Six Months As A Family

Wow six months seem to have flown by-well plus one week but I have a good excuse :)  We've moved!  The Hopkins party of five has relocated to Tallahassee, Florida.  Luke accepted a faculty position at Florida State University and will now be home every night.  :)  With the sale (profit) of our old house in Georgia we were able to pay off the remaining adoption debt-yay thank you Jesus for your provision and all $10,800 is now cleared.  We put the rest towards another house and started to rebuild our savings.  We have no regrets on using it to start the journey to Noah but are sleeping a little easier knowing that is behind us now.

It's been a mostly smooth transition for all of us, Noah included, although his night terrors are back.  Amidst the unpacking hundreds of cardboard boxes he found a bunch of photos from China and I think that plus the actual move and 5 nights in between houses (thank you to both sets of our parents for all the help) has been a little much on our sweet boy.  He's been more attention-seeking and emotional and honestly somewhat defiant at times.  In fact he and Beckett ganged up on me today and both refused to listen AT ALL at Hobby Lobby-lesson learned, not a place for two 3 year old boys and a frustrated Mommy.  The honeymoon between Noah and Ella is also over and they argue/fight like "normal" siblings too.  So it's safe to say Noah is one of us and I think he will be starting preschool at just the right time (2 weeks).

He loves the new (but older) house.  He has been swimming in our pool every day and helping with all the household chores.  Noah loves to sweep the front stoop!  He has made new friends but of course we miss our old ones and we hope they will come visit...soon.  Life in Florida is hotter and we are using/reapplying sunscreen constantly.  Noah is wearing his sunglasses all the time now.  The humidity is crazy but I'm hoping we will all adjust.

I can't imagine the past six months without Noah and my memories prior to February are fading fast.  He is such a joyful child and brightens our family even if some days are harder than I ever imagined it they could be (right now at least).  God is truly stretching me as a mother daily.  I am so grateful for that.  We love you, Noah!