NOT AS MANY SECONDS

The past few days I have noticed that Ben isn't requesting 2nd or 3rds as much at the table.  We are wondering if he is starting to trust that another meal will always be provided by us, and he doesn't have to "hoard" food at mealtime in case there isn't another meal coming.  

One of the constants at the orphanage was the 3 meals a day.  Perhaps Ben is realizing we are as reliable as the orphanage when it comes to food.  I am hoping my food is bit better tasting than the orphanage food- it never looked real appetizing to me...

When I think of life in the orphanage for Ben, I see living with us, his new family, has an improvement.  I have to remind myself that Ben may still be missing his old life- it was the only life he had ever known.  In my mind, he came to something better.  In his mind, he is just dealing with the fact that everything has changed for him.  In time, I pray the stress of that adjustment will lessen, and he will truly be happy with his new life.

Until then, we will keep proving to him that we are loving and worthy of his trust.  And food is one of those ways to communicate that- it's been said the way to a man's heart is through his stomach!  

UNEXPLAINED GIGGLES

Often Ben will break out in an unexplained giggle. 

For instance last night, we were driving home after school shopping for Lydia, and Ben just start to giggle in his car seat.  

When he does this, we wonder if he is just so happy to have a family and this new life of his.  I would like to think this is the cause of his giggles...until he tells me differently, I will just go with that version!

On a humorous side note, often times Ben will look at us rather angrily and shout something in Lithuanian to us.  We are reasonably sure he is expressing some anger towards us.  So it goes both ways.  

Take the good and the bad, and you end up somewhere in the middle, right?

THE TALE OF TWO CAPES

As I said before, things have been such a whirlwind since we left for Lithuania on 7-8, that I am still processing all the incredible experiences we had during our trip to bring Ben home.

Another incredible gift from the Lord happened when we were packing up Ben's things at the orphanage on 7-15.  

The only things we had ever seen of Ben's during our visits at the orphanage were the things we had given him in our care package to him.  When it was time for him to leave the orphanage, we found out he had a few more possessions- birthday gifts that had been donated to him over the years.  

One of those gifts was a red cape with the FLASH symbol on it.  

You might wonder why I am even bothering to mention a silly old red cape?  But the thing is, our Jonah has a red cape with a FLASH symbol on it that he plays with almost every day.  He uses it to be a superhero, to be a Bible character, whatever game he is imagining usually needs the cape.  The cape is so important to him that I even packed it to go by my sister while he stayed there during our trip.

To see little Ben pull a red FLASH cape out of his box to pack for home was just amazing to Andrew and I.  Two little boys, worlds apart but soon to be brothers, each with red capes.  Andrew doesn't cry over much, but this brought tears to his eyes.  It truly felt like the Lord was telling us once again that this was meant to be- this had all been ordained and planned by Him.

The reason we both have such strange looks on our faces is because we truly were in shock when this red cape appeared.

Ben's cape is on the left, Jonah's is on the right.  I don't think Ben ever got to play with his cape at the orphanage because all the kids would have fought over it.  However, if Ben watches Jonah, he will find many things to use his cape for- like I said, Jonah plays with his almost everyday!

BEN'S FIRST WEEKS HOME

Hard to believe we have been home for 3 weeks!

Just wanted to share some ordinary moments that seem extraordinary when you watch a 6 year old former orphan experience them for the first time!

   

Ben and his new best friend, our dog Tucker or "SUO" (shoe-a) as Ben calls him in Lithuanian

Abigail and I took the boys for a walk at Harrington Beach State Park.

Snack time in the living room.  Ben seemed very hesitant at first to eat away from the table. 

Now he is an old pro at it!

Fun on our swingset!

Playtime at the park with Aunt Jane and Uncle Doug

BEN'S RAINBOW

Because it has been such a whirlwind since coming home with Ben, I forgot another amazing God-thing, this one happening on the night we arrived home.   Outside was a double rainbow.  Not only was it beautiful, it just spoke to our hearts about how the Lord's hand has been on this process from day one.  He fully intended Ben to be part of our family, from leading us to Ben's picture on Reece's Rainbow, to making him our son on the same date that six years earlier he arrived at his orphanage, and then blessing us with 2 amazing rainbows in the sky the night we arrive home with Ben.

To God be the Glory...

Here are his sisters meeting him that night for the first time 

(Stephen was away at a running camp, 

and Jonah was asleep for the night).

Here is Jonah meeting Ben for the first time the next morning.  Notice they are holding hands!

And finally Stephen and Ben meet for the first time later that day.

HOPEFULLY HAPPENED!

I was reading through our blog the other day, just reliving what the past almost 18 months have been like during our adoption process.  I came across a post from 7-13-15 entitled "Hopefully Next Summer".  It had photos of the girls and Jonah playing at the beach, and then talked about hopefully next summer little Benjamin would playing at the beach with us. 

The other day I took Lydia and the boys to the beach.  As I looked over the photos I took that day, I realized HOPEFULLY HAD HAPPENED!  Here I was at the beach with Jonah and his new brother Benjamin.  Something we have been praying about and hoping for and now it happened.

God answers our prayers in many ways- sometimes yes, sometimes no, and sometimes wait.

Here was a prayer that was finally answered yes- HOPEFULLY HAPPENED!  Thank you Lord.

THANK YOU LORD!

This morning I want to share all the things the Lord has done for us over these past few weeks:

1. Safe travel to and from Lithuania.  
2. Safety and good health while we were in Lithuania.
3. Safety and good health for the 4 kiddos we left home while we traveled.
4. Strength, comfort and PEACE as I wrestled with homesickness and major fears about the adoption the first few days we were in country.  
5. An amazingly smooth and QUICK process while in country so that we could be home in just 13 days.  For the work of Cathy, Silva, and Reda in helping bring Ben home!
6. Protection over Benjamin Kostas over the past 6 years and during this time of adjustment for him.
7. Strength, comfort and peace as we all adjust to our new family.
8. The love, help, and prayers of family and friends during our time away.  This was definitely a group effort!

I grew in my faith in the Lord during this experience, realizing that I do not need to depend on what I can do but rather on what Christ can do through me.  I learned to give my worries and fears to the Lord rather than fretting over them.

Thank you Lord for all you have done for us.  I am in awe of your perfect ways.