she's safe.....she's happy.....she's HOME!!!

WOW! what a whirlwind of a 4 days! if it gives you just a little taste - i've tried to start this post 8 different times this week! 2 times it was my stupidity that i "lost"/erased the entire post, but mostly it was the kids deleting my half written post so they could play online. oh the joys of getting back into things!

the trip home was flawless. lydia did amazing on the flights home - she fell asleep on both flights. it was just so very surreal having her on the plane with us and bringing her home! no one could ever explain that feeling of walking down the hallway with your new daughter just steps away from introducing her to her new family. it was the longest walk - especially with lydia's little legs!! seeing the kids waiting was very bittersweet for me. i was so very excited for them to meet lydia, and yet there is a part of our hearts that was breaking knowing that not all of our kids were there. my biggest prayer that entire day was for God to allow Seth a window - just so that he'd be able to celebrate with us. i hope he did - i believe he did. i would have loved to see his reaction - someday we will.

lydia did great meeting her new family and friends. we were overwhelmed with everyone that had come to welcome us home - i told a few of them that they prayed her home....i truly believe that. we can't thank everyone enough for being a part of making a wonderful memory for our family.

since that day the kids have completely fallen in love with lydia. they can make her laugh like nothing we've ever seen. i joke that they all can't go back to school in a week because i need them home to help with her and ben!! it's like having twins right now - one mobile and one not so much. we brought them to greg's office and weighed both of the kids and it's official - lydia weighs less then ben (lydia: 21# 1 oz......ben 21# 8 oz). she is tiny! tall.....but tiny. she's eating better now that we're home. we realized that she didn't even know how to chew. she has a mouth full of teeth and doesn't know how to chew. so we're back to the basics - baby food and bottles. i think she'll quickly advance once we work with her - in fact she already has made HUGE strides in her eating just in the last 4 days. she wears the same diapers as ben - although ben may have to go up to the next size (he gained 1 1/2 # while we were gone!!! he was WELL cared for!!!) sleeping still remains our hurdle with lydia. once she falls asleep she stays asleep - no matter in what position!!

so now we begin the process of teaching her what family is and what that means to her. the first morning she woke up she just laid there not moving anything except her eyes - just looking around as if to be thinking "is this really happening?" yes, sweet lydia - it's really happening.....you're finally home!!

we cannot thank you all enough for praying us through these last 22 months. it's been an agonizing several months, but we knew that it was all in God's timing that she'd come home. she's doing well and we just now pray for a smooth transition here at home with her and the kids and in a few days when school starts again. and then ben and lydia get some good "mommy time"!

our happy new daughter - Lydia Ruth Paola Van Wienen....