The Eagle Has Landed!

We arrived Stateside on Sunday morning- safe and sound!  Praises are that we had no issues at check in, during flight, and getting through Customs (NO chest pain, NO ear aches, NO blood clots, physical strength -despite NO sleep in flight! wheelchairs awaited me at each leg of the trip ready to whisk me away!).   So this is what our Saturday afternoon until Tuesday looked like (but leaving out our VERY sleep deprived looks!!!).

Our last day with Tham was Friday, but we all couldn't quite bring ourselves to say "goodbye" so we asked her if she'd come by after her work on Saturday and we'd take her to lunch.  She did, but then it was even harder to say "bye"!  SO....it didn't stop there.  I had to text her on the way to the airport one last time, and she was one of the first emails I received when we got home, too!  Yes, we are totally going to miss our sweet friend. She had truly become part of our family.  She was such an unexpected friend, blessing, and helper, but at the same time she was a direct answer to prayer and a big sister type to Abigail and Audrey An!

 Abigail with her best little buddy, Brittany.  Brittany and her parents came by the house right before left for the airport to say goodbye and to pray for us.  It was hard for the girls to leave each other because they really struck up a very kindred friendship this past year.  Brittany, YOU were a very direct answer to prayer for Abigail!  Look, they even match and they didn't plan it either! 

When we got into the van headed for the airport I turned to the girls and said, "We are so proud of you, girls.  It's been a hard year."  Abigail said it best, "Mommy, we did it!".  She said it so matter of fact, but she's right.  I think we finished strong like we had hoped and prayed.  I love how you said it, Abigail!  
 Yes, Abs and I were about the only blondies around (and have been for the past year and a half!).  Yes, that would be 4 backpacks, 4 rice hats (which were NOT easy traveling companions!), 4 carry-ons, and 8 checked suitcases.

Have a Coke and a Smile (during our 5 hour layover in Seoul).

Do NOT let her fool you!!!!!!  Yep, she's lookin' all cute and everything like she's sleeping- ummmm, not so!  She's posin'!!  This little squirt slept for about one hour during the first leg of the trip and no hours during the layover!  Energizer bunny just keeps goin' and goin' and goin'....

We're home!  This is in our living room with all of our goodies.  The other major praise was that a sweet friend Julie from our church set up transportation for  from the airport through another good friend (and prayer warrior!), Rob (and why didn't I get your picture!?) who picked us up with all our loot in Phil's (thank you!) truck!  Right when we landed I got a call from Rachel, and she was at the airport, too!   The girls were MORE than thrilled to ride back to the house with Miss Rachel...Sweet sweet sweet!!! 

This is one of the many blessings we came home to...stocked refrigerator!

...stocked pantry!

...and David and Ab's favorite cereal (and lots of it, too- yay!)!

...and AA's favorite- NOODLES (and lots of those, too- yay!)!

Then we began to destroy all their hard work in our once very clean house they had prepared for us...the unpacking began!

We had time for "Chubby Bunny" with Miss Rachel though...

How many marshmellows can one stuff into one's mouth??  Remember this post from a year ago?

We love you, Rachel, and are so blessed to have you in our lives!  You're a great "big sister" and role model to my girls and sweet friend to us all!

Monday morning my man enjoyed his cup of joe with his view from our dining room table (with rice hat on no less!)...wow, no whizzing of motorbikes, no roosters crowing- just birds chirping and hundred of tall trees in which to stare.  He later went in to work to get reactivated. Today he goes in for his required medical physical, and hopefully by the weekend we'll be in the "clear" and all our benefits will be back in place and ready for my appointment next week.  I tell ya this industry sure does lots of poking, prodding, checking, and examining...that's for sure!

Then Miracle #1 and Miracle #2 decide to leave their daddy a sweet note...awwww!

Mom and dad arrive today and aren't I so very nice to leave this pile of laundry for them?!?!  I'm just obeying orders (seriously!) of leaving it for them to deal with- yay! I can't wait to see them!!!