How Did WE Get So Lucky???

I keep asking myself.  As I sit downstairs, with my laptop on my lap, I can hear my children chatting and chanting, back and forth, while they should be sleeping.  There is something about siblings, the two children that we were matched with, the two children we were meant to be with, and it was ALL because of Tamirat's passing. 

Ethiopia was amazing.  I wasn't mentally prepared for Ethiopia, for what I saw, for what I experienced, for what I heard, or for what I felt.  I wish I could put it into words for you today, right now, but I can't.  I am still trying to wrap my head around it all.  It still feels surreal, like a dream, something that I couldn't have possibly experienced just a few short days ago.  Wow!

Our children started to bond with us immediately.  The smiles, hugs, kisses, the "mommy" and "daddy" callings, allowing us to hug and kiss them, and to comfort them after a fall.  I expected tantrums and hoarding, and we haven't experienced either.  There have been some silent tears, after some sibling teasing, or a fall while running around the house (other than the screams during their vaccinations yesterday), but not the yelling, hitting, screaming, biting or throwing that I had come to expect. Not even close.  Thank goodness (for now, at least).  They crack us up.  Their facial expressions, their gesturing to communicate, their laughs and giggles, their language when talking to each other (and probably asking each other what is up with these crazy white people).  The little things are so endearing.  When we arrived home yesterday after the doctor's visit, they screamed and clapped when we pulled in our driveway.  They were excited to be home.   They love the water (warning, buy extra hand soap....they go nuts over it)!  Bath time is a blast.  The have no fear, dunking their heads, jumping up and down, getting their heads wet.  And the pop up pool?  Oh my goodness!  We can't get them out of it!!   The first foods are a riot....ice freaks them out.  They hate ice cream.  I tried to sneak some into a shake.  Muse thought it was okay, Biskut said forget it (you should see the face she makes when she doesn't like something!).  Bananas are a go, strawberries and watermelon, not so much.  Blueberries and grapes get a thumbs up from one, thumbs down from the other.  We tried some pasta shells tonight, and they ended up wrapping each one into a piece of injera before eating it!  Cheerios with milk are a huge hit!  Something I didn't expect (I am not one for mushy cereal).  They love ginger ale (thanks Daddy), and can't stand yogurt.  They love graham crackers, and was surprised that they even like Annie's cheese bunnies!  And the biggest hit so far?  Papa Pete's chicken and veggies (summer squash and roasted red peppers!)!  Yay!

Other firsts (or so we think):  the playground, swings and slides; flying kites; swimming in a pool; slip and slide; Happy Meals (I know, not good, but since we couldn't bribe them with ice cream after the doctors, we had to do something!), riding bikes (do Big Wheels count?).....we can't wait to continue on their journey of "firsts!"  Its so exciting for us!

So far, this parenting thing hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be.  I know that there will be some tough, very tough, days ahead of us, so for now, I am enjoying each and every day with them.

We haven't downloaded our pictures yet (how do parents find the time?), but will get a few posted ASAP.