6 months home...

...and see how they've grown!

Judah Biruk started out several inches shorter than Elijah Kidus and has now almost caught up with him. They both weigh exactly the same amount now.


They are fluent in English and speaking in complete sentences and, wow, guess what? All that chattering away to each other in Amharic that sounded so cute and endearing and that we desperately wished we could interpret? Well turns out, now that we CAN understand them, it was mostly whining, teasing, and fibbing...who knew...Ethiopian kids are just like American kids!

In some ways I'm amazed that it's been 6 months already, other ways it seems a lot longer than that.

Adoptive parenting is exhausting.
It is frustrating.
It will drive you crazy.
It is extremely demanding.
It'll make you second guess yourself a thousand times a day.
And you'll never be so happy to see bedtime roll around and finally, finally you'll have a moment of peace and quiet.
Peace and Quiet without a...
"Mom, can I have banana (an apple, a cracker, cereal, an egg)?"
or
"Mom, I'm dooone!" (times 6)
or
"Mom, he hit me"
or
"Mom, I want...and I want and I want and I want..."

Peace and Quiet without...
the bloody murder screaming when one of them trips
or
the constant tattling
or
the whining, oh the whining...


But it's also...

the most amazing , absolutely amazing thing...
to tip toe into their bedroom at night, look down at their little faces
and
realize what a miracle it is, for you and for them
that these 2 little ones, from so far away
cold, scared, hungry, and helpless
are now
here.
And they're yours.
Forever

It takes your breath away every time.
Most days anyway.