We're HOME....Ringing in the New Year at the Atlanta Airport

I am blown away by such a great support of friends and family who welcomed us home at the Atlanta airport New Year's Eve. Before we arrived, this is what was going on....

I was told, Sweet Sarah and Mary Taylor were so excited to see each other...giving one another a kiss. How precious are these two??? Sarah Levy is a precious child from Uganda too. Her story was such an encouragement to me through my wait to Charles Tucker. Her mother Amy is an amazing lady. She posted about our arrival HERE.

I could just eat her up!!

Mary Taylor seems to really like this teddy bear Sarah brought to her...

And Henry seems to be interested in the toy the Levy boys picked out for him. Sweet Neema thinks it's pretty cool too!

Little bitty Neema is from Tanzania, who belongs to Heath. She is Henry's age and full of life!! So glad they are both living in America for a while...I have loved getting to know these two... How precious is her sweet face?? Follow their journey HERE.

Oh, and then there is Isaac....wow has he grown since the last time I saw him...Isaac Young was adopted six months ago from Ethiopia into a family of three older siblings. His mother Andrea and I go way back to college when we spent a summer in East Asia, in one another's weddings, couples bible studies, and now on this adoption journey together. Love doing life with this family...they're pretty cool...Andrea took some great pictures of our Homecoming HERE.

Laney is also part of the Young family...

Can't wait for this family to get a referral and head to Uganda sooner than later. Yes, the Gilberts are ready to see a picture of their baby and get this show on the road, but they are patiently waiting on God's timing...which is not easy. Love you guys!! Thanks for cheering us on this whole time while you wait on the sidelines. Can't wait for it to be your turn!!! Follow their story HERE.

Even Teddy and Kenser came out to cheer us home!!

Miss Jenna... Great to see your face!

I have such an amazing church community...so many came out to the airport to welcome us home...Loved seeing you all there!...Hannah, Elie, Beverly, and Jenn....

Ahh...Caroline and baby Liam...this was my first time to see this precious face. I feel like I missed a lot these past five weeks...Love this picture!

 Speaking of pictures...Along with Andrea...Elisabeth (pictured below) and Shelley did such a great job capturing this great event through photography...I am forever thankful to them...such a gift! Elisabeth gave an amazing account of our adoption journey on her blog, Growing Home...you can read that post HERE.

A new friend...Joy Harty also came out to the airport for the second time in two days to welcome home orphans from Uganda. The night before, Dan Owens with Joseph and Hannah arrived home to be united with their whole family. Joy is such a sport to come out again...along with the Levys and the Youngs...you guys are committed!! Joy also posted about our homecoming HERE.

Sweet Caroline waiting for us..

Jenn and Elie...

So glad to see my brother Nathan and my sister Amelia in the crowd too...

Wow...I am impressed...I wonder how long Henry sat here like this?? My guess is thirty seconds...

We arrived a little later than expected...so "pretty pretty" might have been getting a little tired...


t looks like everyone had a good ole time catching up while they waiting for us to arrive...

Charles Tucker and I finally arrived at 7:30 p.m., New Years Eve to this crowd of amazing friends and family who welcome us home after 32 days in Uganda!!!! What an honor to see all their faces when I stepped off the plane. It was a joyous celebration of which I will never forget!!

I was overjoyed to see my family..

Charles Tucker went straight to Daddy...

So many of our friends and family were there to greet us...We felt so blessed by each of you being there to welcome us home!

Charles Tucker's first time to meet his cousin Dexter...

The other photographer, Shelley and her husband Eddie meeting CT for the first time...

So good to see my sweet sister Amelia...

My first and second babies...

and my now my third..

From orphan to a son...

I am overcome with thankfulness...

My twins...

  Our first family picture all together on American soil...

The Lord has done great things for us..in this I rejoice! All praise to our father in heaven.

***We are adjusting quite well...pictures to come of the last week and half, as a family of five. Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement throughout this year. We seriously could not have made it this far with out your constant love and support. Love you guys!!!

We got our VISA, our flights and we're going HOME!!!

We picked up Charles Tucker's visa around 12:00 p.m., called Dee and my mom to make flight arrangements, thirty minutes later... we had our flights to go HOME!! Hard to believe this was the day Charles Tucker would have to say goodbye to all he knows.

I managed to get some pictures after our visa appointment, while we waited on David to pick us up. He loves "fowers"...

After we dropped off a gift for our lawyer, we headed to the babies home to say goodbye. How do you thank someone who loved and cared for your child for eight months??

The least I could do was to give each one a small gift and a big hug. So we rode up to the babies home for the last time. Handed out gifts and brought treats we had made earlier in the day for all the aunties and uncles to eat. It was a sweet special time to thank them all for loving Charles Tucker. Sweet Mama Sarah said a prayer over him right before I left...tears streamed down my face...it was such a special moment I will never forget. These are just some of the aunties and uncles who loved on him. Many were not there, because it was in the middle of a holiday week.

Two of our favorites, Victor and Agnes...

It was hard to believe we were saying goodbye to this babies home, one I had seen in pictures for months, and now played in for the last several days, and now leaving for maybe forever. I felt sad he would never play with his buddies again or see these precious aunties and uncles who he seemed attached to, who loved him very much. It's a lot to take in. Ultimately, I know he belongs in our family and he will best thrive as our son. As hard as it was for us all to say goodbye...the aunties and uncles know it is not best for him to stay, it is God's will for him to be in a family, with a mother, a father, and brothers and sisters. It is best for him to become a son.

After saying goodbye, we left with Maria, Shannon, Eric, and Alyosha to all go eat at the Greek resturaunt at the bottom of the hill. Maria is a 19 year old (it was hard to believe I am 13 years older than her...I could be her mother!) volunteer at the babies home for the next six months until she returns to Germany for college. Such a sweet heart...

Shannon and Eric were also adopting from our babies home. They had been in Uganda for a day longer than us, but had to stay five days longer to finish some last minute details to finally get Alyosha's visa. They are a missionary couple who have been living in Indonesia for the last two years and are traveling back to the States to stay...at least for a couple of years. So on their way home, they decided to stop by Uganda and pick up their first child! Go to We, A Great Parade to follow their journey back home in Texas!! Praise God they arrived in the states on January 6th, 2011 as a family of three!! Love you guys!!

We had to eat really fast, because we had 45 minutes to finish packing and head toward the airport. I raced back to the guest house to give CT a bath, shoved everything else in our bags, maked sure they each weigh 50 pounds, and jump in the car in time to make our flight. They recommend you be at the airport three hours before your flight. So, I said goodbye to the Latore family, Patrick, Auntie Julie and jumped in the car while David drove us for the last time. It wasn't too sad saying goodbye to Davd, because he is hoping to come to American in February...so hopefully we will see him again soon. (Look who's behind us on the wall?? Museveni..he is the president of Uganda and he is running again for office...some people like him, but others hate him. These posters cover every inch of the city...it is only fitting he would be in my last picture outside of the airport before boarding to go home!)

We checked our bags with no problems and just hung out for the next three hours looking at duty free nicknacks, candy, and alcohol.

When Charles Tucker saw an airplane for the first time...he was in "Ahh..." All he kept saying was..."big airplane, big airplane"...it was so cute...

Pretty much the minute we got on the plane...he was out and slept for the whole 8 hour flight! I slept 6 of those! What a blessing!!

We arrived in Belgium early in the morning....There was a really cool kid area, so we hung out there for a couple of hours...he had the best time!

A couple of hours later, we boarded our plane for Chicago...(see our plane in the mirror??)

After we played with stickers, bandaids, colored, had snacks and watched Aladdin...one little fussy boy finally settled down and he fell asleep...

The next thing we knew we were in Chicago...then on a flight to Atlanta to see our family!!!!