One Month Home

It is hard to believe we have been home a whole month. So much has changed in a matter of weeks and it's difficult to even begin to express all of the emotions and experiences that have been a part of our reality lately. In the coming days I hope to begin writing about our time in India, but for now I thought you all might want an update on our new normal.

So what has life been like since coming home? Honestly, Hadassah has done amazingly well. She is such a trooper and has dealt seamlessly with all of the changes she has experienced in such a short amount of time. She is curious, vocal and has an infectious laugh. Haddie is very much a mama's girl, which definitely takes some adjusting.

This...

 is what happens when I can't hold her all the time.

I am still sorting out how to get things done since she likes to be in my arms more often then not. While we were in India it took her a while to warm up to Jon but since we have arrived home she goes to daddy quite often and enjoys his attention.

She likes wearing his hats and playing hide and go seek, and most recently duck, duck, goose with her brother. We haven't quite figured out logistically how that last game works with only two kids but...they have fun! ;-)

She loves having her hair brushed and wearing bows.

Did I mentioned that she is a ham?

Like her brother...

We have tons of awesome pictures but our pictures don't always tell the whole story. Life when we first got home was hard...we still have quite a few hard days. Aiden struggled a lot in the beginning, which is understandable since it has been him, mom and dad for four and a half years now. It's not like we brought home a newborn that just laid around but we brought home a toddler who quickly got into his stuff and demanded mom and dad's attention. The first week home was difficult and full of trial and error as our family tried to figure out how to make things work. What is our routine like? How do we divide attention between two children with very different needs and backgrounds? How do I make time to spend with the Lord? How do Jon and I still make time for each other? It has been a balancing act and one I still haven't quite figured out but we are taking it one day at a time. It's exhausting and overwhelming but a journey I would most certainly take again.

I was sharing with a friend something that caught my attention during my time quiet time. I was reading through the Gospel of Mark and was struck by the demands put on Christ during his earthy ministry. Everywhere he went he was followed by throngs of people requesting healing, demanding miracles and longing to be fed, not just physically but spiritually as well. He was pressed on every side, pouring himself out daily because of his mercy and love towards his people. How often do I feel drained and poured out for my little ones? Daily? Looking at the selflessness of Christ has had a huge impact on me during my rough days. This work that is being done, parenting two children and one with a very complex background is redeeming work. As I feed, clothe, clean up messes, play and interact with my children I am attempting to show them a little glimpse of my Savior. Is my attempt a feeble one? Of course it is and I mess up more than I succeed but I'm learning in a small way the depth of love and grace I was shown on the cross. Daily I am learning more about the sweet love that Jesus poured out to me in my neediness and sin and I am blown away...humbled. It helps me take on a new day with hope even though the day before was awful. I am being refined and hopefully my children are seeing Jesus in the mess.

We are walking a road of redemption and it's awesome, hard and exhausting but it's what we are called to do and we are beyond blessed. Today I'm praising the Lord that we don't walk this messy road alone but that our Savior has already prepared the way.