Thank you for continuing to read and review even though I fail at updating sometimes! ;)

I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season, but I have to say I'm a little glad it's over since my free time was limited. Hopefully the updates will be on time from now on!

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or these characters.

Esme POV

Our first month together passed quickly as we settled further into our daily routine.

Every morning started bright and early with either Rosalie or Jasper waking up first which determined whether Carlisle or I had to roll out of bed before the other. From there, it was usually breakfast, getting dressed, and playtime before the children took a nap. Since Carlisle was waiting to go back to work, we used their nap time to straighten the house and spend some quiet time together. We had already learned that we needed to sneak time together as often as possible when our attention was being demanded elsewhere. After nap time was over, there was lunch, more playing, dinner, and finally ending with a bath, story, and bed.

Every day was mostly the same, yet so different. We were able to watch all three of the kids grow and change, but it was more noticeable in Rosalie and Jasper than in Emmett. The two of them thrived under our routine, and it was clear that they felt very secure when they knew what was coming next. Even when there were unexpected circumstances, they were able to take it in stride, knowing that Carlisle and I were there and wouldn't let anything or anyone hurt them. They were also feeling much better health-wise which made it easier for them to keep up with Emmett. Having so many little ones running around was definitely tiring but worth every moment of exhaustion.

No smile, laugh, or hug was ever taken for granted because Carlisle and I recognized how amazing it was that Rosalie and Jasper's lives were seemingly normal. We still had issues to address, and we were slowly working through them with Siobhan. Our weekly meetings with her were invaluable, and we were learning a lot during our time together. It was almost mind-blowing how something as simple as the tone of a voice or a smile could affect our children's feelings. But they did, and we made sure that they knew how much we loved them and how thankful we were for them every day.

Overall, our life together was incredible, but not without challenges. We constantly lived with reminders of the trauma Rosalie and Jasper suffered, but we were doing our best to overcome them. Our patience remained, though not without effort. I could tell that some days Carlisle wanted nothing more than to wrap Rosalie in his arms and hold her tightly, but it just wasn't possible. I also had the urge to beg them just to hear the word 'Mommy' in their sweet little voices, but I resisted as well. We were trying to take steps forward while avoiding steps back; delaying their recovery was the very last thing we wanted. So instead of progressing in leaps and bounds, we were happy with baby steps with no major setbacks. As long as everything was all right in the end, I didn't care how long it took to get there.

Another day started early with dim sunlight streaming through the windows, but this time, my eyes opened on their own. I closed them after seeing how much light was coming in through the window and rolled over to lie on my back. I felt Jasper move over closer to Carlisle, and I smiled at his actions. Apparently I was no longer close enough to him, and he subconsciously decided to seek comfort elsewhere.

One thing we had learned about Jasper was his near constant need for contact. With Siobhan's help, we came to the conclusion that the need for contact was the main reason why he slept in our bed. Siobhan had a theory that both Jasper and Rosalie didn't understand why their birth mother wasn't there to protect them when they were kidnapped. Even at such a young age, they recognized that their mother was supposed to be there to save them. Jasper and Rosalie seemed to harbor a fear that Carlisle and I would do the same, and Jasper used touch as a way to assure himself that we weren't going anywhere.

And even though Jasper was the least vocal, he was the one who enjoyed listening to us. His face lit up any time we praised him or simply talked to him, and reading books was one of his favorite ways to pass the time. Something about our voices was comforting to him, and we tried to indulge him as much as possible.

While Jasper and Carlisle remained sleeping beside me, I took a moment to enjoy the quiet. A moment of quiet was so rare for us without feeling rushed, but the morning seemed very calm so far which made it easy for me to use the opportunity. The morning had always been my favorite time to talk to God, and today was no different. I had so much to be thankful for and so much to pray about in general. I didn't have as many opportunities to just sit and pray as I would have liked, but I wasn't too worried about it. God knew what was in my heart, and He had already answered so many of our prayers. I had faith that he wouldn't let us down after doing so much already.

My prayers were interrupted by a little hand patting my arm, but I pretended to be asleep instead of acknowledging the small nudges. After a few moments, the nudges became a bit more forceful, and I had to try not to chuckle at the persistence.

"Maaay…May, 'ake up!"

I couldn't resist the sweet little voice pleading with me, so I turned my head and opened my eyes. I was met with the sparkling blue ones of my daughter as she watched me carefully. Her eyes no longer held the pain that was there when I first met her. They now contained so much life and happiness, and at the moment, mirth at seeing me finally awake like she was asking.

"Good morning, sweet girl," I whispered with a smile. I turned to my side to face her fully and reached over to pull the pacifier out her mouth. She immediately smiled before puckering her lips since she knew what I was doing. Both she and Jasper had adjusted to our affection and were more eager to give and receive it. I loved it, of course; there was nothing better than getting love from my babies.

After a round of good morning kisses for both Rosalie and her baby doll, I returned the pacifier and offered my arms to pull her onto the bed with me. Rosalie quickly shook her head and took a step away from the bed. I nodded and didn't try to press the matter further. Rosalie was okay with walking into our room to wake me up, but sitting on the bed at the same time that Carlisle was there was still out of her comfort zone.

"All right, sugar," I sighed as I carefully got out of bed. "Let's go to your room."

I held my arms out for her, and she smiled happily before jumping into them. Once she was situated on my hip, she placed her arm that wasn't holding her baby around me and rested her head on my shoulder as we headed down the hallway.

The rest of the house was silent since Emmett was also still sleeping, and it was so peaceful that I felt like going back to sleep. Rosalie came first though, and when we walked in her room, I laid her down on the bed before getting a clean diaper and some wipes.

Diaper changes had also changed greatly. Since Rosalie's stitches had healed without complication, she was no longer in any physical pain. Her body still tensed most of the time, but Siobhan and I both believed that it was just out of habit now. Rosalie trusted me fully, but she couldn't control her reactions. I was just glad that the tears were over. Seeing her hurting made me hurt, and seeing it on a daily basis was very emotionally draining for all of us.

But as I changed Rosalie's diaper this morning, she laid as calm as she had been when we came into the room. I hummed softly to her as I always had, but she didn't really need to be soothed. It was just our routine now, and I knew Rosalie liked hearing me because she would sometimes hum her own tune along with me.

When I was finished, I blew a raspberry on her belly and tickled her before pulling her nightgown back into place. She giggled and rolled around on the bed while I threw the used diaper and wipes away. It was so wonderful to see her so carefree and happy when she use to be scared and in pain. To me, it was the best evidence of her healing, and I was excited that our methods seemed to be working.

I went back over to the bed and crawled in beside her. Rosalie seemed to understand that I wanted to snuggle, so she stopped rolling around and scooted over next to me. I pulled the covers over us and wrapped my arms around her tightly as I enjoyed the moment. I knew Rosalie felt the safest encased in my arms, and her contented sight definitely proved it. We laid together in the quiet for a few minutes while I continued to wake up. Many early mornings didn't make this one any easier.

I couldn't cuddle in bed all day as much as I wanted to because we had special plans. We had been waiting for quite a while, but Carlisle and I had finally decided that we were ready to take them to church for the first time. Neither one of us had been since we brought Rosalie and Jasper home, but it was time. Siobhan had advised us to start taking them into public so they would start getting used to being around people again. Going to church was the best option for our first family outing other than to Siobhan's office because of the relatively small size of the congregation. We also had the advantage of Carmen and Eleazar having already informed everyone of the situation. No one would do anything to make Rosalie or Jasper uneasy which gave us an ideal environment for their comfort.

I was definitely excited to return and see our friends that I had missed, but I still loved lying in bed with any of my babies.

I ran my fingers gently through Rosalie's curls, but they were extremely tangled from sleep. Taming her hair everyday was definitely a challenge, but she made it easy on me since she loved having her hair fixed with all the bows Carmen loved to buy.

"What are we going to do with this hair, baby?" I mumbled, mostly to myself. Rosalie heard me, of course, and she brought her hand up to pat mine.

"A petty bow," she said simply.

I scooted back slightly so I could see her better. She was grinning behind her pacifier, and I couldn't help but smile along with her. It was still so amazing to see how she acted when she was feeling good. It was almost like she was an entirely different child than when I first met her.

"Well, we'll definitely put a pretty bow in that hair today," I said and kissed her nose. "And you have a pretty dress to wear, too. Nana picked it out for you to wear today."

"Go see Nana?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Mmhmm," I nodded. "We're going to church today, and we'll see Nana and Pops there. Do you remember when we talked about it?"

Carlisle and I had talked with the kids one day while we were playing to help them understand. One of the things Siobhan commended us on was always explaining what we were doing beforehand so that Jasper and Rosalie were never completely surprised. If their normal routine was going to be interrupted, they needed to know. Emmett had been a huge help with giving his point of view of how every Sunday went for us. Carlisle and I didn't always understand what he said, but Rosalie and Jasper seemed to follow him just fine. I knew they would still be scared, but I hoped their fear had been reduced after knowing a little more.

But when Rosalie pressed herself closer to me, I could tell she remembered and the fear was still there. I wrapped my arms around her again, and kissed the top of her head.

"Hold me?" she whispered.

"Of course, baby," I said softly and kissed her head once more. "I'll hold you the whole time. You'll never be alone, but no one will hurt you. And when it's over, we're going to eat lunch at Nana and Pops' house. Does that sound okay?"

She nodded, and I was relieved that she hadn't said "no." She had become very vocal about things she didn't want to do. Carlisle and I received an ear full just last week when we took her and Jasper to see Peter for a check-up. I knew she could still change her mind when we actually got to church, but for now, I was happy that she seemed okay.

Our cuddle time was ended by my need to start cooking breakfast, so I reluctantly pulled myself and Rosalie out of bed. My boys were all still sleeping peacefully, so I decided to leave them where they were. The kitchen could get crowded quickly when they were all awake and wanting my attention at the same time.

Once I carried Rosalie down to the kitchen, I sat her on the little foam couch that had now taken up permanent residence in the room. Even though she now liked to run around with the boys during the day, her mornings were always spent with me while I prepared breakfast. I loved to imagine teaching her to cook one day and was overjoyed with the prospect of sharing something I liked with her. She was too young now, but I it was still nice to have her in the room with me to keep me company.

As Rosalie talked quietly and rocked her baby doll, I got to work making cinnamon rolls along with starting the coffee. Having sticky icing for breakfast probably wasn't the best idea, but I hoped the clean-up wouldn't be too unmanageable.

I began hearing noises upstairs when the cinnamon rolls were about halfway finished baking, but I didn't feel Carlisle's presence behind me until I was icing them. His arms came around my waist, and I stopped what I was doing to relax in his embrace.

"Good morning, sweet heart," he whispered before kissing me behind my ear. I shivered in response and turned to face him.

"Good morning, Carlisle," I said softly and placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth, slowly working my way to the center of his lips. He chuckled against my lips but quickly kissed me with vigor. After a few seconds, his hands moved from my waist down to my bottom. I loved the feeling of his hands on me, and I shivered in response once more.

I definitely missed the way our activities used to be even though our lives were much more fulfilling now. I could never even think of regretting bringing Jasper and Rosalie into our family, but I did miss spending hours each night with my husband. We still made time for each other, but it wasn't nearly as carefree as it had been when it was just Emmett. We had been blessed with a child who was a reliable sleeper, but now we had two who were very unpredictable in their habits. Their sleeping was slowly getting better though, and I had hope that things would go back to the way they were eventually. The only other thing standing in our way was our exhaustion each night, but that was something else I hoped would improve.

I knew we had little eyes watching us, so I regretfully pulled away from Carlisle before we could get too distracted by our passion. Carlisle seemed understand what I was doing and placed three chaste kisses on my lips before pulling back all the way. My eyes had been closed, but when I opened them and looked up at him, he simply winked before wrapping me in a hug and turning us around.

Sure enough, Rosalie had been watching us and her expression seemed to be very perplexed. In a way, I was glad that she always watched us because it gave her a chance to see Carlisle for who he really was and not how she generalized men at this point. Carlisle was the only man she allowed relatively close to her, and I was positive that it had something to do with her always seeing him interact with me, Jasper, and Emmett.

"Good morning, sweet Rosalie," Carlisle said cheerfully. "Did you sleep good last night?"

She continued studying him for a moment before nodding which made both of us smile. The fact that she could acknowledge him without fear was incredible.

"Would you like some juice?" he asked, maintaining his calm and cheerful tone.

She nodded once more, and I could tell that Carlisle was very happy with her response. He hugged me one more time and kissed my head before going to the counter to prepare a drink for her.

I turned my attention back to the cinnamon rolls, but when I glanced at Carlisle and saw that he was preparing three cups, I realized that I hadn't seen the boys yet.

"Carlisle," I said softly and waited for him to answer. He hummed in response, so I knew he was paying attention. "Where are the boys?"

"Emmett had to go potty and Jasper went with him," he explained before suddenly becoming concerned. "Maybe I should go check on them…" he trailed off.

I chuckled as he quickly left the kitchen. Our good morning kisses had done a good job of distracting him, but I knew the boys wouldn't get into too much mischief. The worst they could do would be playing in the sink, but it was just water; nothing too harmful. I had a feeling the pair of them would be a hand full when they were older.

A few minutes later, Carlisle returned with a giggling little boy under each arm. The wet sleeves of their pajamas showed that my guess had been correct. I knew them too well to think that they were behaving perfectly while not being supervised.

I tried to keep from laughing at them, but Carlisle noticed my failing efforts and rolled his eyes playfully before placing the boys on the floor. I knelt down and held my arms out, and they ran to me. I hugged them tightly and showered them with kisses. Their giggles increased as they tried to get away from me, but I held on. I continued holding them until they calmed down and then let them move back slightly so I could look at them.

"Good morning, little rascals," I said with a smirk. "What were you two doing?"

"Mommy, we played in the water," Emmett said, still slightly giggling.

"You did, huh?" I asked.

Jasper nodded in agreement, and I knew it was nearly impossible to be mad at either one of them. They were just being little boys, and it was nice to see Jasper playing so well with Emmett. Their choice of activity was questionable, but at least they were bonding.

"Well how about you don't do that again, okay? We don't need to waste water," I said as I stood up.

Emmett nodded and ran over to Carlisle who was finishing pouring the juice. Jasper was still standing in front of me, so I ruffled his hair to make sure he knew I wasn't mad at him. He and Rosalie both seemed to worry about us being angry at them for any reason, and I didn't even want to think about what caused their feelings. Carlisle and I weren't strict by any means, but we had been blessed with children who listened to us most of the time. The most discipline Emmett had ever received was an occasional time-out, and I was almost ready for that to happen to Rosalie or Jasper. It wasn't that I was looking forward to them misbehaving; I just wanted them to see what would happen. They needed to know that we would never harm them no matter the circumstance.

Jasper didn't seem very relieved after my attempt, so I quickly scooped him up into my arms and kissed his forehead.

"I love you, buddy," I said with a smile. He returned my smile and rested his head on my shoulder so I knew he was okay. I patted his back and returned to the breakfast preparations.

A few moments later, I felt tugging on my pajama pants, and I looked down to see Rosalie. She held her arms out, wanting me to pick her up. The jealousy had definitely escalated during our first month together, so it wasn't anything new. I didn't pick her up at first, but when she started making a whining sound in the back of her throat, I knew I wasn't going to get anything done which was a problem since we had somewhere we needed to be in just a few hours.

"Okay, you three. You can sit in your places while we get breakfast on the table," I said with enthusiasm. I picked up Rosalie liked she wanted me to, but she didn't seem very happy when I placed her in her booster seat and fastened her in. After I placed Jasper and Emmett in their seats, Carlisle came to the rescue and gave each of them their juice.

With the kids in one spot, I was able to finish preparing breakfast with Carlisle help. Despite all of our previous interruptions, we were able to finish breakfast rather peacefully. Everyone loved cinnamon rolls, and the apple sauce I gave them was also a hit even though Emmett created an interesting combination with his. As long as he would eat it, we were fine with whatever he did.

Once everyone was full, Carlisle and I got to work with clean-up. Together we were able to finish quickly, and the kids didn't get as messy as I had predicted they would. The icing and apple sauce was mostly restricted to faces and hands which were easy to deal with. Hair was always the worst, but thankfully the sticky didn't get that far today.

As soon as we were finished in the kitchen, I took the kids upstairs to get them dressed while Carlisle showered. I dressed Emmet and Jasper first since it took me the least amount of time. They were also the impatient ones, and I knew they had other things they wanted to do such as playing or watching a few minutes of their TV programs.

Once they were dressed and had their hair combed, they immediately left to run downstairs. Rosalie didn't seem to mind at all that she had me to herself again, and she was excited about getting dressed. The new dress Carmen had bought for her was adorable. The light blue color looked wonderful with her eyes, and I loved the smocked brown flowers at the neckline. Taming Rosalie's hair was the usual challenge, but with a little detangling spray, I was able to coax it into submission with a matching hair bow. After putting on her lacy socks and white shoes, she was completely ready to go.

Since the kids had been taken care of, it was my turn to get dressed. Rosalie followed me into the bedroom, and we found Carlisle in front of the mirror trying to fix his tie. I walked over to him and helped him without having to be asked. He thanked me with a kiss before going downstairs to make sure the boys weren't destroying the house.

I gave Rosalie the choice of going down to play with the boys or staying with me, and it wasn't much of a decision for her to stay with me. I had pretty much expected that answer. A little chair remained in our bathroom along with a few toys for her because she was with me most of the time when I was getting ready.

After taking a quick shower, I dried and styled my hair before applying my make-up and putting my dress on. When I was ready, I glanced at the clock and saw that we were still on time. One good thing about having a routine was that we weren't usually late for appointments or any other events.

I double checked to make sure I had everything I needed from upstairs and then carried Rosalie down to join the boys. Carlisle had everything under control and even had our diaper bag ready including drinks and snacks.

Since he had taken care of everything, I was able to stop for a moment and just observe my family. It was incredible to me how we really did feel like a family, like we had always been together. And since we were currently all wearing matching outfits, I knew everyone else would be able to visually tell that we were a family. The boys light blue polo shirts and khaki pants coordinated perfect with Rosalie's dress while Carlisle and I were incorporating the brown. It wasn't a new thing for us since Carlisle, Emmett, and I often matched on Sundays, but it seemed different with the addition of two more little ones. I chuckled a little bit at the absurdity of it which caught Carlisle's attention.

"What's so funny, sweet heart?" he asked as he placed his arms around me.

I relaxed into his embrace once more. "Have you seen us?" I asked rhetorically. "Everyone is going to think we dress like this all the time."

He took a moment to actually look at what we were all wearing and nodded. "We are a bit preppy this morning, aren't we?"

"A bit?" I snorted which made him full out laugh and hold me tighter.

"You'll just have to invite our church friends over one day when the kids pick out their own clothes and we wear sweatpants all day."

"And I haven't showered and the boys have you covered in food," I teased.

"Exactly," he said with a smile. "I think they know we're not perfect. Sundays are just special."

I nodded in agreement. If I wanted us all to look nice, it took a lot of planning and effort. Some days it wasn't worth the effort, though. As long as our children were happy and healthy, they could stay in pajamas all day and it would be fine with me.

After rounding the kids up, we loaded them into the van. We had it down to a science, so it didn't take long for us to be on the road. The ride was loud as always, but it was a good kind of loud. Emmett and Rosalie loved to talk and make up words as their conversations progressed. Jasper didn't contribute very much, but we could always count on him to giggle along at his siblings' shenanigans. Carlisle and I would steal looks at each other and roll our eyes playfully because really, we loved every minute of the craziness.

When we made it to the church, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I felt Carlisle reach over to grab my hand which he squeezed in his. I opened my eyes to look at him, and he smiled and nodded. I returned both because I knew we were going to have a good day. There was no reason to worry.

I opened my door and got out of the van, not waiting for Carlisle since we both had kids to help. As soon as I unbuckled Rosalie, she was in my arms, wrapping her arms around my neck as if her life depended on it. Jasper also scrambled over to me when he was let loose, so I had my arms full with both of them hanging on to me.

"It's okay," I soothed them quietly as I closed the door. "You're safe with me."

Carlisle was having his own difficulties with wrangling Emmett who wanted run across the parking lot to the door. He knew exactly where we were and was excited about seeing Nana and Pops, but running where there were other cars was not an option.

After Carlisle grabbed the diaper bag, he locked the van and we walked together to the front of the church. Once we were inside, Carlisle let Emmett go so he could run off and socialize, and then he took Jasper from me to give my arms a rest. Carrying two toddlers at one time was a regular occurrence for me, but my arms weren't quite strong enough yet to last for very long. I had no doubt that my arm muscles would be well developed in a few months.

As we walked to the front of the church, we passed many of our friends. The church was small enough that we usually knew everyone unless there were visitors. I could tell that they were all well informed since they didn't approach us. But their smiles and waves meant just as much as the hugs they would have normally given us.

When we made it to the front, Carmen was waiting for us on our pew, and she wasted no time in pulling me in for a hug.

"We're so happy to have you all back, darling," she said as she hugged me tightly. Rosalie was a little smashed between us, but she didn't seem to mind since she was comfortable around Carmen.

Once she released me, I nodded. "It definitely feels good to be back."

I already felt so calm just being there, and I was so glad we were able to be together as a family. Faith was such a large part of the foundation of Carlisle's and my relationship as well as the building of our family. I loved having the opportunity to now share that with Rosalie and Jasper along with Emmett.

Carmen also hugged Carlisle before he took Jasper with him to see Eleazar. While he was greeting his uncle, I sat down with Carmen and tried to get Rosalie situated. She didn't seem to be scared, but she also didn't seem to want to move from her position.

"See? You're okay, baby," I said softly and kissed her head. After a few minutes, she finally scooted down a little toward my lap and turned her head toward Carmen.

"There's my girl," Carmen said with a smile. She reached over to hold Rosalie's hand and then leaned over to kiss it. Her kisses then turned to nibbles which made Rosalie giggle. I sighed happily, relieved that Carmen had lightened the mood. My mother-in-law noticed my sigh and winked it me, so I knew she had done it on purpose.

As we waited for the service to start, I could hear Emmett talking loudly to whoever was holding him at the time. He was always passed around every week; everyone loved his social personality. The shyness he had when he was little had basically vanished, and it was difficult to get him to stop talking to whoever he encountered. Carlisle and I always allowed him to be loud in hopes that it would leave his system by the time he had to be quiet, and it had always worked for us. I just hoped Rosalie and Jasper would be well behaved, but I didn't have any reason to doubt them.

Carlisle soon found us with both boys in his arms. He placed Emmett between Carmen and me before sitting beside me. Jasper remained in his lap, but his free arm rested behind my shoulder while his hand traced circles on my arm. I was happy to be able to sit close to him again. Rosalie had grown accustomed to having Carlisle near to her, and as long as he didn't touch her directly, she was fine.

The church service was very enjoyable, and we made it through without any major mishaps. Rosalie and Jasper were very quiet and seemed to curiously take everything in. I could tell that they enjoyed the music and they weren't uncomfortable when Eleazar was speaking which I knew was because they were very familiar with him already.

Emmett did knock some papers into the floor while he was sitting with Carmen and Jasper accidentally kicked Rosalie while trying to get comfortable in Carlisle's lap, but overall, everyone was fine. Jasper fell asleep right before it was over, and Rosalie was close to it until I had to stand up. It was just as well though since it was time to eat lunch.

Before leaving, Carlisle and I went to speak to Peter and Charlotte who had arrived late. Charlotte had been spending most of her days off with us when Peter was working, and we planned to continue that until the baby was born. We also made plans to go out to dinner with Peter and Charlotte without kids for some adult time. Carlisle and I definitely needed it after spending weeks with the kids without breaks, and Peter and Charlotte needed to enjoy their time while it was just the two of them.

We spoke to a few more of our friends and then loaded up again to head over to Carmen and Eleazar's house. We beat them there so we let ourselves in. Carlisle took Jasper to the den and Emmett followed behind him. I knew Emmett's mission was to play with the toys, and I managed to convince Rosalie to stay with him and play while I checked to see if I needed to do anything to help with lunch.

The kitchen smelled wonderful, and I discovered that the reason was from a pot roast cooking with potatoes and carrots in the crock pot. There was also a pot of green beans that was covered and seemed to be already cooked. I reheated them while pouring several glasses of iced tea for us and setting the table.

Once Carmen and Eleazar made it home, it didn't take long for us to sit down and eat. Carlisle managed to eat and hold Jasper as he slept, but after he woke up, Carlisle sat him beside Carmen so she could help him with his lunch.

Lunch passed quickly, and when we were finished, Carlisle and I took the kids into the den with Eleazar. I had wanted to help Carmen clean up, but she refused my help. It was good in the end because Rosalie decided to curl up in my lap and take her nap for the day. Jasper was wide awake after his quick nap, and Emmett was just too stubborn to sleep so Eleazar and Carlisle took them outside to prevent them from disturbing Rosalie.

Carmen joined me once she had finished in the kitchen and we chatted quietly. Since we had seen each other only a couple of days before, we didn't have that much to talk about other than Kate and Garrett's upcoming trip. There were only about three weeks to go until they would be coming for down for their usual summer visit. This year was going to be very different since Carmen and Eleazar now had six grandchildren that would be in one area for a month. I could tell that Carmen was very excited about seeing her daughter again and the prospect of having her whole family close by.

I was also excited about seeing the rest of the family and them getting to meet Rosalie and Jasper. I did have some concerns about Rosalie being around Garrett, but I hoped she would warm up to him a little bit, at least to the level she was at with Eleazar. The one thing I was most excited about as far as Rosalie was concerned was that she would have other little girls to play with. Since Jane was the same age, I hoped they would become fast friends.

Our conversation then turned to what little Carmen had missed over the weekend. We really hadn't done much other than be lazy. I was enjoying Carlisle being home as much as I possibly could since we weren't sure when he was going to go back to work. I had a feeling it would be pretty soon though because Rosalie and Jasper seemed to be well adjusted to living with us. I was pretty sure I could handle them alone.

"So are Rosalie and Jasper enjoying their rooms?" Carmen asked softly as she played with Rosalie's hair.

I smiled and nodded. "They both are, but Rosalie especially. She still loves going in her room and seeing the 'buh-flies,'" I chuckled.

I had finally finished decorating Rosalie and Jasper's rooms the week before. Carmen had been wonderful with helping me decide what designs to use. Sometimes I had too many ideas, and it was much more difficult to pick something for my own family than it was for a client. Carlisle and Eleazar had helped with the manual labor when the furniture had been delivered, and they were very patient with me as I decided how I wanted everything to be.

Jasper's room looked very similar to Emmett's because I had picked the same furniture for him. He continued to sleep half the night with Emmett, so his bed was never used. Even if he didn't spend much time there now, I thought it was important for him to have his own space. There were some differences in the décor, mostly with the color scheme. Emmett's room focused on green whereas Jasper's was focused more on blue.

Rosalie's room was my special project. I wanted her to have a space that was only hers, a place where she could go to escape anything that might be bothering her. The walls were painted a soft purple which was very calming. Along the bottom, Carmen and I had painted many different butterflies, and Rosalie loved them. The butterfly symbolically reminded me of Rosalie; I couldn't wait to see her grow and develop into the beautiful person that I knew God had made her to be. Nothing was going to hold her back in life, including the trauma she suffered. I just knew she was going to recover from it all and then spread her wings and fly.

Her room also featured a vanity with a mirror that she loved to play at as well as a collection of toys that were only hers. Since she was the only girl, she had the privilege of having toys the boys never touched, including some old ones that Mrs. Cope had recovered for us.

Mrs. Cope had delivered the old things as promised, and we let Rosalie and Jasper check them out to see if they were attached to anything. What they wanted to keep, we kept and the rest was donated. Since we had plenty of clothes and toys, we felt the need to give back to the children's home where Rosalie and Jasper would have most likely gone had it not been for the opportunity we were given to bring them home with us. It still made me smile when I thought about how much joy we had all been given from the whole arrangement.

Carmen and I continued to talk while Rosalie slumbered until Carlisle and Eleazar came back inside with the boys. Emmett's lack of a nap was making him irritable and uncooperative, so Carlisle suggested that it was time for us to go.

After we said our goodbyes, we loaded into the van for the third time of the day. Carlisle and I shared a laugh when Emmett fell asleep about two minutes into the ride. He had tried to resist, but had ultimately failed in the end. Rosalie also stayed asleep during the ride, so when we got home, we placed both of them in our unmade bed before going down to the family room with Jasper.

Jasper immediately pulled out his favorite set of Little People and trucks, and Carlisle and I sat in the floor to play with him. He would switch from sitting my lap to sitting Carlisle's so we had equal snuggle time with him.

"This is rare," Carlisle whispered to me as he rolled a little truck along the floor with Jasper.

I looked to him with confusion, and he clarified.

"We never have time with just us and Jasper. I think we should try harder for this."

I smiled and nodded in agreement. We hadn't been able to spend alone time with Jasper very often since Emmett was always around or Rosalie needed my attention. It was different, but nice to have a few hours with only one child. It reminded me of when we used to have just Emmett, but Jasper was much quieter. Carlisle and I continued to encourage him to be vocal, and he was doing a little better with it. A few words here and there were better than nothing.

Our time with Jasper was a wonderful way to spend our afternoon, but it was inevitable that Rosalie and Emmett would wake up and demand attention; attention that we would gladly give.

We had successfully exposed Rosalie and Jasper to something new, and I hoped it was just the start of the many things we would do. The summer was ahead of us, and with it came many opportunities for us to press their boundaries and slowly help them heal. We were off to a great start with our children surprising us daily in wonderful ways. The days weren't perfect by any means, but each one I spent with my family was one I cherished, and I was very excited for what was in store for us next.

So this chapter was originally planned to cover more time, but sometimes the characters have a mind of their own. I thought this chapter was important to show how Jasper and Rosalie are healing. The next chapter should cover the whole summer, and there will be some important developments. These will involve Rosalie and Jasper. No new little ones are joining the family at the moment! ;)

Also, a. n. hanninen recently recommended me in her story She Is Love, so I thought I would return the favor. In her story, Carlisle and Esme are vampires who adopt a girl who has suffered through abuse. And of course, Carlisle and Esme are the wonderful parents we all love to read about. Check it out if you have a chance!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!