You are Loved

THREE WEEKS HOME

FIVE WEEKS IN OUR ARMS

   Ivy you have changed our lives.  You are now a cherished daughter, sister, and granddaughter.  Our lives will never be the same.  In 5 short weeks you have brought your momma such joy.  I am not going to lie and say every step has been a picnic.  You definitely test me every moment but every time I am still there waiting to hug and kiss you.  I can feel you trusting me more and more.  We have been to lots of different doctor appointments and they all are amazed with how smart you are.  You have already had some surgery and it was one of the hardest days of my life.  Being there when you came out of recovery and having you reach for me never felt so sweet.  You have started to repeat English words and still talk your head off to me in Mandarin.  When you get upset and yell at me in Mandarin I can't help but smile.  You love to eat!  Nothing on my plate belongs to me anymore and I have started to put extra on my plate.  This way I know I will at least get half.  You get jealous and throw a fit if I hold your brothers.  You are starting to like riding in the car more each day.  Sunglasses are a must for car rides.  You love your shoes and bows.  At night time you pick out a different bow to match your pajamas. 

 I love you.

The LONG Journey Home

Well we are finally home and all the laundry is done.  Everything in our suitcases smelled like smoke.  It is amazing how many people in China smoke cigarettes.

We left Guangzhou on Wednesday around 4:30 pm China time in the pouring rain.  The drive to Hong Kong takes about 3 hours but took us almost 4.    Thankfully our driver drove pretty safely for China standards.  The other families apparently had a different experience and said their driver drove like Mario Andretti and texted the whole time.  The boarder check in Hong Kong is very intimidating.  There are two different checkpoints to present your passports and entry cards.  At the second point they check your temperature with a laser gun. (The gun looks very real and I swear they turn it like a kill shot to scare the begezzus out of you.  If anyone has a temperature they will send you to be in quarantine and not let you cross.  None of us had a temperature and God got us all safely to the hotel.  We stayed at a hotel that was directly connected to the airport, which made it really nice in the morning being able to just walk to the terminal and not have to get in any more vans!  The hotel was alright but reminded Brandon and I of staying on a cruise ship.

The Longest Flight ever was next.  Somehow we made it through but I do not recommend taking a 15 hour flight with a two year old to anyone.  She slept about 3 hours of the 15 and for some reason decided she didn't like me anymore for half of the flight.  Thankfully she changed her mind when we landed and loves me again.

The Immigration process did not take long but the line to get started felt like forever!  The worst part was having to reclaim your bags and recheck them back in.  Then we had to go through TSA security AGAIN!  Security took forever and Ivy had lost her mind by this point.  Note to Chicago:  Please find a better way to do the security checkpoint.  You by far have the worst set up I have ever seen.  Thanks!

Our flight out of Chicago was delayed 2 hours.  By this point Brandon and I were so exhausted and I think I was ready to meet Jesus.  Ivy fell asleep before take off and I was able to get about a 45 minute nap.  It is amazing what a tiny nap will do for your spirits.

Seeing my boys run towards me at the airport was the best sight ever!  Yes I cried which made them cry.  I wish I could have been stronger and not made them cry. I had been dreaming about that moment for over a year and could not hold it in anymore!

The boys have been so sweet to their sister.  We have had very few fights and those have been over Ivy sneaking their food.  The first night we were home we explored and played in the house for an hour before bed.  Her face lit up when she saw the playroom and our pantry.  She has been sleeping well in her bed with Mommy on a pallet in the floor next to her!  She still needs to hold my hand to sleep.  Brandon is off work until next Friday and I am so grateful to have him here with us.  For now we are just trying to figure out this new normal for us.  So many firsts for sweet Ivy these last two weeks.  She has such a strong spirit that God did not allow to be broken.  We will go to the doctor the following week.  Keep us in your prayers as we figure out what plan of care we need to follow to get Ivy in good health.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.

And Grace, my fears relieved.

How precious did that Grace appear

The hour I first believed

Airport Homecoming

Thank you so much to my dear friend Kristie P. LaRochelle for taking these photos and making this video.  She is an amazing photographer in the Birmingham Area.  She has captured this special moment so perfectly. http://www.kpstudios.com/

I promise to write an update about our flying experience and our first few days home.  So far Jet Lag has been a little brutal.  Thank you so much to all of the friends that have signed up to bring us meals over the next two weeks.

Hong Kong OR Bust

Yesterday was a busy day.  It started with an early time for our consulate appointment.  The consulate workers were very nice and we hope to have her Visa in our hands at 4pm today.  Then we will load up in a van for a 3 hour drive across the border into Hong Kong.  We are spending the night in an airport hotel there and then fly out tomorrow at 11.  We then have a 15 hour flight to Chicago, a 4 hour layover, and then to Birmingham.  

We went to the Zoo yesterday after our appointment.  Ivy really enjoyed all the animals and the tigers were her favorite.  Today when we were looking back at the pictures I swear she said Tiger.  We had a few more melt downs today.  It is hard when she doesn't understand us and we don't understand her.  Each day though she seems to understand more and more.  We continue to be amazed with how smart she is.  She still doesn't understand that we will keep providing her with food and she will eat like there is no tomorrow at each meal.  Our parenting style is being forced to complete change and the currently most important is building trust for this scared little angel.

Last night we went with another family on a dinner river boat tour on the pearl river.  The lights on the river were so beautiful.  Both the little girls loved the boat and having the wind blow through their hair.  The food was interesting but we found a few things to eat.  At the end of the cruise they did a, in their words, "funny show".  Basically it was this crazy Chinese woman juggling to "Living the Viva Loca".  Ivy really liked the show.  It was a great end to our trip.

Thank you to everyone that has been praying for our safety daily.  Please still keep us in your prayers for our travels.  Also for our family as we begin our life of Setchel, Party of Five.