Day Two with Miles

Saturday, October 1, 2011

We decided to sleep in today, Saturday, to try and get our inner clocks in sync with Rwanda. Joe was still feeling under the weather…we found out that it wasn't the malaria medicine after all. Joe brought an uninvited traveler with him…Strep throat. Jeff madly sent off e-mails to his brother Dave, Krista and his mom. Dave responded first. He spoke to a pharmacist and the on-call doctor who suggested amoxicillin. So Jeff will buy some of that at a pharmacy tomorrow.

We didn't want to leave Joe alone, so Andrea volunteered to stay with him so Jeff and I could go visit with Miles. It was difficult to leave Joe, but we knew that he would be safe at the guesthouse and Miles really needed us.

We went into the Home of Hope for the afternoon visit, from 3-5pm. We pulled up to OUR blue gates and honked for the doorman to open the gates. We pulled in and were ready to see Miles. We brought more toys today and books, hoping to spark his interest in something.

We saw the nun bring Miles up the path and he was dressed to the 9s. He had an orange plaid button-up shirt, a pair of dressy black shorts and some cute high top black boots. He looked pretty stylin'. Once he saw us, he knew something was up. He didn't really want to stay with us, but the nun did the hand-off to us like ripping a bandaid… quick and painless.

He cried today more than he did on Friday. The Holders (another family we know who just left Kigali) let us know that day two for them was a little more intense than day one, so we were prepared. His initial discomfort with us and the crying is actually a good thing. It shows his ability for attachment, something that will be critical in the weeks and months to come.

We showed Miles his toy car and he pushed it away with disgust. So, Jeff and I just held him close, patted his back and let him just do his thing, crying and calling out to the sister in a Rwandan word we couldn't understand. Eventually, he stopped crying, and we were able to read the Very Hungry Caterpillar from beginning to end, two times. He hasn't talked to us, but the nun said that he is a TALKER and that he always lets them know when one of the children is not doing what they should be doing.

It was a nice visit. We just need patience. He needs time. I think this journey has prepared us for the long journey ahead. Our family has waited almost two years for Miles, and we are prepared to continue this journey as long as it takes to have him feel whole and a part of our family. We feel so blessed to have him as a part of our family.

So day two is over. We are ready to see him again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, and a million days after that.