Family Story: Thabiso has arrived!

I have had this post on my mind a couple of weeks now... you all have completely blown my family away with how interested you've been in my new little brother Thabiso (you can see the original post about who Thabiso is, here!) It's been amazing!  I have really wanted to tell you all about him but every day he discovers something new or says the most adorable stuff and I think ok I will do the post tomorrow so I can add that in too... yeah.  Ooops.  Thabiso has now been with us for almost two months.  I cannot believe how much he has already adjusted and learned and tried for the first time.  Because I work from home I have been able to help Mom in ways that I know most people would not be able to until Thabiso starts school.  Right now I only have iPhone pictures to share with you.  Thabiso, like many 8 year olds, is rarely interested in my photographing him.  I always have to remind him that hey, this is my job and I like you and so that means I will photograph you.  I'm itching to get my "for real" camera out to get a few shots of him... but for now I know I am lucky with any iPhone pictures I can snag of him.In the these first two months we have seen YOU all show up in some awesome ways!  From our family and close friends loving on him, to bridesmaids from weddings I've only met once sending him packages, YALL ARE THE BEST.  Thabiso has said a couple of times that he feels famous because of the ways you have shown him love.  Here are some things we are learning about Thabiso...* Food has been an interesting challenge, which is totally understandable.  It would be hard as a child to adjust and expand your pallet.  Thabiso's body is also learning to identify when he feels hungry.  He said that growing up he always felt hungry, so for the first time he is able to eat a meal until he feels full or tell us when he needs a snack between meals.  At first he would eat scrambled eggs for many many meals in a row - can't really change much about the taste of a plain scrambled egg from country to country.  Now he is branching out a trying more vegetables, fruits and proteins.  He is loving spaghetti, baked beans, rice, mangos, french fries and apples.* We have a little fish on our hands.  Thabiso was able to swim some at the transitional home he was in while waiting for Mom to come pick him up in South Africa.  He LOVES swimming and constantly challenges himself to do things that are at first scary, but then end up being so much fun.  Overall he is an active man.  Our sweet friend Kay let him pick out his first, very own bike.  He picked up riding with no training wheels quickly and is always asking when he can ride on the NCMA trails with David again.* Nighttime is scary for Thabiso.  As soon as the sun set at the orphanage he grew up at, the gate would be locked around the building for everyone's safety.  Bedtime is often when Thabiso gets very serious and starts talking about the darker parts of his life in South Africa.  He is already sharing so much with us about his life on his own.  Thabiso has a very intense fear of snakes, which we haven't quite gotten to the bottom of yet (Did he come across a snake in SA?  Many of the adults working at his orphanage have stories about coming in contact with the deadliest snakes in the world living in their country), which comes out at nights.  He is brave by day but much more timid at night.* Thabiso has a huge huge giving heart.  Blows me away.  He told Mom that he wants to be rich so he can give money to the orphanage.  He said that the kids need socks and shoes for their school uniforms (all schools in SA, private and public, require uniforms) so they don't get in trouble with their teachers.  Thabiso and I were in Target and saw where someone had dropped a wad of cash with a bank deposit slip folded inside - had a woman's name and bank number on it.  Thabiso spotted it before I did and said "Oh no!  Someone dropped their money and I know that they need it!  How do we find this person??"  So we took it to customer service and the people around him could not believe he was so kind and honest to turn that in.* While Thabiso has be given many wonderful toys, his most favorite thing to play with is a road that he made on three poster boards, taped together.  He used different food boxes to create buildings and garages, covering them and coloring them himself.  New toys are awesome and very exciting to him, but I am sure there is some comfort and pride in doing what he knows best - creating the entertainment out of what you have.* Mom and I took Thabiso to see the beach and the ocean for the first time.  I will never forget the moment of seeing him experience the ocean for the first time (you can see videos from that moment and other moments at the beach on my instagram account).  The sun was almost below the horizon line... he just walked straight to the lapping waves and just could not stop smiling or giggling.  Mom let him get pretty wet because hello, who has the heart to keep such a sweet face from enjoying their first experience in the ocean!?  He wanted to try anything and everything he had ever heard you could do at the beach - riding the waves on a body board, making a sand castle, flying a kite, being buried in the sand.  It was so amazing to experience the beach through Thabiso's eyes.* Thabiso is very apprehensive about starting school (he is starting late as Mom has been working on where he will go that is best for him).  The children were beaten and treated harshly in the village school he went to in SA.  We have tried to explain to him that his experience here will be so different... but you know that you have to just experience these things for yourself.  I know once he becomes comfortable he will flourish - he is so smart and picks things up so quickly.I will continue to share with you about how this incredible little boy grows and adjusts in our world.  Thank you again for all your interest and love for him! ((As I mentioned above, all the images below were taken on my iPhone))