8 weeks home

Roatan, Honduras Sept 2011

I can't believe how every day passes and it doesn't seem like much happens, but then you stop to look back at previous months pictures and read old blog posts and I am so thankful. Justin is using Spanglish now. Its funny because Brett is attempting more Spanish and Justin is talking more and more English. They are getting along so much better. I don't expect everything to be perfect because it never will be, but they are playing more and for longer periods of time. Bob and I will poke each other and point at the boys just staring and smiling at the fact that they are playing and having a good time. Today for instance they had 5 small rubber balls letting them fall down the stairs, watching them bounce and trying to catch them for about 20-30 minutes. By the time I had called them to wash their hands for dinner and to set the table they both were sweating from playing. Madeline was oblivious to them playing as she was scrapbooking on the living room floor, she took about 15 minutes to look for the scrapbook she had started over the summer. We finally found it in a bag with her supplies in the back of the deep hole (the under the stairs closet).  She loves Justin. She is super sweet like the Madeline I know. She carries Justin and its fun to watch her be the big sister all over again. But one night about 4 weeks ago she was tired and in bed upset telling me that we did not consult her when we were considering adopting. She exclaimed, "Mom, now I have 2 brothers!"  After talking to my mom about her statement, I think what she was feeling was the pressure of being the older sister, who in her mind has 2 younger brothers to take care of now.  I reminded her to let me be the mother and just to be the fun sister that she knows how. One day about 2 weeks ago, she gasped when she realized Justin had been wearing Brett's hand me downs. She pointed to Justin's shirt and then looked at me with her mouth wide-open. She exclaimed, "Mom, oh wow! Really???" I guess she thought Justin didn't deserve hand-me-downs. I love Justin. I know he will be the perfect fit for our family. I am starting to see that. Sounds funny to say that almost 100 days with him, but the reality is I have been trying to get to know this little guy who is almost 5 1/2 years into his life already. He didn't like to joke around at all from day 1. I remember the first day we met him back in April 2011 and I peered around this tunnel on the playground and said, "Boo" to scare him. He glared at me with a dark, icy stare and turned around to climb out the other end of the tunnel. Now he catches me off guard and right as I am about to correct him he looks at me and says, "No Mom, its mantira" meaning a lie. He uses that line for every time he is just playing with me, like when he tells me he can't find his socks and all the while he has a big silly grin on his face with his hands behind his back. I love to carry him too. I do. And he loves to be carried. It surely does help that he is only 34 lbs. My husband and I are still walking the tightrope of trying to make sure they all 3 feel loved. Its not easy. Adoption is hard, much like parenting your own biological kids. It is much harder than people will ever tell you. Would you choose that road again? Absolutely. We are still learning. But with God's grace and a lot of prayers we are making it.