Friday,
December 15, 2006
Hi all! Sorry it’s taken so long to give an update! As I’m sure
you can appreciate, it’s been pretty busy at our house! With a
new baby and Christmas on it’s way we have had a lot to do!
We’ve been home for about five weeks now and I cannot begin to
tell you how blessed we are. Miyah has adjusted wonderfully!
Beginning with the flight home from China. We were a little
nervous (read: a LOT nervous) after her “trial run” flight while
we were still in China – but she did great! She slept about half
the time and played for most of the rest of the flight. It was
like she knew where she was going and that it would be worth the
trip. About ½ hour before we landed, when the captain announced
we were starting to make our approach into Metro, I got her in
her “arrival outfit” cleaned her up, brushed her hair and said
to her “Miyah --- are you ready to meet the rest of your
family?” She nodded. No kidding. David and I swear that somehow
she knew that this was a new beginning for all of us.
Once we landed and cleared customs, we were greeted by so many
people! Nanny and Papa were there. So was Grandpa, Aunt Cindy,
Aunt DiDi, and Aunt Colleen. Once we got home we were greeted by
many other family members. Our lawn was decorated with a giant
stork holding a sign announcing Miyah’s arrival! There were also
30 giant candles (15 for Carrigan’s birthday, 13 for DJ’s
birthday, 1 for Miyah’s birthday and 1 for my birthday! Thank
God they didn’t decide to put down the actual number for me! We
would have run out of lawn.) Our house was cleaner than when we
left (thanks Brandon & Amanda!), our fridge was stocked with
fresh milk, bread, muffins and HoneyBaked Ham. There were fresh
flowers and huge balloons everywhere. We were (and still are)
completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from our
families.
On to Miyah! She is developing at such a rapid rate and doing so
well!!! She has adjusted to her new schedule (the first few
weeks of sleeplessness at home were not fun, but we got through
it!) . When we first received her, she could not roll over from
her back to her tummy, she could not crawl, sit herself up,
grasp small objects, and many other things that most
one-year-olds can do. She does all of those things now. This
morning she even stood herself up in her pack-n-play for the
first time! She smiles and laughs constantly. She is just a
happy, easy-going little girl. She loves to give kisses and hugs
– she cannot reach around both shoulders so she just lays
herself over one shoulder and pats your back. Too cute. Mom has
been teaching her how to clap and wave bye-bye. Carrigan has
taught her how to “raise the roof” which she does whenever she’s
really excited! I think she’ll be walking within the month. And
driving soon after --
Carrigan and DJ are doing great with Miyah. Carrigan cannot wait
to see her first thing in the morning and as soon as she comes
home from school. DJ – in his own 13-year-old way, loves to
wrestle and play with her. David lays on the floor and plays
with them – just like he did with Carrigan and DJ. Miyah really
seems to enjoy this time of day the most.
It sounds cliché, but we cannot remember what it was like to not
have her be a part of our family. Maybe because she was so
present in our thoughts for so long before we actually met her.
When we first announced our plans to go to China and adopt a
baby, many people wondered what we were thinking. We were asked
more than once by well-meaning people “Why? Your life is full
and good! Why start over now? Carrigan and DJ are almost grown .
. . you are in the home-stretch!?” To be honest, during the long
wait, we sometimes wondered this ourselves. “Have we thought
this through? Are we romanticizing our memories of what it was
like to have a baby?” But we knew deep-down that what we were
doing was right. We persevered. We waited. And worried and
waited some more. To all those that are still waiting, worrying
and wondering, I offer this: IT IS ALL WORTH IT!! Miyah has
filled a little spot in our hearts that we didn’t even know was
empty a few years ago. Our lives were full. Things were great.
Miyah is, quite simply, the icing on our cake! |
Welcome Home!
So Big!
First Birthday Sundae!
Miyah's First Photo Shoot
Merry Christmas!
Morning Bedhead! |
