Amazing Transformation!

It was almost four years ago that we brought a small chubby-faced 10 year old Russian boy into our family. It was the first time I had adopted an older child and did not know what to expect. He could not speak our language nor understand what a family really was. His adjustment was as I expected...difficult. Not for me as much as for him. For me most of my life remained the same: Same husband, same kids, same home, same country, same food, same bed, same life. For Denis everything changed: Different smells, different people, different rules, different sounds, different bed, different life! It was hard and he let us know it! Yet ever since I met Denis I realized that I had never met a braver individual. He came with us on an airplane away from everything he had ever known and entered an unfamiliar life with his head up. I will not deny that at first it was hard for all of us, but we made it through and now Denis is a my son. Don't get me wrong, in my heart he was always my son ever since the first decision was made to adopt him. What I really mean is, he feels he is my son and that is an amazing transformation that only God and adoptive parents ever truly get to fully experience. At first Denis wanted to run from us, he did not trust that love was his, but today he wrote a poem that speaks of the profound change in his life. He would not have been able to write these verses four years ago or even one year ago. But somewhere in time love broke through the distrust and my son arrived where he always belonged...here at home!! Here are his words:

The Saddest Place(A Poem)

It was gloomy that day
When my family took me away
From the saddest place
But only God could see what I had to face
And my dream came true finally
And now, I am here with this loving family
That God gave me to love and adore
And I am happy that I do not live on the other side of the shore