Brothers

If a picture really is worth a thousand words, then I will let these photos speak for themselves. Or will I? Pictures can be deceiving.....and in this case, only tell part of the story.








Despite getting closer and closer every day, our little family still has a ways to go. Because the intent of these ramblings is to record our time and experiences in Addis, I believe it is necessary to write as close to the truth as possible. So, the truth..... Luke and I have had our lives turned upside down. Transitioning an orphaned two year old into our lives while living in a foreign country has not been easy. Physically, Levi is doing great. In ten days, the scabies, worms and fungus have vanished. Peanut butter and eggs can now be added to the short list of foods he will eat. He sleeps through the night. He now loves taking a bath and often cries when he gets out instead of going in.

The emotional and social growth are coming, but slower. Thankfully, Levi has clearly "attached" to me and refuses to allow anyone else to pick him up. That said, my odds are still only about 50% when I reach out for a hug or a carry. He is a stubborn little man and still prefers Luke to me, following him pretty much everywhere. This is fine with me as adding him to our family has always been more about Luke having a brother than me having another child. I continue to draw strength from Luke, my little super hero. After a particularly challenging day today (concluding with a bite instead of a kiss when I was putting Levi to bed), Luke said, "Mom, I know today was a hard day for you, but I really love having a brother."

I am truly thankful that things are improving. Missing out on the first two years of Levi's life has made things tough, but not impossible. Each day he shows us signs that he is falling a bit deeper into our lives. We are gradually gaining his trust and it feels good.