Happy Mother's Day!!!! How Blessed I am!!! WOW

WOW, can you imagine how thrilled I was to wake up to not just 1 but 3 Mother's Day cards? I'm sitting opening them w/ Ian and Hannah at my side. I can't explain it but I finally feel complete. I am so happy.....now, I realize that this is all new & exciting but there is something so deeply satisfying about being a family of 4. Hannah is so amazing...that's the only word I can find to capture it. She's giggling and jabbering---as in NON-STOP. Her appetite is up----she's still hoarding food in her cheeks. Others have said in time she will stop this. I love giving her the in the middle of the night bottles and watch her be so content. She calls out and when I literally go running to that crib and she sees me she actually smiles--showing those very crooked front bottom teeth and NOW JUST YESTERDAY SHE IS PUTTING HER ARMS OUT SO I CAN PICK HER UP. WOW!
The cards are now being chewed up by You KNOW WHO! ha! I think I will carry this day in my heart forever. I am so blessed---beyond what I even deserve or could have wanted. To think that I almost backed out of this for fear that she would not connect w/ me or fears that she would some how not be well suited for Ian. Oh, MY! Ian is adjusting---yesterday not as good as the previous day...so we had a mother-son date...went to buy snacks and went to Starbucks....yes, STARBUCKS in China. ha! Please pray that he will be really tender with her. He's never--EVER been the hitting kind of kid--or even not a kid who shares but suddently he's obsessed w/ HIS things, HIS mommy, HIS daddy. I spoke w/ Joey's mom and dad today. Their family is below. You remember that Joey is Ian's little friend from the Beijing portion of the trip. I asked how Joey was holding up having a little sister. They said that he has NEVER wet his pants and now in China it is happening...so, I know these little guys are processing the changes. Pray for us as parents that we would appropriately respond....it's challenging but also someday (I hope) he'll be grateful that she is in our world. Here are Joey's parents and two older sister...PLUS The Chinese beauty in the center. Joey and Ian are playing in the background so you can't see them. Joey's parents and older sisters are incredible...this little gal is so fortunate. We all joke that they have a built in babysitter in the older high school aged girls. They couldn't be happier. In many ways it is a blessing to have older siblings because they understand how awesome the addition is. They are really 'digging' China...the fascinating culture and differences.

This is the family I spoke of earlier who are from Tampa, Florida and retired. All I can say is that this little 4 year old is THRILLED and so very fortunate. They are stellar parents....and he hangs on his dad like there is no one else in the room. Apparently two weeks before the adoption his orphanage had a little class for the kids his age who were going to get forever families. He had been getting care packages and pictures from them. His nanny told them that he was really excited to move to the beach and have a daddy and mommy. God is so good. They said that they were at a point where they could really just build into this little guy enormous love, education......sense of belonging. They said that they are amazed also at how well he fits into their family He is already learning English and he can already say Ian's name!!! Pretty cool Ian, Joey, and Caleb are headed to the park this afternoon. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!