6 months post-placement :)

It's hard to believe that we have only had Abby and Ashlyn in our home for 6 months. I honestly feel like they've always been here. I can not remember how we were before they got here. I guess things were a little quieter, but mostly just lonelier.

Never in a million years would I have thought that Averleigh would love Abby as much as she does...

I mean, these two blessings are INSEPERABLE!!! The night we got home from China it was about 1:00 AM. Averleigh and Aidan were in bed, sound asleep. I made a bee-line for their bedrooms, woke them up, hugged and kissed them like crazy and then walked them down to meet their new siblings. Abby was at the bottom of the stairs. Averleigh walked down, went up to Abby, and gave her the biggest bear hug... almost knocking her over. It's been that way ever since. I was completely thrown for a loop. I thought for sure there would be some jealousy... NEVER. NOT EVEN ONCE.

While we were in Nashville a couple of weeks ago, we took Abby to "Build-a-Bear" for the first time. Averleigh was so happy for her!

Averleigh has opened up her heart and given so generously to Abby. She calls Abby "my Chewy" because Abby's Chinese name is Qiu (pronounced "chew") Ling. And she tells me daily, "Chewy is my buddy. She's my best friend."

They both love the same things. They LOVE to play babies together. They love to sing together. They love to eat yogurt together. They love to do just about everything... TOGETHER. I  put Abby in Averleigh's Sunday School class because she's at about the same developmental level and the teachers even comment about how they look out for one another. It is the most precious thing...

Abby started school (summer VPK at school for kids with SN's) about 2 weeks ago and Averleigh makes sure she gives her several hugs and kisses before leaving her. She is very protective of her Chewy, and she is lonely without her... We decided not to leave Abby at school for the full day because we just miss having her sweet presence at home. Av is always so excited to go get her and bounces all the way down the hall to her classroom...

First day of school: Abby was hesitant, but cooperative; no tears. 2nd day of school: Big Tears... from mommy too. 3rd day and on: No tears; happy as can be... bounces right in the door, throws herself into her teacher's arms, puts her backpack in her cubby and sits down at her seat:)

As for Ashlyn...

There are no words to express the depths of our gratitude to the Lord for blessing us with one of the sweetest children I have ever known. She is a true joy and delight to all. She has filled our home with sunshine and laughter... And typical teenage angst, from time to time:) She has settled right in and is starting to truly act like a biological child. She bickers with Aidan constantly... He's a pesty little guy:) But she is crazy about the rest of us, and for that I am truly thankful. She and Ansley are kindred spirits. They are like peanut butter and jelly... 2 peas in a pod:) They are very similar to Averleigh and Abby on a more mature scale. For example... Ashlyn started basketball camp this week at our kids former school. She only knew one girl there (Mackenzie: one of Ansley's friends) but she walked right in and did great. Today was day 2 and she has 2 more days. She overheard Ansley asking me this evening if she could stay tomorrow and watch Ashlyn. Ashlyn got so excited at the idea, I thought she was going to take flight. Right now they are all into these "Rainbow Loom" thingys and that's all they do, but I am just glad that they get along and that they genuinely love each other. They each have their seperate friends, so they get time apart, and that makes all the difference. They have literally only had 3 disagreements in 6 months... pretty darn good!

Her English is coming along amazingly well. Tonight we had a talk about the time that I sent her her care package to China. She reminded me of all the things that were in it and how she shared them with her "Ayi" and friends... Just as I thought she would. She also told me about how in China, her little friend would have bad dreams, so she would get in bed with her and hold her so that she could fall asleep. Then Ashlyn laughed and said, "Then I not fall back to sleep... I stay up all night!" This is no small thing. God spoke to me back in the beginning of our journey and gave me a specific scripture passage about this:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." ~2 Corinthians 1:3-4
I read this one day while praying for her and I knew immediately that God had been her comfort and that He was using her to be a comfort to others.

So...

6 months home and I am happy to report that we are still free of any obvious institutional behaviors. Although Abby is still mostly non-verbal, she understands alot of what we say to her and she is slowly starting to use some sounds and simple words like "go!" and "stop!"(mostly directed at Aidan:) She can also say "Mama" and "Bye", but her favorite word is "Bah!"... Not sure what that means:) She follows instructions very well and is a very well-behaved little girl. She is finally getting to a more comfortable place with the men in our house:)
Ashlyn has made a best friend, Peyton, who is an absolute angel from heaven, We are beginning the process to repair the cleft lip and palate issues, and she has started complaining:) This was the point when we knew she that she was comfortable with us. She acts just like my other kids now and we discipline her just like we do the other kids. I think she rather likes it too:)

11 hours of riding in a car brings out very wacky behavior. Alex let the girls "fix" his hair. Love my goofy kids:) Notice Ashlyn's Barbie Doll? Yeah... She has asked for the entire sha-bang, dreamhouse and all, for Christmas.

Ashlyn's top 7 hourly phrases, going in order from latest to most recent:
"Wha Happen?!" followed by, "I don know!"
"Oh Wow!"
"Thank You!" quickly followed up with, "Tell me you're welcome!"
"Tell me thank you!"
"I tell him thank you... he no tell me you're welcome..."
"I know..."
and my least favorite, "Are you sure???"

We have our issues just like any other family, but I am thankful for the peace that God has blessed us with where these 2 new children of ours are concerned. I realize that it could've turned out totally different. The question I found myself asking myself tonight was, "would I have been as gracious as I hoped I'd be if the outcome had been the opposite?" I'm not so sure. I know of the struggles that most encounter. I hear of the turmoil it has added to their daily lives. My heart hurts for these families who are limping along the road with no one to help them... no one to come along side them and help mend their wounds.

 I struggle sometimes, sharing the good reports. I don't want to come across like we have it all toegether... because we don't. But I want to give credit to the Lord and be an encouragement to others who are considering older child adoption and DS adoption... It has added nothing but goodness to our lives.

We are so honored that God chose us and we will live out our days singing His praises.

Blessings,
Rebecca