A lot of catching up to do.

Wow, it has been a long time since I posted anything. I have wanted to get back on here....to keep a journal to look back on, maybe learn from....to encourage others taking the same path we have chosen.... and just maybe as a means for helping get through the tough spots. And there have been tough spots. I can write this openly because some day when Frankie looks back on this he will no doubt agree there were very tough spots. Maybe it will some how help him, or all of us to read about our journey of becoming a family, with all the lumps and bumps along the way. The trip to China went well. We made our way around and Josh was an awesome helper and grew into an amazing young man right in front of me. Not sure what happened or why but we saw him grow up a bit during that trip. Frankie happily arrived. He was not the shy fearful boy needing encouragement that Josh and I had both anticipated. Rather he was a very happy, very talkative, boy with a take charge personality. He immediately wanted to take charge, of....the hotel room, the computers, the tv, the food.... And the adjustments began. Josh had a very tough time. He's quiet, kind spirited, and doesn't like to be in the limelight. Suddenly his new brother was bringing attention to our little group....and emotions started to show. By the end of the trip I started to see glimpses of hope of this new brotherly relationships, but we were all ready to be home. I wasn't in denial and had already given Michael a heads up that our room plans back home were going to need to be changed and we would be relocating the girls to give Frankie his own room to let Josh keep his space. Two weeks in China sharing a hotel room made Joshua reconsider what he previously thought was a cool idea, was not so much. So shortly after getting home....desperately needing some rest and bonding time....we began redoing the new rooms. Although the rooms are long done....and working out well, the pace has not slowed down yet. After being home for about 2 weeks Frankie was so eager to attend school that we allowed him to go. We are so blessed with a wonderful school, principal and teachers, they made sure he did well, and he absolutely loved it. We began what I now think of as the honeymoon stage. Although I wondered if it was just a stage...I saw this extremely happy, grateful boy, that said "I love you mom" all the time, and figured we were not going to see all those things we had prepared for and prayed about. Michael was having a little tougher time with the adjustments of another new personality in the house, but even that started to smooth out and all was working out really well. (To be continued)