Rose's first night

In vast contrast to two posts ago, life has changed considerably.  The Monday after Thanksgiving we found out that Superman and Faith had 2 sisters - being adopted by another family.  The following Wednesday...we found out that there was another sister born, the day before, and we were asked to be her foster parents and potentially adopt her if that should be the long term outcome.  I have been writing another post with those details, but as the emotions and contemplations are too raw right now, I will save it for another time.

Suffice to say that Superman and Faith have a sister whom we met last Saturday and now get to have for 5 days.  We will then need to give her back to her current foster placement (an amazing, amazing family who loves the Lord deeply) until our paperwork is completed relicensing us for foster care.  The other post is about those details, this post is just for fun:)

When my husband and I left on Thursday to pick her up, the roads were too icy from storm so we just a short distance, enjoyed dinner at our favorite chinese restaurant, and returned home.  We opened a few Christmas presents in lieu of having Rose home with us, and played Wii most of the day:)  Friday we tried again, this time successfully.  My husband and I were very surprised to find ourselves very anxious about the situation...as if we were first time parents or something lol!  Evidence of this was found when my husband turned the wrong way down a one way and I, who usually enjoy talking quite a bit (shocked you, didn't I;) stopped talking all together and my husband (who is usually quite quiet) could not stop talking.  It was a bit comical.

Upon further examining of my emotions I realized that this was not anxiety about bringing another child home, it was about loving a child and possibly having let her go...

I remember when we got the call for JJ.  I was totally shock.  We found out on Friday.  We drove to Utah on Sunday and met the mom Monday.  Tuesday I witnessed his birth.  Wednesday, when JJ was 27 hours old his mother signed the paperwork relinquishing her parental rights and IT WAS DONE!  We had to wait 6 months to finalized the adoption...but IT WAS DONE!  We did not want to go through the uncertainties of foster care again and I could completely and fully love him immediately unlike our previous 3 adoptions where we had to keep our heart in check...and yet here we are.  And we are doing it with open hearts and love for the sister of our children.  We are so incredibly blessed that everything seems to be going forward quickly and seamlessly...at least as much as a process can working with red tape, etc.  However, we know full well that at any moment major changes could happen.

So, to the fun part.  We picked her up and had a sweet time with the current foster parents.  We then drove toward home, but realizing that we did not have a Christmas present for her as it all happened so fast, we decided to stop at Walmart...and right inside the door ran into...the foster family who had Superman and Faith for 3 months before we got them!!!!  These people are such wonderful God fearing and sacrificial people.  They have kept in touch these years and sincerely care for and love Superman and Faith.  When they found out about the baby when I called them last week they said they would pray for the process and I knew they would.  So when God "happened" to put us all together at the same time it was precious:)  

We then got home and Rose could not have gotten more kisses and love.  Even JJ is loving her immensely.  Superman loved to hold her calmly while speaking his love for her.  Grace is just beside her self with the cute girl clothes that she wants to put on her dolls:)  Faith is a bit more subdued than Superman, but excited nonetheless.  It is an odd feeling to bring a child into the home not necessarily thinking of her as "my" child but thinking of her as my children's sister.  It reminds me to be less possessive of her and more generous of their time with her.

I stuck her in the wrap and she fell asleep on my chest, then JJ curled up and fell asleep there too:)  It was very, very sweet as he had his hand over and and is very protective of her.  JJ fed her her first bottle here:)

Unfortunately this was by 6:30 p.m.  I knew that meant that he would not sleep all night long...I was right.  I sat up holding Rose until 1:30 mindful that I would only have 4 1/2 days with her before we have to drive her back.   I crawled into bed...and JJ got up at 1:45.  He wanted a bottle (yes, he is still on a bottle, but as he is finally eating real food he is taking a bottle much less!) so we did that.  Then he heard the baby and ...he was up until 4:30 cooing and touching her.  You would have thought he gave birth to her himself how proud and excited he was with smiles and talking all about her (as much as his incoherent babbles could be understood).  He finally went back to sleep and Rose got up at 5:30.  You get the picture. 

So today we are just hanging out a bit brain dead.  Rose was actually awake for 3 hours this morning (she had slept the entire time since we got home, rooting around just enough to be fed and go back to sleep).  The kids all kissed and touched her so much I think that kept her awake lol!  JJ kept saying "I kissed my sister" (well, actually it sounded more like I kid my didder).  Superman is the essence of a loving big brother.  He is attentive, gentle, and thoughtful.  To think he is the middle child in our home...but biologically the oldest of 5 children...  Anyway, it has been a sweet time.

I am thankful that Rose is not having problems sleeping or eating...obviously a relief after all of the issues with JJ.  She blew out 2 diapers already this morning and seems very, very sedate and quiet - this makes her very easy...very nice:)  Unfortunately it actually makes me worry that she is "too" sedate lol!  She is a full 2 lbs bigger than JJ was, even though she was born 2 weeks earlier than he was.  Nonetheless she is so incredibly tiny I cannot even remember JJ being that small!

Oh, I will add that we met the family who has the other 2 sisters and they are also amazing.  We got much more information about situations and we have complete peace about the outcome of that situation:)

 Just a snippet into the major turn of events in our home over the past 3 weeks!