1 Month

One month ago today on January 17th we walked into the Guangzhou Civil Affairs office and almost immediately caught a glimpse of our sons behind that curtain.

A moment forever etched in my memory.

Just thinking about that moment still and forever will make me smile.

So here we are,
1 month later.
Home.
Settled.
Suitcases still in the hallway.
And spending our days getting to know each other.

If there is any doubt that God in His sovereignty hand picks your children for you, let me tell you.....
He does.
These are our sons.
Through and through.
Some things we have learned in the last month:

• Despite what they may have thought in China, we actually don't live at the Victory Hotel. 

• Despite my hopes to the contrary, there is no one waiting for me each morning at home as I descend the stairs at 6:30am with a breakfast buffet.

• This fact makes me wish we did indeed live at the Victory Hotel. 

• If you unbuckle your seat belt while we are driving, mom will pull over no less than 100 times on the 5 minute drive to the grocery store to calmly re-buckle you and explain to you that we do not unbuckle while driving.

• This fact will annoy you. 

• Eventually you will learn that I do not budge on issues such as this and I am waaayyy more stubborn than you so you may as well give that up. 

• You acquiesce. 

• Acquiesce is very hard to spell.

• We have plenty of food in the pantry, in the refrigerator, in the freezer, on the table, and no one is going to take your food from you so there is no need to have a death grip on your food. 

• But if that makes you feel better than that is completely fine with us, because we understand, and we love you. 

• Jet lag will not be present in Heaven. 

• Jet lag is evil. 

• Jet lag will mess with every fiber of your being and leave you a sobbing, overtired puddle of goo on the floor. 

• Jet lag is not our friend.

• Jet lag is evil. 

• Jet lag is evil.

• Jet lag is evil.

• If you give your children ring pops on Gotcha Day....well, don't. They will look like they have giant pacifiers in their mouths in all of your pictures. 

• We are champion charade players by this point because it is one of our main tools of communication.

• Every woman you see is not your momma. -sigh- We will continue to work on this one.

And most importantly,
you are learning that this family thing is pretty darn cool.....

....and that mom should get the camera out more often.
Happy 1 Month Gotcha Anniversary boys! We love you!