Meetcha Day and Random Photos

Meetcha Day was pretty amazing. I didn't expect the surreal motherly feeling that I had meeting our new son and then our new daughter.

Watching our son walk around the corner toward us was every bit as awe-inspiring as giving birth, and our first hours together were every bit as awkward yet perfect as those with our newborns. There were scared eyes and stiff backs, there were periods of silence that weren't so comfortable. There was a string of simple questions and answers shot across a table of ice cream. And then- THEN- there was a moment when I was able to mother him, and he was grateful. A sparkle in his big searching eyes. And a genuine giggle of delight. As soon as we broke through the discomfort, it was time to say goodbye.

As we walked toward our new daughter, I saw a glimpse of shyness that was so much like her brother. I had to hold myself back from turning into a sappy mess right there under the heat of the summer sun. This was my daughter, the one I'd been praying over and working for for I offered a simple hug. We drove an awkward five minutes to the coffee shop that Amos and I frequent, ordered, and sat down to visit. The two hour visit was much like a first date, lots of get-to-know-you conversations and stories and a few awkward moments. We dropped her off after a quick photo to commemorate the day, and that was it.


I'd like to spend some time reflecting and forming words from my emotions, but life is a whirlwind of mothering, home reorganization, kids' schedules, housework, and school year preparations.

Teenage Organization-- if only it could stay like this forever! 

For now, my quiet time is all but obsolete, and that is ok. This is what it means to welcome children to your family-- functioning on less sleep than any person should, realizing that it is 2:00 and you have yet to eat a bite, and resenting the 30 minutes that it takes to become half-presentable in the morning.

Three of our seven bracelets

My life right now is filled with giving my three kids who were already here voices and validation, managing attention-seeking behaviors, and offering praise and cuddles any chance I can find.

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I'm feeling the need to find care for them while I work but an unwillingness to send them away from me. My life right now has a business that is truly more than I have ever known

Quick trip to visit Aunt J!

Meetcha Day Eve

Meetcha Day is tomorrow! We are still scrambling with final preparations (what do you wear to meet your kids anyway?), but Amos and I cannot wait to finally, FINALLY meet our son and daughter! 

After church, we will go to our visits. It will be Amos and I with each child individually. We'll meet our son first, then our daughter. Tonight, I am thankful that our new kids are the same age as Noah and J. I'm hoping that all the practice conversing with them and their friends will make it easier to avoid the awkward silences. 

Our daughter texted last night to see what the plan was for our visit. It was my first (sort of) direct interaction with her, and it made me want so badly to start this transition and have her home to stay. I pray that she feels the same way! 

I keep wondering about our son who we know so little about. I wonder what he's thinking, if he's excited or nervous. I can't imagine tomorrow from his 7 year old perspective. I hope we are able to connect with him tomorrow, at least in little ways, and that when we say goodbye, he feels hope and a seed of security.

As for the other three kids, they will wait for our stories from the afternoon and hope that tides them over until the kids all get to meet next weekend. 

Growing into Seven

Our Shutterfly books came in last Thursday, and they are beautiful! I'm so excited to give them to the kids so they can see a bit of their new family. 

A friend of mine suggested that I make bracelets for all seven of us to wear until we're under one roof, so I spent my many recent car rides knotting threads. They are finished and four of the seven of us are wearing them. I'm praying that all seven of us will have them by the end of the weekend.

No official word on a transition schedule yet. There are some strings that have to be tied up this week, but we are supposed to be forming a visit schedule and setting a tentative move-in date in the meantime. It's been pretty quiet on the Children's Division end. I'm trying to be patient and appropriately pushy. I have a feeling I'll become a little less appropriately pushy if we haven't set a meetcha date by the end of the week.

While we wait, there is plenty to keep up busy! We've been a family of five for six years. I didn't realize how tailor-made our life is for that number: living room seating for 5, kitchen seating for 5, water heater meant for 5, beds for 5. There are so many home adjustments to make, and it seems more daunting with the older ones than when we were getting a new baby. Maybe it's the shorter time frame or maybe it's the ages. Either way, we hit the ground running last weekend and haven't stopped!

Friday was Miriam's dress rehearsal for her recital. 

On our way home, we visited this place-- 

and scoped out a new dining room table, kids bedroom furniture, and extra living room seating.

Saturday before the recital, we drove one of these babies--

a TWELVE passenger van that was a little intimidating to maneuver. My five feet did not feel like enough height to operate the thing, but we're supposed to give it another try before we abandon ship. It would be really great if the kids were able to bring friends in our vehicle. We'll max out our current minivan with the seven of us. 

We've visited furniture store after furniture store over the last four days, so many that they are all a blur. The shopping list is prioritized, and if the budget runs out, we'll table the rest of the list for later.

I found beds for the teenagers online-- I'm really hoping that they work and are sturdy! 

http://www.overstock.com

Everything else is yet to be purchased. I am beyond ready to have the house set up. I feel like if the house is organized, it'll be one less thing for me to stress over once the transition starts.