Joys and Struggles

The first days home with an older adopted child are filled with joys and struggles. The joy of sitting on the grass in the front yard with my (complete) family. The joy of seeing my son swinging while my daughter runs through the grass. The joy (and smug pride, hee hee) of a lady passing by on her afternoon jog who is stopped in her tracks by my kids' beauty and says, "What gorgeous children!". The joy of hearing my daughter sing a song in her native tongue at the top of her lungs.
The struggles have begun. As expected, once the adopted child becomes sure they're staying with you, they may begin to test that love and commitment. Yep, right on schedule we had 2 fits, refused dinner, pooped on the floor and dropped a book in the bathtub. This was all in the 2 hours after naptime and before she collapsed into bed! Super Daddy allowed me to escape to the grocery store, we actually did need some things, but it was nice to peruse the aisles in peace.
This next week, I'm going to try much harder to stay on a tight routine, it seems to be the antidote to the chaos in SJ's heart and mind. It's tempting with an older, potty trained kid to hit the ground running. But it will be best for all of us to remember to slow down, get to know each other and make sure SJ feels fully loved and accepted. Even when she poops on the floor...