4 November 2009--We are a FAMILY!

About all we have energy for right now is uploading a bunch of miraculous pictures and a couple quick anecdotes from day #1.

We prayed that God would make a family of us instantly and that we would all feel at home with each other from the beginning. About halfway through the time we spent at the children's home, it occurred to me that… God did it! This is the way it's meant to feel when you have children! They called us Mae and Pai from the first moment and gave us loads of hugs and kisses. Abraão Lucas asked Kim to chase him in the little playground and she told him that she'd chase him, but that when mothers catch their sons, they give them lots of kisses. He asked, "you have a son?" When she said, "Of course… it's you!" you should have seen his face light up with the big realization that he was a son and he had a mom. A miracle right in front of our eyes.

We ate lunch at a buffet after we left their home. By all normal standards, it was probably a disaster and everyone there probably thought we were crazy for letting children make so much of a commotion in public. However, we all ate, no one got lost, no one left hungry, and no one got hurt. Except maybe the chicken whose feet I accidentally ate. Ugh.

All in all, the day felt pretty chaotic (why would any normal person bring their four new children to the supermarket anyway?) but we're counting it a success.