Webb Sight: Half a year, half a world away

6 Months? Really? No way!
Has 6 months passed already?

It's been half a year, y'all.

Without looking at a calendar, I'd be slow to recognize this milestone in time. I still remember that sleepless night, the one that was our last as a family of 3. This little wooden hotel crib lay by our (rock hard) bed in the Garden Hotel. Accompanying the jet lag and the super firm mattress, there was a nervous, anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach that hid sleep from me. Though we had seen pictures and read a medical overview of Hui Cheng Zi, we longed to finally hold that little boy. My mind whirled!

Hard to believe this was the same day he screamed for a full

hour as he mourned the separation from his dear nanny.

Samuel continues to grow and learn with such ease. We had our 6 month follow-up with our social worker last week. She said we are "boring"! We'll take boring. Life is just moving along and we're soaking in the moments.

God continues to bond us together and to Him. I stand by my initial evaluation that Joey has adjusted far better than the rest of us. Not that it's been a terribly difficult adjustment, but Joey just seemed to fall into his big brother role rather easily. As Russ says "they get a long well and they fight real well too". Gradually, I've become more "used to" Samuel as our son. Does that make sense? I've known since last July that he was ours. And I've loved him even before then. For awhile, there were some days I felt like I was baby-sitting, wondering when his family would come pick him up. Or maybe it was that I felt I was living a dream. Reality hadn't fully sunk in yet, I guess. Obviously, I've known we are his parents and no one was going to pick him up and take him away. I wouldn't want someone to. Adjusting to a little person who walked into our lives carrying his own opinion, determination, and personality was a scenario I couldn't fully prepare for. Only God's grace has gotten us through those trying days. It's different than welcoming a newborn. We've learned that adoption often comes with hard times, both for the adoptee and the parents. It's wonderful, but still different. We love this kiddo. And he seems to love us too!

Happy 6 months together!

The Life of a Big Brother
He is the ring leader. The joke teller. The fort builder. The corrector and teacher. The tickler. The spokesperson (for both boys). The dancer. The dessert initiator. The best big brother around.

And he wants a wife. A wife. According to Joey "all the girls in this city have a ring" meaning they already have wedding rings. It's such a heart breaking moment when he explains his loneliness and frustration. And then we laugh with our faces turned and our mouths covered. Once he goes into the scenario where his wife will stay in the guest room, it's pretty comical. And that the problem only arises when Big Joe and Su Su visit because there won't be room for all 3 of them in the bed together. So, Big Joe gets relocated to the floor...just during their stay. Joey has it all figured out.

I purchased school supplies for him this week without a single tear shed. That's mainly do to the fact that I was too busy refereeing the crew to process what was occurring before my eyes. Joey waved his supply list all the while shouting out various opinions of the notebooks chosen and markers purchased. He made known that he needs several 24-packs of pencils because it's a contest and he wants to have more than anyone else. Joey was thrilled that his scissors came with a cover for the blades as he is my safety conscious one. He's really going to do it. He's going to school this year!

A Wish Come True
Joey wanted someone to share the double grocery cart with. He needed a little someone alongside to help conquer the world. As the big brother would tell you, he wished and prayed for God to give him a little brother. And He did!