Brotherhood

I've said it before, but one of the greatest blessings of adoption, especially when coupled with a long, arduous wait, is that each happy moment with your long-awaited child(ren) becomes magnified and even the hard times are eased by the knowledge in the back of your brain that truly, you are lucky, so lucky to have this child in your life.  This life, this motherhood of mine is never taken for granted.

This time around, not only were we "reborn" as parents but something new has been created.  A brotherhood.  And it's all that I could have dreamed it to be, replete with squabbles, tears, and tender moments when Spork looks at the Nugget with wonder and awe and the Nugget gently teaches his baby brother something new.

This was so worth the wait.  Two pairs of feet at the sand and water table, two pairs of hands mixing up  "razzmatazz ice cream" and searching for the shells we brought home from Florida.

 Double-extra-wide classic baby shoes earning their first scuffs of dirt.  

Purple Roos (so excited that they still make Roos!) that seem like they should be way too big for my little boy....but they're a perfect fit, which I suppose goes along with the lanky legs and knobby knees this child is suddenly sporting.

And our "bonus babe" in my arms, finally calm and collected in the great outdoors, her tiny hands busy trying to remove her strawberry sunhat and her burbling giggles ready and waiting to burst forth like sunshine slicing through the clouds.

It's such a beautiful life, and indeed, pain does beget beauty.