the great I AM

Ever since we arrived here in Virginia, we’ve seen so much of God’s goodness. With a big move, as this one was, Neil and I expected a TON of necessary transition time, especially for Noah and Judah. Possibly even regression. However, both boys only took a couple days to really acclimate to our new home.

Just last week, Noah asked, “Canyon Lake?”

Me: “Noah, do you want to go back to Canyon Lake?”

Noah: “No! No Canyon Lake.”

Me: “Noah, would you rather live in Texas or Virginia?”

Noah: “Virginia.”

Understand, this is HUGE for Noah. In the past, a big move would leave a regression of language or some other skill he’d recently learned. Moving always seemed to temporarily affect toileting routines in the past. Adapting to new schools, routines, and environments has always been pretty tough.

However, Noah likes this house, his school, and our new church. He likes this life better. There has been no regression from either boy. In fact, Noah & Judah seem more settled, more confident in themselves and their surroundings, and both are making progress. The last three months have been pretty incredible.

Noah is communicating more spontaneously than ever. And he’s using full sentences.! Last night, after everyone was in bed, he walked into our bedroom just to say, “Good night, Mom & Dad!”

Whaaaaaat?

For those of you who don’t know Noah, he’s typically in his own little world. For him to take the time and make the effort to pay attention to my schedule and want to engage (like saying “good-bye”) is HUGE. In fact, up until this point, he’s never done it. Until now.

A couple weeks ago, as I was climbing into my friend’s car to go to Bible study, Noah hurried to the door and yelled, “Wait! Stop, stop, stop!” My friend halted her vehicle for a second. As we both looked at Noah standing in the doorway, we heard him yell one more time as he waved his hand in the air, “Good-bye!”

The other day, Noah chose a couple reusable to-go coffee cups at the Dollar Store. He’s now makes his own hot cocoa with the Keurig. He uses his new cups for his cocoa. Yesterday, he forgot where he laid the lid to one of his cups after making his cocoa. “Where’s my lid?” he said as he set his cocoa on the coffee table.

Surprised by his inquiry using all the correct words in the correct order, I appropriately responded, “I don’t know. Where is it?”

“It’s on the floor,” he informed me matter-of-factly after finding it under a blanket he left in a heap on the floor. Noah’s never been so engaged with his surroundings as he is now. In fact, Noah’s never been so interested in life!

Before my friend, Deb, came to visit with her three boys, I forewarned Noah of the “interruption” that was about to take place in his routine. Also, there were going to be four strangers invading his space. Usually, Noah tolerates people by hiding in his room until everyone’s gone. Because they arrived after he went to bed, and then left after he left for school, I figured he’d be relieved. But he wasn’t. That morning, he tromped his way downstairs, and asked, “Three boys?”

“Three boys? You want to meet the three boys?”

“YES!”

“Noah, they’re still sleeping, and they’ll be gone by the time you’re home.”

Disappointment wrinkled his brow. “Awwww…”

“Next time, Noah.”

“Next time we’ll see three boys,” he confirmed.

“Yes. Next time.” Never before has he shown an eagerness to greet someone outside our immediate family, let alone strangers. He’s shown more interest in knowing where others are going, meeting people, and concern for the world around him.

One more story about Noah. Noah used to show concern only for himself. It’s funny; he used to be so terrified of bugs a couple years ago. One late night, he sprinted to our bedroom informing Neil and me that there was a bug under his bed. Neil followed Noah back to his room, turned on his light, and looked under the bed. Sure enough, there was a moth fluttering around under there! How did Noah hear a moth flitting around under his bed, is more than we can guess! Either way, he certainly didn’t know what to do about it!

A couple days ago, he spotted a spider hanging in the corner of the house on our front steps. Recently, Noah has been squishing bugs with his fingers, which is new in itself. However, this time, he decided to go for the spider’s web. As he swiped a few of the spun silky strands, I mentioned that web was the spider’s home. Again, Noah’s brow furrowed as he absorbed this new information. Upon realizing what travesty he caused Mr. Spider, Noah tried replacing the silky strands still on his fingers. Such thoughtfulness!

And that’s just Noah!

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  Awards Day at Judah’s school. Judah received three awards and a medal.

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Both boys are already embracing our new lives as though they’ve been here forever. Although Neil and I miss our friends, it feels as though we’ve already lived here for years. We’ve found the majority of doctors and specialists we need, and we’ve found a church to attend. We love it here! So much to be thankful for and offer our praise to God!

“LORD God, Neil and I have so much to praise You for, but we also praise You when life is hard. Sometimes it’s a combination between easy and hard. In any case, You are always God. May our worship always be on our lips, even when it’s a sacrifice. You are the great I AM!”

At McLean Bible Church in Manassas, VA on Father’s Day, we prayed for all the dads at the end of the service. Neil’s in the front; he’s a little hard to see.

All our praise to the great I AM!

“Great I Am”
by Phillips, Craig & Dean