Family, Friends, Ice and Snow Globes

We have been seriously blessed with the best family and friends imaginable. This has been a great day. Everyone at church was so excited to see our whole family. Gabbie and Will also were able to introduce Lily to their sunday school classes.

After church Lily napped and Mom unpacked while I took the three other kids ice skating on the pond. The ice is amazing this year. Some neighbors already cleared some snow off and all the kids skated like pros. Even Max only needed me to hold one hand for about a half hour then he was able to skate on his own. Sorry no pictures of that.

Then Carrie's family and my mom and Grandma visited in the evening.

Will likes to do this special event for Lily. He lines up all of our snow globes and gets them going all at the same time. Lily finds it quite amusing.

Lily gets to know Great Grandma

Que Pasa, Cousin?

Grandpa gives Lily some advice on Power Napping.

Lily with Grandma and Great Grandma

Pizza and (Root) Beer for the boys

The girls stick together.

First Day Back Home

The first day is almost complete. This is what we have worked and waited and prayed for so hard. It is great to be back home. We have never been away from our kids for more than 2 days, so we are all very happy to have our family back together, plus one.

Here we are a few minutes after we got off of the airplane. 45 minutes late.

This is the welcoming committee. What a surprise to see so many family and friends. They even had some cake for a little party in the terminal. Thanks guys!

I took this picture this morning, but we were welcomed to our house last night by these great signs. There were also decorations inside. Celebration is the key word.

Max is really liking being a Big Brother, and Lily thinks he is pretty good at it too.

The first bath at home.
There is so much hair to wash and Lily does not like to take baths... Well at least not how we do it.

HOME AT LAST!!!

It is 1:24 AM and we are home at last.

What an exciting reception at the airport. Thank you so much to all of the family and friends who welcomed us home. Even sticking it out through a 45 minute delay. Thank you also to the family and friends who have kept us in your thoughts and prayers.

All of the kids fell asleep in the van on the way home. We often comment about how precious it is to have all of our kids asleep at the same time.... Well it is even more precious with 4 of them now.

Pictures will come soon, but it is too late now. I am going to bed.

Chad

Our last day in Guatemala

We are leaving the hotel at 6:30 tomorrow morning for a long day of traveling. We had a great day today. We visited an orphanage that will be opening soon and then we hired a driver to take us around the city to the national cathedral, presidential palace and the artesian market.







Here are a few pictures from our day.







It will be good to get back home. See you soon.







Chad

No Car seats. This is so strange!!!

Visa

We just got Lily's visa. We can't wait to travel home!

Waking up from a nap. Look at that BEDHEAD. What do we do with that?

Shopping with Mom. This is Great!!!

Snuggled up in the sling. COZY

Embassy Appointment Today

We went to the US Embassy this morning. There was a long line and we were there for about 3 hours, but everything was in order and Lily's visa will be issued tomorrow. They wouldn't allow cameras in the embassy, but it was quite a sight. There must have been 40 families there for the same reason as us. Each family has their own story full of amazing things.

We also went to the mall a few blocks from our hotel. What an adventure. Just so Gabbie, Will, and Max know: We were very careful when we crossed the street. Crossing the street here can be more thrilling than any roller coaster ride in the states.

I hope to have more pictures on this blog tomorrow.

Gotcha!!!!

We happily received Lily just over 4 hours ago. What an emotional time. Lily is doing great so far. She is very laid back and has already eaten well and had a nap.

It was quite amazing to see and talk with her foster parents again. They were such a blessing to us and Lily for the past 8 months.

We are in Antigua!!!

We are happy to be writing this entry from the internet cafe in La Posade de Don Rodrigo in Antigua Guatemala!!! We had a long day of travel yesterday. It was proven to both of us that a 9 hour layover in Dallas is just too long. Even with two 10 minute sessions in the massage chair at Brookstones.

Here is the view from our room in Antigua. Nice volcano!

Here I am in a tuk tuk. This guy drove us to a friends house where we had a wonderful afternoon. Thanks to my brilliant skill of speaking spainish and negotiating a bargain, we only paid 20 Quetzales. The conversation went like this.

Chad: How much ? (Quantos Quetzales..)

Driver: 15

Chad: How about 20?

Driver: OK?!?!

Once we got in the tuk tuk, Carrie said " Did you just say 20 when he offered 15?"
to which I said " Yes, Yes I did."







We cannot wait until Monday when we get Lily. We will have more to say then.






Chad

Some More Pictures

Here's the family Christmas card picture.

Max enjoys the sweet life. Frosting on a lolipop. Can it get any better?

On Christmas eve, the kids found an unexpected guest napping in our living room. Guess who was taking a short rest before the big delivery.

These pictures of our little girl were taken on Dec. 26

It should only be a few more weeks until we bring her home.