I want to post on this blog of mine way before I put pictures or things out out there on social media. This place and space has been such a beautiful place to hold memories with pictures and stories, my thoughts, and just who we are. I am so glad that I opened this blog all those years ago.
Last night Anna came home. And I can tell you it is just glorious to have her home. I am so grateful to God for leading her, guiding her, and bringing her through such an amazing experience.
Falling asleep last night with my whole little family under one roof was just the best feeling in the world. Nothing like it really.
There is so much I want to remember about her homecoming. So so much!
At home this week we were all just a bundle of excited nerves. Every time I thought, "Anna's coming home" I'd get goosebumps. And those feelings grew and grew as the week went on.
The night before I whipped up a sign to have at the airport. Oh how I wanted that first hug! I didn't realize that just SEEING her was a gift enough.
Yesterday (the day she came home) we just kept getting things ready. We wanted her room, the bathroom they share, everything to be just right. Kind of funny now on just the next day just how a mess everything is, and it's okay, ha!
We kept watching the time, checking in on her flight/where she was/when it was supposed to land, etc. We kept checking our navigation app that was telling us how long it would take to get to NYC. And we waited and waited (while Abigail worked hard on so many end of junior year work).
Finally the time to go (4:55) and we arrived at JFK (NYC) at 7:30. It felt like just the right amount of time. Lots and lots of time. Her flight landed at 9:00 pm but she had to get all of her luggage herself and go through customs. It was quite the ordeal for her to do alone but since she is a world traveler, she did just fine!
We kept waiting and watching these doors:
We were a bundle of nerves for sure!
And then around 10:00 pm a huge rush of people came through those doors and all of a sudden I saw Anna, our Anna, for real right in front of us. Some people in the way, but I could see her. And there was nothing like that moment. So grateful to just see her!
Finally in our arms!
There are so many things you know about becoming a parent. You know there will be sleepless nights. You know about 'first day of school'. You know that graduations will make you sad. But there was nothing to prepare me for my daughter living (living, not just visiting) so far away, speaking a different language, immersed in the culture. And nothing to prepare me for this feeling of having her with us again. It was just the greatest feeling in the world.
This reunion was the sweetest of all.
I brought the tripod and took a family photo - finally all back together!
We made a crudité board and brought it for the long car ride home. She hadn't had cheese for over 5 months and so we wanted her to have some treats. We talked, talked, talked until we all fell asleep around 2 am that night - pure, blissful, my baby is home, peaceful, joyful sleep.
So much more to come!
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