"Now What?"

We were sitting on the couch in the living room the night we got home with Zeke, after all the visitors had gone home and the excitement had died down, and Ellie, our 7 year old, says, "So.... now what?"

We'd worked long and hard for the last 2 1/2 years to bring a baby home from Africa. Now that he's here, what do we do? We all laughed when she said that, but also marveled at her capturing so perfectly the sentiment in all of our hearts. Now... the real journey has begun! LIFE WITH ZEKE

We've had him home about a month now, and each week we feel more bonded to him. Just this week, it seems he's reached a new level of security with us and he's loosened up. He's giggling more, being goofy, showing us a side of his personality we haven't seen yet. And he's so cuddly! It's been really fun.

We've been doing something that adoptive training classes and other adoptive parents have recommended to us, and that is not letting anyone hold Zeke, but our immediate family, not good friends, not grandparents, not anybody. It's been difficult, as we long to share him with everyone (and my back could use a break from our Chocolate Chunk!), but we're seeing the fruit of it. I think he's really starting to know who his family is!


He absolutely loves the kids. The girls carry him around (I'm amazed they're strong enough!) and he lights up like a christmas tree whenever Jackson is around. He laughs and laughs at their antics. It's been so fun to see them bonding. Dave and I often hear, "Can I hold him? Can I hold him?" Dave has to stand firm to get some time with him when he gets home from work. :)


Addie said recently, "I can't imagine life without Zeke." It's so true. Everytime God sends us another one of his little Blessings to join our family, we say that. We can't remember what it was like without him because he's already growing into our hearts and lives and becoming one of us.