The Journey Home

We've been gone for a while because we are home and all is going so great here. I will update to complete our trip for those who want to see how we end up. The following pictures are from the trip home and our first meeting with our family at the airport. Noelle was such a good traveler. She slept a lot, never got fussy and just went with the flow. We had long layovers and long flights but it was no problem for her. We shopped at the duty free shops and had lunch at Pizza Hut. And of course everyone that met her was mesmerized by her cuteness and friendly personality. Ying Ying, our flight attendant on the long Beijing-Newark flight was able to get the seat next to me freed up and we were able to prop Noelle up with 15 pillows and blankets and she slept for 7 straight hours I took a picture of that. I thought we'd sleep on the final flight to Tampa 8:30--11:20 pm. Noelle slept on my lap that whole flight did but I was so excited to see everyone waiting for me that I felt as if I'd just had 12 cups of coffee instead of 27 hours of travel under my belt. You may see that in the other pic from the plane where she is almost asleep on me. I'm exhausted but so excited to be home with the family!!!

I will update more over the weekend with Noelle's first week home. She's been to the fields, the boys school, Starbucks, Panera, and shopping at the mall and a few stores.

IT IS SO GREAT TO BE HOME :)

Happy Mother's Day, We're Home!

Our First Family photo at the airport last night and Mother's Day this morning. We are having a fun time with Noelle and will post more photos of all the fun later today. Happy Mothers Day!

Our Girls are almost Home!!!

I just got off the phone with Katy + they were boarding their final flight from Newark to Tampa!!!

Katy said Kippen's Flight attendant Friends Mike + Ying Ying looked after them from Beijing to Newark + Noelle did pretty well.

She has cleared US Customs , so Noelle is not only officially a Cunningham, She is an American Citizen.

The good news keeps coming as Katy's Uncle Bill, Aunt Cindy + Cousin Jamie surprised Katy + Noelle with a visit during the layover in Newark. Uncle Bill just sent me this great picture of the happy ladies!!!

The boys, Grandma + Granddad, and myself are so incredibly excited to go meet Mom + Noelle... It will be a late night for them, but a special night!

The whole experience has been surreal for me... So many wonderful people helped us see and do so many incredible things over the past 2+ weeks ( for that matter 4+ yrs). I do not know how I could even try to acknowledge everything and everyone, so I humbly send my sincere appreciation to every person that took part in this beautiful journey to bring our daughter Noelle home with us...

Next post will have Noelle home with her brothers!!!
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And finally our Sweet Noelle

This is the big moment for us once again. And I promise this is it :)

Few pics from 4/26

Here are some of out friends just being united with their children on 4/26.

Last 2 pics then I'm packing the computer away!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bye-Bye China :)

Love you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forgot to mention that we had lunch at starbucks. Noelle and Flat Stanley had fun eating sandwiches and trying out the latte.

 

Ready to come home!!!

Today was our last day. It rained so we didn't get to go to the zoo. But we had fun in the White Swan Play Room, hung out with our friends a lot, gave our hugs goodbye and shed some tears. It was so hard to say goodbye. Really going to miss our friends with whom we experienced this amazing trip. The day we all received our children ranks right up there with the most special and moving day of my life. I can't even put it into words. I will post a few pics of the other families in the first few minutes of being joined with their children. You will get a feel from them what it was like.

Most of the pictures on this post are of today with some friends, Noelle around the hotel and in the playroom and from dinner tonight.

We leave at 5am and our bags are packed. It is going to be a VERY LONGGGGG day of travel but we'll make it. Kippen has told Gene that she has let her Continental friends who will be working the flight from Beijing to Newark know about Noelle and I and that they will be on the lookout for me if I need some help on the 15 HOUR flight!

I want to tell you all following along that I've missed you and home. Thank you so much to all who have helped with the boys while we were away with playdates and rides to practices and games. We needed you so much and everyone was so generous to offer help. I can not thank you enough!!!! We are so lucky to have you in our lives and it will be such happiness to have Noelle meet you all :)

This will be it for the blog from China...next pictures will be from the airport as she meets the rest of the FAMILY!!!!!

Stay tuned.....