GOTCHA DAY!!!!!!

Praise the Lord!! Gotcha day has finally arrived! As I am typing this our two sons are here, sleeping in this room. Even as I look at them I am still in disbelief. Months of paperwork, frustrations, tears, fundraising, hurtful things being said/typed to and about us, staring at pictures wondering if the day will ever come that we get to hear what the laugh sounds like that goes with the smile...all gone in the blink of an eye as I sit here and watch my sons sleep.  I still cannot believe that God has blessed me so. Me, worthless, doubting, sinning me. I know I will not be a perfect mother, I will make mistakes, some big and some little, but God has granted me the blessing of being their mother. I have no special powers or abilities, all I need to raise these special boys I get from God. I thank you all for your prayers that started at the beginning of this process many months ago.

I especially thank you for the prayers for Jackson. He did fabulous in the car today...he slept the whole time!!!! And thank you to Rob Sader for the gift of the car seat to Niko. Jackson got to use that car seat today and it was such a blessing. Please continue to pray for him as we have more car rides tomorrow and then of course the 3 flights home.

After we got the boys from the orphanage we found out that the passports wouldn't be ready for a few hours so wonderful Niko drove us back to the apartment and just hung out somewhere near by. When the time came, he only took Joel and let me stay back with the boys. It was super hot out today so we are very thankful for his thoughtfulness :)  The boys and I did pretty good while Joel was gone. Jackson is even learning to be gentle and nice with his brother!!! He even "tickled" him at one point tonight! So cute!! And he has started bringing Josiah his favorite toys when he is playing on the floor. As far as Josiah, well, he is pretty quiet and calm. As the nanny told us (via Niko) "he likes food and dreams"! LOL The kid likes to eat and sleep :) He actually just plays by himself on the floor a lot quite nicely. Good thing right now because his brother is requiring a 24/7 watch!!

Jackson not only loves music, he loves to dance!!! Several times he indicated he wanted to listen to music and would immediately start dancing. He danced by himself, with daddy, and even with momma! So even though I've said the word "no" more times today than ever before in my lifetime, we really had a great afternoon.

By the end of the day, though, poor Josiah was done :(  Being off schedule for feedings and naps, plus everything being new and different, really threw the little guy off. Then I had to throw in a bath and some lotion! whoa!! Not something I look forward to repeating. Joel got to give Jackson his bath and guess what? Yep, the kid LOVED it!!! He was just a laughing and splashing away! LOL  I think I picked the wrong son to bathe.....

Some of the highlights of the day: Jackson's first nosebleed (which made both momma and daddy cry, but he is okay), watching Jackson bite into a grape (apparently a sour one), and watching Joel almost puke on Jackson as he changed a poopy diaper (I was laughing so hard I was crying! while I was trying to feed Josiah his bottle :) we ended up trading)