Home Coming

The Wait...



Here they come!!!



Hannah is awesome, travelling with daddy to bring her sisters home, what can we say.
We love you Hannah!



Deanna



Bella

Very tired, but it's okay...you're home now.

Her favorite, the thing that got them through; nutter butter peanut butter sandwich cookies. :)



I love you!!!



whew tired, huh Hannah.

Grandpa and Grandma are the best.



Happy with Grandpa.



Grandpa is so much fun!



Exhausted, but so it feels so good to be HOME.



getting ready for bed... goodnight.

Bubbles of Fun!

A 3 day weekend... after awhile, you have to make your own fun.

A quick game of "Sorry" before the girls are off to dance.

I Scream U Scream...

What's more American than the Ice Cream Truck!?

{...On Our One Month "Family" Anniversary.}

Some were proper and ate like a lady...

Some were down right scary!!!

Not sure, if everyone walked away from this experience with the same feeling as I had when I was a kid? But we'll keep trying. :o) Yummy.

Out of the Bubble

Athena is loving, caring and helpful. But also reserved, shy and unsure of herself. She loves playing with Hannah, helping around the house with chores. Until today, it's been hard for me to get a picture of her just having fun. Thanks to her teacher giving out bubbles, she was able to just relax and let loose.

Athena wanted to save some so Hannah could play with the bubbles too.

I think they had fun...

Believe it or Not!

That they ate it? or That I cooked it?

The girls; or should I say the noodle twins.

The Boys... a little on the "Ham & Corn-y" side. :o)

Grandma, Grandpa and "buddy" (the puppy-dog) headed for their home today. They were a great help around here this past (our first) week home. I think they were ready to go, (we already miss them) but they will be back soon enough with the holidays approaching.

Holidays? OMG, don't even go there, yet.

Journal Update:
Athena age 12; She is wearing a size 10 pants, and a girls medium shirt and a size 12 dress.
Scott age 11; He is wearing a size 12 "Husky" pants, and boys large shirt. No dress Ha ha! :o)
Jacob age 9.5; He is wearing a size 10 pants and a boys medium shirt.
Hannah age 8.5; She is wearing a size 7 pants and girls small shirt and a size 8 dress.

Awwh, We are "finally" going to sleep in our own bed this month.

Yes, you read that right. First time since August.

Good Night, Sweet Dreams.

Surreal

That's how it feels. I went back to work today, arrived an hour before anyone else. Part way through the day, as a realized it was less than 3 weeks ago I was doing {deja'vu} this very same routine. ...{Except then~as I multi-tasked and planned my day out in my head, I was tracking the plight of our adoption paperwork making sure it all was signed, sealed and delivered so we could proceed to China before Athena's birthday.}

Wow, here I am today same place, same time, and what I like most, same routine :o),... but (screech) put the brakes on .... Whoa!! I have 4 kids in grade school and I need to get my buns (no pun intended) LOL! in gear and finish up so we can go pick the them up.

OMG, the sweet smell of surreality!

Hello, Ni Hao, Good Morning

We are home.

I know, I know, I can not believe I have not had one free moment to let you all know. Thank you for waiting.

Yes, we arrived home safely on Friday September 18 at 7:30 pm MST. We arrived via a bus, 3 planes, a shuttle train and a 7 passenger van and traveled more than 27 hours straight to get here.

Everyone is doing well, and the the famous morning saying from Scott is "Hello, Ni Hao, Good Morning". He again says this phrase through-out the day, as he gets a bit bored listening to us ramble in English and it his only way to communicate, as of yet. :o) He is learning a few more words each day. I am sure he is soaking it all in, and in about a week or two he will just explode with phrases. He met his Grandma and Grandpa from the Hunsufamily, and also his Aunt Sherry and family. Scott adored playing with the little ones as they were extra entertaining with excitement. He is extra gentle to the kids. Now the dog, he loves to play with and "buddy" is not used to so much stimulation. So that is another story. LOL!!!

Athena, is eager to try all new words, and follows the meaning of the conversation. She learned how to play on the child keyboard, "Mary had a little lamb" in only one showing from her Aunt Sherry. She is just a sweetheart.

All four Hunsufamily Kids are doing great together. No fights or aggression. Everyone is happily harmonious. Even us parents and grandparents. {The grandparents are here for a week to help us settle in, and it is a BLESSING!}

The kids started school today.

Getting ready for School!

Out the door!!!

It is the first day back to school. Can you see it in Jacob's face? The other three, are still clueless to the "drudgery of a school day".LOL!
Awhh innocence.

First day update: The kids went to school for the first time today. {we only registered the new kids on yesterday} They all had a good day. Jacob and Hannah followed as normal of a routine as could be expected with two new siblings tagging along. They both had a happy great day!

Athena did not get nervous until she saw 30 English speaking, white kids coming noisily into a previously quiet classroom that she herself just entered and found her own school desk minutes before class started, OMG, culture shock. But she made 6 wonderful friends *Pong yous (Sp?). We learned she hated the macaroni and cheese that she had for hot lunch but she loved the chocolate milk.

Scott, acted aloof when he entered his classroom, like hey I don't have to learn or participate because I speak Chinese. HA, :o) we know better, LOL! He pretended he did not know how to "High Five" the young boy befriending him... but by the end of the day he had a great day and he made 2 friends.

At the end of the school day, Athena and her teacher, along with Scott came skipping together out the door towards us waiting on the playground. They are excited to go back tomorrow!!!

I am excited to see the progression over the next few or so weeks, of how our newest son and daughter will do adjusting to school and parents and siblings with only being home in America for two days... stay tuned as we explore the adventures together, as family.

P.S. Scott is getting ready to leave with daddy to watch him participate at Karate, wow....

I can see clearly now,... The rain has gone.

"I can see clearly now... I have my {first pair of} glasses ON". :o)

"J." is in 4th grade and today he received his first pair of glasses. I (mommy), wore my first pair of glasses in 5th grade, a long time ago. We were anticipating this since my family history of eye sight is not good. Last School Year his eye sight was 20/20 during his 3rd grade physical. He was not due for this yearly physical until December. We made his pediatric appointment early this season, because he needed a physical to travel to China. "J." failed his eye test during the physical at 20/50. We saw the optometrist today and found out he has a astigmatism as well.

He is totally thrilled he has glasses.

He can not believe all that he should have been seeing,... and what he was missing. I am amazed by this little man. This is one time that mommy can not do it for him or protect him or fix it. Only help with a solution,...glasses. I know in some ways glasses are not a big deal, but for me and "J.",...at least for me not to be able to do it for him was a little hard; (after all it is his eyes, he has to look with them, not me). So I think I am more emotional over it than anyone.

I am realizing, my baby is growing up, and mommy can not kiss every boo boo away. I did hug & kiss on him a whole bunch, and let him know he is so handsome. :o)