Who needs the same language to communicate?

We started our drive to the airport Thursday evening, a little more than an hour before their scheduled arrival time. Five minutes into our drive I received a call from a close family friend that the plane would be there 25 minutes early!!! Praying for no cops on the way, we may have went a little faster than normal and ran in to see if we had caught Matt and Jeremiah before they got off the plane. Thankfully we did. I had text Matt and told him to try and be the last ones off the plane, and I think Matt took that literally, as we even saw the pilot before them. And then there they were....

I didn't know who to hug first!!! I went for a quick kiss for my husband and then bent down to Jeremiah's level. My son was home, he was right in front of me!!!! I held my arms out, but he wasn't quite ready.... So I smiled, kissed him, told him I loved him very much, and then stood to let the amazing group of friends and family that had joined us to welcome him home, see him for the first time.

There were lots of flashes, and I think it was maybe a bit overwhelming, so Matt picked him up to let him know everything was ok. I reached my arms out for him again and this time he came to me. I felt like time literally stood still. It was amazing. I was in love.....

We stayed at the airport for awhile talking with everyone. Jeremiah and I bonded through him taking pictures of me and everyone else. He thought it was hilarious. 

My sister brought some toys and he sat in my lap on the airport floor and played while everyone talked. Everyone started to leave slowly and then it was time to head home. A few walked out with us, and as we packed every seat in the van full of our kids, we realized we had no room for the luggage! Guess we'll have to rent a 15 passenger van the next time we go on vacation....

The back seat was full with the 3 oldest boys. Elijah and Jeremiah giggled and talked the whole way home. One speaking English, the other Chinese, and they seemed to know everything the other was saying. Matt and I laughed right along with them. When we got home they continued to play like two long lost brothers. Matt bought them all swords in China, so Jeremiah passed them all out, and the sword fighting began.

Jeremiah also shared books that he brought home with him from the foster home and orphanage. They're amazing and obviously very special to him. He jabbered away telling us all about all the pictures, and the way he would point and talk, we all really understood what he was trying to tell us. The boys all played while Matt and I caught up on stories from our time apart. At 2am we decided it was time to try and get everyone to sleep. Jeremiah and Elijah share a room and are in bunk beds. We didn't know how this would work, but like everything else, it went off without a hitch!!! I kept waking up all night to go stare at each kid sleeping, and my hubby too. I couldn't soak in enough. It was like a dream!!

Elijah and Jeremiah woke up first Friday morning. I heard them get up and go in to watch cartoons. I got up a little after and found them at the table. Elijah had fixed them both a bowl of cereal and they were sitting there eating and watching tv, no big deal that they had only met a few hours earlier!!! 

They played all day, with Micah and Samuel joining in here and there. Elijah taught Jeremiah how to play the Wii, and he picked it up extremely fast and is now beating him at some games!

Daddy and Elijah also began hunting lessons with Jeremiah. He LOVES it!!! He's absolutely fascinated with Matt's taxidermied deer head.

We began to have some brotherly tiffs, but we got them figured out pretty fast. Friday, everyone was ready to go to bed by about 10pm. We got everyone tucked in, sang and said our goodnights. All was quiet.  Jeremiah woke up in the middle of the night a little distraught and needed a drink.  I got him one and he laid right back down, I tucked him back in and he slept soundly until 10 o'clock this morning. 

Daddy went and got donuts this morning. Boy did Jeremiah love those!!!

He has been extremely open to trying all the food I've fixed so far. He has eaten everything! Cinnamon rolls, macNcheese and little smokies, quesadillas, chili and donuts!!! Pretty amazing kid to try an all new menu. I don't know that most people, adults or kids, would be as open and accepting of whatever is being put in front of him at the table. 

So our first 48 hours are in the books! They've been fun and exahausting for all of us. We've bonded and loved and gotten to know our newest son very well. He is beautiful and smart, inventive and loving. I can't wait to see what the next 48 hours holds!!!

Monday morning we go for his first doctors visit. We are anxious to find out what all they have to say.