No Place Like Home...

We are home.  Carter is HOME.  For good.  What an incredible feeling.

He traveled WONDERFULLY.  We couldn't have expected anything better.  He had a bit of a fit in the Frankfurt airport - which led to me walking around with him in the carrier for about an hour.  Fun times... :)

The 8 hour flight from Frankfurt to Chicago stunned us.  This guy did not make a single peep.  Not one.  He didn't sleep for more than about 45 minutes (in 20+ hours...) - but he did incredible.  He sat so nice in his seat, and just played with his toys.  When we landed in Chicago, we had a few issues with his visa/immigration - but the Lord totally blessed us and we were out of there in minutes.  We thought we'd miss our flight to Appleton - but again, He made a way for us to the front of the security line.  Without the Lord's favor - we would have absolutely, without a doubt, missed our flight.  Phew!

We pulled into the gate in Appleton, and we could see people in the window...people there to meet Carter, and welcome him home.  Getting off the plane was surreal.  We stopped just inside the airport, and prayed.  We couldn't leave this journey without thanking God.  What an incredible work He has done.  We thanked him for Carter - for his life - for this journey - for the people who prayed us home - and for this new, wild, incredible journey that lies ahead of us.

And then we started walking.  And we heard cheers - cheers for Carter.  We saw so much love ahead of us - and as we walked out of this journey and into the new one...well - we were overwhelmed.  Carter, of course, put on a good show...he was his 'best' self!  Even after no sleep, he was happy and content.  He walked around a bit - and laughed.  He laughed his sweetest, best laugh.  Does he know?  Did he understand?  These are the people that prayed him home. These are the people that have encouraged and supported us every step of the way.  Did he get it?

Pretty incredible.

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We knew that it was only a matter of time before Carter had a major meltdown.  After no sleep - WE were ready to have our own meltdowns!  Thankfully, he waited until well after we were home.  And we haven't had our meltdowns yet - maybe they're still coming...! He did some exploring - mostly of his new toys :)  Let me tell you, he was so tired of the same 5 toys in the apartment!

Then, we went to set him in his highchair for some dinner, and he lost it.  Screamed uncontrollably for about an hour.  I mean, uncontrollably.  I just snuggled him, rocked him, and kissed him.  Because really, that's all I could do.  This new place has to be wildly overwhelming for him.  Eventually, he cried himself to sleep around 7:00p, and I laid him in his bed upstairs.

He slept straight through the night - until about 7:30a!  Praise the LORD....I was ready for a real 'newborn baby first night home' after all that screaming :)

Did I mention that in the midst of his screaming, we realized that I left my purse/bag at the airport?!  With an expensive camera inside?!  Yea.  That discussion was fun.  But - Gander family to the rescue!  They went back to the airport, and it was still sitting where I set it.  Again - thanks, God!  And Ganders, too :)

Anyhow - this morning, Carter woke up happy.  We gave him a bath to wash off all that travel slime, and he's been exploring like crazy ever since.  Every door, every wall, every toy - it's all so new and interesting.

Welcome to your new life, bud.  Pretty great.

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I have to share this, because it's so, so sweet.  Jake is so thoughtful - I know I got very lucky.  But this - well, this totally surprised me.  While we were in Ukraine, there was a shop that we passed by every time we walked to and from the orphanage.  I saw something in the window that I fell in love with...even though Jake thought it was, well...not so great :)  But one day we went inside to see how much it was.

720 grivna.  About $90USD.  Okay, nevermind :)  We bought lots of souvenirs for our home...so this just wasn't necessary.

Every day, we walked by - and Jake would crack jokes about that crazy thing I wanted.  "Why do you want that?  It's so....weird!  It won't even go in our house!  Where will you put it?!"

"I know...it's weird.  But I love it.  And I'll put it on my nightstand so you don't have to look at it!".

Well - last night, after we put Carter in his bed - at HOME - for the very first time, Jake gave me a gift.  A gift that came all the way from Ukraine.  A gift that he bought one day, snuck in his suitcase, for this very moment.

What a guy I have :)

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Well - the bags are all unpacked, laundry is 1/3 of the way done, and our boy is napping in his crib downstairs.  Yes  - homecoming photos will be coming soon (I didn't take any, because we had a photographer friend there!  But if anyone else has any that they'd like to email to me, I'd love to have them!)....I can't wait to see them!  Yes - I will continue to blog as much as I can.  It's a journal for me - maybe even a wordy scrapbook.  Hopefully, I'll be able to blog a few times a week...hopefully :)  Yes - it's true.  Carter is home.  Right where he belongs.

One Thing I Know For Sure: "God sets the lonely in families...." Psalm 68:6a