Each night at bedtime Bobby now goes through a new routine. After we have read, prayed and kissed him goodnight, he yells, "Dad (or Mom), I love you, and waits for one of us to yell back, "I love you, Bobby". He usually does this two or three times, then we can hear him say to himself, "YESSS". So sweet. These seemingly little things mean so much to us because they show us glimpses of the sweetness and preciousness of Bobby. He wants to please more and more often. He now routinely turns the TV off without a word of fussing ( a miracle).
These miraculous changes are the result of prayer for help, lots and lots of reading, research, and work with wonderful adoption counselors who have helped us understand that all negative behavior comes from a place of fear and anxiety. That an angry child is really a scared child and that concentrating on building trust is paramount. I've learned that I can't parent Bobby like I did our other children where I focused on gaining control because to be honest, I was scared of losing control. God is allowing us to see a child blossom before our eyes and it is amazing and humbling.
