First Month Home

Wow, it's hard to believe that Z and Melaku have been here over a month now! It has been such a great time of getting to know each other and bonding.

They have had lots of new experiences, like learning to ride bikes, family game night, and learning the manly art of grilling...

 

 ...to eating lots of new foods like donuts (!) and Dad's waffles...

...to starting homeschool...

 ...to playing on soccer teams...

...to going on their first road-trip/family vacation...

...to meeting lots of new relatives. 

I have been so impressed with how both boys have coped with all these new experiences, with good attitudes, willingness to try pretty much anything, and in general just jumping right into our family life. 

There have been a lot of transitions already their first month here - Justin and Trevor moving to UNC (though thankfully they're not too far away), and Lindsay moving back to New York - so they definitely miss having their older siblings around, and we miss them too. :( Lindsay set Melaku up on Skype before she left, and he loves to talk to her. He's so funny - he yells so loudly to her, even though we told him he can talk in a regular voice. :)

The standard adoption analogy is that when you add children to your family, it's like adding on to a mobile that has been perfectly balanced before -- you'll have swings back and forth as it readjusts to a new balance (actually, that's the case even when you give birth to new kids). I can definitely see how that's true, as we adjust to having two new family members, and they adjust to having a new family as well. 

I'm very thankful for our other four kids, for being so welcoming and loving to Z and Melaku, because their kindness and graciousness has helped the transition tremendously; and especially for Alex, since he is the one still at home now. I have been so impressed with his maturity in handling this, especially since he also had to deal with his best friend moving away right after the boys came here. 

I know there will continue to be swings as our family mobile re-balances itself, but I am so thankful for the grace and wisdom that God continually gives us.