One year ago (well, one year and one month)

Even if I try, I cannot imagine my life without Parker. We reached a huge milestone last month, he has been home one year. One year ago, Jim and I sat, terrified, at the Somerset hotel waiting for the time to leave to get Parker. We barely spoke, and if we did it was some attempt at humor to diffuse the situation. We knew we had a rough road ahead. Our son was so very attached to his foster mother, yes, this is what we wanted...healthy attachment. But watching a 10 month old grieve is torture.

Look at my scared little boy. I had bought this beautiful new shirt for the day we picked him up. Yeah, never took my coat off at HOLT, and it had to come off after he soaked it in tears. He would cuddle up to me and cry as he scanned to room for his Omma.
Finally, exhausted he slept on his Dad.

We got back to hotel and after 2 hours of tears and screams, he just gave up and got down on the floor to look around. Finally, I tried to feed him dinner. he took one spoon of pears and said "OOHHH" This is my favorite memory of that day, it meant so much. He was going to let me care for him! Today when I ask him about the pears and what he said..he responds OOOHHH. Well, I tell the story lots!

The next morning, DJ (HOLT Social Worker) was at our hotel for a meeting, she found us at breakfast and reached for Parker. He refused and clung to me. She said "Good! I was worried!"

I was talking with a friend about how we will explain to Parker about his story. I told he we do it every day, in small ways. When we see and airplane, when he meet another baby from Korea etc. I also practiced telling him the story since he was little.

Happy one year home Parker!

"Because I knew you I have been changed...for good"

For Good- Wicked