(delayed) mother's day post. a look back.

Mother's Day 2015

Mother's Day

2014

Mother's Day 2013

time just goes so fast. i can't believe how quickly these last five years have gone and how these little ones have grown and changed and their little personalities develop. love watching them grow and change and so thankful to help steer them. thankful for grace to start the next day anew.

time

 THIS SONG came on pandora as we got ready one morning in our new city, but not quite yet in our new home. we had just moved, said goodbye to everything familiar and comfortable and left our little home. we were a little disoriented, moody and all the unfamiliar surroundings were throwing all of us in a funky mood. we tried to refresh our spirits with one thing familiar and for us that's after-dinner play with the josh ritter station. when this song came on it was a reminder that familiar would return and we would one day get settled into this (BIG) new city and one day i would remember to bring my paper bags to get groceries (they charge .10 per bag here! i am so mad every time i got to the check out and have forgotten.) one day i won't get lost or forget that to give myself more time getting to places. one day we'll have a usual place route that we take to church and home and our favorite little thrift stores around town. one day. but it's hard to remember that when you're in today and today i can't tell you which way is back to home and which way is to san francisco (so very thankful for my phone!) so, for today, we try to remember what is familiar and what won't change. That Jesus is still faithful and He will provide friends for my little extroverts and He's given us these beautiful trees and a quick 45 minute drive to the ocean. it's been good to grow as a little family, to learn when we need breaks or to discover that we our kids are in fact little friends.

probably the greatest surprise to me since being here is how my heart aches to bring our little one home from haiti to experience this transition with us. (not that it didn't when we lived in arizona, it was just different. i can't explain it.)  here there is so, so much culture here and people from all over the world. there's this pool of insight and helpful tips and other adopting parents and support groups. my mind is blown every time we explore the city.fleet

other moments that have been beautiful are the kiddos being reunited with their daddy and their chats as they drift off to sleep. jack and zoey share an air mattress and john snuggles in between them and sings them to sleep. i often have to wake him after about 45 minutes. it's precious.

i am so thankful we're all together, experiencing this transition together. moments have been hard and challenging and we often feel very flooded and our heads are left spinning, but they are good. and each day we feel a little bit more settled and are meeting so many incredible people. one day we'll learn which short cut to take, which grocery store has the best produce (though i'd have to say ALL so far) and which park has the most shade. for now, we just give it time.