Finally a moment to write...

Where has the time gone.  It's been over a month since I posted.  I have to admit, it's for selfish reasons.  A friend encouraged me to enter the National Novel Writing Month challenge, so for the past 29 days I have been pecking away at the keyboard to get to my 50,000 word goal.  I passed it last week and am still about 1/3 way from the finish line of a complete novel. : >)

Noah is doing well.  He is continuing to grow like a weed...has gained about 20 lbs since his arrival a little over a year ago.  And yes...his feet are still growing as well.  Fall was a year of not only physical growth for Noah but cognitive and emotional growth as well.  He continues to move forward in his 2nd grade class.  At this point Math seems to be his strongest subject.  His command of the language is also mind blowing.  He can express himself without any difficulty although at times we have to chuckle at his Noahisms.  For instance, tonight Hannah is going to watch Sam and Noah while the rest of us work at the homeless overflow shelter in Vancouver. He can hardly wait for 'baby take care of me' with Hannah.  

Translation:  Baby Take Care of Me= babysit : >)

Noah  has blended very well into our community.  The excitement of a new student from Ethiopia has worn off across the board.  That has been somewhat hard for Noah to adjust to the attention off of him so he has gone overboard at times to get some negative attention.  We have had to come down hard on him with consequences.  Another for instance...and in truth it is somewhat laughable...but...he just can't do this.

The hearing and audiologist came to the school to screen the kids for hearing and sight.  I happened to walk into the office a few minutes after Noah had his testing done.  

The school nurse came up to me and said, "Did you know Noah cannot hear or see well." 

I laughed, "No...what do you mean?"

"He failed both...according to the results he is sight and hearing deficient."

"He hears fine at school in Mrs. Smith's class.  He chooses NOT to listen to me at home but that's not because he is deaf.   He seems fine around the house."  Then I looked at the nurse and said, "He's playing you guys for attention."  

She was left wondering what was up.  I got caught up in life and forgot about the conversation.

Following week we get a letter in the mail from the Educational Service District informing us that our severely deaf and hearing impaired child needs further testing through a specialist provided to us through the ESD and we would need to call to make an appointment.

"NOAH," I called him into the room.  I read the letter word for word, accentuating the words severely deaf and sight impaired .  "What's this all about?  Do you realize we have to take  you in," and then I began to fib a wee bit,  "and now you are going to need to have to get glasses that are strapped to your head with a rubber band AND you are going to have to have a little box screwed to your head, behind your ear, with a wire running into your ear so you can hear better."  

He looked at me horrified. 

"It's ok Noah...it will make you be able to see and hear better.  It's what we have to do...for you."

He sat very silent and then looked to me with his big brown beautiful eyes.  "Can't I just do the test again?"

"Why would you have to Noah...unless..."

"I want to take the test again," he insisted.  "I lied."

"Why would you do that Noah?"  I explained to him the chain of events, the extra work these adults had to go through to get to the point of the letter I held in my hands. "Why?"

"I wanted to see what would happen if I failed."  

Logical for someone still trying to figure out this new world of his BUT not acceptable.

"Well...here's what would happend, " I told him.  "You go to your room....and no video games for the long weekend. You wanted to know what would happen...well...here you go."

Noah likes to wear the sweat pants that swish when he walks.  He quickly turned on a dime, knowing full well any form of argument would fall on my own self imposed deaf ears, and quickly swished to his room.

 

Clouds

The other day I took Hannah, Noah, and Sam to the park.  Hannah went for a run.  Sam and Noah played on the playground.  About 20 minutes into playing Noah came running over to me and pointed to the sky.  Excitedly he raised his hands to a cloud and outlined its shape, explaining to me how it resembled a Great White Shark.  After a few seconds I could see it...it was almost the perfect shape of the front end of an attacking Great White.  Wow...we stood together watching as the Great White slowly dissolved into a mass of rain clouds.  When it was completely blended Noah ran back to the playground to play with Sam.  I watched him run away...thinking...wondering...did he have time to take note of the shapes of clouds in Ethiopia? If so, what did his imagination see.  Not sharks, I am sure.   A year ago he had no idea such a creature was a part of his world.

 

How many clouds passed over his head the first 6 years of his life in Ethiopia that took on shapes of things he had no idea existed nor could he imagine would be a part of his new world?  

Did Great White Sharks appear in his Ethiopian sky?    

Noah's Homecoming Anniversary

We celebrated Noah's homecoming day this weekend.  He has officially been ours for one year!  Here are some pictures of the past few weeks.  It's been busy between soccer and all of his siblings activities.  He's also has learned about the lucrative business of a lemonade stand on a hot summer day. : >) We spent this past weekend at the beach...Noah  had never seen the ocean before.  He stood at the edge of the water, his arms spread wide, just chanting ETHIOPIA over and over.  We aren't sure why.  He is still so connected to where he came from yet so much a part of his new world in America.   

Family

Happy Ethiopian New Year!

This morning was the first time since school started that Sam, Noah and I were able to walk to school.  Hannah caught a ride with a friend so the 'twins' and I had the calmness of a beautiful NW morning to stroll to 2nd grade.

  

I don't know what it is about these morning walks, but it seems that every time we have a chance to slow down and walk Noah opens up about his life in Ethiopia.  Today's story, just as numbing as the ones before.  It all started when Noah asked, "What if the man (judge for finalization) told you I could not be your son?  Would I have had to go back to Ethiopia?"  I told him, honestly, that they would try to find another family for him in the United States.  Noah said he was glad  the judge said he could be in our family. He loved his family in Ethiopia but he knows he cannot go back.  He doesn't want to go back.   Noah started talking about his family in Ethiopia. On a regular basis,  he talks about his Aunt Genet.  Noah said he never really slept well at Genet's.  I asked if it was because of his baby cousin, Galiela.  

"Not always, " he said.  

"Then why didn't you sleep well?"

Then Noah spoke about what happened in Genet's shack soon before he was relinquished . A group of men came into the shack at night and grabbed Noah and took him away.  He described having his hands tied behind his back with a "thick brown rope".  The men told him he was going to be a part of their 'family' now.  Noah said he fought and argued but they kept him tied up.  They wanted him to join their 'family'.   They were a patched together 'family' of thieves. They needed a little body to sneak in to other's homes and steal for the 'family'.  This morning, when Noah spoke, he said he agree to join their family so he could be untied.   When they released him he bolted back to Genet's house.  The next night they came back and took Noah again.  The blanket over the door frame rendered Genet and Noah defenseless.  Once again Noah fought but in the end agreed and even stole a coin and brought it back to the men to prove himself, but still he had no intention of being a part of the family of thieves.  He returned to Genet's.  Genet alerted, what Noah described as, the local police.  The third night the police waited outside Genet's shack and when the thieves returned to snatch Noah again they were "caught."

Noah said it wasn't long after that that he was taken to Kombulcha, to the orphanage. 

 

Noah has experienced so many forms of family in his life thus far.  For a very brief time he truly was a family with his Ethiopian mom and a dad.  Tuburculosis ended it.  His 'family' shifted to a single dad and son.  Tuburculosis ended it.  Then his family was a wonderful aunt, a baby cousin, and a nephew.  Fear, hunger, and poverty ended it.  He became a family with the other orphans at the WACAP House, who were all waiting for placement.  My travel to Ethiopia ended it.  Today his family is my family is our family.  As we walked to school this morning I vowed again in my heart that Noah Musse is my son forever.  Nothing will ever end it.   

                               Noah, Teklu, Sam, Menywab and Megan at the WACAP picnic
                                            Teklu and Menywab spent the weekend with us
                              Noah insisted on dressing up when we went up the gorge for brunch
                     Finalization Day!!!  Noah officially became a Barclay and our family was complete
                            First day of school!!  He was ready...and very excited to start 2nd grade.

What a month we have had!  Noah has had a wonderful end of summer.  Probably the highlight for Noah was the visit of Ato Teklu (ET country representative for WACAP), his second 'dad' after he was housed at WACAP House in Ethiopia.  While Noah was waiting to come to our family Ato Teklu was an amazing comfort to Noah.  Teklu was in the states on the invite of WACAP.  He was able to see many of 'his' children who had been adopted.  Also visiting was Ato Menywab, the director  of Bete Hitsanat, the initial orphanage that housed Noah before he was moved to WACAP house.  We offered to have both men stay at our house during part of their stay and were very pleased that WACAP said yes.  We had a wonderful visit with lots of laughs with these wonderful men.  More importantly, Noah re-connected with Ato Teklu.  It was very special to see. 

Noah's adoption was also finalized this past month.  He is now 100% family. : >)  

Finally...two days ago Noah started 2nd grade.  His tutoring this summer helped him catch up to  his classmates for the most part.  We are confident he is going to have a wonderful year.   

The question is asked many times over, "How is Noah doing?"  To be honest, at this point of the game Noah seems to be doing fantastic.  Really.  This summer, his first summer in America, has been full of a lot of adventures.  

When I was in Ireland with my daughter, Noah and the rest of the men of the family took a road trip north to Seattle.  They caught a Mariners game...something so foreign to Noah that according to Jeff the size and scope of Safeco Field blew Noah's socks off!   Jeff said by the 5th inning he was dancing in the aisles and singing along with the rest of the fans.  He really does live by the motto, "If you can't beat them...join them."    After a night at grandma's in Seattle they headed down to the Great Wolf Lodge...and indoor waterpark that basically could be described as what a casino is to adults...the Great Wolf Lodge is to kids.  Every day since then Noah has begged to go back.  He has no fear so he was riding the biggest rides they have.  One, my husband described to me, was like a giant toilet bowl.  Imagine 4 bugs strapped to a leaf spinning down a  toilet bowl vortex and that was Noah and his brothers on one of the raft rides there.  Let's just say I am glad I was half a world away.   : >)  I wish I had pictures of the whole adventure but Jeff forgot the camera...I guess I should'nt be too mad though.  At least he didn't forget to bring a kid. : >)

  

On the home front...Noah has been busy with tutoring and swim lessons.  Noah is now reading at about a 1.8 grade level which basically is equal to his classmates.  Phew...I am so so so very relieved that he has caught up in less than a year.  He still has trouble transferring information because of the language but he really has made incredible gains over the past several months. 

We have a pool at our house but have only allowed Noah in it with water wings.  Since swim lessons started 2 weeks ago however, he has proven himself to be a very strong swimmer.  So far removed from our spring break where he actually almost made the life guard at the hotel in Washington DC get wet!!  He no longer looks like he is splashing in an Ethiopia water hole but is actually using the correct kicks and strokes.  Check another thing off the list. : >)

Now and then Noah's behavior has a setback.  We expect it so we are ready to lay down the law. Today he missed a play date with a  friend as part of the consequence of some naughty behavior at swimming yesterday.  It really hit home with him and the tears fell.  As hard as it was I stuck by my guns...and I know for a fact he has learned his lesson.  Friends and playdates are his LIFE!!  

So...that's the lowdown on Noah.  This weekend we are very very excited to welcome Mr. Ato Teklu to our home.  He is the director of WACAP adoptions in Ethiopia.  He is in America for a short visit.  Noah is beyond excited and is counting down the days and hours until he can see his Teklu again.  What a special man...I am excited for my family to meet him as well.

Duty calls...back to work.

Summertime!

This is a shot of Noah doing one of his chores...watering the garden.  He always forgets to take off his waterwings...

We have officially started our second month of summer vacation...so far so good.  Noah has had some trouble with the lack of structure summer brings.  I think he and I both crave the school year schedule.  He's become a huge fan of the tv show Avitar...and that has been my bargaining chip when he is choosing make waves.  Overall he's not a behavior problem...he just lacks the long term focus my other kids have so he is in constant motion moving from one thing to another.  There's usually a trail of destruction in his wake as well. : >)

Now that the first part of vacation is over I can slow down and reflect on Noah...and his past 9 months with us.  The physical changes are very obvious.  He has grown 2 3/4 inches since he walked through our front door for the first time!  He's also put on about 15 lbs. Needless to say, he is growing like a summer weed.  We took him to the dentist and it appeared that his permanent teeth were having difficulty finding their way down because of the unusual spaces in his teeth.  So with a quick trip to the orthodontist Noah got 'braces' or 'grills' :  >) on just his two front teeth to pull them together and open up the spaces for his canines to drop down.  It's made a huge difference his teeth are shaping up. 

    

Noah's teacher has graciously offered to tutor Noah this summer.  He goes to her house every day for 45 minutes of one-on-one.  It has made such a huge difference and come fall he will be just about caught up with the rest of his classmates.  We are so grateful to her.  Noah is now reading solidly at a mid first grade level.  He's making great gains all the way around.

The biggest test of Noah's summer so far has been my absence for 10 days when my daughter Hannah and I went to Ireland the first part of July.  Since his placement with our family he has never had a day/night without me.  He did great, although when I talked to him on the phone he would just say, "I'm sorry mom, I don't know, I just love you so much."  Very sweet to hear.   I am also very grateful that he had the ability to handle this adversity with very little problems. By the way...Ireland...WOW!!  Very very fun!

  

Yesterday Noah went grocery shopping with me and I let him get some ice cream cones sans the ice cream as we had 5 gallons back at the house.  The box showed the cones with dripping, delicious (or de-liss-shus as Noah would say) vanilla ice cream.  So last night after dinner, Noah runs up to the house and gets the box of cones out of our pantry.  He was very excited to share the ice cream cones with the family.  He opened up the box, looked inside, and then had a very angry/puzzled look on his face.  He looks up at the family and says, "Stupids...they forgot to put the ice cream on the cones."  He hasn't quite figured out the magic of refrigeration...nor the need for it when it comes to frozen foods. :  >)

He has spent many hours in our swimming pool.  He doesn't fear water but he most certainly does not know how to swim.  He said he swam in Ethiopia but the way he moves in water it would seem more realistic to think he splashed in a waterhole...or stream.    Thank goodness for waterwings!  Next week he starts his first official swim lessons.  We will just have to  see how that goes. : >) 

Next month Noah will be reunited with a very special man from Ethiopia, Mr. Ato Teklu.  He is traveling to the states and will be at the WACAP picnic.  Noah can hardly wait and truth be told, neither can I.  My entire family is anxious to meet this wonderful man Noah and I talk about almost every day.  

This Friday is the one year anniversary of Noah's court date.  The date he officially became ours.  How fast time has flown.  Never in my imagination could I have guessed how this little guy has changed our world.  When you are in the waiting stages of adoptions you try to picture your life with that child.  Now, a year later my thoughts of a year ago seem so minor compared to the "real" life with Noah.  

We are blessed...we truly are.