This morning was a tornado around here.  Nana wanted a picture of all the grand kids together and so we had an appointment at 10:20 for pictures.  She purchased the sweetest outfits for the kids.  My only job was to get them ready and out the door.  Not a very easy task.  I’m thankful there was not a tape recorder in our home this morning.  Between curling hair, baths and fishing toilet paper out of the bathtub… (thanks Frankie) it was an eventful morning.  But please someone look at these beautiful kids.  Before piling them in the van and threatening them within an inch of their life if they touched their hair or got dirty I grabbed this shot.

Can someone pinch me please?  I just inserted this picture and it took my breath away.  Is that really all my three kids together?  I am still in shock that Frankie is here.  I mean he’s really here.  Some days I just stare at the three of them and can’t believe it.

Someone asked me how everyone is doing in the transition.  Frankie is doing so well.  We had the honeymoon phase the first few weeks and then we hit the discipline stage of realizing we can’t let this new to our home three year old rule the house.  Setting visual boundaries was so hard for a few weeks.  Back in Haiti he had free rome.  If we wanted to go outside he did.  If he wanted to run inside he did.  Everything had walls and he was safe.  He had people there who loved and protected him but I think he did as he pleased with his posse of boys.  So being here where you just can’t run outside without shoes in 35 degree weather was mind boggling for him.  He’s a bright kid.  A few times learning what he can’t or can do he got it.  Still made for some really frustrating and having a lot of patience days for me.  And these past few weeks he’s learning “listening and obeying” and “doing the right thing right away” is actually a lot easier and more enjoyable to him if he goes along.  It’s like a light bulb went on and he realized we were not out to steal all his fun.   I feel so blessed to be his mom.  When I tuck him in bed at night I always walk out of the room thinking “what on earth did I ever do to deserve to have this little boy in my life.”  To say adoption has changed me would be an understatement.  I really can’t put words to the joy of it.

The girls – The only way this transition has been doable in a weeks notice has been to our fabulous girls.  In many ways I think I should be saying how it’s been a struggle for them but there has not even been a small rough patch for them.  I figured surely it would come but as time goes on I’m beginning to think we may never hit it.  We’ve made a point to constantly check in with them and ask them how they are feeling.  Emma loves Frankie and Izzie too.  Frankie still naps and Izzie does not so about 20 min. into his nap Izzie begs to go get him so they can play.  They play hard together all day.  In ways I wonder how she would ever manage without him here.

So that’s an update on our kids.  Mom purchased the CD so I’ll have to post the pictures here soon!