We woke up early to be down and have breakfast with our friends before they left for home. I can’t say enough how incredibly blessed we have been to walk through this process with the people we have. Some people knock our agency for requiring a two day in person training in the Dallas area. Originally I was skeptical…but, not only was it an incredible resource of information, we met people that we hope to stay in touch with for years to come, and were lucky enough to travel with.
It feels so odd to finally be done with this journey and start figuring out real life after adoption.
Thankfully we had Disneylad Hong Kong to distract us for a bit.
We originally planned on coming for EK. This trip has been HARD, and she has totally been a rockstar. She’s also basically a celebrity in Asia, having her picture and videos taken wherever we go. I keep laughing that clearly people haven’t figured out that pointing is universal. We wanted to bring her to reward her for her perseverance. We knew it could be interesting with Naomi, but were pleasantly surprised that she enjoyed some of it.
For me, this process really felt full circle when we went on the Small World ride. In 2014, we had originally applied to China, and been shot down due to the skin cancer laws. We were praying about God maybe showing us it was a closed door on adoption, when our agency contacted us about a different country. It didn’t feel like a total fit, but we kept feeling pressed onward. We were really torn, and still attached to China. We took our last real family vacation to Disney, and had been emailing and talking about it the whole drive without much clarity.
Our last day, on our last ride, we went on Small World. EK turned to us at the very end and looked us square in the eye and said, “I really want a sister”. Unaware of the fact that we had been discussing just that. It felt like the clarity we’d been asking God for.
How fun to two years later, sit down on Small World, with that sister she asked for.
It was hotter than Hades, and I got a lovely extra carry on in my sunburn, so we headed out a little early, after having a bit more fun.
We all came back and enjoyed our cold showers and then grabbed dinner with our friends and said goodbye to them.
I’m dragging my exhausted self up off the bed after writing this (the Asian plague is hitting me pretty strong now, and C is still fighting it), to finish up packing up the room. Our flight takes off at 12:45 in the night, which I’m hoping will help jet lag, but right now is seeming torturous with two tired girls. I’m dreading the flight, especially with Naomi who does NOT like being restrained.
Hoping we land in ATL a little less exhausted and sick.
It seems so surreal that this journey for over two years is finally ending, and the next part of it is beginning. It’s been so hard, and yet so good to see God’s faithfulness and goodness in His timing.
We are bringing home one incredible little girl, and we can’t wait to figure out life as a family of 6!