Lauren's Journey Home...is Complete.

We are home safely and our flight home went as well as flying 26 hours can go! ;)
Coming home we were welcomed by signs and balloons at the Airport by my wonderful friends Terri, Mary, and others. It was soo wonderful to see them and finally have Lauren in my arms! Mary leaves this Wednesday for this amazing trip that we just completed. It's soo good to see our March group finally bringing our daughter's home!! Terri, Steph, Kayce, Sooze, and other's I'm rooting for you and following you closely! Kayce, Lauren wore your bib the other day to eat her coveted watermelon! It was so nice, I almost hated to put in on her, but it fits perfectly and works great!!

When we came home our family was all waiting to welcome Lauren home and it was so wonderful to have those closest to us to celebrate this amazing moment. Lauren's Journey Home at it's completion. Now, our new journey begins...

Lauren did great and she is just blossoming now that she is home. It's amazing to see more and more of her personality come our each new day. Today she surprised us by saying "yee ha!" while riding her little pony and dancing when hearing music. She is so perfectly ours! Our first two night here have been rough since our Guizhou girl is still on Guizhou time, however, we managed to keep her up all day today and she just fell asleep, so we are hoping we can get back on Phoenix time. I'll post here from now on. Oddly enough, our Shutterfly website won't let me post a journel entry right now, so I just left a quick note in the title.

I love you all! Here are some pic's since home.

36 hours

We leave in 36 hours! Work is behind me, schoolwork is checked off and the only thing I have to concentrate on now is...Lauren!!! I thought this picture I saw on Seventh Diamond's blog was perfect for how I am feeling today. I'm packing our things tomorrow. There is little room left for us after packing all of little miss Lauren's belongings! :) Gosh, someone pinch me, I must be dreaming!! One week from today I will be holding her!

I will be posting as often as possible at our travel site that is linked at the right. If I am not able to post due to censorship, Steph, my wonderful dear friend has offered to post for me. So, we'll see how this all goes!

Love you all!

Six Sleeps!

This week is so surreal. I am working 85 hours this week to get all my shifts in before I leave and to get as much clinical time in as well. So, it's helping to keep me sane by just waking, going to work, coming home, sleeping. As I go throughout my day, there are moments when it hits me that we are leaving next week and that I will be holding Lauren in 12 days and it just brings a smile to my heart. It is absolutely incredible to be finally reaching this point after this long, long wait. I started a journal 2 nights ago that I am writing letter's to Lauren in. I plan to continue this and give her the journal when she is older.

You know how there are different stages to pregnancy? well, I'm finding there are stages to adoption as well. My heart is changing from "I'm waiting" to "I'm a mom" and I find myself trying to do everything I can to help her lead the life God has chosen for her. My mom has been such an amazing role model and I think of her often and it reminds me of all she has done for her children throughout our lives. I am praying Jesus shows me how to lead and love Lauren the best that I can.