10 Months!

Seriously, I know. Hard to believe it's been 10 months since we became Hope & Maggie's parents.  Why do the days/weeks/months go by so fast once you are with your children, but when you are waiting, and waiting, and waiting to meet them it seems to take FOREVER!!!???

I feel like we have gotten through most of the "rough" stages.  Adopting an older child is not easy.  Neither is adopting TWO older children.  We have definitely had our challenges.  But I'm starting to feel a little normal now.  Family life is starting to feel a little more normal.  The girls do not feel like house guests anymore.  (yes, for a while they felt like house guests.  We did bond, but it was still different.....)

We can now be silly with each other and not hear "you're mean" or "stop it".  They know we are playing.  And guess what??? They play/tease right back.  Maggie likes to jump out of places and try to scare us.  Hope likes to be silly and make us laugh.  It's starting to feel normal.

We still have a way to go.  There are still things that we all need to adjust.  Like boundaries, and personal space.  But we're getting there.

Summer officially begins tomorrow at our house.  The last day of school is tomorrow.  Hope & Maggie are sad.  Yep, you read that right.  They are going to miss school.  I like that.  Because that shows me they love school.  Shows we made the right decision in choosing to send them to school.

So here they are today.  10 months later.  10 months after the orphanage handed them over to us.  10 months after they cried tears of sadness and fear.  10 months after their world changed.  All I can say is WOW!  God is So Good.  Even though we have had some rough times, He has always been here with us. He has guided us. He has brought people in our lives to help us, encourage us, love on us.  We are thankful for the help, support, prayers etc that we have received these past 10 months.  THANK YOU!