Almost Three Years

Yesterday the weather was horrid. 

Horrid I say.

What was suppose to be rain turned into slushy snow and the whole day was just dreary.

I drove my junior high kids to school.

I realize I only have one junior high child (Alex) but he walks each day with two girls in our neighborhood and his cousin, Brach. 

My sister and I decided that the boys can walk while the weather is good and then a neighbor friend, Abbie asked if she could join them. I have Abbie's sister Beth each morning for about 30 minutes before school. She comes and practices the piano and reads until it's time for the elementary children to walk to school. She is Rylee's age. 

Abbie is a grade above Alex but technically his age. (As Alex is old for his grade.)

So, Abbie joined the Junior High walk to school this year. (They just moved in last year.) Katie who lives across the street joined in a couple of weeks later.

I have many children coming and going in the morning that I just leave the door open and I've instructed them to just walk in. (Our dog doesn't bark if they just walk in but if they ring the doorbell? Good grief.)

Both Abbie and Beth are adopted from China. Darling girls.

The first day I saw Alex and Abbie leave to met Brach at the bottom of the hill I thought about these two former orphans from opposite sides of the globe, now here in families, walking to school together. It gave me chills to think how their futures could have been so much different. 

Anyway, so yesterday I'm taking the kids to school and Abbie remarked how she's been here for ten months now. Katie remarked how long she'd lived in the area and Brach too. Alex pipped in with I've been here 2 years and 2 months. I did the math and pointed out that at the end of this month he will have been here 2 years and SIX months. And that on the 18th of this month, we will have known him for three years. (The day he arrived for the hosting program three years ago.)

Wow. Three years. 

I can't imagine my life without Alex. 

What would I do with my time? And more importantly, what would I blog about?? (JK)

He is such a sweet boy. 

It took us awhile and a lot of work to get to this point but it was so worth it. Yes, he's  trying at times - as anyone that follows this blog can attest - but mostly, he's just sweet and eager to please and so loves having a family and a place to call home.

He's really on a "I love you Mom" kick. I think I hear it about ten times a day.

And despite these two girls standing in the house, waiting for Alex (as I'm always reminding him to brush his teeth or wear a jacket or did he grab his lunch?) each morning,  he'll come right up to me and hug me or kiss my cheek goodbye before leaving for school. Love that. Love that he doesn't care about being cool as much as he cares about showing love. I hope that never changes.

Yesterday he came home and I had my hair in hot rollers. He was trying to hug me while sitting at my computer but my rollers were in the way, it was sort of like hugging a porcupine. He started asking me about what it was like to wear rollers? How did I get them in? (He is so very curious about all things.)  I asked him if he'd like to take them out for me? 

YES! 

I don't think I've ever had anyone be softer and more gentle with my hair. Ever. He was so sweet. When they were all out he told me it looked beautiful. "You look beautiful mom."

And with that he gave me a hug and went off to start his homework.