Jase!

God so has exceeded every single one of my expectations of Jase's adoption!

From the paperchase, to meeting our financial needs, to the trip to China, to bringing Jase home and the transition that we are in the middle of!  Jase is a GEM, a sweet and awesome gift from our Father!  That is what it feels like!  It still feels like he has been here for months and months, instead of just one month.

I am all about keeping things real, especially when it comes to transition and attachment (although still protecting our kid's stories and still honoring their hearts) and honestly Jase's transition truly has been seamless.  Jase is such a sweet, affectionate, smart, fun, funny little spirit.  I completely adore him, which I am not alone in.  Sam also adores him, as do all four of the older kids.  They love to carry him around, help him, play with him, make him laugh, and stick up for him (which is pretty cute). 

Kody is working on adoring Jase, as it has been difficult for Kody (with him no longer being the baby and some of the struggles that have come up between the two of them).  Kody really is such a big teddy bear.  I use the word big because he is already wearing size 4 and 5 clothes (the first of my kids to be wearing such big clothes already), Kody is a strong solid little guy.  And I use the word teddy bear, because Kody is such a sensitive sweet little spirit.  So although Kody and Jase have their struggles, they also are having lots of laughs and fun times together.  Bringing Jase to our family has forced Kody to navigate some things that he has never had to deal with.

Just to be clear, I am not saying that Jase is perfect and that his behavior is perfect.  He is a happy and healthy 1.5-2 year old, which means that he is exploring his environment FULLY and gloriously to his delight, and also that he is exploring his boundaries with full confidence and assertiveness.  All of these things are good and healthy ... and although at times it gets old buying new toothbrushes because we have had to throw many out after them being thrown in the toilet by our sweet Jase ... we truly adore him.  I could go on and on with examples like that, but honestly to me they are all normal healthy toddler behavirors.

Jase is eating everything (for the most part) ... although honestly on his terms instead of ours.  I do believe that if we were "making him" eat certain foods, or certain amounts, or at certain times ... he wouldn't be eating much at all.  The couple of times that I have tried to control this within the last week or so it has not gone so well, as he has completely refused to do what I am asking him to.  I thought I would try to enforce some of our values of food ... he didn't go for it (totally understandable).

I believe that "part" of the successful transition of an adopted child into a new family is dependent on realistic expectations of the adoptive parents of the new child.  We cannot and should not expect our new children to come in and follow and comply with the family rules we have already set up, regarding food, structure, ...  In my opinion this is completely unrealistic and unfair, and will most of the time not end well for everyone involved.  I choose the word part of the successful transition, because there are so many other factors involved.

Sooooooooooooo ... we are trying to be realistic of our Jase.

And in the midst of our transitions and attachment time which sometimes leaves both Sam and I exhausted at the end of the day (not because of hard but because of busy and lots of energy being required), we feel so completely THANKFUL for our new son!  My heart IS already attached to his, and if I were to make an evaluation (even this early on), I would say his heart is also attached to mine.

THANK YOU JESUS for our precious new son!

THANK YOU JESUS for how YOU take care of all of the details of our lives!

THANK YOU Jesus for all of the ways that you BLESS!