Sometimes it’s the small things that bring me great joy.

There is a family from our group who recently returned from the Congo with their two children, one of whom is very close in age to our oldest. They have discovered that their child knows the entire movie Shrek right down to the sound effects. They must be showing it often in the orphanage! And what boy doesn’t love a movie full of potty humor? I find it amazing that thousands of miles away, our son is watching a movie that sits on our shelf. We had looked at Shrek character shirts and toys in the store, but wondered if they might be strange to a boy who has never seen a giant green ogre. Well, our son definitely has!

Hearing from the many parents who have recently adopted from our orphanage brings me such hope as they describe how the English lessons being taught in the orphanage are helping kids to overcome language barriers within weeks. I love hearing how the children there are taught to love school and that they beg to go once they get to America. I treasure hearing about how snuggly and fun-loving the kids are, ready for new adventures. Most of all, I love seeing the pictures of their faces as they are transformed with the light of a forever family in their eyes.