We're Home
“Together is a
wonderful place to be.” ~author unknown
|
(Posted January
1,
2009)
October
13, 2008
One month ago, after more than 30 hours of travel, we arrived
home. Home. Words can’t even describe the feelings I had as we
anxiously made our way through the airport knowing that our kids
and family would be waiting to welcome Sophie home. As we
approached the escalators to the luggage claim area, and before
I saw anyone, I heard my kids shouting excitedly from the ground
floor, “there they are, there they are!” I am quite certain that
Christian almost “jumped” to the second floor as we impatiently
waited for the elevator. I scooped Sophie into my arms from the
stroller. As the elevator doors opened, we were greeted with a
wave of pink balloons, party horns and camera flashes. Sophie
clutched her little American flag in her hand and waved it back
and forth with all her might. She could not have performed
better if we had rehearsed it : ) With all the excitement and
for a brief moment, I think she was trying to decide if she
should laugh or cry. After all, that’s what the people with the
balloons were doing…some were laughing, some were crying. Waving
the flag seemed to be a good thing to do. Oh, it was so
wonderful to be home! Now two and a half weeks doesn’t seem like
a very long time, and I’m still not quite sure how it all
happened, but somehow my boys each grew at least six inches
while we were gone! And Jessica, well…she looked like she was
just about ready to head off to college : ) We spent quite a bit
of time at the airport just talking, laughing, and taking
pictures. Ah…so, so good to be home!
We arrived home late on that Saturday night and Monday morning
it was back to business as usual. Ian went to work and I took
the kids to school. As I pulled away from the school as I have
so many times before, but this time with Sophie in the backseat,
I smiled. I positioned the rearview mirror so I could see her
and SERIOUSLY could not stop smiling the whole way home. It all
seemed like a dream. Our wait. Our time in China. This beautiful
little girl. To us, she is a dream…
Now, lest you think our transition has been without growing
pains, let’s keep it real…
December 31, 2008
Hmmm…now where did I leave off? Keeping it real… Obviously, not
hard to do since months have passed (literally) since I
initially began writing our “Welcome Home” post in October.
October, yikes! Things have been BUSY around here with little
Mei. Busy. Busy. Busy. Wonderfully busy, I might add. We jumped
back into our regular routine as soon as we got home and luckily
for us, Sophie is mostly just happy and content to be along for
the ride. She is just the sweetest, and we absolutely adore her.
She is learning so many new things and is certainly, most
definitely NOT quiet, shy and introverted like we were told in
her referral paperwork : ) She is a girl with things to do and
places to go. She is a 23 pound tiny tornado who we like to call
Messy Mei. She busies herself ALL DAY LONG…helping with the
laundry (clean in the dirty, dirty in the clean) and things of
that sort. A little lady whose work is never done. Get the idea?
After she “helps” (a term used loosely here) with any sort of
task, she brushes her hands together as if to say, “ok, now
that’s done, what’s next?”. One night, as she was emptying
Michael’s backpack of every book, assignment, pen, pencil and
snack, Michael looked at me and said, “mom, I think she is
taking over the house”. That she has. Most definitely. And we
love it! Even the messes.
We have had so many celebrations since coming home…both big and
small. We have celebrated Sophie’s first Halloween,
Thanksgiving, Christmas and even her 3rd birthday with her.
However, some of the small celebrations, or little things, are
the ones I love the most. These are just a few of my favorites!
~10 Things I Love About You~
1. I love how you wake me up in the morning by softly kissing me
smack on the lips. So sweet!
2. I love when you realize that we are picking your brothers up
from school and you throw your head back and laugh hysterically
in anticipation.
3. I love when you learn new words and use them to get what you
want. My favorites are “moooore coco” (more chocolate) and “bi
bite” (big bite).
4. I love when you walk with your chin held high doing something
you know I will be proud of (like throwing your trash in the
garbage or putting your laundry in the dirty clothes).
5. I love your independence and definite
preference for girly things especially when you take off your
pants, pull your socks up to your knees and tiptoe down the hall
in your black, shiny, Sunday shoes (even as we are rushing to
get out the door).
6. I love how you tenderly smother your “baby” with kisses and
love.
7. I love how you lean in towards your daddy so he will kiss you
on the cheek.
8. I love how you know to go to your sister if you want lip
gloss, lotion or want to practice your sweet dance moves.
9. I love how you try to make us laugh by saying “bop” and it
always works : )
10. I love hearing your sweet, low, raspy voice say “mom” five
hundred times a day just to make certain I’m close by. That, I’m
sure, will never get old. |

One Month Since Gotcha Day

Happy Birthday Mei!

Our Forever Family Day

My first snow!

Sophie and Santa

Christmas 2008
|
Tomorrow, the 1st of January, will
mark four months since Sophie’s Gotcha Day in Hangzhou, China.
For some reason, I always get a little nostalgic on New Year’s
Eve, but this year, even more than usual. I clearly remember
sitting at my computer last New Year’s Eve, trying to write an
update for Sophie’s website. Trying to be hopeful. Trying to be
optimistic. Yet, in all honesty, I had become so discouraged
with the long and growing wait times. There were even days I
doubted whether or not it would ever really happen. Little did I
know at the time that Sophie’s paperwork had just been submitted
for international adoption and that a few mere months later our
family would be matched with her. Looking back, I can clearly
see how and why things worked out the way they did. I really
can’t imagine her anywhere but with our family. She is a miracle
to us. She is simply Sophie ; )
For those interested, you can also find us at
www.littlethingsilove.blogspot.com. |
“Where is
home? Home is where the heart can laugh without shyness.
Home is where the heart’s tears can dry at their own pace.”
~Vernon Baker
Website by
myadoptionwebsite.com
|