Patient Blake.  Our five minutes of "homework" last night was E and I playing Blake in Guess Who.  It's pretty obvious how Etienne feels about playing board games! What you can't see is Zeke, climbing all over us, yelling clues to both sides.  After a day of lots of time ins, and discipline, Ryan and I were snuggling Etienne.  This is our conversation.

  "God gave you ears to listen, a head to think and a heart to...."

"Keep me alive." Not the answer I was looking for (love) but still truthful.  So we let that go.  Than Ryan said

"Why do we love you, Etienne?"

"Because I am adopted."

"We love you because you are ours.  You don't have to do or be anything.  We love you because you are ours." 

 Typing that makes me tear up.  I know, I know a lot makes me tear up.  God loves us simply because we belong to Him.  It isn't easy, lovely or even fun.  It's messy and complicated and perfect.  I continue to pray that E will know he is loved all the time because he is ours.