2 months later...

I forgot to update. 

About that time in China, we were beyond ready to go home but hit some snags. This caused my youngest and I to return home without Tim and Liam. They arrived home a very long week later, on mine and Tim's 10th wedding anniversary.

Liam and Chanz at the park in October

We have now been home for 2 months and Liam has really settled in and blended into our family.

It wasn't easy at first. It was awkward, it still is at times. It was tiring and uncomfortable and exhausting and just hard. We had this half grown human who didn't understand us, and we didn't understand him, and he did weird things and I'm sure he thought we were weird as well. We all had to adjust our living space and personal space. Our family of 3 had to learn to stretch our arms to encircle another. It was just... hard.

I can honestly say now, that our family works. A few months ago I repeated it to myself daily only half believing that eventually.. EVENTUALLY it would all fit together. It had to!
Well, it did. At long last!

Liam at the nature trail, making shadow.. things

We are very fortunate to have gotten such a good-natured kid. Liam is ALWAYS happy! He's easy going and laughs at Chanz when he does little brother things rather than get mad at him. He helps me without asking with housework or any other project. He has been a tremendous blessing to me personally in all those little ways that used to break me because I had too much to do. He is learning English amazingly well and is beginning to learn and understand Christianity. Anything I ask him to do is done immediately and happily.

We are a lot alike, Liam and I. It's interesting to me that it worked out that way. He told me the other day that me, him and Sinbad (my old chihuahua) were quiet and that Daddy, Chanz and Bella (another dog) were loud, lol! It's so true. A few weeks ago we enjoyed a blessed day of complete peace and quiet.....and then Chanz came home and it ended.

Liam and I after getting caught in the rain leaving Target. He got
some new clothes and a spiderman hoodie that he's super proud of. 

Liam will start school, officially, in January. We wanted to give him time to adjust to being in a new country with a new family and a strange language with weird food before throwing him out into the world. The school is really looking forward to having him and helping him on his way. 

Chanz, Tim and Liam at the East Texas State Fair. We had so much
fun. It was a great family night! One of the best I can remember.

He has already seen a doctor and dentist here. He's had his teeth cleaned, a tooth pulled and several cavities filled. In December he will have his eye visit and finally get some glasses! He also is being treated for a really bad toe fungus. It has been there for a long, long time. I know he will be relieved for his toenail to look normal again since he is self-conscious about it. 

Batboys, Liam and Chanz on Halloween

 So now Liam will learn about all the holidays. Halloween is behind us and we are heading towards Thanksgiving and Christmas. A very exciting time for him to be settled in with us! I will try harder to update and our new little. We are so happy to have him!