How It's Really Going.

Incredibly.

No.
Really.
Incredibly.

8 months.
3 adoptions.
Jacob and Joey home on January 29th, 2011.
Joshua home on September 24th, 2011.

The realization of that escapes me
often. 

I think at some point when we are out of this season I will look back and wonder
how.
on.
earth.

We.
Be.
Kah-razy.

But for now?
It just feels like us.
It feels just like our family.
It just feels like I cook for 9 people every morning and every night.
And wipe an inordiante amount of pee off of the toilet seat.
And if you are thinking to yourself, "Wow. She sure talks about pee a lot."
Ummm.
I do. 
It's my reality.
My pee-pee reality.

I'd say our biggest hiccup has been Jacob
our leader
our ridiculously smart and talented kiddo
feeling very responsible for Joshua.
As if he feels the need to take care of him
and to keep it real
boss him around periodically
in Chinese. 

And in case you didn't know....
I don't speak Chinese
but I want them to.
So I have learned to compensate for my Chinglishignorance by being tuned in to tones, facial expressions, body language....
all cues that someone is being a tad bit....ahem....bossy.

All 3 are once again fluent.

They speak English during the day at school
but the moment that bell rings and they are reunited once again it is Chinese
straight up.

They amaze me how they can be talking to each other in Chinese and then turn to me
flip that switch
and speak to me in English.
I wan 2 bee dat smart win i groww up.

Medically Joshua is doing amazingly well.
You would never
ever
ever
evah
look at him and  know what he has been through.
He has been cleared by his cardiologist until after the new year which will be our longest period of time without a checkup...nearly 5 weeks.
His brand spu-anking new pulmonary valve will last anywhere from 1 to 3 to 7 years or anywhere in between.
Every valve wears out at different rates for every person.
Impossible to predict.
So we watch.
And wait.
And live.
And love.
And
just.
be.

Adopting Joshua has been such a different experience than it was with Jacob and Joey.
They came to us hurting.
Traumatized.
Victimized.
Having been through more than any child should
their scars were evident
and real
and raw.
This made for some challenging days when they first came home.
And to see them now
nearly 1 year later
the healing is remarkable.
The wounds are there
but they are slowly being covered and buried by love.

Joshua came from such a different place.
One day I will sit and write out my thoughts on adopting from a foster home vs an orphanage.
The difference in our case has been incredible.
3 boys.
All the same age.
But from 2 different situations.
It's a whole new ball game.

Joshua is much more innocent.
Much more unaware.
And in a lot of ways
ironically....
healthier. 

I'm not sure if that's what has made this transition go seamlessly
or if it's what he went through that first month in America
that caused him very quickly to rely on us and gave us a big opportunity to care for him in very real ways
or if it's my off the hook parenting skillz
bahahahahahahaha
that was sarcasm. 
Just so ya know.
Or if it's just his happy go lucky personality,
I just don't know what it is.
But regardless,
homeslice is happy to be here.
He loves,
he laughs,
he wrestles,
he eats,
and eats,
and eats
and he pees on the toilet seat.


So that's the scoop on wassup with us.
3 new stockings hanging by the tree
3 boys that have never experienced Christmas
and one special kiddo with an 8th birthday coming up on December 17th.

 


I.
Can't.
Wait.