4 years of forever!

This past week, we celebrate Donovan and Elijah's 

4 years of being in our arms!!! 

We love these days,

as we cherish how God has built our family.

But, we also share the grief of this day!

The day they walked away from their orphanage is joyous.

The day they became sons to us is a reason to celebrate!

But, the realization that no adoption 

is without major hurts,
and loss of their biological family
 is not forgotten.

I am so very thankful that Donovan and Elijah 

remember our time in Ethiopia with happy memories.

Memories of staying in the "fancy" hotel 

(as Donovan refers to it),

and driving Uncle JB "nuts" by pushing all the buttons

on everything in our rooms!!!

(Donovan still laughs about that!!)

The memories of Elijah constantly flooding the bathroom,

because we couldn't keep him out of the water!

And when Uncle JB almost had a heart attack when 

Elijah ran into the busy street 

right after their adoption was final!

 

Ohhhh that boy!!! 

The memories of flying home and the sweet teens on our flight 

who had just been on a summer mission trip and were on 

a wonderful spiritual high 

and didn't mind their seats being kicked every 30 seconds!

And having this new momma fall asleep 

as the teens entertained the boys!! 

(Total mom fail!!!)

The memories of getting off the plane and Donovan and Elijah 

seeing Daddy again 

and meeting the majority of our family!!

I love hearing their stories now of what they thought then!

(perk to adopting older kids!)

These two boys have forever changed our family 

and for that we are incredibly thankful! 

These past four years have brought us closer to our boys,

and closer to our Heavenly Father!

Learning more about PTSD has been very, very hard!

But, 

had we not said "yes" 

when God called us - 

we would not be who we are today,

and neither would our boys!

Looking back on the past four years I have to ask myself,

knowing now what I know now -

would I do this again? 

Absolutely!!! 

These boys are worth every ounce of energy that we have 

put into them,

and more!!!