Transformation Tuesday

Here's a little update on Liam and the transformation that completely amazes us every day.

Liam is in his second week of school and he has done amazingly well. He's behind academically and it is going to take a while before he's able to keep up with spelling tests and math problems but we have full confidence that he will get there quickly.  He is trying and participating in class. He is making friends and excited to get out of the car each day.  These are the things that really matter to me and sight words, subtraction and reciting the pledge perfectly will come. 

The most common question that we are asked is still, "How is his English coming?"  That has literally been such a minor issue since the moment he was in our arms. He could tell in context what we were talking about thanks to books, Google translate and hand motions. He very quickly starting trying to speak English and I would say he's now as fluent in English as I was in Spanish III in high school.  He speaks short sentences and phrases and knows most basic nouns (places, food, colors, people).  

What really amazes us is looking back at how far he has come so quickly and how much he has changed physically and emotionally.

I took these two pictures 13 months apart.

If you knew him before and after, you would see that his whole attitude has changed every more than his appearance. He changed because he has become what we said he is.  He knows he is a cherished son. We sang this song recently at a church service we were in.  I felt bad for the rest of the congregation because they had probably never seen this happen in the tangible way we have.  

When Liam was ushered in the door in China, he was scared and crying.  After trying to console him, giving him suckers and trying to listen to the nannies at the same time, my husband stopped and looked up a word on Google translate. Jeff leaned down and told Liam in Mandarin that he was brave.  He didn't tell him to BE brave. He told him he WAS brave. Instantly, the tears were gone and his whole demeanor changed. Now, every night as we tuck him into bed we say, "Liam is..." and he fills in the blank with four words.

Liam is...brave

Liam is...strong

Liam is...happy

Liam is...blessed

He says them boldly each night because his Daddy says that is who he is.  And he believes his father. 

So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son, then you are also an heir through God

Galatians 4:7