Sunday, June 5, 2011

One year and 303 days...


We headed to the YMCA today, to squeeze in a family swim. They heat the training pool to over 90 degrees. It is very relaxing to splash around in there with the kids. There is a lifeguard, and today there were about one hundred other children swimming. The pool is only four feet deep. It is heavily chlorinated, which is a good thing because those one hundred children never get out of the pool to use the bathroom. Meazi is a fish, and can now swim on her own. Melese splashes around, jumps into our arms from the ledge, and occasionally blows a bubble or two. It is a nice way to wrap up the weekend.

Just before five, as we were getting ready to leave, I asked Steven if he wanted to grab burritos for dinner. There is a new make-your-own burrito place that just opened in our neighborhood. The kids and I tried it last week. He said yes. In the locker room I asked Meazi if she wanted to go out to eat. As we walked to the car she said, "Dad, I really have a surprise for you, that you are going to like." He said, "Well Meazi, I have a surprise for you too." I said, "I think you guys share the same surprise- burritos."

We drove over, and Meazi discussed what she was going to choose this time, spinach tortilla, refried beans, Spanish rice. I asked Melese if he wanted a burrito and he nodded an emphatic yes. We pulled into the parking lot, hair wet, flip flops, all of us reeking of chlorine. I opened up the back to give Meazi a hand out of the car. She said, "Uppy!". "Uppy?" I said. "Ok." I picked her up. She wrapped her arms tightly around my neck, I felt a drop of water fall from her curls onto my clavicle. She put her head on my shoulder and then whispered into my ear.

She said, "You are very special to me." Tears shot out of my eyes onto my cheeks. "Oh Meazi" I said, "That is so swee..." She cut me off, "You all are, you, daddy and Melese. You are all very special to me."

It was the nicest thing she has ever said to me. I know that she loves me, but this was different. This was not a rote, "I love you," following one that I said to her. This was different. I said, "Meazi, tell daddy what you just said." She got embarrassed and asked me to tell him. So I did. We got burritos.

In the one year and 303 days that I have known her, I'd have to say that this may have been my most favorite moment.

But maybe she just really likes burritos.

Later of course, Steven and I decided that it sounded like something a teacher would have said to her. My moment of pure attachment-happy-joy turned into, "Which of her teachers told her that?" Then, because I am apparently still a misanthropic cynic who fears the worst, I wondered which creepy adult told her that so he could molest her.

Nice.

At least for that split second...pure joy.

23 comments:

  1. Ahhhh. Stick to the split second!! : )

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  2. My heart swells with what M. said. And then I remembered we were the same sign because getting all cynical is I how I turn good things around, too.

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  3. The pedophile-phobic in me totally relates to the last part. This is beautiful, truly. You and Meazi are so endearing to me.

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  4. Beautiful. I believe it was hatched straight from her heart.

    Oa has said some things, not specifically expressive of love, but some things that shocked me that I wouldn't have thought he was capable of conjuring and articulating, but that I really couldn't imagine anyone else had said to him either.

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  5. Total cynic here too, but not when it comes to Meazi and the way I saw her look at you. Without the words her eyes said it all.

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  6. Those special whispers... oh how rare they are (from two of my lovies) but I treasure them in a little spot in my heart. What an amazing blessing.

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  7. I was getting all teary eyed reading your post...and then kind of giggled by the end. Because I do the same thing. I'm constantly telling Eli that we don't keep secrets, only surprises. I'm so paranoid that some creepy adult will tell him to keep a secret about something that he shouldn't. So, I'm there with you.

    But I do love the moment. And I believe that she truly meant those words just for you from the bottom of her heart. And that is pure sweetness.

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  8. I agree with the others, go with that split-second!

    And also? Julie, you are so worthy of love. Soak in those moments when your girl wants to make sure you know it! You are her bees knees....

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  9. ha ha ha ha ha ha! I relate to this post very much.

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  10. Those jump up to you and wrap their arms around you moments absolutely cannot be faked. Genuine child love right there in it's purest form.

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  11. I totally get that that, second guessing everything. Regardless if it is a 'repeat'- it was something she knew as special and remembered how it made her feel and she wanted to give that to you.

    And the pool brings out the lovey's in my guy too.

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  12. Sounds to me like something straight from the heart! Adorable!

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  13. I'm starting to realize this is on of the tragedies of adoptive parenting - it is so hard to savor those genuine moments because you're always wondering (at least a little bit) if they're real or instead some expression of our kids' painful life stories. I don't know how many times I've already discounted an experience (in the case of the good) or over-weighted an experience (in the case of the tough) because of that adoption component. We've been a family for nearly four months - I'm hoping it will happen less and less as we really get to know each other better.

    Thanks for the post - gave me something to ponder a bit. Maybe we should both work on enjoying our kids' affection for what it is a little more.

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  14. Ahh, it's tough not to let the cynic in you win, but sometimes you just have to try! Sweet, sweet story!

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  15. Who cares who taught her to say the words? (okay, we care if it was a creepy pedophile) It was her heart that told her to say them to YOU at that moment.

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  16. Love her sweet words. Soak in them.

    I'm glad to know I'm not alone, especially after reading the comments (!) in my crazy, worried state as a mom!

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  17. I'm going to go with the split second two. A tiny bit of pure joy is better than no pure joy, right?

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  18. At that age, kids don't lie about the things that are important to them. You can trust that Little Miss M was being very direct and very honest with you. She was expressing her love, her respect, her joy, etc.

    And don't get me started on worrying about creepy adults. Long before my kid started at the Catholic school, I was giving him all kinds of directions about what to do if the priest ever wanted to talk to him alone. "If the Father ever wants to take you into a room, you just tell him no! I don't care if you get in trouble. You won't be in trouble at home. And if he ever wants to grab you or something, run!!" Alas, the Father is very nice and is almost nowhere to be found when the kids at the school are about. Still, better safe than sorry!

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  19. great post! Wondering how things connect to adoption history is never ending. I do it constantly with my little girl. love your blog
    Joanne (www.butterstreet.com)

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  20. Beautiful! And for all you (undersandably) worried parents out there, I take every opportunity to recommend the book "Protecting the
    Gift" by Gavin deBecker. You can Google it for reviews etc. Truly, anyone who is a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, neighbor or caregiver for a child...heck, anyone who has ever *been* a child in this potentially crazy world of ours should own that book. It will arm you, empower you, and ultimately bring you peace as you send your little ones (or your teenagers!) out into "real life".

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  21. A momma's heart and instinct does not lie and just because Steven didn't get it this time (and I would still vote for him if there was a link) doesn't mean what you had with Measzi in that moment wasn't real and amazing. Just keep truckin', Momma, you are on the path.

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