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Adoption GlossaryConsider Yourself at Home (hear)
"But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.." Psalm 5:7
A Months of Firsts
It's now been over a month since we've come home, and time to share some highlights of the time. The best part of the whole time is that we are family. We feel like we've always been a family, with a Mama and Papa and three children. It's amazing how God has answered prayers and built a cohesive family right from the start.
Family
The first week we were all home together, since David didn't go right back to work. It was great to have several days together, all the way through the Labor Day holiday. Gus and Tricia came to visit for several days, which helped in explaining things to the children. After a week we drove to Mom Dunn's house, to pick up Monika, and to meet Jim, Marie, and Baylee and Gaden and Terra. They were excited to be able to see Abuelita again. Mom and Dad LaRocque also visited over Labor Day for the first time - they're going to go by Memé and Grampapa. Early this month we drove up to visit Daniel, Tricia, Shannon, and Wesley. Shannon was excited to see us, having seen our photo. So, we've met all the immediate family except for Abe, Danna, and Nathan (because they're in Guam!)
David gradually moved into full-time hours again at work, and we got into our regular schedule of meals, baths, bedtime, and church. Our friends Bob and Nina Petro visited several times to spend time with the children. Nina could also speak Spanish, and help.
Church
Church took a while to get going. The first Sunday we thought they all had chicken pox, and then just Felix. The next weekend Felix really did have chicken pox, which kept him and Krista home for two more weeks. Antonio and Carmen got the chicken pox vaccine a few days after Felix broke out, in an effort to perhaps prevent the pox, or at least alleviate the symptoms.
But Antonio really wanted to get the pox, and rubbed himself all over his brother, and succeeded. He got it lightly, thankfully. Carmen got a couple spots at most.
Anyway, we did all get to church eventually, and gradually began getting back into our responsibilities of choir, orchestra, Sunday School, and now nursery. The children at the church quickly accepted our children as their own, probably quicker than ours expected! But they got over it quickly enough. It's obvious people were supporting us in prayer by how things are going, all through the grace of God.
School
Krista started homeschooling Antonio and Carmen the week of Labor Day. They both love to learn, and are having fun writing letters, matching pictures to letters, and reading with Maestra Mama. We have a decent collection of children's books, and very glad we do! They both are learning math, too, which Antonio enjoys more than Carmen. Felix gets to color most of the time while they study, or pretends to read, or plays with his cars.
We're also memorizing Bible verses together. We've almost got Psalm 23 down pat, in both English and Spanish. We also have verses to learn for Patch the Pirate club at church.
October 2000