Homecoming

There's no place like home...and I could say it a million times. We've been around the world and back and there is no place like landing where your home is. I love this place and I love the people that stayed up late to come give us homecoming. I never expected it and I was gobsmacked walking up the terminal to see so many smiling faces that I love. A huge thank you to all those that gave us a warm welcome after the journey of a lifetime.

W & Mali waiting so patiently.

E & M sporting their American garb!

Touching American soil for the first time!....in Paradise.

Sign made possible by "my 3 sons" that was hanging in the garage when we pulled in.

Emerson meeting Kita for the first time.

Jet lag is the Antichrist. We are suffering from illness and complete exhaustion, with a side of ramped up brothers. We didn't go to bed till well after midnight, due to the late night flight from Chicago to home, but we were well greeted by the most amazing moment of our lives. The girlfriends that showed up to hold a sign, pass out a beverage or take a picture have no idea the lasting impact it made on our life. We were really ready to see familiar faces after the 30 plus hour journey home!

The boys are crazy in love with their sister and though Eme~Grace was terrified of the big dog at first, she has since decided that love comes in every package, including the big hairy kind.

Eme has not warmed up to Daddy yet or anybody else for that matter. It's hard to not want her to be okay with everyone once we returned home and need to get on about the business of child rearing and caring for my home, but I am slowing it all down for her sake. At first I was terrified that all the expert books recommended carrying her around in a pouch for the first 6 months up to 6 hours a day, even if she rejected it and shoved me away. But now I find myself hoping to downsize the carry time to 6 hours a day. I have to remind myself every single moment that my girl has gone through more trauma in her short little life than I ever had to deal with and we should expect no more. All my friends and family are very receptive to what she needs, but it's a really heavy load to carry when every thing she needs must be met by one person, which is me.

Seeing my boys with Emerson is more beautiful than springtime flowers. They asked me when we were going back to China and I told them that the first one to adopt from there would have to take me. I was so proud to see them all fighting over who would go first. My prayer would be for them to open their hearts enough to experience such an amazing thing. Sometimes I worry about their struggles in school and everything they 'must' do to get through their school year, but the heart of my boys is so big that I have no doubt that they were created to be just the person that they were supposed to be. I adore each of them and I missed them terribly. I swear I think they each grew 5 inches since we were gone. Emerson finds them all very amusing as well....esp her brother C.

We are blissfully in love with our 4 children and can not believe that our dreams have been fulfilled after all this time. I already miss China and I couldn't be more happy to talk to Pugmama tonight as she was on her way to the airport to pick her girl up and Lisa as well. My

heart is going with them as they begin the journey to China and back.

For all my waiting friends,

hold tight....your dream is worth dreaming.

But for me tonight,

"my heart is home"