Friday, August 5, 2011

We're Back!!!! (Revised - with PICS!!)

Okay, so I know this is long overdue...but, give us a break: we just doubled our family, we were both ill before leaving for Ethiopia, and STILL (one month later) are feeling gross while trying to get over it.  We have seen doctors and are on meds now which is helping.

The kids are doing great.  It has been a long hard last 4 weeks mostly because we felt like crap. For us, all our preparation for scary LOOONG flights home with children that don't know us, attachment issues, constant crying, food issues, kids with illnesses, blah blah blah ...was pointless.  Those things worked themselves out just fine.  However, even when you have awesome kids that are adjusting amazingly well... you are irritable and cranky (AND miserable) when you feel super yucky and are completely physically exhausted. 

Had our kids actually been difficult and had many of the issues/difficulties with us those first few weeks that people typically say they have....  OMG - we would have died.  Seriously.  Thank the good Lord for giving us amazing kids!  Not just super-stinkin' adorable (which, um...yeah, they are)...but, relatively easy to deal with too.   Yes, of course they have had some adjustment issues, sleep issues (with the time change), colds, and some behaviors that were less than desirable due to the "newness" of it all AND the lack of great communication (since they are just barely learning English and we have limited Amharic skills).  But, in ALL of those types of things we had definitely mentally prepared ourselves for so much worse. So, the little issues that did manifest themselves, although difficult to deal with when sick, were really no big deal at all.

Not saying it will be an easy road forever... and it hasn't been "easy," just not NEARLY as difficult as it could have been or as we were expecting.  They are super active kids that need constant entertaining - which is new to us, but we are learning to adjust and finding new activities to keep us busy.  I just hope that over the next several months they continue to like us, behave as well, and have even just HALF as much of their ability to adapt and easy going personalitities as they have now.  We are truly blessed with great kids... that although are still learning the boundaries and our language, are already fitting seemlessly into our family.

Now, for those that had a difficult time during your first several weeks... do NOT be jealous.  I don't mean to be painting a perfect fairy tale picture of our first days together.  Because we were so sick, let me tell you... the first bit sucked.  Yes, there were sleepness nights, exploding diapers (only for one week), fussiness, tantrums, and the spitting out of food (that wasn't seen as acceptable) on the floor. We were friggin' miserable for a bit.  But, all in all... we survived it, the kids aren't doing those things anymore, and we are on (prescribed) drugs - so, all is good.  We have transitioned from "so completely emotionally and physically exhausted that I don't know how I'll survive without getting more sleep and having a break from all this"... to: "oh yeah, this is going to be a difficult journey at times, but oh well - we'll get through it like we do everything else.  There'll be a new norm for us...but, that's doable."

Well, enough of that.  Our time in Ethiopia was smoother this time as far as transportation, lodging, shopping, etc...  Visiting our kids, checking them out of orphanage, passing embassy appointment etc. all went relatively well.  There was a glitch on the way back with a visa issue - but, it's resolved and done and I don't feel like reliving THAT right now.  All in all it was a good trip.  It was good to be there a second time to take in and experience our kid's culture.  We will definitely have to take them back some day (when they are old enough to remember and enjoy it) to experience their birth country for themselves.

Okay, well now is the part where I put up some pics and you all oooohhh and aaahhhhh at my beautiful kids.  Don't rip pics off of my site please.  Now that the kids are here and we are actually allowed to show pics online of them - I will probably in the very near future be making my blog private.  I know all y'all aren't weird and crazy - but, with a public site I am just not comfortable leaving everything up for anyone and their dog to see.   So, if I know you and/or you have a legitimate reason to want to follow my blog - let me know and I can allow that once I have made it private.   Until then, please respect my wishes by not copying pics of my children and or using their names in comments (either their given or new name), as you see I specifically have NOT posted such information in this blog at all. 
Thanks, have a good one.


This family pic is of us actually in Ethiopia.  We are in the courtyard of the guesthouse we stayed in (Ethio Comfort Guesthouse).

This family pic was taken in Wisconsin on our weeklong stop there before heading all the way home to California.


This was in Ethiopia at the end of our visit with our adorable daughter...before having taken physical custody of her. 



This was in Ethiopia at the end of our visit with our adorable son...before having taken physical custody of him.

Now for pics of them adjusting to us at home....

My first ketchup!!!

Me being silly with a cell phone case hanging from my night shirt!


"Yeah, I know I'm cute..."


"No this is not a commercial head shot.  I just look this good straight out of bed in the morning while humoring my father and his little cell phone camera thingy."   

See, we can get along when we want to. 


Signing off... I'm tired.

Sean

5 comments:

TeeTee said...

Post photos already, post photos! Jack and Jill are so cute! You can't hide them forever!!! :)

Michelle Butlig said...

So glad you guys made it home safely and praise God it is going so well so far! Can't wait to have our kids meet one day!!

Wendy said...

Well I HAD to rip off some of the pics because there are a couple I didn't already have!

Wendy said...

Oh yeah, I do want to follow your blog!

Anonymous said...

That's Great!! Love the pics and the humor. Glad you are home safe and sound. Absolutely Beautiful!