A day to remember

That will definitely be a day to remember!!!

A few highlights:
- picking up the boys & seeing the look on a couple of their faces
- teaching them to shower
- cuddling while watching a show together
- a short video call with our family in Canada where all the kids got to interact for the first time
- an unprompted 'sorry' after a very long defiant episode
- watching them discover butter & hate it - their faces were priceless (& it was just lightly on bread...)
- being saved by wrestling & tickling just when things were about to explode again
- boys being boys.... Ha!
- watching them sleep

I'd be lying if I told you this day was constantly filled with amazing moments of love & understanding.  We won't be speaking badly of our kids to anyone, but I'll just remind myself again (and maybe you) that we can't expect little ones to deal with all of the extreme range of emotions, changes, & trauma better than adults do.  So I'm thankful that God gave me enough strength & grace to end the day with empathy for them still.  And before you start feeling bad that I was handling it alone, let me stop you. This happens for the kids either way. I'm hoping it was a good sign that they didn't need to put on a 'I'm perfect' show - that they are comfortable & beginning to feel secure enough to be somewhat transparent with the highs & lows.  Candra has taught me so much & would have been amazing here, but I'm thankful she is at least fresh and ready to go when we arrive in Canada!

As exciting as all of this is, (honestly it is, more than not!), I really can't comprehend what these 3 are going thru.  The fact that they are willing & trying despite their history inspires me and causes me to respect the little men they are.  Now that they're coming home, it's my privilege to help discuss basic life skills & development.  And especially my excitement to help them find & reclaim the joys of just being a boy.