Todd and I have a newly adopted, thirteen year old, Mexican son named Tyler.  I keep saying 80% of the time, things are really good (leaving the 20% difference up to your imagination.)  We do have mostly good days, moments to capture for Instagram, when he’s learned a new skill, or is wearing a new shirt, and it looks like we’re all caught up in a big God-story. Then there are hard moments, when past trauma and history crash into his new life and in fear, he acts out. Behavior is the language of a child. The voice of my friend, staff child expert, Jayne Schooler, plays in my head.

In that moment, what is he trying to say to me? Am I listening or busy correcting him?