Book update

Well I have not been blogging much but have been pounding the keys in a different way.  I am now 11 chapters and 55,000 words into my new book "Finding Friday".  It has been a very remarkable journey for me in the writing of this story based on the truth about getting Isaiah back from Liberia and of the struggles he has had since then.  One of the wonderful things that has come out of this is such a greater understanding of these kids' feelings and emotions in what they have endured and also the expectations that turned into disappointments in a lot of instances.

It has also made me see just how far he has come since I first picked him up in Brussels airport some two and a half years ago.  There I found a frightened, angry, insular kid, who wanted to be out of Liberia, but not sure exactly where he wanted to be in America.  He did not want to return to his previous adoptive home, but he certainly wasn't ready to commit to a new family either.  He wanted to learn, go to school, but had no idea of the work ethic that would require, and tried every trick he could to remain in control of everything in his little life.

He battled his new brothers, both physically and mentally, he isolated himself away from his sister, and tried desperately to hide himself in his own corner amidst a large family of twelve people living in a house.  And, remarkably, he accomplished that for quite some time, but eventually the human spirit needs comfort and affirmation, and gradually, painfully, he emerged slowly to begin to grow and understand there was a different journey for him to travel on other than one of control and isolation.

I would not say his journey is complete, but it gave me much joy at Thanksgiving to see him surprised to find genuine love for his new little nephew, Sammy.  We had the absolute pleasure of having CeCe and her little family, Sam, her husband, and Sammy their beautiful little boy home for the holiday.  Unfortunately on the way they wrecked their car in terrible weather, but God is good, because instead of only have a couple of days, that turned into five days in which we could all catch up and have family time.  Now, we are really excited to know CeCe and Sam are moving back to Georgia before Christmas.  Sam is transferring in his job, and they are working with my other daughter Louise to buy a home here, just 20 minutes or so north.  This is such a great move for everyone, especially Isaiah.  He can hardly wait.  It is wonderful to see, after all this time of loneliness and mistrust, he has found love in his heart for a tiny baby, who looks a lot like his uncle.

I have set myself a deadline with the book and am managing to write somewhere between 3-5000 words or nearly a chapter a day.  This story, in much less detail, is being published by a New York journalist in a major magazine in January, so I am trying to finish by then.  All I can say, is that before I put this whole thing into words it was a tragic, sad, unfortunate story.  But when it is in print, it is shocking and terrible.  The writing has also brought back memories, which are good and bad for both children, but it has exposed stark truth that needs to be told in the hope that it will not happen to another child.  It has also brought both Isaiah and CeCe closer, and more knit into the family.  They both have trusted me with deep secrets, with the desire to dig them out of the dark and into the healing light.  I can say I am proud, and honored that God trusted me with these two incredibly strong kids.  I would not have thought I could say that before writing "Finding Friday".