Celebrating 3 months home

Three months ago we landed home from Ukraine with Dariya.  Our adoption was an amazing journey and I am so thankful that Jason stepped up after hearing God's call and we brought Dariya home.  Our family is perfect whole with this little cherub in it. 

When we first arrived home Alayna wasn't too sure what to think of this new person being here all the time, but within a day or so that quickly faded into absolute joy that she had someone her age to play with all the time.   We laughed at the girls constantly hugging and kissing each other.  Dariya was not that way with any of the kids in the orphanage.  In fact, we never saw her touch another child besides to shake hands when they passed us and said good afternoon.

Dariya has transitioned very well.  She is like a little sponge and just soaks up new things every minute it seems.  She is signing and saying lots of words and just today said a two word sentence.  She is very loving and enjoys family life.  She could live in the bath tub, swimming away if we would let her.  She enjoys going to school and riding the bus.  She loves books (Hallelujah) she requests them all the time (Very Hungry Caterpillar is her FAVORITE), she loves playing outside and is especially enjoying crunching leaves (her orphanage didn't let the kids play outside much or at all after Sept 1st),  she is doing very well with potty training and has begun sleeping at night in her big girl bed, and she is by far my least picky eater!  She still rocks herself to sleep sometimes but, it has diminished tons since leaving Ukraine.

What are these things???

A few weeks ago, I began to notice that the glamour had started to dull a little bit around the sisterly love.  Not in a terrible way but, I definitely think we are over the sisterly honeymoon period.  They love each other and enjoy each other's company but, they get tired of one another, jealous of whoever is closest to mommy or Aidan, sometimes want undivided attention and get mad when they don't get it, share well sometimes and not so well other times and are misbehaving on purpose to see if they will get the same punishment as the other one. 

Sounds like any other family with 3 year olds to me, well, of course unless your family is a lot more put together than us and if it is please email us because we can use all the tips we can get.

We know that God knit our family together long before any of us were born and I am so glad that He did.  I am humbled that he chose us to be parents of these three. 

Some days I don't feel overly confident that I made a positive impact on my kids life or that I didn't scar them beyond what counseling will require later but, I know when God calls you to do something he always equips you.  So I continue to pray for wisdom and discernment to be the best parent to these three and to fully enjoy the journey we are on together.  We love you Dariya and are so glad you are home.

Only the best for my girls....BOX SEATS to the best show in town!  They do both SO love their big brother!