Home Sweet Home!
Posted on March 2nd, 2012.After 24 hours of travel and 37+ hours of being awake we made it home and were re-united with the rest of our family and friends last night! Thank you Jesus!
Our trip home was pretty uneventful except for the sitting on the ground in the airplane for two and a half hours in Hong Kong before we ever left. Apparently they boarded the entire plane and had us all ready to go and there was no pilot. So two hours later the “crew” arrived and after they had a chance to get settled we were finally on our way. The kids all did great for being on a plane 16+ hours. Of course we were all exhausted by the time we reached Chicago and we were praying we would have time to get through customs and immigration, security, switch terminals and make our flight to Dallas since we arrived two hours late. Thankfully, every line we got in someone would come to get us and bring us to the front or a shorter line. We made it to our gate 15 minutes before boarding time.
We arrived back in Dallas and were greeted by a big crowd of family and friends there to welcome Eliana. It was so sweet and I think she felt very welcomed.
After visiting for a little bit we loaded everyone up and started home. Everyone was starving so we went through the Chick Fil A drive thru on the way home. We were so excited to get home and show Eliana her new room. She told Bill on the airplane she was excited to see it too! We all took her back to show it to her and she made a little squeal of excitement when she went in. She was all smiles and seemed very happy.
The kids all ran around playing for a while and then we said it was bedtime. Every night in the hotels we’ve had to tell her to go to sleep and usually she was not happy about it. Last night though while I was putting the girls in bed she put on her pajamas, stacked all her fluffy throw pillows on her chair in her room, climbed in her bed and I found her sitting there with her little lamp on ready to go to sleep. I think she is enjoying having her own room.
We slept pretty well last night. Well, despite the 5 times I got up with Lilli. At 6am I went to see if the boys wanted to go to school today and Eliana’s light was on in her room. I didn’t open the door but when she came out she had made her bed, opened her curtains and was enjoying some sunshine. She’s really cute.
This morning we’ve just been relaxing and playing. Eliana fits right in and was running through the house shooting nerf guns with the boys earlier. The kids are having fun using the translator app to try and talk with her. It’s quite funny. Especially since it doesn’t always translate correctly.
We are feeling the effects of jet lag and will be enjoying some time barefoot in the sun here in a bit. Thank you again everyone for your love and support. And thank you a million times to Nick and Whitney with The Archibald Project for documenting our journey. We are beyond grateful for your help in sharing God’s story! To see all of the photos from our journey and the pics from the airport last night click here.
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Love reading your blog. It reminds me of the time we were sort of fostering my 16 year old aunt after my grandfather passed. We didnt get to keep her. It was the Lord’s plan for us or for her. But, it was nice to minister to her,love on her, watch others make her feel cherished. I am so happy that you have a new daughter and I am praying constantly for you, her, the entire family. What a true blessing. So happy for you guys and gals!
How exciting. Welcome home to your new normal. Love you!
So happy for you and your family. We now have girls the same age!!!
Kelli! Oh my… Where do I even start? Well, first of all, my much-loved, much-missed ex-neighbor/forever-friend, Brandie Lorenz gave me your blog to follow a few months ago. We too are adopting a 13-year-old girl from China. Your journey and ours are so very similar. Just the things you share about your desires for Eliana are so right on with where my heart is. We have taken this very long wait and decided to look at it as a blessing… A blessing of time… For the Lord to prepare her for us, to prepare us for her, to prepare her heart for HIM. I pray and sing over her just as I do my children here with me. I LOVE that you have documented SO MUCH OF YOUR JOURNEY FOR US!!! What a gift! I feel like I’m living it with you and it’s everything I hope and pray our experience will be. All of the pictures are just so wonderful. I love the pictures of your little curly-headed cutie pie in Eliana’s arms at the airport. Those pictures speak volumes and can I just say that God has been so good! He IS so good. Your journey has just begun and there will be “those days”, but He has knit your family together and He has sealed it and no matter what the road my bring, He is faithful. I can not wait to see this beautiful girl blossom. I pictured her in her new pretty room as you described it… She is finally home. Praise God! I’d love to keep in touch. Our girls are the same age. My prayers are going out on your behalf today and in the days ahead.
Blessings,
Rebecca McKee (Orlando, FL)
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WELCOME HOME!!!!
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Our family rejoices with yours as this miraculous, wondrous journey of bringing Eliana home home is fulfilled!! How boundless and awesome is His love!! Seeing the many pictures has brought us such joy, thank you for sharing with all of us. My little family is praying for you all daily, and fully expecting to hear of many more miracles as the days go forward. Blessing you with wisdom, joy, and the riches of His grace!
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