Home at last

Well the Stark 5 are safe at home now and hope to take is easy for the next few weeks before Jake and Cade start school! They are so excited to be riding the bus together and so am I. I will be filming the event with tears of pride in my eyes!! Lila is still doing great since we gotten home but has caught the sniffles. I can't believe it has taken her this long between 2 hotels, 2 plane trips, 20 hrs in the car, Reunion beach and pool. Her poor little body has just given in though you wouldn't know it if you saw her running around the house with sunglasses, walkie- talkie and nerf gun with her brothers. Cade and Lila go next week for check-ups and vaccines( really looking foward to that). Then on the 19th Lila has her Cardiologist appt to make sure her little heart is all good. After that she will get a break from doctors and just be her happy self.Overall this part of the adoption journey has been unbelieveable to say the least. To see this child do so well in such a short time is something I do not take for granted!!! She amazes everyone she comes in contact with and they just fall in love with her. Lila just proves that all children are special and given the chance would be a blessing to any family lucky enough to have them.

Low Country Reunion

We have been in Mt. Pleasant for about four days now and everyone is having a good time. We're still waiting for the Yankee Assault which begins on Thursday with the arrival of some cousins. Cade is still struggling with his new role as a big brother but Jake acts like she's always been here.







Lila modeling her new suit before hitting the sandy beaches of S.C.





Anyway we have been to the beach, swimmming in the pool everyday (3 or 4 times), kayaking from the dock and today we're going to a little waterpark. We still have some final preparations to help with but we're all revved up about the weekend.

First Doctors visit

I have to take a second and brag about my girl. She was such a tropper today at the doctors office everyone was so impressed!! First of all I have to thank my good friend Kelli for watching the boys for me. Jake would have freaked to see Lila getting blood drawn and it wouldn't have gone so smooth with him there I can promise that! So thanks again Kelli for saving the entire office from the drama. So anyway I was so worried she would just lose it for the blood draw but to everyone surprise not one peep just a tiny lip quiver and that was all!! How many 2 yrs old would tolerate that!!! When I went to get the boys Cade was far from ready to go home. Kelli's house is his fantasy land of toys and fun so needless to say Cade is still having a rough adjustment to big brotherhood. So here is a pic of Lila right before the appt all smiles what a brave girl!!!!

Going on the 4th day home!

Well I for one feel like Lila is really settleing in well. She is a great sleeper but gets up really early I thinking it must still be get lag! This morning I had her go back to sleep until 5am so that was better the 4am. She sleeps in her room already and I put her in her bed awake and she just will fall asleep without a peep! That took Scott and I many long hard months of crying to get the boys to do that. Her bed is so comfortable that I won't mind sleeping in it either. The boys are doing great with her and Cade seemed to be less hurt yesterday and we spent time last night catching lightning bugs and bugs + Cade = happiness. Lila goes tomorrow for routine bloodwork and I am dreading it. I know I will have to restrain her while they take the blood and am still scared from past experiences with the boys we all shed some tears! I hope she doesn't hold it against me. We leave on Monday for SC and can't wait to have our whole family together for a get away. Gigi & Pop-pop still haven't met their new granddaughter so I am so anxious for them to finally see her in person. We went to the park for a while yesterday them took a trip to Petco to browse the pets. Jake still wants a snake and Cade wants a fish tank. The thought of taking care of anyone else right now is daunting to say the least! I will hold them off for as long as I can. Oh and by the way my girls a CAT lover yeah!!!!

We made it HOME!!!

Lila and I made it home Friday night about 6:45 PM it was such a relief to be back in the good old USA!! Scott, Jenny, Jake and Cade were waiting for us to get through customs. Right when I walked through the doors I saw Jake and we both ran through the swarms of people and my heart just melted when we hugged. It felt like home. Poor Cade tried to run but of course tripped over the luggage cart and ended up in tears when I finally got to him. Lila just watched with a little jealousy in her eyes but thankfully didn't cry. When we got home they all just had a good time. Jake had to show her around the house and her room he just talked and talked to her. He just loves her already. They walk around holding hands it is just adorable. Cade is a bit more reserved with his feelings I think he is a little hurt that he's not the baby anymore, but I know he will be ok he has played more with her today.Our friends, Jim and Kelly, came by with ballons and a beautiful figurine of an mother and child, just so thoughtful and sitting right on Lila's dresser.We were so touched! She has been home 2 days now and to celebrate we went to the Shenandoah River to hang out and cool off. I was a great day and Lila warmed up to the river quickly but ofcourse she thought she had to bathe in river so she was scrubbing her hair(and Jakes)and anyone who came into her reach. She is the cleanest 2 yr old I know! Overall she is doing better than I expected I can't imagine making the same adjustments she has been foreced to make. I could barley make it for 2 weeks in China without crying everyday and I understood what was going on! She's a great kid and smart as a whip she fits our family like a glove!

This is really the last post from China!

Well Scott is getting ready to leave and I am trying to be a big girl about it! I don't think that we have ever been apart for 4 days since we have been married.
We went to a Thai resturant last night that was filled to the brim with adoptive families it was unreal!!After dinner we walked down to the river with some of the other familes. All the buildings lining the river are all lit up. This island has a very New Orleans feel about it. Lila is doing much better with us and today she will have her physical and visa photo to finish up her paperwork for the US side then on Thursday I will take the adoption oath and all will be said and done!

Last post from China

We finally made it to Guanjhou, our last stop in China. It's much more appealing than Beijing or Xian as you can see from the photo below.
I go home tomorrow morning and Jen will remain four more days. I'm taking the computer home so this is the last post from China. We'll post a couple more days once Jen returns home with Lila for her introduction to her new brothers. That should be a hoot. Below are few more photos from the last couple of days.




Here Lila is peeling an egg (one of her many skills).




Here Lila is eating and apparently enjoying her peeled egg.




In this photo she changes a diaper. Amazing.

Last day in Xian!!!

Today will be our last day Xian. We are pretty excited about that. I can now say I am comfortable with my decision not to become a world traveler. Given a choice, I'll take home, english and familiar surroundings every time. Tonight we will go out to a local resturaunt and sample the local specialty. Not sure what it is yet.

But here are a few more pictures from the trip so far.

The orphanage director and nanny.

Thursday July 3rd

Today we paid a visit to the Xian city wall. It's about 13.7km around. We walked along the top of the wall above all the traffic, people and noise. It was nice.

When we returned to the hotel Lila had some scrubbing up to do. Then we all went to Pizza Hut and had the most expensive personal pizza I've ever eaten. But it was pretty good.

Lila was happy to get back to turn in early.

Day ??? What day is it?

I think that about sums it up. Days are running together but still feels like time is at a stand still until we come home!! I am crossing the days off in my head. The boys will be in Charleston,SC for the rest of our trip so I am thankful they will be having a great time. Pop-pop & Gigi loaded up my van with the two boys and 2 dogs and made the 9 hr trip down! I can't wait to hear the events from that trip. Well things were a bit rough yesterday. We have learned that when Lila does not get what she wants she will let you and the rest of the hotel know about it!!! We know that things right now are stressful and are trying to make the best of it. We are all a bit stir crazy and can't wait to get back to our own house.
We saw the Terracotta Soilder Museum yesterday and it was just amazing.


We will try to post some new pics soon. We leave Sat morn bright and early for our final stop in China for the US Consulate appt. I am ready for a change of scenery. As I have said many times adoption is not for the faint of heart!! We hope today goes better.