I'm sure I won't have time or be able to blog after EVERY day, but the first full 24 hours need a post.....
We got K from the airport last night about 9:15 or so. We could see her behind a glass wall with all the other kids that had flown in to ATL together. I was hopping up and down to see over the people in front of me, but I was finally able to get my first glimpse of her in 5 mos. I kept waving like a crazy person, and she finally realized it was me and waved back. They were bringing all the little hosted children out first, so we had to wait an extra few minutes to get our hugs. It felt like an eternity. I choked up the longer I had to just stand there, and by the time they let her walk out to us, I had the ugly cry going on. I think it was emotional for her too. Gabe was kind and let me cry all over her first, and then he grabbed both of us in a bear hug....guess I took too long. Once I let go, she fell into his arms too, and then that made me cry more.
Then after the hug there is that moment where I want to ask her a million questions, but I know she is tired and when she is stressed, her English goes out the window. So I just stand there and try and clean up the water works. She hugged Craig, who is the one that met her on his mission trip in March and we credit with 'matching' us. Her BFF "M" is being hosted by friends of ours, so I told her hello and hugged her as well. I have emailed this friend some, and M's English is really good, so after a few minutes we are all talking. M, by the way, has my birthday, and has the cutest lisp and freckles.
So we got to Gabe's truck and she hopped right in and put on his hardhat (which she wore about half way home, LOL). My sister had kept the kids at our house bc the flight was so late (and my youngest had a fever) so the ride was really quiet. We did talk alittle, but it really nice just to have her so close!
She seemed very excited to be back in our house. She seemed to look at everything quickly, as if she was making sure it was the same. She smiled big when she saw our Christmas tree, and then tried to find our cat. Turns out, 2 of our kids heard us come in and woke up to tell her hello. One was too tired to do much but wave, but K's roommate (my middle child) just kept giggling and giggling! She was sooooo happy to have her big sister home.
Today we mostly stayed around the house. We attempted a gingerbread house, but it will not stay up and together. We rode bikes and then after lunch we watched a movie. K plopped on the couch next to me and grabbed my arm and rested her head on my shoulder. She has been easy going and talkative, even though I know she is still terribly tired.
She started to really sag about 3, so we went to the park to take advantage of this really weird warm weather we're having. We all played soccer and then came home to have a snack. She gave herself a manicure, and then painted J and A's nails also. For dinner, I made her favorite: creamy chicken over rice, green beans, corn bread (not really her fave, but still....) and cranberry sauce (because my other 3 really REALLY like it. Don't think K thought it was too great, though......). Then I let everyone have soda at dinner instead of water. She ate 2 good sized helpings. Oh, and Gabe broke out the jarred jalapenos for her.
After a record breaking long shower, she joined us in the living room (barefoot and in her flannel Christmas jammies) and she and Gabe looked at her home town on Google earth. You can actually see tons of street level pictures, and she really seemed to like that. About 7:30, all the kids started begging to go to bed (!?), so off they went. K tried to read a book, but I'm betting she wasn't a page in when I heard her breathing change and she was asleep. (No, I'm not creeping, I have to sit with my 5 year old on the bottom bunk til she's asleep...but if I was creeping, can you blame me?)
To summarize: we're picking up where we left off. It's like she never left and has been here forever. All the 'work' we did this summer, building trust etc, is still in place. I was a tad worried we would have to retrace our steps, honestly. We came so far with her in four weeks. But she is barefoot, affectionate, saying "I love you", letting me wash her clothes, talking, joking, and asking for seconds. They really are simple things, but they did not just happen. She had to learn all that was okay.
I'm so glad she still knows it's okay. And I am. so. glad. she's. here.
