Home!

Thank you!!!  Your prayers were answered and L did great on the flights home!  The first leg was Guangzhou to Tokyo (4 hours).  No one was sitting next to me and I had the bulkhead, so I took the aisle and as long as I held L on my lap for takeoff and landing, L was free in her own seat next to the window. Kept her very happy.  Lollipops also helped!

The flight was on time and I didn't have to run in Tokyo to our connecting flight only an hour and a half later.  We actually had some time at the gate to run and stretch.  L cried at the gate when I had to scoop her up to board, but she quieted down once we were on the plane.

The 8 hour flight from Tokyo to San Francisco was decent.  L really did great, but my seat mates were the problem.  I had the aisle and there was a middle seat and a window seat.  A woman from Singapore and her teenage daughter sat there.  They were nice and helpful most of the time, but twice, L fell asleep in my arms and only 20 minutes or so into her sleep, they'd both need to get up and go to the bathroom.  Seriously?  Of course, L awoke each time and cried.  So, I spent a lot of the flight standing at the back of the plane holding L, rocking her, singing to her, etc.  She seemed to enjoy people watching.

Our layover in San Francisco was long (4 hours) and I was just so anxious to get home to my husband and boys.  We called Jay immediately and told him we were on US Soil and his daughter had been through the "New Immigrant" line at US Customs and had been processed.  She was issued an IH3 visa and officially became a US Citizen!  Yay!!!  We had lunch at Burger King.  I know that's sad, but it was the cheapest option and it was quick and easy.  She loved chicken nuggets and fries.

We finally got onto our final airplane and flew home to my husband and boys.  L fell asleep before takeoff, which was very nice.  She woke up very sleepy and angry upon landing.  At our final airport I plopped her into the stroller and ran down the terminal to my boys.  I knew the airport well and knew that there was an escalator at the end of the terminal down to the baggage claim.  I figured the boys would be waiting for me to come down the escalator.  But I had L in the stroller and they knew I had bought one.  So, to keep it easy, I kept her in the stroller and we took the elevator.

When the doors opened on the 1st floor, I immediately heard our friend WD's voice.  Jay had told friends to come celebrate our homecoming rather than it being just family.  Sweet.  There were 7 or 8 people there with signs saying, "We love L!"  "Welcome home Collins family!" and "Welcome home L!"  I saw them, but I didn't see my husband.  I snuck up on them from behind and they all cheered and yelled upstairs to Jay and the boys who in turn had to come down the escalator to greet us.  I ran into Jay's arms and sobbed happy tears.  We were home and we were a complete family.  What a feeling.  My oldest boy C kept saying, "Mom, I just can't believe this is happening!"  My youngest boy E was just excited and he showed me his welcome home sign complete with Lego Ninjago characters!  I love my boys!

Jay picked up his daughter who was quite silent over the whole ordeal.  I know someone was taking pictures, and I'm sure they'll get them to me, so be patient and I'll post them when I get them.  I'm anxious to see them too, although I know how ragged I looked after flying for 15 hours plus 5 1/2 hours of layovers.

L started to scream when Jay carried her out of the airport to the van in the parking lot.  But once in her car seat (1st ever) she actually calmed down and seemed to like it.  I think it helped that the car seat is rear facing because she's under 2 for another month, so she had a good view of her brothers.  We grabbed dinner on the way home and we settled in.  We called my mom on Skype and she was elated to be seeing her granddaughter for the first time live.  Thank God for Skype!  Want to Skype with us?  Contact me for my Skype name.

I took a much needed and much enjoyed shower and brushed my teeth and felt like a new woman.  We stayed up all too late and put all the kids to bed, L in between us in our bed!

Jet lag is kicking my butt.  Today as I post this, I've been up for nearly 24 hours again.  During the day I have no time to rest with 3 kids to chase after, groceries to buy, laundry to do, meals to make.  But as tired as I was last night, I was absolutely unable to sleep.  It was so frustrating that I was in tears.  I came out to the couch to see if that helped.  Nope.  I uploaded all my pictures and posted them to my Shutterfly site (contact me for access as it is password protected) and then I logged into FB around 3am.  Turns out, one of my fellow adoptive families was also wide awake in MI.  They had at least had some sleep.  Me, not so much!  So, today will be awful for me.  I'd appreciate prayers for sleep tonight and final adjustment to life back home.

Pray for L and Jay as they bond.  She does have interest in him, but wants me for comfort.  It's hard on Jay, but we both know she'll come around in due time.  Pretty soon, she'll be wrapped around his little finger.  May it be sooner than later!

More details later.  I just know some of you have been dying for updates, so hopefully those will quench your thirst for a while.