Little Heads Bowed

No matter how silly the boys are at bedtime, when they kneel by the bedside, they settle right down to serious conversation, practice their verse for Sunday School and then we pray around. James always says, "Thank you God for zis food, zis mom and dad, and for Rob a good brudder for me, and Maggie at college, and zis home, and zeez friends."

As part of his healing prayers he covers two mute women, Janet and Sylvia, whom he has met and Dad's arm which was broken 2 weeks ago, (but due to the many prayers is so much better, and without a cast.) He prays for every ache and pain he and Peter have, and last night he added a prayer for Peter's brain. In the interest of keeping the peace between the boys, I let that one slip by.

Last week it was for a part of Peter's anatomy which received a blow during football game. I only figured out what he was referring to when there was a long pause. I opened my eyes to see them smiling at each other.

Peter evaluates the day in his prayers. The rating of "good" is always alotted if we did something with other people. The other day he said, "Thank you, God, this a good day," because before an outdoor sport's ceremony at school, he and James had played football with kids in their class. Then, recalling the spanking he'd had, he changed it to "not a good day...I have tomorrow a clean heart, please God."

Rob is so good with his younger brothers I can't believe how blessed we are to have dear son like him. He is forthright with them when they need a rebuke and they respect him. If I were doing it I would be more gentle but then, I'm not a guy. In the past few days I have seen him with Peter in a head hold till he 'cries uncle' and runs off laughing. By way of explanation James tells him, "Peter, Rob loaves you. He loaves you." James gets his share of bear hugs too. It is just so precious I could cry, but don't tell them I said so.

When Peter is up on Sunday morning all dressed in his good slacks, button-down collar shirt, and carrying his Bible, I wonder if Bob is right when he says the boy is going to be a pastor! It's disconcerting to have someone up as early as me and ready to roll before I even reach the kitchen. If I don't give him something to do he starts setting the table, and making the hard boiled eggs, and the appointed Setter is not a happy camper!

Tonight about fifteen folks came over for supper. We got to hear Michelle share about her orphans at our boys' #4 Internot in Odessa, and collected names of people who would like a pen pal. We adults talked with parents of Rob's friends, a family who are considering adoption, a single girl who had brought her two little ones from Ukraine, and Joe, our carpenter who preaches at the County Boys' Home each week.

Meanwhile, the three boys had fun outdoors with several other boys who came, but at one point Peter ran inside and came and stood near me. I know when any of my kids have done that, that they are overwhelmed or over-stimulated, and need me to keep them still beside me for a few moments. He just wanted the big three - "eye contact, physical contact, and focused attention" from Mom.

When it came time for everyone to leave, he was his old self again and walked each family to their car, reached in the window to shake hands and say a parting word, and waved them off. Then next minute he was lying squeezed into the doll cradle, sucking his thumb and grinning, "pretending" to be Mama's baby. He doesn't care who sees him. Whenever he does that I take him on my lap and rock him, "pretending" he is my baby, until he is finished pretending and runs off to be a big boy. I hope when he's fifteen or so he outgrows this behavior.

Speaking of being a big boy, the two of them finally can tell when their shoes are too small. They told me that in the orphanage their shoes were always tight. In fact all their clothes were too small. James was complaining of a pain in his leg last night, which I discovered was really in his foot - in Russian leg and foot are the same word. We went shopping, and now both boys are very happy to have shoes that fit!

We have been believing God for an answer to the late nights awake for James. His homeless days taught him to sleep with one ear open, so he wakes easily and stays awake late. It has been making me really weary because I wake early, but tonight he has a Bible CD and is happily lying in bed listening to the story of Esther, Haman and Mordecai.

Before long these little characters are going to figure out how to read this blog. They are pretty sharp with this computer, though I do oversee use of it. But lately they have been watching a bit too closely as I type in my password.