We all enjoyed a wonderful first day at home yesterday. What a blessing it was Saturday and the sole item on the schedule was an evening football game for Luke. We had the whole day to simply relax together and spend time "being".
Anna and Emma were thick as thieves all day long. Anywhere Anna went, Emma followed. There was dress-up, doll play, stroller rolling, manipulative building, bead stringing, tea party-ing and so much more. Emmacakes ventured outside to play in the last falling leaves and admire her big brother, Jeb, and his friend, Bjorn, throwing the ninja star that made its way from China.
We had my mom's homemade chicken soup for lunch (yum!) and Heather Jo and Jason P and fam. brought over the most delicious chili for dinner with a gorgeous salad. I don't know that I've ever admired lettuce leaves more. The boys have requested Heather Jo's recipe...it was SO good. I'm waiting for the first request for leftover chili for breakfast this morning!
I made it to 10:30 am when as I was folding laundry on our bed I realized I was really dizzy...and things were sort of tilting. We quickly scooted all the clothes for seven of us into their proper drawers and closets and I fell into bed for an hour and a half. When Jeb came to wake me up, he said he stood shaking me for awhile before I responded.
Later on in the day, Emma Kate looked so droopy we lured her to our bed with her siblings. Anna lay on one side of her and Luke on the other and they "fake slept" until Emmacakes drifted off. I smiled as Anna slipped from the bed and military crawled from the room with Luke. I think Emma Kate and I slept for only about an hour, but it helped us make it to the end of the day. She was such a trooper.
When Jim and Luke left for Luke's final football game of the season, Emma Kate was not a happy girl. We used the translator to tell her that Baba and Luke were coming back in an hour. Cooper and Anna put Mulan on the TV, and when the singing started EK's tears stopped. Jeb, at this point, was dead asleep in bed! And it was only 6:30pm. She wasn't happy Jim was gone, but we had a nice little tea party for bedtime with cupcakes as a treat. Our neighbors brought the cupcakes over yesterday afternoon to welcome Emma home. So sweet and thoughtful.
And so ended the day. We kept everyone up until JIm and Luke returned at 8:30, and Emma Kate decided our bed was much better than her own. Anna was bereft, so I bunked in with Anna for the night so we all could get a good night's sleep (Emma won't stay in bed if it is only me there. She wants Jim). The house was quiet and peaceful all night, and a full night's sleep will hopefully get us all back on track quickly!
It was a dreamy first day at home. We kept saying it felt like Christmas morning.
Now it is Sunday, and the boys are so excited to go to Sunday School this morning. Jim and I will take the littles with us to go to the grocery store today. We thought if would be a good thing to have Emma Kate see us drop Cooper and Jeb off, and then pick them up again. A dry run for tomorrow. We are planning to attend evening services as a family tonight! I never thought we'd be up for that, but things are going so well that we think we will venture out with Emma Kate to church. There is nowhere else I would long to be more than with our church family celebrating Go's goodness this sabbath day.
A first Lord's Day at home. So glad to be here, on this side of the journey.
Tomorrow is a big day, as Jim returns to work and the kids to school. We are anticipating a hard day for Emma Kate. She may be scared, and confused. I know, though, that learning that Daddy and her siblings always come back will be a large step to her security. And having some one-on-one time where I am the only choice for comfort will be a good thing for her, too. Please pray for me to have patience and a heart of great mercy as I minister to my sweet daughter tomorrow. I'm asking the Lord for little baby steps toward bonding between Emma and me. Moments for her to learn what "Mommy" love means. Mommy is much different from caregiver. Thanks be to God!
1 comment:
Welcome, welcome home my sweet friend!!! I can't wait to chat with you once you guys are all settled in!!!
We took felt so good that we took Solomon to church the Sunday we came home. He was definitely WAAYY overwhelmed and I kept him tied to me the whole time but it was so much fun. She will be treated like a movie star :)
Praying for tomorrow as life begins, again! Not sure if it's possible but can Jim go to work for only a couple of hours and build up to a full day the first week? We realized very quickly that Solomon needed that...he was a mess the first day Paul went back to work soooo we started with 2 hrs. then 4 then 6 and that seemed to help a TON. Also, allowing him to call Paul on the phone is a HUGE help.
Love you and praying for you guys!! HEY...Kaden and Parker have forever families...NOW we just need to find Dalton's family!!!!
Post a Comment