One Month Home - The Social Debute

Yep, I'm still here. I never thought blogging would become a challenge for me, but I do have a good excuse, don't I? Two adorable, sweet, active excuses! I want to write about our last day in Ethiopia and our trip home but so much has happened since my last post that I am going to defer on that subject for a bit longer.

We are all feeling MUCH healthier these days. I expected and was prepared for scabies, lice and ring worm, but got none of it (thankfully!). I expected some gastrointestinal trouble, but got a LOT of it (like six weeks worth!). I did not anticipate the horrible cough that lasted over six weeks (but thankfully is gone and good riddance!). Looking back on it, June was t.o.u.g.h. from many angles, but (knock, knock, knocking on wood!) we're all doing really well lately.

As a result we have been a bit more social. The boys met their grandmothers, aunts and cousins, and a few of my friends (which sadly I did not get pictures of!). With each introduction I get a bit teary, like I did upon my own first meeting. What can I say, I am a hopelessly sentimental Momma! Here are a few shots from some of these special moments...

The first person to visit was my Mom. Originally we had planned on keeping visitors at bay until late July/August in order to help the boys with their transition and bonding, as is recommended by adoption professionals and which made even more sense to us once we saw the boys' confusion when we were in Ethiopia.

Then I got sick. Like really, really sick, and I wasn't getting better (wait, did I mention that already??). 

Anyway, Mark had to return to work not long after we got home and I was so exhausted that I jumped at the opportunity to have my mother come down and help for a couple days. As you can see from the pictures above, the boys took to her like bees to Honey! Coincidentally she had chosen to be called "Honey" instead of the more traditional grandmother names, long before the boys met her!

Our next visit was from my sister. Not that I am surprised, but the boys adore her almost as much as I do, and they have been talking about her all week. "MP, ribbit!" they keep saying, because she taught them that's what the frog says. I was grateful for Aunt MP's years of experience as a swim instructor and lifeguard and the boys enjoyed their first dip in the pool with her helping hands. "Honey-MP?" they now say whenever we put on bathing suits, wondering if we are headed for a visit. (Sniff...don't you guys want to move down here?!).

A few days later Grandma Newcombe, Auntie Lori and the boys' cousins, Alyssa and Nicholas, came to visit! It was Christmas in July and so so amazing to finally see the cousins playing together!

Kissing cousins! Dash was enamoured with Alyssa and she was an amazingly helpful big cousin!

Taye and Nicholas found an Ethiopian coin and started bouncing it back and forth on the table (Oh boy...)!

What IS it about cousins that melts a Momma and Daddy's heart?

We miss you all and look forward to your next visit!