Stories from this week...

It's official...they are brothers!
Last night Kobe came downstairs and was messing around with an ipod touch. He just kept giggling this little sneaky giggle though. I couldn't really tell what he was doing, so finally I asked. He informed me that they had a new app on the ipod that allowed him to control the mouse on Sam's computer that was up in the bedroom. He giggled as he said, "And Sam is working on it right now...so I am messing him up!"  Just as he finished his explanation, I hear a voice from the stairs, "KOOOOBBBBEEE!"  And down comes our six foot five Sam with a smile on his face to tackle his little brother!  I new then it was official!!!

Explaining discrimination and reform
Every evening Sam and I get to connect over American History content. He is intent on learning the history of our country, but has very little frame of reference. I spend time explaining terms, providing context, and trying to connect our history to his 17 years in Ghana. Last night the topic was DISCRIMINATION. We read about Booker T. Washington, reformers and the NAACP. At one point the text described a well known lynching case. I looked at Sam and said, "Do you know what that is?"  He did not. A wave of sickness came over me as I peered into the eyes of my amazing dark skinned son and explained the horrific act of lynching. We discussed that there were still people today in America who have deep hatred for African Americans. And then...then....we shared that moment when we both agreed that CHRIST is the only way to bridge the gap.

Not even if everybody does it?
We were chatting with the kids about Christ-like behavior. I used the basketball game analogy because, well, that is just what we do in our family. We talked about showing good sportsmanship and exemplifying Christ at all times...even if you disagree with a call. We told our boys that we expect to NEVER hear them boo a ref, or use inappropriate language. I joked telling them I would come right out on the court and remove them myself if I saw them do it. Sam said, "Even if everyone else on the team is doing it?"  And we said, "Yes. We are not of this world Sam...we are Christ's children...we will be different." Several days later we were completing a devotional. As we got to the questions about keeping our heart and our actions pure, Sam reminded his siblings, "Even if everyone else is booing, we will not!"  I couldn't help but smile.

Dunk Contest
Quite regularly Sam will ask me when he can begin playing basketball with Kingdom Hoops. I remind him that the Kingdom Hoops involvement won't begin until March, after high school ball has ended. I think secretly he hopes I will change my answer, so he keeps asking! Anyway, since they are already into the season, up until this week, Sam has not really been overly involved in the high school basketball practices. But last night he came home and said he got to go "full on" with them. He then proceeded to tell me that he had a dunk competition with one of the other Pella boys on the team at the end of practice. Everyone was watching, including his coach. I said, "Who won?"  And with a big grin, but an air of "duh mom", he said, "WELL ME MOM!"  I hugged on him and said, "That's my boy!" 

What a blessing
As people in town begin to learn about our new son, I regularly am told, "Wow, what a blessing you guys are to him. That is so great your family is stepping out and making this sacrifice." These words truly baffle me. I mean sure, am I buying more milk, more pizza and more hotdogs? And yes, there another load of laundry to do. We are stammering our way through parenting a teenager who looks 100% different from every other child in his school, but we are not the ones blessing! The blessings are being showered upon us! Sam has given us a whole new outlook, a whole new experience in parenting, a whole new schedule, and a whole new understanding of ourselves and our walk with our Lord.

My response is, and will continue to be, "Naw...when you step out in obedience, you are the one who is blessed!"

"This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live"

Deuteronomy 30:19