Home Sweet Home

We're baaaack! And unfortunately I can't get pictures to upload today - so I'll post this so you know we're home, and will try pics a bit later!

All went well with our tickets, and Maiya had her first plane ride from Ho Chi Minh to Hong Kong on Saturday. We had exit row seating with an extra seat, so couldn't have had it better. On the Hong Kong-Anchorage-Toronto flights, we ended up being able to get Brett's seat moved so we could sit together, and had a bassinet, which was great - she slept almost the whole time!

Immigration & customs were unbelievably smooth & quick and we entered the waiting area around 11:00 p.m. It's hard to describe the emotions of walking down that hallway knowing grandparents and other family are finally about to meet your baby girl!

Maiya was full of huge smiles & laughs as we came out to meet everyone, which is amazing after travelling for over 24 hours straight & an 11 hour time difference! Although I think everyone had already fallen in love with her over the process of the adoption, I'm pretty sure the impact of actually seeing her in person was pretty strong, judging by the even bigger smiles on everyone else's faces! I thought Poppa Heise and Grandma C. were going to hurt their cheeks from the huge grins on their faces! Both sets of grandparents, plus Breydon & Chantler were there to meet us.

Breydon (my brother) had brought our car to the airport with the carseat, so we headed home. We were anticipating some screaming with the car seat, seeing as she'd never been in one before, but she actually loved it & smiled all the way home.

Grandma Heise is staying with us for about a week, so she helped out lots Night #1 - I think she maybe got an hour or two sleep! Sunday was busy with meeting more family - Uncle Craig & Aunt Heather, Cassidy & Carson, Aunt Shannon & Willow, Johnnie & Leanne, and another visit with Grandma & Grandpa C. The second night has been better (although since I'm writing this at 5:00 a.m., she's not quite sleeping through the night yet with the time difference!).

So, we're back & thrilled to be home. As Maiya gets adjusted to the time difference, new home & continues to attach to Brett & I, we will start to make the rounds and introduce to her everyone!



Thanks again to everyone who followed this part of Maiya's life with us. It was great to know so many people were reading & commenting - it kept us feeling very connected while we survived the first few weeks of parenthood!