Happy Homecoming Day, Emily!

Can you believe it's been a WHOLE year?!?


It's been a whole year since we brought Emily back home to the states with us. In many ways I can't believe how fast this year has gone and yet it still seems so long ago that we walked through the Columbus Airport with her to meet my family that had come to pick us up.

For a refresher of that experience, visit The Looooong Way Home. I know we got up at 4:00AM Kazakhstan-time and didn't get home until around 2:00AM Ohio-time. I "think" we were traveling for at least a good 26+ hours from start to finish and I remember like yesterday how exhausted I felt.

I've never run a marathon before but I can only imagine what I felt like was similar to how exhausted a marathon runner might feel when they finally cross that finish line. And when we crossed our "finish line" I think being that exhausted seemed to make all the emotions I was feeling that much more magnified. I felt like crumbling to my knees in a pile on the floor as I handed Emily to my dad but the adrenalin was so strong that I wanted to take in every moment of watching the excitement in my family as they got to meet her for the first time.

Here are some pictures from that awesome day!

Below: I knew I had to give Emily to my dad first because he might not ever get a chance to hold her again! Also in the picture are my sister, Michelle, peeking in from the background and my mom.

Aunt Shell finally got a chance to hold Miss Em for the first time. They're now great buds and enjoy rough-housing and making messes together.
Here's Aunt Laura with Emily for the first time. Aunt Laura will be thrilled if Emily turns out to be left-handed and a sports fanatic. They love laughing together and teasing each other. Hehehe... I remember when Emily had no hair! Never fear, there are recent pictures of Em at the bottom of this entry with more hair!


UPDATE FROM THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS: A couple of weeks ago Emily's friend, Kael, came for a play date. They get along great and Emily turns into Kael's shadow when they're together. I recently put together a photo album for Emily with pictures of family and friends and when she gets to Kael's picture she pats it and lays her head down on it like she does with Mommy, Daddy, RyRy and Spencer (our cat). She loves Kael.


Here are Emily and Kael playing at the kitchen gate as I was getting a snack ready. Feel the love!

Emily gets to play with her cousins Brooke and Logan when we need someone to watch her. She has a lot of fun with them and I think they kinda like her too.


One of Emily's new tricks in the last couple of weeks is to climb up on her stool and get up onto the couch like a big girl. So far, she's been very safe and doesn't teeter on the edge of the couch. She loves to be a big girl and read, play with her toys and sit by Mommy and Daddy on the couch. (The cool part is that the stool belonged to my/Jenni's grandpa and I believe he may have even made it.)


Well, that's enough reminiscing for today. It's time to sign off and rest up for a new day with the kiddo!

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Email: tjhypes@yahoo.com
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