HOME: A New Daughter, Lots of Purchases, and a BUG!

WE ARE HOME! We've been home since about 12:45 am on Thursday, Oct. 1. Let me begin by offering some humble thank-you's......to Jim and Sue Sonnefield for taking time to drive us to the airport on Sept 16 and picking us up when we returned. I also want to thank Myrna, Amanda, Lauren, Mark, and Mackenzie for meeting us at the house when we returned. What a nice surprise! Thank you to Heather for making the drive to O'Hare to greet us...that meant more than you can possible know. Thanks to my sweet cousin Ashley for posting on my blog for me while I was in China. I emailed all photos and texts to her and she took the time to post them. And my biggest thanks to my dear, dear friend Anne for making the trip to China with Mom and I....we could not have done this without YOU. No words can really express my gratitude to Anne....truly. I know there are more people to thank...but this will get things started.

I not only brought home a most precious daughter, lots of fun 'stuff' from China, but a nasty bug that was being passed around several people in my travel group. I'm very thankful that I waited until I got home to get sick. At least I could suffer in my own house! I am just now starting to feel human again after 4 days. I hate it that I had to miss church this morning. I was so looking forward to taking Caroline to church for the very first time. Well, that will happen next Sunday.

Things are going well here at home. Caroline is adapting well. She is sleeping pretty well.....she tends to wake up at around 2:30 am....I'll rock her back to sleep....then she wakes up about 4:00 am wanting to play. I understand that it will take several days for her (as well as Mom and I) to get adjusted to the time difference. Caroline continues to eat like a little piggy. I took her to the doctor on Friday because she has a cold.....we survived that visit. She thoroughly enjoys her new 'squeeky' shoes. These are shoes that purposefully 'squeek' when she walks. These shoes have encouraged her to walk...and walk...and walk. That's a good thing considering the fact that only days ago she refused to walk at all.

Caroline obviously has had experience with a TV remote. And, she thinks that she must get in the big recliner in order to work the remote. Since I have two remotes for the family room TV, I've taken the batteries out of one of them so that she can play with it. Also, she knows about cell phones. I gave her one of my old cell phones that I can still charge up...but it is not activated. She punches in some numbers, then puts the phone up to her ear. The big thing is that she has said 'Momma' twice. And she actually sings to herself....quite a nice little singing voice if I do say so for myself. She's playing peek-a-boo and is waving to everything in the house. Today, she found a little 'suitcase' (purse size) that she has carried around the house and waves to Mom and I. I've got to get this on video. Caroline is a wonderful miracle and blessing in my life. I praise God for her every day.