Family picture

Family picture

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

BITTERSWEET DAY AHEAD

Today is one of those days in a parent's life . . .








You know the kind. You are happy for your child to move on but oh so sad to have them leave.




Ted goes back to college today for his LAST semester! He will be returning home before Christmas break to begin his student teaching in the spring semester as an English teacher at an area high school.




We can't believe how the summer has flown by! It's been quite a summer, to say the least, with three surgeries, a couple of wonderful trips, and lots and lots of work seeing our small businesses grow.




STILL, there has been much time for just the four of us (Kevin, Ted, Philip, and me) to really, really cement that adoption bonding and attachment thing.




At the first of Ted's break, way back in the spring, Philip was still rejecting him often. Ted was an unknown to Philip because shortly after Philip came home from China last year, Ted was off to college for an entire year. Short weekends/breaks home and then leaving again threw Philip for a loop. He wasn't quite sure just who Ted was.








That's all changed in a wonderful way now. With Ted being home since early May, he and Philip have become so close. Now Philip includes Ted in his prayers, he goes to him often even in public, wants to play with Ted all of the time, and snuggles as much as he can with him.









Today will be hard for Kevin and me (it always is even though Ted is a grown man now), but it will be so much more difficult for Philip. Ted is his best buddy now. We just have to help Philip understand that Ted WILL ALWAYS be his best buddy.








Ted - we love you and miss you already. Just know that we are cheering you on to the finish and can hardly wait to see what God has for your future!

4 comments:

Chasity said...

God bless Ted on his last semester. What a wonderful time for him to see all his hard work turn into his success'. We wish him a wonderful final semester at school and we will be praying for mom and dad of course as you miss him and Philip as he might not completely understand why he is leaving again. I love seeing all the pictures of your boys together...they are so precious...and very soon, there will be three! God Bless,
Chas, Travis, Trayjan and Jie

Mom Of Many said...

Ooookay the pictures and words are totally making me cry! Not fair!

Isn't it amazing to see the bonding between siblings, even when they are not around? When Tyler or Abi come home they are smothered constantly....another miracle of adoption...family! Even though separated often by miles and years chronologically - still family!

I am praying for comfort for your hearts and especially little Phillip's heart. May God's grace be sufficient. Much love from here to there! xo

Pam said...

Oh Janet, I can so relate with bittersweet feelings of sending your biggest boy off. Bill is in TX right now taking Will to Baylor. And unfortunately with the distance (we're in NC)and the little ones it's just not feasable for me to go along too. Sigh....Not only is this mama missing her boy, I've got 3 girls home missing him, too.

Sharon and Michael said...

I'm sorry. The summers will never be the same once they are "on their own". My oldest just graduated in May and now is living 2 hours away. He makes his way home very other weekend. But, things are the same other than I'm still doing his laundry. My other two bios are "Gone" and "grown" too. I feel for you.

CONGRATS on the LID ... won't be long now.