What We've Learned in the Last 5 Months

It has been 5 months since the life of our family has been forever changed.  There has been so much to struggle through and so much to learn...for ALL eight of us.  Here are a few random tidbits of wisdom gained from all of our lives.

1.  It is actually necessary to wear the appropriate amount of clothing when it is below zero degrees outside.
2.  There will always be plenty of food (and water) for everyone.
3.  Hitting, kicking, biting, and scratching do nothing but cause more problems.
4.  The dog does not like being picked up by his head.
5.  You don't have to always be "on top."
6.  It is possible to play UNO without a full deck in America too.
7.  Mom gets a hug from EVERY kid EVERY morning...this is non-negotiable.
8.  Broccoli tastes good (this one took awhile.)
9.  Hearing "I love you" every day is uncomfortable at first...but you get used to it.
10.  It's OK to stop life for awhile and enjoy being a family.
11.  Being vulnerable is hard, but worth it if you have the guts.
12.  I have one amazing "step up to the plate" husband!
13.  If you wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, zombies will not kill you.
14.  When you do wake up in the middle of the night, DON'T turn the light on and wake up your brother.
15.  When you wake up at 4:30 AM, everyone else does not want to be woken up to play with you.
16.  It is possible to break elements on our vehicle I didn't know were breakable.
17.  Wife beater shirts are way cool and should be worn every day for every occasion.
18.  We are all more selfish than we thought we were.
19.  Haitians prefer cold showers even when given the option to take a warm one.
20.  We are going to have to wait about 12 more years before our house is clean again (and it's OK.)