Home Sweet Home

Sounds cliche - but it's true. We returned safely Thursday afternoon....although it was a bit like the movie Groundhog Day - since, for example, our 2nd flight left Hong Kong at 1130am and we got in to Chicago at 1130am, same day, despite being on the plane for 14 hours. It was like the day that wouldn't end, but yet a day of new beginnings! We had the good fortune of sitting next to Mr. Grumpy Middle-Aged Guy on that long flight...for about 10 minutes. He realized he was located next to a baby, and in front of and behind other babies, so he asked to be moved. Jackpot for us, since we then had the entire row of 4 seats for the 3 of us. What a great flight. Keira was a superstar flyer. We could not have had it better. (Except for maybe getting moved up to First-class, but this was almost as good.) Then, after landing in Chicago, we headed to the immigration line at the airport - the one for "visitors". Luckily, although one of the workers looked to be a sourpuss, she let us jump ahead in line. She did this for one other adoptive family too. I'm not sure why, but maybe she had a soft heart. Anyway, Keira's big moment of becoming a citizen was rather anticlimatic. Mr. INS Worker with Typical Southside Chicago Accent stamped a few papers and said OK. That's it. Woo-wee.
Anyway, after one last quickie flight from Chicago to Indy, we were home!
Here's Q - excited to see us, I think!
And now he's showing off the shoes his sister brought him from China (light-up Spiderman tennies)....a little bribery, um, I mean gifting, does wonders for establishing positive sibling relationships!

And here's Miss K, strutting her stuff around Indy International with grandpa:
We are still adjusting back to Indy time, although doing pretty well for Day 5, I think. All in all, K is doing well, although still basically a momma-cling-on. She is starting to sit and play alone in the family room while I dash into the kitchen (she can still see me - this is key), and she's OK with being in the highchair (again, as long as I am close by). She will play nicely with the boys while I am in the shower, although she stages a loud vocal protest initially. She has met her maternal grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins; as well as our bestest friends and their kids. She lives to tell. And actually enjoyed herself as well. Quinn is adjusting fine too, although ironically, yesterday, Mr. Ask-1000-Questions-Talk-Nonstop-During-All-Waking-Hours-Unless-Watching-TV declared at lunch that Keira was too loud and he needed some peace and quiet. There has never been a blacker pot addressing a kettle.

I am still hoping to get a decent picture of the 2 of them together. I never seem to have the camera at the right time. There have been plenty of really great loving moments. (And also plenty of "Keeeer-UH! That's mine!")

We hope you are all enjoying the start to 2007. We are looking forward to twice the fun and love.