There's No Place Like Home- "Black and White Wednesday"

November 3, 2010

_-39 BLOG

We arrived back in the US on Friday night just before 9pm and could not have been happier to step through the gates and see our family and friends waiting for us!

_-40 BLOG

Just like the rest of this journey, it was an emotional reunion. Not seeing my husband and children for two weeks was so difficult and I know they were feeling the same way. It was torture for Pat to be able to see us via Skype, but not be there to touch and hold sweet baby Reagan and experience everything that I was telling him she was doing first hand.

_-43 BLOG

We spent about an hour in the airport saying hello to everyone and getting Reagan aquainted with her Daddy and Sister. Unfortnately, brother Nick did not make the trip to New York. Friday night was his very first school dance and his heart was set on going, so I did not force the issue. He went and called us on our way home from the airport and said that he was excited to meet his new sister the next morning. He was also excited to report that he one a prize for best costume, so I am glad I let him go.

_-46 BLOG

Sarah and Pat were very taken by Miss Reagan and Pat was itching to take Reagan out of my arms and hold her tight. We had talked a great deal about the bonding issue and attachment and how the first few days/weeks could be rough on her beacuse she was only really aquainted with me and Aunt Marla.

_-49 BLOG

I have to say, Reagan did extremely well. She kept her eyes on me to make sure I was within reach, but she did not cry and let her Daddy hold and love on her. I personally think the fact that we skyped every day and she saw him and heard his voice definitely helped.

_-56 BLOG

Other than the fact that Nick was not there with us, the evening was as perfect as could be. My sister in law, Mary Pat, along with some of my best friends Shelly and Dita and her Darlings were all there to take part in the Welcome Home Celebration. I don't know what we would do without such wonderful friends and family in our lives. A special thank you to Dita for taking all these wonderful photos and becoming the photographer of the event. You captured every moment perfectly and I am so happy that you could be there with us on the special day. Not to mention all that you did for us on our send off two weeks prior. I could not have thought of a better way to kick off this trip than the way we did. Again, many thanks to you and the Darlings for all that you do:)

_-59 BLOG

I also need to send many thanks to Shelly and Mary Pat for everything they did to help Pat last week as Friday approached. They helped get Miss Sarah together for the long trip to the airport. They made sure that she had plenty of toys, movies, and even some Halloween Candy for the 2 and a half hour ride to JFK Airport. They definitely came to the rescue when Sarah decided she did not want to where the outfit I had picked out for her. It seems as though in my absence she has decided to start picking her own wardrobe and her daily selections consist of all things princess. Mary Pat and Shelly had to beg her to remove the princess attire and lost the battle when it came to her pink shoes. So she wore the red, white, and blue outfit with her favorite pink shoes. Of course it was the first thing I noticed as she ran towards me and I figured there had to be a story behind it. Every time I see those shoes I laugh. They don't even fit her anymore, they are a whole size too small so I can't believe she would want to where them. But as mothers we all know when to pick our battles:)

_-67 BLOG

After we made our way out of the airport, we all headed to a diner in New Jersey to get a bite to eat. We were all starving and after 24 hours of travel, the last thing I wanted to do was get in the car for a 2 and a half hour car ride home.

_-76 BLOG

We did not get home until 3am and boy was I happy when I walked through the door.
Pat had the house sparkling clean and the pantry was fully stocked. Mary Pat, Shelly, and my parents had brought over champagne, wine, and flowers for our arrival. Of course we stayed up to enjoy some of the bubbly as I was not the least bit tired. I was still on China time.

_-80 BLOG

Everyone eventually fell asleep, but Reagan and I partied til Dawn and then crashed hard around 7:30am. My husband totally spoiled me. He went to bath and body works and filled our bathroom and bedroom with my favorite Eucalyptus Mint Aermoetherapy Products. He set me up in bed and lit one of the Ecualyptus Mint Candles and turned on the spasounds music channel. He even had chocolates for my pillow, but he forgot to put them out. He got up with Sarah and got Nick from his Dad's and already had the laundry going when Reagan and I finally woke up at 3:30pm.

My parents were waiting downstairs since late morning anxious to finally meet their newest grandbaby.

_-103 BLOG

Reagan again did pretty well and everyone was great about keeping the boundaries and understanding you just can't snatch her up like a newborn. It is very confusing as she is till figuring things out.

_-113 BLOG

The last few days have been extremely hard. I never imagined the jetlag would be this bad. I knew I would be tired, but I guess I somehow forgot that I was going to have a new baby that was going to be just as confused about the time change as I was. Also it has been hard for me to keep up with Pat and the kids because Reagan and I want to sleep all day and stay up all night. Pat has been incredible and has really gone above and beyond to take care of everything that he can so that I can just focus on myself and Reagan.
_-145 BLOG

We are all bonding really well. She is getting to know her Daddy, brother, and sister and they are getting lots of smiles and giggles from her already.

_-184 BLOG

Today we went to the doctor for her first check up and barrage of tests. It was a brutal two hour appt. It was stressful to watch her get poked and proded so many times and the worst was the blood draw. She really didn't mind the needles as much as she hated to be held down. Poor baby!!

In addtion, she is having some tummy issues that we addressed with the doctor today. Hoping to get some test results in a few days that will give us a clearer picture. In the meantime, we are thinking that she could be lactose intolerant, so for now we switched the formula. I'll keep you all posted when we get an update.

Every day is getting a little better. I am going to really try to do nothing but concentrate on my family the next few days or even weeks, until we all get back on schedule. I guess I must have been in a tiny bit of denial about how the jetlag was going to effect me. Even superwoman could not recover from this kind of jolt.


Welcome Home (1 of 1)-BLACK and WHITE BLOG

We are missing Aunt Marla something terrible. It is weird not having her with us 24 hours a day. I know that her family is thrilled to have her home as they missed her tons. We were incredibly blessed to have her with us on this faithful journey and I will never be able to thank them enough. One day I hope that Pat and I can return such a favor and really hope that we will be able to make a trip to meet y'all in texas sometime soon. In the meantime we will have to rely on Skype! Love and Miss you girl~

Thank you again for all the well wishes and welcome homes! I feel completely out of touch with all my friends and will be looking forward to catching up with you all when time allows. My inbox is flooded, so I apologize if you have sent a message and you have yet to get a reply. I also hope to get some updated pictures of all my "babies" together sometime this weekend. I will post when I can.

Jetlag aside, life is GOOD!!! We are all completely in love with this beautiful little girl and are anxious for the rest of our family and friends to get to know her. I know I am a little biased, but she truly is a special child who seems to have the abilitly to capture everyone's heart!

~Happy Wednesday~

87 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh! It was so great to read this post. Not surprisingly, tears are streaming down my cheeks. I am SO happy for you. Pat looks so wonderful holding your new baby. I have prayed for your calm adjustment and it looks like you are doing amazing.

Laughing my head off about Sarah's shoes : ) LOVE Dita's pictures. I am so glad you have a great friend like her. She is a gem among women. Sarah looks as happy as can be to meet her sister.

Precious!

Tezzie said...

Many congratulations on such a wonderful family reunion :)

Lisa said...

Welcome back to your home and family. I couldnt wait to read all your updates as I had missed a few. Your family is beautiful. Your new daughter is so very lucky to have a family that loves her like you do .
I feel blessed to have read all of your entrys and so glad to have found a place of love , laughter ,sharing and clearly love beyond boarders in many many ways.
Bless you all
Lisa

Buckeroomama said...

Aww, sweetness. What an amazing journey and an even more amazing one lies ahead. Glad to read that Reagan seems to be adjusting as well as could be. She is just the cutest little thing... and you could tell she has some spunk in her.

Love that shot of her with her head on her Daddy's shoulder. SO sweet.

The Byrd's Nest said...

Ohhh....I have been stalking your blog;)

You all look wonderful and Reagan, I have to say, looks very comfortable with Pat. That makes me so happy...I held the tears back until the very end of the post and then read all of the wonderful things your husband is doing for you to help you out. What a Godly man you have married....I am over the moon happy for you and your family:) Big hugs....

P.S. Lottie had the same tummy issues and was lactose intolerant and did fine on soy milk. We adopted her at 9 months old and she will be six years old next month and yesterday had a glass of real chocolate milk and no reactions. She has outgrown it...praise the Lord because there is no "very vanilla soy milk" here!!! lol

ww said...

What amazing photos of your beautiful family - so much emotion captured! Sarah looks so grown up - she is taking on her big sister role very well. So glad to hear that you had a safe trip back and things are going well. Looking forward to hearing/seeing more when you have time. Blessings, Wendy

Wanda said...

Beautiful....simple beautiful!!!

Rest well my friend. You'll get your land legs again very soon!! And eventually you'll even be able to go to the bathroom by yourself. But only for a moment - lol.

xoxoxo

Kim said...

So, so hapy for all of you. It is really neat to see you all come together as a family. Enjoy your time with Reagan, hope the jetlag gets better quick!

Kayce said...

Welcome home!! What a treasure it has been for all of us to watch your journey of love unfold right before our eyes and to witness those first moments with Pat and Sarah. Thank you Dita!!

I have to say skype is a beautiful invention! We skyped daily in China with our parents and it made a huge difference with attaching with them. We continue to skype weekly with my family who lives out of state and Jenny knows exactly who they are even if she only sees them every few months. We even "trick or treated" them on Sunday and it made my parents entire month! :)

Enjoy every moment that is to come in these next few weeks and months ahead! What matters most right now is what you have within arms reach and that is your family. You are blessed Lisa! Congratulations again!

Mandee said...

Your family is so beautiful and Reagan looks so happy! We were in China in February meeting our daughter from Chenzhou and I have loved looking at all your beautiful pictures and wishing I could go back!

Congratulations!
Mandee
dudesanddaisies.blogspot.com

Oh. And the tummy issues. Our daughter had gyardia and I have heard of many others from Chenzhou that had the same issue. Just a thought.

M3 said...

Welcome home!!!! It has been amazing to read about your wonderful journey. Sending huge hugs to the whole family. And extra hugs to big sister Sarah, who looks so grown-up in these photos for some reason.

Valerie said...

Welcome Home!! It was so much fun to relive our trip through you. You captured it beautifully.

Take it slow for a couple weeks to re-adjust.

Also, if you are feeling overwelmed or out of control, gogle PAD (post adoptive depression) it is very real and happened to me and several of my friends.

Praying all things go your way.

Love Valerie

Elizabeth Lyng said...

Hooray and congrats - I am smiling ear to ear over here looking at these photos. Incredible!

wife.mom.nurse said...

wonderful pictures. (love the outfits!)

Thrilled for your family.

Hope you will feel better soon!

so very happy! Yeah!

Dita said...

What can I say except I was THERE and I still don't believe she's home.

A trip of a lifetime, for sure...you are home, Lisa...and so is your beautiful little daughter.

I think it was so fitting that Sarah wore her Rosy (Ruby) Slippers, clicked her heels and her mommy and baby sister were there.

Thank you for letting me share in this incredible journey with you and your beautiful family. I look forward to all the firsts, seconds, thirds and hundredths with all of you.

All my love,
Dita and the Darlings

Anonymous said...

Beautiful shots, beautiful, tear-shirking moments :-)

jillconyers said...

Welcome home! Wonderful photos documenting such a momentous occasion.

Justine said...

I had tears in my eyes when I read this post, congratulations on arriving home safe and sound with your new baby, what a journey you have had. I love reading updates each week, hope the tummy settles down.

Michelle said...

Welcome home! What a perfect way to start my day ... I am thrilled beyond measure for your family and wanted to let you know how grateful I am to have shared this beautiful, miraculous journey with you.

Debbie said...

Morning from the UK! I couldnt wait to check your blog this morning...been so looking forward to seeing you with all your family. It sounds like you have the most fantastic hubby! I hope you get back into your normal routine very soon and look forward to reading about your new adventures. Am loving Reagans leg warmers by the way!! Much love Debbie

Lisa Gordon said...

What a gorgeous family!
I am so happy for all of you!

Robin said...

So happy you are home...catch up on that rest and enjoy finally being together as a family!!!

Blessings,
Robin

Hannah said...

Congratulations and Welcome home!!

I loved the pictures from the airport, I felt as though I was right there watching a new family come together. What a blessing from the Lord!

Love Letters To China said...

Welcome home Lisa!

So happy for you. These pictures Dita captured are priceless. It's so wonderful to see how Reagan allowed Pat to hold her. Those are huge steps. You have one amazing hubby on your hands. Sarah and Reagan look adorable in their matching outfits. You are quite the "Super Woman"! Hope you're able to rest and start feeling like you're on our time zone very soon.

Hugs...
Grace

Anonymous said...

Welcome home and what a wonderful update. The photos (again) are fantastic.

You have the most wonderful family and friends and its beautiful to see.

The jet lag stinks but try to get out in the day light as much as possible and it will soon reset your clock. I think as much as the jet lag its just that you can finally relax after what is the most incredible but exhausting (emotionally and physically) of trips.

Again many congratulations and thank you so much for sharing its been a pleasure to follow along.

Stefanie said...

I think those are the most beautiful 'coming home' pictures I've ever seen! What a beautiful family you have :)
And you just might be superwoman... you all look fantastic after that trip home! China looks GREAT on you, Lisa ;)
Welcome HOME!

Unknown said...

OK, first of all I am having a hard time seeing my keyboard as I am just crying and crying! I am SO . . . VERY HAPPY for you all! Never seemed to amazed me how this little sweethearts, complete strangers to us can so easily and so fast steal your heart away! All the best to you as you adjust to life back at home and with your beautiful new baby girl!

BLESSINGS to you all! So much to be thankful to God for! I can only imagine what your Thanksgiving is going be like this year, eh?

(((HUGS)))

Nicolasa @ {My}Perspective said...

What a great post! So happy you are back home with the rest of your family! Congrats again!

Jodee said...

Welcome home! It looks like you had the perfect homecoming! It's so fun to see pictures with Pat and Sarah too.

So glad to hear things are going well and hooray for great husbands! Pat is a keeper!

Happy Hump Day!

DiJo said...

Girl,
You look FABULOUS after 24+ hours of traveling!!!! Dita did a beautiful job!! Seriously, what airport has lighting like that? :)

I am so glad you are home safely.... SOON you will be coming out of the fog... There is no way to truly explain to a friend how brutal re-entry is until you have been there too... It sounds like Pat is the perfect man for the job... I am so glad he is spoiling you!!!!

Again, so happy you are home safely... And, just in time for the holidays!!! Now it's Bridget's turn!!!! She leaves in just a few hours!!!

Hugs,
Diana

Freckles & Dimples Photography said...

WELCOME HOME!!! Thanks for sharing your journey, its been very inspiring to read your words and see your story through your photos.
Mindy

Rochelle@AFamilyofLooneys said...

Thank you so much for sharing your journey. So glad that you had a safe trip.
Welcome home!!!

Sandra Burns said...

Wow, such an amazing story! Glad I got to come along for the ride. Reminds me of my nieces homecoming! So exhilarating!!

Anonymous said...

I am so happy for you! Everyone looks so excited. Hope you get settled soon.

Shannon said...

I can't say it enough. Your blog, your stories, your beautiful family is bursting with love. I can't get enough of it here. Waiting for my turn! LID 7/6/06

Bailey said...

Absolutely beautiful. Congratulations on making it home safely with your beautiful daughter. Woohoo!!!

Katie said...

So happy you all made it home safely! And to have such a wonderful reunion!

Everything Beautiful Shay said...

The jet lag is by far the worst part... needing to be awake but oh so wanting to sleep! I remember being barely able to hold my eyes open @ 4pm each day. You all are doing great and focusing on your family is key~ on yourself too. Everyone told me that getting sick would not help anyone~ especially Scott!!! Take care and try to rest. Also the tummy issues my be giardia... our little one had it and was treated right away with meds... no biggie. Easy to take care of. The tests will tell. Hoping the new formula does the trick!!! So happy for you and hope each day is more blessed than the last.
In my prayers!
Sharon

Missy said...

I am sitting here in a poodle of tears! Something about the airport and family and friends meeting the newest addition gets me.every.time! These pics are beyond priceless. I am so happy that Pat is keeping everything going. What an incredible daddy and husband. I will be thinking and praying for you and Reagan as you continue to get over jetlag. No way getting around the fact that it just plain stinks! Miss you and can't wait to catch up!!! xo

Christine @ 12,450miles said...

I LOVED following your journey to China (and through China)... and I devoured every single photo! But these, wow... these are by far my favorite of the bunch! Love seeing you all united! And the sisters together melt my heart...

Debra said...

What wonderful photos of your arrival home. I love the first one. It shows so much beauty from all four of you. The one of Pat and Reagan, with Reagan's head on his shoulder is a killer. Also, the one with Sarah kissing Reagan is precious beyond words. All are definately frame worthy. Thank you for allowing me to follow along on your journey. I still miss China today. May God bless you all.

Kim said...

Welcome home. These homecoming photos had me in tears! What a beautiful ending to the long road to China ... and a beautiful beginning for your precious family of five!
And yes ... we know ALL about jet lag. It is a real killer. Give yourself a week!
Love & Blessings from Hong Kong,
Kim

Anonymous said...

I have been waiting for this post. SUCH sweet photos. Im tearing up over here.

Blessings to your newest family member and finally being home with ALL your family

jennifer said...

Love the pics!! What a wonderful homecoming!! I hear you on the jetlag. I could never have imagined how hard it would be!! This too shall pass, though. Hang in there!!

Courtney said...

Beautiful captures of a priceless moment!!! :D

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! I am so happy everyone made it home safe and sound.

xo,
Michele

ellieshine said...

Welcome home! I loved reading your post and seeing all of you together. Tears sprung to my eyes when I came to the photo of Pat holding Reagan - too sweet!! God is so good!

I hope jetalag is gone soon and you can just enjoy these special times of getting to know your new baby.

Sending hugs & prayers :)

Mrs.D said...

Congratulations! What a happy family you have....:) thanks for sharing the photos....:)

it's my first time to join!

Faith, Hope, and Love said...

Welcome to America Reagan!
Welcome Home Sweet Little One!

What a beautiful way to end your amazing journey. Your family is gorgeous. Dita did an outstanding job capturing the moment. Praying that God showers your growing family with blessings beyond measure!

Donna said...

Okay, I have tears running down my face looking at these sweet photos of Daddy (finally) meeting his newest baby girl! What a tender moment! And look at how matchy-poo you all are! What a great idea to arrange the outfits in advance! Too funny about the pink shoes though!

Jet lag? My advice is to not sleep in! Just get up and get some sunshine and try to stay awake a little longer every day. If you just can't stay awake, only take a little nap then get back up. We travel internationally with our girls every year and this method gets us through the jet lag with as little misery as possible.

Welcome home!

Donna
Our Blog: Double Happiness!

Rosie Grey said...

Good to hear that you all arrived home safely! What beautiful photos again, showing all those emotions! Thanks so much for sharing!

Charlene said...

Thanks so much for hosting this wonderful link up. There are several talented people here. Two weeks is a long time to be away from your family...so glad you made it back safely.

Colleen said...

I agree....gorgeous homecoming pictures!!!!! I don't know how you do it always looking so fabulous!!!!:)You can already see that Reagan and Daddy will have a special bond...soo sweet!!!
Each day you will start feeling a little more normal!! Hang in there!!!

Becca said...

Lovely photos, and so full of emotion!

Kristen said...

Such a happy new family!!! I love the girls' matching bows. So friggin' adorable. Congratulations and best wishes!!!!

Patricia said...

WELCOME HOME!!!! Beautiful, beautiful post, Lisa!!! My favorite photo is the 2nd one, where Reagan is looking at Pat...oh my gosh, I just melted at that one!!

And Sarah sure does look like a very big sister too! :)

Congratulations!! This post just brightened my day!

Get your rest (yeah, jet lagged kicked me in the pants from that trip too!), get in the sunshine & ENJOY every single moment with your FAMILY!!!
HUGS, my friend!!
Patricia

Gail said...

Welcome home Lisa and Reagan! So happy you're back safe and sound.

What a gift Dita's given to you with these pictures. She's a special lady and dear friend to you. The image of Pat with Reagan snuggling up to him is so incredibly sweet!

My advice...take it slow and easy, I wouldn't even blog for a while. Enjoy your time with your family.
Jet lag will get better every day.

BIG hugs to you,

xoxo

Gail

JMCS said...

Loved reading the wonderful update and welcome home. The pics are wonderful and so glad you had such a nice welcoming committee. :)

The jet lag can be brutal. Hope you can get some rest and are can get back on regular time soon.

Hugs,
Jonni

Heidi said...

So, so happy for you and your family!

Mia_h_n said...

I'm so happy to see and hear that you have all made it back safely and that the merging is going so well. I love the second to last picture of Pat and Reagan.

And good luck with the jetlag. Remember, the fastest way to get over it is to fight it. Force yourself to get up early (and not in the afternoon when your body might want to) and it'll become easier to fall asleep at your normal bedtime sooner.

Faith Hope Love Photography said...

Love this post!! YOu both look great after that horendously long flight but so happy that she is taking to Pat so well. And that Sarah...LOVE her...that is exactly what my Kya would've done. Great pictures come from great friends and she captured every moment like it should've. HOpe things start getting back to normal for you soon...new normal that is ;)
hugs!!

Kim Rahn said...

OH LISA, I am just sooooo HAPPY for you and the whole family. I get so emotional over each blog entry. Take care of yourself. I can't wait to watch the future unfold for this extremely blessed little girl.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful family and your little one is precious. I think I have missed something though. How old is Reagan? Maybe I missed that along the way.

Good luck and I am sure life will never be dull at your house!

Tanisha said...

Congratulations! What a beautiful family! That is one blessed sweet little girl!!

Unknown said...

What a wonderful and heart warming post.. I wish the very best to you and your whole family..

I had to smile at the bit about the pink shoes.. I am a pre-school teacher and I see that all the time. I love it. So true that you do need to pick your battles.

~Linda

Mimi said...

Hi Lisa, this is the most fabulous post - the words, the pictures, the culmination of years of waiting..
But the love in the eyes of your husband and daughter as they met Reagan is the most beautiful thing to witness. And Reagan responded instantly! your patience and work has been rewarded. I'm beyond happy for you, and needless to say, my eyes are full of tears again.
Reagan is absolutely blessed to have found you, and you her.
Sarah is being a fantastic Big Sister, and they will have many fun-filled days together.
So, relax, enjoy these special early days, don't be worrying about posting, there will be lots of time for that.
Your Pat is one in a million! And spot on with the eucalyptus and mint- 2 great aromatherapy oils for fatigue.

Aleasing said...

Lisa, we all so look forward to the next post and up-date on how everyone is doing. You have shared an amazing love story and we can hardly wait for the next chapter to be written. Thank you for the beautiful pictures and wonderful commentary on today's post!
Hope you and Reagan are adjusting better each day!!

Lori Lynn said...

I am sure I cannot think of anything to write that hasn't already been written, but I feel compelled to comment anyway. This sweet post has me in happy tears for your family. How wonderful to have everything so ready for your return home! Champagne at 3 AM, AWESOME! I wish you all a lifetime of joy.

Take lots of pictures so that I may continue to follow along your many adventures.

Shari said...

I am in awe that you had outfits planned for the welcome home! I was in dirty sweats and a dirty shirt - I cleaned up a bit in the bathroom at our lay-over, and changed Amelia's clothes, but I didn't look NEARLY that good getting off that flight. You are amazing.
I hope she slept well on the flight (my monkey did not and 5 years later I still remember the exhaustion of being up nearly 48 hours straight!)

Take care of Reagan, Sarah, Nick and yourself!!!

Anonymous said...

I have been comming to your blog for black and white wed for about two weeks now. I have loved seeing and reading about your little girl, and her comming home to you! I got a little curious and decided to read more about your story, and I love it! Such an inspiration.

Oh and P.S I love half gaelic half garlic its me and my boyfriend too!

redmaryjanes said...

Welcome home! These photos are so very precious.

Unknown said...

Welcome back! And welcome home to little Reagan! It is so fulfilling to see family photos with BOTH Sarah and Reagan, and I'm sure you are very anxious (or have already) taken dozens of photos of the girls with Nick, too.

Special K said...

Dude... you and Marla are supermodels! How is it even possible to look that good after such a long travel day?! LOL!

Love all the pics. Warms my heart to see your little one meeting her daddy and big sis. Welcome home, girl. Now go rest. Don't worry about us. We'll still be here when you're ready. :)

PS. My word verification is "copho"....hmmmmm what are they trying to say? LMAO!

runninggal said...

Wow! I can't believe how much I have cried over your posts. This one was my favorite!!! I am so happy to see your family finally together. Everyone looks sooooo happy!

Jetlag it TERRIBLE!!! You will feel better in about 7-14 days. You need to force yourself to start getting on a regular schedule. I just remember it being horrible and feeling almost sick. You will get through it and then have nothing but happy memories.

God bless you!!! Try to just relax for awhile. Don't worry about posting. That can wait.

Heather said...

You are so beautiful, in every way that a woman should be beautiful, you embody that Lisa. I am so happy for you...and don't stress about posts or pics, girlfriend, we are here for the duration :) Sarah looks so incredibly grown up in these pictures; slow her down please.

The most poignant picture in this post is the one with Pat holding Reagan, I know that feeling...I understand it all too well. So, it moved me to see that one in particular.

Wishing you rest, family time, sweet, sweet joy with your husband...what a lovely family! Enjoy the ride friend...your baby is finally home!

Love you,
Heather

Marla said...

What a journey, I can't even describe how much it meant to me to be a part of this adventure! I miss y'all too, more than you can know. Give that sweet baby a kiss from her Aunt Marla.

carolinagirl79 said...

So happy for y'all. I used melatonin for the whole family when we brought Meredith home. It works great and Meredith still takes it at age 10-begs for it at night. Madeleine is in puberty so she can't take it anymore.

paige said...

welcome home sweet friend!!
love these images of her with daddy. so precious.
she is just beautiful lisa, just beautiful

Jboo said...

What a sweet welcome home!! Love the photos! You have the best family ever!! Hope the jetlag eases up and tummy troubles are behind you all soon! Take care!

Janet

Unknown said...

Lisa -where they heck have I been not knowing you were bringing your beautiful daughter home!

The photos are simply precious and tell a story worthy of a thousand words!

You are radiant! I love the photo of you with your sister - simply breathtaking!

Your post brought such happy tears to my eyes!

Much love and praising God for your family built by His hand!

Jill
PS If there is anything I can do to help with the tummy issues, let me know!

t~ said...

Welcome home!

Jetlag is the antichrist and it's so much more difficult when you have other kids to take care of. This to shall pass, just focus on your new baby girl adjusting to her bright new world.
beautiful pictures of such sweet moments!

3 Peanuts said...

We have all been waiting to see these photos and hear all about your homecoming. I am sure it is really really tough. It sounds like Pat is an amazing supportive husband!

Take it easy and ease back into life. Even though I did not travel...those first few weeks are joyfully tough. it is a HUGE adjustment for everyone.

I am sending lots of prayers your way.

Deb said...

Welcome Home Lisa and Reagan! What a joy it was to follow your journey to China and back. Your photography and your stories made me very homesick for a place we have come to love! I hope you are settling in....and are getting some sleep! It is tough getting over jet lag when you have little ones in the house. I think I lost last January....and remember those countless nights Kate well! But I cherished those moments that we had together....even if it was 3 a.m! We have been blessed. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Virginia said...

Welcome home!! What a precious homecoming! Looks like Daddy is in love all over again and Reagan looks pretty comfy with him in these photos. I love the matching dresses on the sisters and those sweet little leg warmers. Hope you get settled in smoothly and the the jet lag is short lived.

Gin =)

Buzzings of a Queen Bee! said...

Lisa!
Just stopping by after a long absence and I am SO excited to see photos from Reagan's arrival! Congratulations to you and your growing and beautiful family. I just said a prayer for you as you adjust to a new life. Can't wait to hear more!
Carrie

Football and Fried Rice said...

What an amazing welcome home!! The pictures all speak for themselves! I love some of Sarah's expressions and seeing Reagan meet her daddy for the first time (in person) is pretty sweet! I can't get over how darling she is & perfect for your family!

And hey, the pink shoes are sweet! You will always remember the circumstances :)

CC said...

Congratulations on coming home!!!! And on your new beauty!!!!!!! I love her already :) :) :)

And YES, jetlag + a new baby is Sooooooo hard!!!!