Mr. Personality

Zechariah Asaba Vincent

Larry, Curly and Mo

The original....

Larry, Curly and Mo!

Faithful God (Part 3)

About a year ago, I wrote a couple of posts entitled, "Faithful God."

If you're interested, you can read them here and here. 

Of course I know that God is faithful, even when it seems like He doesn't work out the details of our lives.  But the last twelve months have been a flurry of answered prayer.  Even prayers I didn't know I needed to pray.

April 2, I started a new job.  A job I love with a boss who is amazing.

Last summer, I got promoted.

God chose Zechariah for our family.

He came home in record time.

While I was out of the country, my parents sold my house.

The day after we got home from almost six weeks in Uganda, I purchased a house.

And in very fitting fashion, we moved on December 31, 2012.

PHEW.

What a year!

And the blessings keep on coming.

During my search for a home in Oak Park (over the last two years), I have been fixated on one elementary school and finding a house in that area.  It's a great school and we would have done well to land there.

Instead, our house is in a different part of the city.

While I have loved a couple of the houses we considered during our search, this is our home.  We have small rooms (individual) for everyone.  We have space for our nanny on a different floor (a blessing for her and for us).  We have room for people to stay in the basement so we can meet ministry or personal needs.  We are blessed.

This week I went to the local elementary school to talk to the principal about Zechariah and what makes sense for his schooling.

I was blown away.

Not only is she awesome (AMEN!) but the school surpasses every expectation I could have dreamed.

The special education department for the district is housed there.  Sure, they go out to all of the schools, but their base is here.  Two blocks from our home.

When we discussed where to place Zechariah in terms of grade, the principal explained that it doesn't really matter because they do multi age classrooms at this school.  HUH!?!?!

Yep, that's right.  Kindergarten through second grade in the same classroom. A one room schoolhouse of sorts.  So he can join K-2 and work fast or slow or whatever he needs to catch up.  Jesus!!!!

Today was his first day.  I was a weepy mess.  Not because I thought he couldn't handle it but because in a real way, he's my baby and we are still bonding.

Zechariah, however, was so excited.  He packed his backpack like a trooper and got up early (with prodding).  He ate breakfast like a champ and walked to school with me.

I love his teacher.  She had a second grader there to help Zechariah get settled.  (wisdom)  Within two minutes, they were holding hands.... Sweet Jesus of mine.... THANK YOU.

His first day was great -- and he only went for a half day.  He's already asking to stay all day.

Easy on your mama, little man.  Give me a sec to breathe....

And.... we're off!

Let the adventure continue!

Transitioning the Mama

Bringing home an older child feels very different than bringing home a baby or a toddler in some obvious ways and other not so obvious ways.  Zechariah (at almost seven years old) can talk to me about what he is thinking/feeling.  He can tell me when he’s upset in a way that I didn’t experience with Seth (infant adoption) and Leah (2 years old).  He also has the ability to ask me to take him on an airplane to Uganda – his homeland.  In those times, more frequent these days, I weep in my heart for him and for the country that he now knows only from a far.  

Today was another type of milestone.  I went to the local elementary school to meet with the principal and decide where Zechariah belongs for school.  At almost seven, he has never set foot in a school, so it’s tricky.  Saving the story of what the school is like for another day, I loved my meeting with the principal.  She is amazing and we are soooo blessed to be just two blocks away from her awesome school.  But somewhere about half way through the meeting, I started to get this intense feeling of dread.  Here I was – talking about a child who I’ve only known ten weeks at this point – getting ready to send him to school.  Real school.  Not preschool school.  But “big kid” school.  By himself.  Without me (or his nanny). 

As I felt the fear well up in my heart, I reminded myself that this is part of older child adoption:  letting go earlier than you otherwise may.  With Seth and Leah, I got to hold tight for a while longer while they stepped slowly (or at least slower) through the stages of growing up.  Zechariah, however, is ready to go.  He’s begging to go.  It’s time to go.  On Wednesday, he will go.  And I predict, I will cry.  A lot.  Because whether he is 6 or not, he’s my newest baby and he’s already so grown up.