Having her home just feels...well, strange. Kind of like you are having a playdate with someone that isn't going to leave. I know in time we will all find our groove and I am looking forward to that day even though it may be many months (or years) down the road. Thank you all for your prayers and continued love and support. I promise to share more soon.
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PRAISE GOD!!!!
I know I haven't commented much for a long time but I've read every post and facebook msg and continually lifted you up in prayer. I am so so happy for you!
Monika and John were the same way with food for a while. I fixed Zatarran's black beans and rice and served it with lunch and supper every day along with whatever else we were having- and required them to take try it bites of the other things. You'll be amazed at how quickly she transitions.
Fried chicken, eggs, rice and beans and Chipotle- for a while. (:
Soak up every minute!
You describe that so well! The playdate that doesn't end feeling.... The children do seem like guests for a bit, then somehow, how does it happen?, they are yours. They belong. The strange feeling is gone.
I really got "into" Russian food and learned to cook a lot of it; when other things calmed down my Russians began to try and like other foods...though I will say I began to concentrate on "good plain cooking" more than I ever used to. Discovered that all the kids really like that best. (I don't, but whoever said it was about me?)
I thought of you on Wednesday...would we have had time to visit in Detroit? I didn't think two hours would allow you to do anything more than RUSH!!! But it would have been SO fun to see you and Mercy in person.
AWWWWW Stephanie that is such a wonderful, amazing, beautiful picture. Can you hardly believe it! She is home FOREVER!!!!! The other side has FINALLY FINALLY arrived. I am sure it is really surreal. I love you so much my friend and when you feel up to it I want to hear your sweet voice so give me a call.
Stephanie- this is the most exciting picture to see! I love it! I know this week is going to be tough, exciting and emotional in sooo many ways- but praise the Lord that the waiting is finally over! :)
I can't believe she's actually home- all these months of praying and knowing you were waiting so patiently through all the ups and downs- it seems surreal that she's home! We're praying for your family and the transition- as you know, it's a weird change at first, but soon you'll forget what life was like without her here. ;)
I'm so glad that ya'll are home. She is such a cutie!
It really does feel strange, doesn't it? Even after over two months, I still cannot fully grasp that she is mine forever sometimes. Well, esp. since she is not legally even mine, lots of finalization issues...urgh. Anyway, she is home! Every day she will feel a little more yours. As far as the food, Gracie had the same problem, and it really does get better. Just make her what she likes as much as you can, (Chipotle was a lifesaver for me the first few weeks of exhaustion when she would only eat rice and beans) let others who offer to help know they can make her favorites if they want, and introduce new foods daily. Gracie rejected some foods many times and I just kept giving her bites of it...now finally there are many more foods she will eat, though meat and vegetables/fruits still are not her favorite. She will eat some of them though. Good luck! I can't wait to hear more when you are settled in. LOVE the photo!!
what a great family picture!! So glad we were able to hang out even if it was only for a little while! :)
Hurray! Praise God! Hallelujah! Cheers and YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Welcome home Stephanie and Mercy!
Linda
Congrats!!! So glad you are all together ... finally.
Food: our kids just ate what we put in front of them. We didn't give them a lot of options. They loved chicken and rice, which our family ate a lot of anyways ... but they quickly learned to eat most of the things our family ate. One of my girls still doesn't like jam of any kind. Kind a weird. She just eats plain peanut butter sandwiches. Oh well.
My kids all liked peanut butter, because we had eaten a lot of ground nut butter in Ghana.
Recently, I found a recipe for African Groundnut Stew on Betty Crocker dot com. You might like to look that one up. We all enjoyed it.
Laurel
So, so happy to finally see that picture! A HUGE transition for everyone, I'm sure, but there will be a settling that occurs with time. Our kids were only picky the first week they were home. Once they realized they weren't getting other options they quickly learned to like pretty much everything. But with Mercy being older I'm sure it's more challenging, so I'll just pray for God to guide you in that dept. Can't wait to hear more about your new family. Praising God you're FINALLY together. So, so sweet! And what a LONG ride to finally get off of! (So you can start now on a brand new one, hehe.) What was your final count of days from start to finish? Just curious.... Call me when you can! Lots of love!
Congrats, Stephanie and Family!
We are on month 3, and it still doesn't feel like Avery is 100% ours. It is definitely a longer transition (bonding/feeling-wise) than I thought. But, I do remember the first week feeling VERY odd and after that things start to fall into place.
We had HUGE eating issues (still have many) with her. For 3 days straight all she would eat is goldfish crackers. Now she has branched out into about 10 foods (total) She hates vegetables, meat, milk, cheese, etc. She won't even eat a cookie.
So happy Mercy is FINALLY HOME!!!!!
Now, THAT is the sight I've been waiting to see. All of you in one frame, hugging and loving on each other. Together.
Sigh.
It makes me cry with happy tears.
I so wish I could have been there to see you in person . . . This "fly on the wall" thing of bloggyville stinks sometimes :(
Congratulations! She is an amazingly beautiful little girl, with an equally amazing and beautiful mom (and family!).
It is such a huge adjustment for everyone, and you have such a great attitude.
As for the food, we found that starches and proteins went over well...bagels (with cream cheese/peanut butter/butter), rice and beans, tortillas with cheese, pancakes (usually plain), tacos, plain hamburgers, chicken, french fries...neither of the kids were much into sweets, fruits or veggies at first...that has come with time and exposure, I think.
Congratulations again!!
Congratulations to you and your family. I can't even imagine the phethora of emotions, but God is good and you will "find your groove." Such an emotional journey. Thanks for sharing!
I tend to think some eating issues might be the child's system craving precisely what it needs. If she hasn't had a well-balanced diet, her body may be craving the calories, or nutrients she lacks. My children all ate fruit like their was no tomorrow. And meat. And vegetables. They are all still very healthy eaters. My children all grew a LOT in the first few months home, and interestingly their hair changed from being baby fluff (even on a 7 year old) to being strong, shiny hair.
YYYAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a good feeling that must be! Congratulations!!!
Yah! Welcome home to the newest curd! I am so, so happy for all of you.
Cheese, when you rise up from the fog you will look back and wonder what it was like before Mercy was home. The boys have been with us for 2 months and it seems like they have always been here.
Hugs to all of you!!!!!
Now that is a family picture. I love it. As far as food...if she likes rice, chicken and eggs, then give her rice, chicken and eggs. She will widen her choices later. No worries. My boys like bananas and we give them bananas every meal. No big deal. They will learn to enjoy more food later. It is what is familiar to them and that will provide comfort.
Congrats on your new little girl.
Cris
Yes!!! So thankful that you are home and she is now on U.S. soil.
Now time to bond. Take a deep breath, relax, try to enjoy and get some rest too. It truly feels as a new birth experience. Bringing home baby and all the adjustments. We have just almost hit 5 months and the honeymoon is probably over, and still feel we are 24/7 babysitting, but we know one day we will wake up with an awareness that we are bonded as a family. Thinking and praying for you all during this new phase.
Blessings, Tami
oh, so wonderful to finally see Mercy with her new family! yes, very surreal, isn't it?!! I remember feeling the same way, almost like I was babysitting someone else's kid indefinitely. We are finally bonded and feel like our son has always been with us. Give it time. Praying for you all during this transition period of getting to know each other and bond. Blessings!
Yahoo! Praising God!!
I LOVE this picture.
Beautiful family! Beautiful homecoming! Yeah, God! Yeah for you. I am so, so happy your new life is finally beginning. May it be blessed and I pray God redeems the many months of waiting apart.
Hugs through cyberspace,
K
SOOO happy she is home. Yes, the babysitting feeling will eventually go away.
Food - just serve her what she likes. Make no issue of it at all. You serve everyone else whatever you normally would and just have the other kids say things like "YUM - this is so good". After a week or so, she will want what everyone else has. But, she needs to make that choice on her own.
What a blessing! Having just brought home two older kids from Haiti, I may be able to give advice so let me know on FB if you want my phone number.
xox
Congratulations so glad she is home you will find your grove soon enough and it will be as if she has been there forever! She is beautiful!
Just found your blog! CONGRATS, so glad your daughter is finally HOME! :)
YEAH!!!! So glad to see you all together! Praying as you continue to transition and bond. Don't feel guilty about the "babysitting" feeling. It will come, I promise. After all, you've been on a crazy, emotional roller coaster ride for so long it will take some time to get back a normal emotional state.
Sending you lots of love and big hugs!!
Congratulations--finally!!!
Food didn't stay a big issue with us. For awhile we always had white rice available in the rice cooker-just served it with everything. Eventually both boys started eating everything we did.
Praising the Lord!!!!
Your family is beautiful!
Thinking of you sweet friend!!
Much love!
Your story is very touching and I wish you and your family all the very best. Eve
WOO HOO! Finally!
You have an amazing family.
Welcome home! Love the family pic!
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