No, I DIDN'T DROP OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH

I have been wanting to sit down and post our latest update for days now. However, if I'm feeling really ambitious and ready to do it, I have a 2 year old who is in great need of something and it doesn't include computer time! Other times I've just been too tired with catching up on every other area of life and the last thing I want to do is sit at the computer. But NOT TONIGHT! Ellie is staying over at a friends house, Ben is playing with Dad & I'm stealing a few precious moments to update our blog.

We've been home for a week and a half and things are going amazing! I could not have written a better transition if I wanted to! Ben continues to grow, bond, play, laugh, smile the most beautiful smiles, talk, run, jump, swim.... the list goes on. He is adjusting fabulously and we are enjoying every minute of it! There are moments when I can see the change in Ellie. She told her cousins last week that we were only "borrowing" him for awhile. She then proceeded to tell me that she's just not quite use to him yet. I told her that was OK and that things take time. Of course, the flip side of that is she was adamant about spending her Tooth Fairy money on a new ball for her brother & she couldn't wait to share him with her best friend. So, I'm convinced it's normal. If I would have had a biological child she'd be going through the same emotions as the family went through the change. All in all, we can see the Faithfulness of God as He has so perfectly expanded our family.

Speaking of Ellie & Tooth Fairy, it's just too funny of a story not to share. She had her 2 front teeth loose (very loose) long before we left for Africa. I kept telling her that "those teeth are not coming to Africa with us!" However, due to the fear of potential pain, my beautiful 1st born babied those teeth and they did go to Africa despite my wishes otherwise. And of course they began to turn different colors (black & red) and point in directions that I had no idea teeth could point! It wasn't until our plane left the great continent of Africa that in the middle of the flight Ellie went to the bathroom and came back laughing & crying. Apparently as she waited for the airplane bathroom she decided to work on her kick boxing moves and she proceeded to land an upper cut.... on her own chin! That's all it took for those God awful teeth to fall! I have never been so happy - She looks so cute without them. Therefore, the Tooth Fairy visited our home the 1st night back and due to the double extraction the TF saw fit to leave her $5.00 - SCORE!

Well, I wanted to touch base and post some more pics of our time in Africa. I hope everyone enjoys them. I have one more thing I want to say. As I watched my son walk around our home the 1st night back, I can honestly say that I cannot remember what the home felt like without him. It was as though Benjamin has always been here. I believe that he has, we just didn't know it until now. It's sooooo good to be complete and to be completely home!

Love you all!

Cherri