Day 50...but who's counting?!

Last night I prayed that Zane's tummy would feel full all night long and that he would have sweet dreams.  I prayed his angel would stand guard over him and give him peace and protection throughout the night.  This morning we awoke to a cooing baby playing in his crib after 11 hours of sleep!  Praise the Lord!  God is so good to answer the smallest of prayers to remind us he's still listening.

Zane has eaten table food for breakfast the past two days, which is amazing!  I've been really encouraged as he continues to trust us to feed him things he likes.  After breakfast, we had our devotional and God reminded us again that we can have confidence in Him.  It specifically said in the book that God fights for you, which has been on my heart for the past 5 days or so.  It's amazing how the Holy Spirit gives me a message and then God confirms it later through His word, a devotional, or a pastor.  I believe that God's already gone before us into the embassy, cleared a path for us, and that He is fighting for our case to be handled in His perfect timing.

 
To get out of the guest house a little bit, Mark and I asked some AWAA friends here if they'd like to take the kids to the African Park.  This park was established as a celebration of the African Union in 2004.  It is extremely well-kept with lush landscaping, fun playground equipment, and even a concession stand.  Zane had an absolute blast.  His whole demeanor changed when he went down a slide again.  He has not gotten to do that since he left the transition home on August 4th.  Mom and I taught him how to slide, so when he saw it, he immediately new what to do.  His laugh was infectious as he slid down the same slide for the 50th time in a row.  It never gets old.

Our time there was such a great bonding experience for our family.  It takes a lot of trust to get on playground equipment, like a slide, and expect someone to catch you at the bottom.  It also is a great way to make eye-contact, laugh together, and experience Mommy and Daddy in a silly new way.  We are so thankful for the time we spent there, and for our new friends who chose to come along with us!

Zane took a 2 1/2 nap today - another big blessing since he slept so long last night!  Mark and I napped with him, and felt very refreshed.  We had a fun afternoon playing in the room, kicking the soccer ball outside, and going to dinner at Zebra Grill down the street.  Zane was very well-behaved, and he continued to try things like french fries and ketchup at dinner.

One of my favorite parts of the day is bath time.  His excitement and joy is contagious.  I love how good he feels and how happy he gets when he's clean.  He loves to be held, have lotion put on, and play on the bed before he gets his bottle and goes to bed.  These moments are priceless, and I want to keep them forever.

When Mark and I sit back and think of the man Zane will become and the possibilities for his future, we are overwhelmed with hope, gratitude, and love.  While we don't understand everything in this process of adoption, and while we can get focused on the frustrating bureaucratic methods, we know that this is time together that we will never have again - focused bonding time with our little boy who will grow faster than we know.  No matter where in the world we are, we are family, and we are home when we are together.