Thursday, January 1, 2015

Jack's 1st Christmas & New Year

In the days since Jack has first arrived home, he has been adapting to his new life like a champ.  Only four days after coming home, Jack got to experience Junk Food Night with Brandy's family.  It didn't take long for us to feel the shift of favoritism immediately transfer to the grandson/nephew.  We also got to go to the land in Star and Uncle Mark's house on Christmas Day.  Over the past few days, Jack has been getting more presents than I think Brandy and I ever got combined.  He hasn't been corrupted yet, so he loves everything from pajamas to his electric car.













I mentioned earlier about Jack adjusting so well. He's already started to push the limits with Mama and Daddy.  In this picture, Brandy told him he couldn't eat in the living room, and had to eat in the dining room.  He's already living on the edge.



Just a few days before New Year's, Jack got his first haircut from Bizzy in Star.  As with everything else, he did awesome.  He has been such a big boy handling everything from his physical in China to his haircut in Star.


Jack got to spend some time with his cousin, Emma, at the Mississippi Children's Museum.








New Year's was very different for the Paul family this year.  We decided not to interrupt his sleep schedule, so the three of us opted to stay home on New Year's Eve.  Jack went to bed around his regular time, so Brandy and I could stay up and celebrate the New Year with just the two of us.  We put on a movie, and I passed out around 9:30.  Brandy stayed up a little later, but we were both out early enough to be wakened by fireworks around 11:45.  I asked Brandy if she wanted to stay up for fifteen minutes to bring in the New Year.  She responded with a grunt, so we both went back to bed.




This is how we spent New Year's



Two of the sweetest moments for me came through two FaceTime phone calls we made with Jack.  The first call was the Sunday after Christmas.  A friend of Jack who is now named William has been telling his parents that the thing he misses most about China is Jack.  William got to see and talk to his friend for the first time since he was adopted a year ago.  William's family, who lives in Tennessee has been praying for Jack.  William even got to pray for Jack just before we said goodbye. 

Another good friend of Jack's is Mr. Dave Woodhouse.  He is a man from Canada, who makes yearly mission trips to Maria's Big House of Hope, where he first met Jack.  We all got to talk to Mr. Dave on New Year's Day.  Dave is a very special man, and Jack means more to him than we may ever know.  He seemed very happy that Jack was a part of our family. 

We are up to the challenge of loving Jack in a way that gives his friends happiness and peace.  Both of Jack's FaceTime phone calls were very special to the people who got to see him, but it was very special for me as well.  It toasts my heart to know that Jack has had people that have loved him even before he entered our lives.

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