Home at last!

We finally made it! To Taiwan and back home w/our baby girl that is! Friday, July 22nd we decided to call the orphanage to talk to Maleeya and see how things were going and found out that Ted was getting ready to email us about our AIT appointment! Needless to say we were ecstatic! The appointment was set for August 5th, exactly 2 weeks later...so some frantic phone calls were made to the travel agent we were using to see about tickets. After some more calls to the orphanage to find out some more details and some emails and phone calls to the travel agent, we got our tickets booked! We were going to get our little girl!!!! I can't even begin to tell you how excited we were that we could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel...

We left for KC early Monday morning, August 1 and arrived in Taiwan Tuesday night at 9:30 pm (due to the date line we crossed on the way over). And so we began one of best and most memorable weeks of our lives! Taiwan is an absolutely beautiful country and has some of the best food we've ever had! Ted and Bev were the best hosts we could have asked for and of course finally being able to hold our little girl in our arms for the first time was absolutely wonderful! When we walked into the baby room Wednesday morning she was awake in her crib and looked up and just smiled at us like she knew who we were. And before the day was over she was saying "dada." :) Little stinker still has yet to really say "momma" (although we have thought we've heard it a time or 2 - not sure though). :) She was very well cared for at the orphanage by wonderful people that we will miss and I know she will, too!

We started for home Monday morning at 5:45 Taiwan time and made it back here by Monday night at 7:00. We traveled 26 hrs w/a 7 month old...you haven't really traveled until you've done so w/a baby! Whew! We were exhausted by the time we got home...none of us had much sleep in that 26 hr period...but I think adrenaline carried us through...

So we have started life as parents...wow, it's unlike anything we've ever experienced! And I have to say we love it (although her scream is a little unnerving)! :) Maleeya is a very busy baby - she loves to look at everything and everyone! Which has made getting her to bed or down for a nap difficult because she thinks she will miss out on something. :) Obviously we're still going through an adjustment period, but hopefully she will get back on schedule...otherwise she is a very happy baby and loves to play! Even when she's tired she still manages to smile. And her smile absolutely melts our hearts! She is beyond precious and absolutely wonderful and we are sooo in love! We are so thankful God chose us to be her parents! We are blessed!!!

Here's our first "family picture" right after our AIT appt...

On a very, very sad note, please be in prayer for a sweet family who have adopted 2 precious babies from THOGL as well. Their little boy Gavin went home to be with Jesus earlier in the week. :( I know they are heartbroken. They also have a little girl who is around 5 that may not totally understand what is going on either. :(