Anxiety, Mache, Missions...and a stray dog.

We went to our annual homeschooling conference, MACHE, this past Friday, thanks to Mima & Papa watching the 2 little boys on Friday, and Katya watching them on Sat. All went well! Both mornings were like pulling teeth before we went, with meltdown upon meltdown (sorry, including my own!), but by lunch kids looked happy again. We had lunch in the car, and below are photos of the kids after Day 1 & Day 2. It is always such an encouragement for our family, school, and faith in Christ to go to these conferences. I think I'll go the rest of my life, whether or not I'm still homeschooling!

Day 1

I have a friend who is struggling with anxiety in the first couple months of their adoption. I can't over emphasize that this anxiety is real. I'd be embarrassed now to share the level of anxiety and all my coping ways in the first year+, and some days I still feel it. I have learned much from my husband, that swift quick discipline, and boundaries help. And it has helped that our children are starting to feel permanently loved, but at first everything is a power struggle, etc. So if you think of it, pray for my friend's anxiety to lift. It is nothing God is not familiar with, but it is so hard the same. Fast breathing, not eating or eating too much, not sleeping, frantic, etc, and no words of encouragement seem to even help....it's just very hard for people to understand. It tips your family upside down for a long time and then it comes around and is very beautiful.

I liken it to missions...I imagine that when missionaries start their post in Africa, or Thailand, or India after coming from the comforts of home, for 2-3 year they might experience this. At first they are full of God's love for everyone, and then they realize they might need to sleep with insects, or fight dysentery, or live out of exhaustion, etc. and then the permanency of it sets in, and I imagine they have levels of anxiety, new languages, different food, sicknesses, and how to cope, but somehow God meets us here where we need Him most and ministers.

Pray for Him to minister to my friends, and comfort them with peace, and calm their hearts.

We had a stray dog the other day.  He didn't want anyone to touch him, came inside with Chance, and back out, and played and played with him. He was wary, but once he figured out we liked him, he just came for more and more attention. When we rested a bit, and Chance laid down, he just couldn't. He paced and paced, inside and out. We have learned that his owners do not take good care of him, leave poop all over their yard, and maybe hit him from how he flinches. He is restless.  I comlaidpare that to children who have had to survive most of their growing up years. When they find someone who loves them, then they can't get enough, they find it hard to settle down and rest, they are always scared for many years after feeling safe. They are restless, this can be hard for a caregiver, and can add to anxiety levels.

We implemented earlier bed times, and everyone seemed to benefit from it, rest was "enforced" and respected by all ages. We were able to talk and rest ourselves. It was one thing that really helped lower our anxiety, and it was much needed.

Adoption can be stressful and I think mom's feel the anxiety the most because of their tender hearts. Please be kind and graceful to adoptive parents, and pray that their anxiety is lifted.

We also know of a young man struggling with depression and are concerned about him. I am personally concerned that it might even be circumstantial and would ask us all to pray that God will surround him with loving, wise people that will help him through this tough time....

Grateful for all He does in our life and his careful, watchful, protective eye, 2ndChron 16:9 Thank-you Lord.

Love, Alesia & Chris

PS...Jonathan was blessed with 2 good hockey games (2 goals each), and lots of teamwork passing, pucks in the net, great playing, 2 wins by quite a bit, and Jaclyn was blessed with a new violin. Each of our children had a little something special from Mache. Sophia wanted a devotional journal, and it is just perfect for her...God is so good to us (and so is my husband!).