Omar

Beth and I took a trip to Colorado this weekend and spent two and a half days with Omar, the young boy we hope to adopt.

I honestly don't know what to say.

I'll try.

He is great. He is cuddly and energetic and happy and easy going and self sufficient. Several times throughout the weekend he could be found in his room, in his new big boy bed, watching a movie. He is sweet. He loves animals and loves people. He bonded quite easily with Beth and I. He is great with other kids. He smiles a lot and loves to laugh and play. He is a three year old, what do you expect?

He is blessed to be in an amazing foster home with wonderful foster parents. His current state is a far cry from the emaciated, neglected state in which he was delivered to his Mommy Marie and Daddy Dave (his foster parents). They have nurtured him back to health and continue to provide a warm, loving safe haven.

He met pigs on Friday; the pigs were visiting a neighbors (long story). The rest of the weekend Omar was a pig =) He would crawl around oinking and rolling and romping like the pigs. He went with Beth and I to Beth's friend's son's third birthday party. On the way we stopped to get coffee and the cafe was decorated with pigs; all for sale. We told Omar he could take one home. Just one. He had three in his hands. Okay Omar, do you want the pink cuddly one or the brown cuddly one? Neither. He chose the small ceramic pig. It fit in his pocket of course. The whole weekend he had his pig in his pocket. At the end of the night he would tuck the pig into bed with his other animals. Two stuffed cats, a horse, Winnie the Pooh and a pig.

At the party, Beth's friend's son, Jack, let Omar wear his dinosaur costume. Omar loved it. He loved the tail most of all. Look at my tail, he would say, I have a tail. After playtime and pizza and cake and ice cream he crashed. He fell asleep, with his tail on, in Beth's arms. He likes to be held. Wrapped in a blanket. And cuddled like a baby. He spent the first 18 months of his life in a crib, ignored. Can you blame the guy for needing some snuggling and loving? It works for Beth and I. We are big snugglers! Max and Mokie will give him all the physical touch he needs!

He is so well adjusted. He seems so unscathed by the trauma he suffered. It hides the long road ahead. It hides the difficulties he will find in attaching. They call it "attachment disorder". We don't really care, Beth and I. We still want him.

For those wondering about all the legal "stuff" and the status of his "case" I can only say what I have said, he is still in the custody of the state, not a ward of the state. His parents have not had their parental rights terminated. That is all up to the courts and it will happen the way it happens when it happens. 'Nuff said.

But, if it happens (oh, how we hope it happens) he has a place to call home. It would be our honor, our privilege to be his forever family. Until then, we are going to take the classes and get the home study we need to become licensed to either foster or adopt. We are going to get our pool fence. And our background check. Maybe buy a big boy bed. And lots of toys.

And, until it happens, we hope.




PS - Beth is still in CO spending time with her friends. She comes back to Phoenix tomorrow with the camera, so look out for pictures of Omar and pictures by Omar. Did I mention he likes the camera?