Is that really love? I think letting this boy go without a fight, and knowing that this family has the means and willingness to deal with his physical issues and that in America he won't be discriminated against for his disability and he has a future, it truly love. The ordeal is over for them now, they have six months and they can finalize and forget about this terrifying event, but sadly many other orphans remain in Thailand, stuck in orphanages because families and workers refuse to do what's best for the kids.

On a different note, strangely enough we are already beginning to think about next year and whether or not Max will start Kindergarten. It has always been my plan to hold him back for a year because I/we felt that he would likely need time to catch up, and although he is delayed in some areas he seems to be learning and changing so quickly that we now wonder if it might be best for him to start his formal education. Of course he will be at King's with the other kids so it's only in a classroom two days a week and then home for three days. Max is so smart, I know I'm his momma and he is special to me, but still he seems exceptional. He watches everything and notices everything. He stands back and observes before he jumps in, but the difference with him is he is observing, not oblivious to what's going on around him. He watches and learns from what he sees and then adjusts himself accordingly. The other day Allison asked if Barney could be turned off because she wanted to take a test. I suggested she wait for a little while, she didn't want to do that. Max, ever watching, went and turned off the TV and told Allison he was sorry it was bothering her. I'm not sure any of my other kids would have been that aware of the conversations and happenings around them at the age of 4. He is always thinking and his eyes have never been blank, even in the pictures we have of him from Thailand his eyes seemed so alert, of course I thought I was biased, but he is alert, he is aware and he is constantly processing. He engages with his world in a way we never expected. I am so curious to watch him grow and develop.