Home!

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Our flight left China at 1:40AM on Friday morning, and we arrived home at 9:40AM on Friday morning.  I wish it was only an 8 hour flight away, but it was actually about 24 hours of traveling with a 12 hour time change.  Traveling with a toddler that we just met 2 weeks ago, we braced for the worst.  However, yet again, we were pleasantly surprised.  He did GREAT!  He slept through the majority of the long 14.5 hour flight, really just waking to eat, and the next flight just happily played.  (I highly recommend a magnetic drawing board and magnetic building pieces as traveling companions for toddlers - compact and quiet).  Once we landed at JFK in New York, and we handed the sacred brown envelope known well by all international adoptive parents to the customs officer, Luke was officially a US citizen!!



Proud US Citizen
When we arrived at RDU airport, we were greeted by the best welcoming party imaginable.  Many of our closest friends had taken time out of their Friday morning to welcome Luke to his forever community.  Besides the time my eyes swelled with tears saying goodbye to Luke's nanny, I had not cried the entire trip.  But this.  This did it.  These were the people who heard us vent our frustration with paperwork or changing policies that affected our adoption.  They prayed for Luke by name, and they prayed us through this trip.  Now Luke was HOME and "our people" were there to share in the joy and show him how loved he is already.  Others I know wanted to be there, but couldn't, and we can't wait for you to meet him too!

Homecoming!!
Welcome Home Cupcakes

Keeping in the tradition of our good friend Sammy brining us Chick-fil-a in the hospital after each of our other children were born, we had to stop at his Chick-fil-a on the way home.  And it was here that the kids really started playing.  Eliana and Luke had began bonding at the airport, with each taking a turn to show the other something cool on the posters that were made for his homecoming, but at the restaurant, it was like they had all been siblings for a lifetime.  Luke gave Eliana his French fries and Miller chased the other two in circles - all laughing.  And they haven't stopped laughing since.  It is exactly as I imagined (really really hoped) life with 3 kids 3 and under would be....lots of playfulness, smiles, and laughs between all three of them.   Eliana has dutifully showed Luke around and explained to him how things work in our house as any good big sister should.  They each give goodnight hugs and kisses to one another in turn.  I'm sure arguments are tears are coming, but for now, I'm basking in this beauty.

CFA bonding
First morning at home pancake making
Turns out both Miller and Luke love to clean.


In addition to how all of the siblings would adjust to each other, I was also really worried about sleep.  Besides being in a new place with new people and potentially having very bad jet lag, Miller and Luke are sharing a room.  I've only ever shared a room in college, and my kids have never shared a room.  Even on trips we were too nervous one would wake up the other to put them in the same room, so this is a new world for us.  With all of that, I had prepped myself for the inconsolable evening crying / waking-every-3hours newborn nighttime routine again.  Again, I can only attribute the easy transition to answered prayers.  Luke took a nap without any fuss in his new crib and then slept 11 hours overnight without a peep.  When Kanhka went in the room this morning, both boys were happy and babbling.  Thank you, Jesus!  I know why I haven't had much issue with jet-lag (thank you weird work schedule with long shift not allowing for any sleep), but how does a 2 year old boy not have any jet-lag?  Kanhka, on the other hand, has been up since 2am.  If he could only sleep like this...




Finally resting in his FOREVER HOME!

We hope and pray, that since Luke has been with us, he knows something is different.  Now that he is home, he feels a sense of security and peace in knowing we will forever and always be his parents, providing him with protection, meeting his needs, and most importantly giving him love.  Our love for him is not earned, certainly not as we loved him before we had ever even met him.  But like our Father's love for us, our love for Luke is now and will continue to be unconditional.

He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.  In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will.
Ephesians 1: 4-5

We love because He first loved us.
1 John 4:19


Comments

  1. Andy and SherylOctober 29, 2017 at 5:34 AM

    Such sweet news all around. Oh the joy and fun that is still yet to come for all five of you 💗Welcome home, Luke!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Shannon WillettOctober 29, 2017 at 7:02 AM

    Welcome home Luke!! So thankful for safe travels for all of you. Looking forward to many more sweet pictures in the coming days! Love from the Willetts!

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownNovember 3, 2017 at 5:41 AM

    Tears of joy for y'all! Praising God for His abundant, undeserved love and the picture you guys get to live of that! Thank you for documenting all of this, I keep thinking of how much it'll bless little Luke when he's grown and I'm grateful to be blessed by it now.

    ReplyDelete

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