Home Sweet Home

And it really is. I can't believe we've been home for one week today! It's been a whirlwind - so much orienting, bonding, adjusting, visiting with relatives, catching up after a month away, and believe it or not, more paperwork! There's still much to do before we feel like we're caught up. But we're doing so well!!!

The flights home were fine - Dima enjoyed flying for the first time until the last 10 minutes or so - coming into Houston was pretty turbulent. But overall we did well and enjoyed our trip. We had to get the kids up at 2:30am on the morning that we left, but they were excited and ready to go. We landed in Houston at 2:30pm Texas time and were greeted by a few friends and family - a perfect welcome party complete with balloons and signs in Russian and English to welcome Dima and Dasha home. The party had to wait and wait for us to get out of immigration, and we very much appreciated their patience. We all headed straight for an ice cream shop - the perfect welcome spot for these particular kiddos. Dima and Dasha were a little shy but really enjoyed the people they met, the gifts, and making their first friends in America. They specifically remembered names of those at the airport after we left.

My parents have been here for a week and have been a great help with food prep, cleaning up after us, etc., while we spend time with the kids and take care of other things. And it's been wonderful for them to get to know their new grandparents. The other set of grandparents (Bob's side), has been able to talk to the kids on the phone and has sent boxes of clothes which the kids were thrilled to get!

By Sunday they were ready to get out and go to church, and we knew that so many of you would be there to greet them. They did great - shy and pretty overwhelmed by all the love, but they had a good time nonetheless. The first thing Dima said after he was able to escape to the car was, "I like your friends." So I think it was a success.

So during the past week we have gone to the pool almost every day, shopped a little, played games, gone to our first American birthday party (thanks for the invitation, Phoebe!), started on some English lessons, visited, canoed, introduced some chores, and played and played with cats and kittens. Dima and Dasha each have a kitten, and they LOVE them.

God is truly amazing - we see His work in our children and in our family. He has been faithful to bring us together and has brought us blessing after blessing already. We are humbled and in awe. At some point we would like to blog again, just to recap the miracles and victories we've experienced on this journey - but first we have to register children, get them on insurance, get them in school, go to see doctors and dentists...

Thank you for your faithfulness in praying for us, reading our long posts, and being friends and supporters of our family. We love you and thank God for you!

Blessings,
Karen, Bob, Dima, and Dasha