No place like it...

HOME. I am sitting at my computer for the first time since arriving about 36 hours or so ago. Very tired and jet-lagged still, but feeling so blessed. There's a little boy sleeping upstairs (and a big one, too). Two girls playing in the bonus room, one who woke up at 6:00 a.m., one who woke up after noon some time. We are all out of sync, luggage just inside the front door, counter strewn with clutter accessed just as we've needed things because who has time to do any decluttering yet? We are still in post-travel survival mode. But all these things will get done. We made it. There is a list of prayer requests on my sidebar...and just having taken a peek at them, every one of them was answered, plus a whole slew of them that never made the list. *** Thank you, friends and family, for lifting us up. Thank you, God, for answering the tiniest of human requests, like when I was at my limit upon arrival and I just asked, please, I need two things, very soon: 1) to see someone from America World, and 2) to find a bottle of water I can drink. Both happened in less than 5 minutes, after an endless day of travel. Yes, I'm thankful. Yawn...the boys are still asleep, but not for long, I'm sure. Enjoy the pictures...more to come.

Moved my requests here:

***Safety--all the way!

Health--for us and for Owen coming out of the orphanage and being exposed to all the new environments and germs.

A smooth process--there are so many things to accomplish on this trip...appointments, paperwork, flights, etc.--may it all be as glitch-free as possible.

Bonding with Owen--that he will feel the love we have for him and that his little heart will somehow sense that he is safe and secure with us, even though his whole world, scenery, sensory input--everything--has changed dramatically.

Peace--that fear or worry would not gnaw at us (ok, ME) for any reasons. :)

That our girls (especially Emma) would know that adding Owen to the family does not in any way diminish our love for them, and that this trip would be a wonderful learning experience for them. Also that Emma would gain a sense of the incredible country she comes from, and delight in seeing "all those Chinese people" (what she said she was most interested in seeing on our trip! Um, time to step up the cultural education, Ann.)

Thank you!!!