Home With Ethan

What a trip home...30 hours of traveling with a 3 year old...save me Tom Cruise! Just kidding...he was actually wonderful, considering he slept about 9 of those 30 hours.

When I saw the Statue of Liberty, I started crying...1. because I was SO thankful to be in the United States, and 2. because my son just became an American citizen!

We actually saw some familiar faces in the airport in Newark. One lady from Milwaukee (after watching Ethan be disciplined with the "one, two...", commented "That's not the child you just adopted is it?" I was like um..yea! She couldn't believe his English and that he actually listened to me. Remember a few blogs ago that Baba don't play. Well Mama don't play either!

He slept the entire the entire way to Jacksonville, so he was completely wired when we arrived at 10:35 PM. Maloy & Cameron were both there to greet us and played with him for awhile. At 2 AM, he was still singing. I was like "Ethan...GOOD NIGHT!"

His first and second meal in the United States were...you guessed it...McDonald's! Dinner and breakfast. Yummy! We got home at 9 AM Saturday morning. Michael and Madeline were waiting on us! All the kids just adore him and Ethan couldn't stop hugging and kissing them!

I'm pretty sure we had 4000 visitors Saturay. Ok, I'm exaggerating. We had 3000! Everything I read said not to overwhelm the child. This child overwhelms me! Ethan is so outgoing and friendly to everyone he meets! He shakes their hand, or hugs them and says Hello. The girl's friends were loving playing with him...dancing, took him on a walk, brought him gifts...he was definately the little Emperor!

After very little sleep, and go go go all day, we thought he would crash last night. No such luck! I think he was still on China time. At 4 AM, he was screaming "Mama...I love you!" I walked in his room and said "Ethan, I love you too, but it is night night time!" He finally went to sleep at 5...Mike & I got up and had coffee. Did we adopt a 4 year old, or a 4 month old?

Today we took him to church for the first time. I just can't do the cry room, so we sat where we always sit. He was SO good. Talked a lot, but not to loud, wanted to know where his communion was, and gave Father Kaz high five! Everyone was so thrilled to meet him!

It 's 9:00 PM and he's sleeping...PRAY that he stays that way!

He is truly a gift from God and just TOO funny! I told you he was always bargaining with me. At dinner last night, I said 5 more bites and was like 1, I said 5, he said 1, I said 5, he said 1...so I pulled out the "One...Two..." and he said, "OK...two!" No one at the table could keep a straight face for that one.

One more thing...my friend Erin Powers, was the Angel who posted EVERY SINGLE BLOG for me! I attempted to give her credit and she wouldn't post it. So I am giving her the kudos she deserves! Thank you thank you thank you Erin...for finding Ethan for us, being such a wealth of information on adoption, and for bringing my story to everyone back home. You are truly amazing and I love you!

Thank you all for your comments...I promise I'll start answering them soon! Going to bed now! Love you all! Tonya

I've taken video of our trip home, seeing his house for the first time and meeting his brothers and sisters, his grandmas and papas, and some aunts and uncles. As soon as I figure out how to up load it, I will.

Waiting to board in Beijing!

Our last flight...to Jacksonville, FLorida

Meeting Cameron and Maloy in the airport for the first time

First car ride home to Gainesville with Mr. Monkey

Michael and Madeline waiting to meet Ethan at home