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homecoming

We’re loving being home.  Loving every minute of it.  Things are crazy busy but amazingly wonderful.  There truly are no words to describe how blessed we feel that God chose to add Hailee and Harper to our family.  They are both just so completely adorable.  We love them with a passion and cannot imagine life without them.

Our other children sure have been incredible.  They adore their little sisters already.  They have been such a huge help to me in the last few days–always willing to serve in any way they are needed.  It blesses my heart enormously to see the seed of adoption that is so firmly planted in their little hearts.  They get it.  They understand that life has changed and that things will probably be challenging for the next while, but they are so fine with it.  How blessed we are.

It was so sweet to see the older five children waiting anxiously for their sisters at the airport.  They were all so tender and gentle with Hailee and Harper.

They were so patient as the news crew asked us some questions.  I know all five of them were so eager to have their turn to hold their new sisters.

Harper took to them like she had known them her entire life. She has such a sweet little personality.  This girl is all about some loving.

Granddad (“Bampie” to our children) got to hold his seventh and eighth grandchild for the first time. I honestly don’t know what we would have done without my Dad and Beth in the last few weeks.  They flew here from South Africa just to come and help out in whatever way they could.  They have been amazing…a gift to our family in this busy season of our lives.

Harper baby got passed from one sibling to the next–kind of like the pass the parcel game we have in South Africa. She gladly went to any arms that would hold her tight.

Hailee was so drowsy.  Still, she managed to open her little eyes every now and then.

Sleeping beauty safe in the arms of one who adores her. How angelic is that little face?

Hailee is adjusting okay.  We have good moments, and very tough moments.  We’re fine with it all, knowing it is going to take this angel a lot of time to feel safe and secure.  Who can blame her after all she has endured in her short life?  We’re just taking tiny little baby steps with her–trusting our God of wonders to heal every part of her body that needs a touch from Him.  We have a long road ahead of us to see her healthy.  This morning her little fingers and toes were so blue (due to the lack of oxygen)–quite scary.  I know that the high altitude we live at is not helping her at all.

She is tiny–painfully so.  When I look at Hailee like this, it breaks my heart that she really is five years old. Oh my goodness, how can it even be? How can a five year old weigh sixteen pounds?

Hailee will NEVER look this way again!  Her road to healing has begun.  Hallelujah.

We know that Hailee will catch up fast.  We know that she will gain weight quickly.

We celebrated her fifth birthday with the whole family.  She is such a picky eater that I was pretty convinced she would not even try a morsel of cake.

How wrong I was!

One taste and she was hooked.  The little mouth opened wide for more, more, more.  It was the sweetest thing ever.  No doubt the first time she had ever had cake.

We keep the little hat on her all the time to try and allow her ears to heal.  She is obsessed with scratching them until they are raw and bleeding. Thank you to the blog reader who recommended the Hanna Anderson pilot hat.  I got Hailee’s in the mail and it is wonderful–covers her ears completely.

She has definitely decided that cake is one of her most favorite things to eat. A girl after my own heart.

Harper is doing amazingly well.  I think that she probably thinks she has been in our family her entire life.  She is such an endearing little girl.  She knows how to love and I have no doubt that she is going to teach us all a few lessons in loving each other well. 

We’re counting our blessings daily.  We’re so absolutely thankful that God has blessed us with these daughters.  Yes, they are the ones who have been rescued, but I just know that we are the ones who are going to be so incredibly blessed by being their parents. We cannot stop thanking our Father in heaven for choosing little old us to parent these amazing children. His goodness overwhelms us.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

*** If you have e-mailed me and are waiting for a response, I am slowly but surely getting there. I so appreciate the many questions you have asked, and the sweet encouragement you have sent my way. How blessed I am to have you all in my life.

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