One Month!

It's hard to believe that I have been holding this precious girl in my arms for one month!  Yesterday (July 17th) was one month since Gotcha Day - today is one month since our adoption was finalized in China!  In some ways it feels like forever-ago and others it feels like yesterday!  Makenna is adjusting to our family so well, it is clear that she was perfectly picked by God to be a Benner!  Our prayers have been answered.  Now... that is not to say everything is "peaches-n-cream", we definitely have our moments.  This is a time of adjustment for everyone!  It has been a long time since we had a four year old.  Meals, bedtime, playtime and even a ride in the car have a whole new dimension.  But... for the most part... we are all loving our new "normal".  This little girl has captured our hearts - our lives are richer, funnier, more challenging and our relationships are getting deeper.  There is nothing that can make our heart flutter like hearing a little girl in broken English say "Amen" after dinner prayers, sing Jesus Loves Me before bedtime or belt our our family's beloved theme song with the rest of us.  She is home and we are one month into our forever.  Yesterday was a good day to capture some fresh pictures... not that I'm biased or anything -- but isn't she just beautiful???

Love to all,

Jessica

The perfect night to celebrate with Rita's!

Welcome Home Makenna!

Thursday evening we arrived HOME... I think the pictures require no words to tell the story...

Welcome Home Makenna - we love you to the moon and back!

Time to go home!!

Our time in China has come to an end - we have enjoyed seeing Makenna's birthplace, but we are more than ready to get home to the rest of our family and start life as a family of five! We didn't sleep much on Thursday night - too excited, I guess. At 5:00 AM, we woke up Makenna and were headed to the airport by 5:30. Our flight to Beijing was delayed an hour - not a problem, since we had four hours or so in the Beijing airport before our flight to Newark. Our flight ended up leaving about 90 minutes late - still, shouldn't be a problem. The flight to Beijing was two and a half hours. We needed to claim our checked baggage and then go upstairs to check in for the international flight. We should have had plenty of time... BUT.. Our luggage ended up asking over an hour to come off our first flight. Then, we had a long line to check into our next flight. We hit every delay possible.... More long lines at Immigration and security and our flight at the farthest gate possible. Add to this that Makenna still wants Mama to carry her all the time. 

We arrived at the gate as the plane was boarding... No time for eating or resting before strapping Makenna in for the thirteen hour flight.  But... We are headed home!!

Waiting for our bags in Beijing...

Still waiting... Where are they?

Finally!