Update #1

Hi, Everyone!

Some have asked for an update on our family.  We have now been home for just over a month and so much has happened that I thought I would divide the update into a few separate posts so I don't overwhelm anyone (including me!)

Our homecoming was delayed a bit thanks to storms and airlines but after a short stay in Newark we arrived home late Saturday morning instead of Friday night.  Many of our friends and family welcomed us.  It was so much fun to introduce our little Lukey to so many!

The first few days at home can be described as extreme... Extreme exhaustion, jet-lag, laundry combined with extreme blessing...meals and gifts from friends, joy at finally being home together, love, sweetness, quiet.

BROTHERS

Then the honeymoon ended.  Poor Andrew who had been the perfect big brother, positive, insanely patient, loving, suddenly hit the wall.  Most of the adjustment really fell on him.  He had to share his room, he went back to school 4 days after coming home and his little brother was messing with his stuff while he was at school.  This is our child who needs sleep in a big way and he wasn't getting enough.  The poor guy snapped.  After almost a week home, he started crying in frustration and anger  and then guilt for being frustrated and angry.  We moved Luke out of their room and put him in a pack-and-play in our room.  Luckily, we were heading into a long weekend in which Andrew was able to catch up on sleep and kick much of his jet lag.  Andrew is learning that succeeding as a big brother doesn't mean he has to be perfect.  He loves, teaches, protects, plays with and brags on his little brother and in turn Luke adores him!  They are so funny together and an absolute joy to watch.

GOODBYES

The hard part of having such s wide age range of children is that the little ones have to say goodbye to the big ones.  On our fourth day home, Andrew went to school.  Luke really missed him.  I think he still thinks that Andrew just rides the school bus all day!  Just 10 days after returning from China, we moved Lauren into her dorm at Lindenwood University.  It's only 40 minutes away but such a big change for us.  When we left her, Luke kept asking for her so we had a Mandarin-speaking friend explain that she would be coming home often.  A few days after that, Katherine went to school and he kept wondering where she was.  Then we got to the hardest one.  Luke helped Rob load his jeep.  We had no way to tell him that Rob was leaving for a much longer time but I think he knew.  He wouldn't say goodbye.  He was tired of saying goodbye.  It was tough.  Now, every time Rob or Lauren calls home he says (in Mandarin) "Come to me! Come to me!"  He sees Lauren regularly enough now that he trust that he will see her again soon.  We will go visit Rob next weekend and Luke will be so happy!  This is all a sign that bonding is going well and we are so blessed that he has such good relationships with his siblings.

BONDING

Anyone who knows anything about adoption knows that bonding is a big deal.  It can make or break the heart of a family.  When we brought Andrew home as a one year old, bonding was quick and easy.  We knew that bringing home a 4 year old would be much different. We prepared ourselves for all the issues that could surround a child who spent 4 years in an institution.  I want to be real with those who are reading our story and watching us and maybe contemplating adoption.  I don't want to sugar-coat our story.  That being said, Luke is such a joyous, loving, compliant, sweet-natured little boy who had bonded with his family beautifully.  We are fully aware that challenges may arise as he becomes more secure and goes through developmental milestones but for now we are enjoying the bliss of life with Luke.  Someone said to me that the ease of this process is just confirmation that this was God's will.  I agreed but added, "And if it was difficult and heart-breaking it would still be confirmation