New 11/20: Click here for pictures at the park.

Two months ago today we returned from Ethiopia with Fraol and Behayelu.  We are completely amazed that so much has transpired so quickly.  We are settling into life as a family and, as with all families, this requires a lot of hard work – on everybody’s part.  The boys are adjusting to a radically different life and there is virtually nothing that is familiar for them – including their names!

In so many ways, our boys are adjusting incredibly well.  They seem comfortable in the home, the neighborhood, the shopping centers… many things that we were very concerned about.  They love church and Bible Study Fellowship (BSF).  They have no problems calling us “Mom” and “Dad” and they are very affectionate toward us.  Their ability to speak and understand English is progressing beyond our wildest hopes!  They have much better reading ability than we expected them to develop by this time.  Their comprehension is evident when we do their BSF homework and memory verses – we notice improvement every week.  All these things are a great relief and a blessing to us.

But parenting is still a full-time job that is filled with challenges.  Imagining how the boys see things – and trying to understand their frame of reference – is our best tool and one we sometimes forget to use.  Daniel, for instance, has never really had an authority figure in his immediate family.  In fact, he was probably the authority figure for David.  So he’s having to make big adjustments.  He’s doing very well, but this is clearly a long road we’re on.  David is happy-go-lucky and extremely expressive.  He enjoys using his full body and amazing facial expressions to make his point!  They’re both incredible kids and we are extremely grateful for the opportunity to be their parents.

We really can’t remember what life was like two and a half months ago!  We do know that life is very fulfilling right now (tiring also).  Please keep us in your prayers for the following:

• Adapting to new roles in the family
• The boys will know they are loved unconditionally
• Energy for the parents (and maybe less energy for the boys – no, that’s not right)
• Wisdom and discernment so that we know how to correct them in a way that encourages them
• Employment for Randy

The weather improved dramatically today so we went back to the park.  Here’s a little video to mark the two month milestone.