Treasure in the Brokenness

Today marks another one month milestone:  one month ago today, we arrived HOME to America with Toby!  One month ago tonight, we were wearily making our way to Utah after being awake and traveling for 36 hours...and we've had a month of learning what it means to be a family, to begin to help Toby heal after almost 11 years in an orphanage...and of still being tired.  So tired that I sometimes have no energy to write at all. But I haven't forgotten. I haven't forgotten the little ones we left behind in Toby's orphanage. You see that precious bunch of boys?  Those were the FIVE orphans left in Toby's institution.  Toby is tucked into his forever family.  The little one in the green sweater?  That is sweet Wetherby - and his Mama is in country right now getting ready for her court date!  He will soon be tucked into his forever family!!! But the other three....oh those precious little boys.  I was only allowed to see them twice and very ...

One month ago today, Toby walked out of the orphanage gates forever. One month ago today, he wore matching pajamas with his brothers and was prayed over and tucked in by his Mama for the first time. What a month!  It actually seems like Toby has been with us for much longer than 30 days.  It hasn't been an easy month, but it hasn't been a terrible month.  We knew this wouldn't be easy - and we know that Christ has not called us to an easy life.   But this last week was pretty wonderful.  Something changed in Toby - he seemed to finally have a sort of peace and happiness about him.  He woke up each morning smiling and ready to give me a good morning hug and start his day, rather than beginning the day by complaining.  He has learned to share and play better with his brothers and control his frustration when baby Joe takes a toy or knocks over a Lego structure he is working on.  He has learned to say, "May I please be excused?" at the end o...

Today marks two weeks since we've been home with Toby in our cozy new Utah house!  A lot of adjusting has been happening in those two weeks, as I'm sure you all can imagine.  Even aside from Toby, we've all had to learn to adjust to our new house and town and are just now beginning to meet neighbors and get used to living in a small town.  (WE LOVE IT!!!)  But the biggest changes have been getting used to life with Toby. Toby is a special kid - this we've known from the start!  We are glad we heard a lot about him before we even met him, and most of those things are true.  Of course you can only really get to know someone after spending countless hours with them.  Each day, we learn more and more about who our boy is, what makes him tick, what ticks him off, and what post orphanage behaviors we need to address head on.  Truthfully, although we have some hard days, things are running fairly smoothly, by God's grace! Josh and I have to pray each...

Today is the one month anniversary of Toby becoming our son! It has been a LONG month.  So much has happened.  I know people have hoped for more updates, but truthfully - I am so deep in the trenches of adjusting to our new normal - I can hardly find the words to express myself.  And some things just need to be discussed with the Lord alone.  Big things are continuing to happen in our family, in Toby and in our hearts as individuals. We have some very, very good days!  Happy days!  Moments where we see Toby express pure joy and we can rejoice and say, "Yes!  This is what we were imagining when we began this process!"  Days like yesterday, when we all went sledding before Josh went back to work and before we started back up with homeschooling today.  It was awesome! And then we have some very, very hard days.  Lots of adjusting.  We try to focus on the small victories each day.  How Toby ...