Ms. Isa & Wyatt!
Saturday October 23, 2010 I attended Wyatt Benjamin Scalf’s Adoption Party. Tuesday October 19, 2010 I had the great honor and privilege of watching his adoption proceedings. The air was light. The judge was jovial! How often do you see a judge jovial? This was a happy day – a day of celebration. This was the day when everything I already knew to be true became true.
If you ask Wy to tell you his name he knows the routine. He puffs out his chest and recites what he has recited so many times, “Wyatt Benjamin Scalf”! He began to play with his name a few days after his adoption, saying it lower, then higher. He would cock his head and purse his lips…I was on the floor laughing. He got it! He was sort of over it. There had never been any question in his little mind who he was.
Saturday evening was wonderful. There were tones of people in celebration, kids running under foot, down slides, between tables, hot faced, sticky, sweaty…and full of life. The evening was simple… food, friends, & fellowship. This was a celebration!!!
It hit me when the slide show came on. I didn’t cry when Wyatt ran into my arms or “S” gave me opened mouthed kisses. However, seeing all the pictures of Wyatt throughout the close to the 3 years of this precious boy’s life was overwhelming. I fought tears. I finally just had to go talk to him, love on him in my way. I wasn’t going to be clingy, I wasn’t going to hog…but I needed just a moment to love him, just a moment to reign in my emotions.
I realized that I had been there when Wyatt had taken his first steps, said his first words, started making complete thoughts & becoming his own unique personality. I realized how uncertain we were in the beginning where he would be. I realized that he was indeed a miracle child, despite a horrific start to life he has become and intelligent, tenderhearted, soulful little being. God made him beautifully, perfectly.
The year and a half that I have been with the Scalf’s has been deeply impactful to my life. It has shaped me & formed me into a better human being, a better Christian, and a better Mother to my one day children. I am not Wyatt’s Mother, but I have the privilege of being his “Isa.” I told his speech therapist the other day that I didn’t care if he ever called me Ms. Melissa. I’m “Isa”! I have this special space with him…it is a space for just the two of us. I, hopefully, will leave as positive an imprint on his heart as he has left on mine. As all these children have.
My cup was filled to overflowing on Saturday. The impact hit me like a punch to the gut. I am infinitely grateful that Dave and Amy have entrusted me to LOVE their children. Of course, care for their day to day needs; make sure their safe, but to LOVE them like they are my own.
A typical morning looks like this. I go in fix coffee for Nanny. The boys are in bed watching cartoons. After a while Wyatt will say, “Isa?”
“Yes Wyatt!”
“How are you?”
“I’m good, and you!”
“You come get me out!”
“I’ll be right there!”
He is also very tenderhearted. One of my favorite things he says is, “Are you okay?” It is usually when you’ve hurt yourself or are frustrated. It is extremely concerned.
One morning I was speaking more to myself & said, “What is ‘H’ doing?” Wyatt responded with, “I have no idea!”
Wyatt is good about saying, “I sorry Isa, I didn’t mean to”, when he does something he isn’t supposed to. I try to always say, “that’s okay” or a lot of the time I’ll say, “I forgive you.” I say this to all the children. One day he did something he wasn’t supposed to & said, “I sorry Isa”…I think I said something like, “that’s okay” & he responded with “do you forgive me?” (Gut Punch!)
I’m overwhelmed by this treasure. He is truly going to grow up to be something incredible. I cannot wait to see what that will be.
…This is “Isa” signing off! I love you “Wy”…I love you Scalf Family!
If you ask Wy to tell you his name he knows the routine. He puffs out his chest and recites what he has recited so many times, “Wyatt Benjamin Scalf”! He began to play with his name a few days after his adoption, saying it lower, then higher. He would cock his head and purse his lips…I was on the floor laughing. He got it! He was sort of over it. There had never been any question in his little mind who he was.
Saturday evening was wonderful. There were tones of people in celebration, kids running under foot, down slides, between tables, hot faced, sticky, sweaty…and full of life. The evening was simple… food, friends, & fellowship. This was a celebration!!!
It hit me when the slide show came on. I didn’t cry when Wyatt ran into my arms or “S” gave me opened mouthed kisses. However, seeing all the pictures of Wyatt throughout the close to the 3 years of this precious boy’s life was overwhelming. I fought tears. I finally just had to go talk to him, love on him in my way. I wasn’t going to be clingy, I wasn’t going to hog…but I needed just a moment to love him, just a moment to reign in my emotions.
I realized that I had been there when Wyatt had taken his first steps, said his first words, started making complete thoughts & becoming his own unique personality. I realized how uncertain we were in the beginning where he would be. I realized that he was indeed a miracle child, despite a horrific start to life he has become and intelligent, tenderhearted, soulful little being. God made him beautifully, perfectly.
The year and a half that I have been with the Scalf’s has been deeply impactful to my life. It has shaped me & formed me into a better human being, a better Christian, and a better Mother to my one day children. I am not Wyatt’s Mother, but I have the privilege of being his “Isa.” I told his speech therapist the other day that I didn’t care if he ever called me Ms. Melissa. I’m “Isa”! I have this special space with him…it is a space for just the two of us. I, hopefully, will leave as positive an imprint on his heart as he has left on mine. As all these children have.
My cup was filled to overflowing on Saturday. The impact hit me like a punch to the gut. I am infinitely grateful that Dave and Amy have entrusted me to LOVE their children. Of course, care for their day to day needs; make sure their safe, but to LOVE them like they are my own.
A typical morning looks like this. I go in fix coffee for Nanny. The boys are in bed watching cartoons. After a while Wyatt will say, “Isa?”
“Yes Wyatt!”
“How are you?”
“I’m good, and you!”
“You come get me out!”
“I’ll be right there!”
He is also very tenderhearted. One of my favorite things he says is, “Are you okay?” It is usually when you’ve hurt yourself or are frustrated. It is extremely concerned.
One morning I was speaking more to myself & said, “What is ‘H’ doing?” Wyatt responded with, “I have no idea!”
Wyatt is good about saying, “I sorry Isa, I didn’t mean to”, when he does something he isn’t supposed to. I try to always say, “that’s okay” or a lot of the time I’ll say, “I forgive you.” I say this to all the children. One day he did something he wasn’t supposed to & said, “I sorry Isa”…I think I said something like, “that’s okay” & he responded with “do you forgive me?” (Gut Punch!)
I’m overwhelmed by this treasure. He is truly going to grow up to be something incredible. I cannot wait to see what that will be.
…This is “Isa” signing off! I love you “Wy”…I love you Scalf Family!
Comments