Homecoming

5 years ago today, a toddler boy much smaller than his age, entered our home...made us parents, and changed us forever.

Here is the first letter I wrote to him in February 2006.

"We got the call about you on a Wednesday and we had to wait 5 days for you to come. The voice on the other end of the phone said, “We want to know if you would be willing to foster to adopt a 15 month old African American boy.” And boy were we! We began to prepare your room and I shopped and bought you some clothes and pajamas, a toothbrush, some toys. You came to us on Monday afternoon. When I opened the door, you looked so scared in the arms of your CPS caseworker, Anne. She had taken you to the doctor that day and discovered that you were severely malnourished. The doctor labeled your condition “Failure to Thrive”. But they felt it was for social and emotional reasons…there is no way to know the many ways you were neglected in your previous foster home. You were wet all over and frightened when she left an hour later. I cleaned you up and changed you into fresh clothes. Then I gave you a bottle of PediaSure…the drink you will take 3 times a day for the next several months to fatten you up. We rocked and I sang to you as you sucked that bottle down. And I cried. I cried for you and all you had been through and I cried for me that I wasn’t there to protect you for your first 15 months and 28 days of life. And in those few moments though I hadn’t carried you in my body, or nursed you, or loved you in infancy. And though I missed your first birthday and Christmas and Easter….in those moments you became my son."

Happy Homecoming Day, Isaac.

You were desperately wanted, are deeply loved, and will be cherished for a lifetime.