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3.29.2010

"Arriving"

Today my sister's new family of four is on the long haul home.  They land sometime around seven and will be greeted by what I'm sure will be a rather large crowd of family and friends.  After exchanging many hugs, responding to many variations of "You guys must be exhausted," telling snippets of stories (I personally can't wait to hear about the Taipei 101 meltdown), and gathering their luggage, they will buckle the kids into their new car seats and head home.

Home.

To their own space, their own kitchen, their own yard, their own beds.

Home.

Where they will figure out what it looks like to be a family of four.  There will likely be fits and tears shed.  (Maybe a few by the adults as well.)  But more importantly, there will be hugs and kisses.  And I imagine that the words "Wo ai ni" (Mandarin for I love you) will echo throughout the walls.

Slowly the jet lag will wear off, the combination of Mandarin, English, sign language and pantomime will become easier, introducing new "American foods" will become less of a frustration, rules for the house will be learned, and suddenly life will be normal.  Different, as of course it has to be with new members in the house, but normal.

We're pretty close to that now ourselves.  It seems hard to believe that Thursday will mark four weeks for us since our arrival back in NC.  (Gracious me I need to get Thank You notes written!)

We've had our share of fits and tears.  We've shared hugs and kisses.  Jet lag is gone.  We've found some American classics that Darcy will devour.  She understands many of the household guidelines, and her siblings are learning to share their prized possessions with her.  Our form of mixed languages works for us.  And slowly but surely, "wo ai ni" is being replaced with "I love you Mommy."

Darcy now voluntarily takes her place at the window to wave to Ian as he leaves for work in the mornings and runs to the door yelling, "Ba ba!" when he gets home.  She now seeks me out from time to time during play time with her siblings to initiate an Eskimo kiss or a long snuggle.  She plants kisses on her sister's cheek and gives hugs to her brother and joins in their imaginative play.  Just Wednesday night she shook her head no when I started to take her to my room to go to bed and pointed to her bed in "the girls' room" instead.  (She's slept through the night in her own bed each night since then).  She giggles when Maya comes into the room and sits down on the floor to pet her dog.  It just feels like we've all been together here in our cozy little home so much longer than 3 1/2 weeks.  

I'm not sure that I'd say we've "arrived" just yet.  Darcy still pushes away from Ian or her siblings from time to time.  Kylie still asks EVERY time before we leave the house if Darcy is going to be going with us.  And sweet Caleb still asks to pray that "Darcy come home soon" every few nights at bedtime (guess it got engrained in his mind over the nine months he knew about her before we traveled).

But we are close to "arriving" as a family of five.  

Really, really close.

Praise God for His ability to knit families together across race, language, and political boundaries!

15 comments:

Grandma Shultz said...

Darcy, you are such a big girl to be sleeping in your own bed in your room with Kylie. Kylie, I know that you are happy to have your sister sleeping near you now.
Caleb, I know that you are enjoying your own room once again.
The three of you are very precious to Grandma. I love you.

Ann Marie said...

Magnificent!

Ann Marie

Rachelle said...

Glad they are on the way back... UGH what a long trip that is...

WOO HOO Darcy is in her own room! That is HUGE! Praise God!

Kathy said...

That is so beautiful - there is nothing like being a family. And what good news that Darcy is sleeping in her own room with Kylie. I know that Kylie is happy to have her sister there with her at night.

Brad said...

Beautifully said.

Amy Murphy said...

What a wonderful post! (and answer to prayer!) So glad you guys are arriving to your new normal! Soooo happy for you!

Jamie said...

Kristi I love reading your blog b/c it is so inspiring! You are an amazing mother and I am so happy for your family of 5 and for Traci's family of 4! I wish we would all end up at Sunset again together this summer. Wouldn't that be fun to have all those kiddos playing together!

Pam said...

Both girls in the "girls room!" I love it! Sounds like everything is going just as it should. Yay!

Pam said...

Both girls in the "girls room!" I love it! Sounds like everything is going just as it should. Yay!

Lilly said...

routine, routine, routine! it's what my kiddos scream and so do I. American foods? not so much for this chinese boy, at least not yet.

i am impressed at the ability of kids understanding everything we said to them, and at the same time feel vulnerable at the circumstances around. blessed their little souls!

Lindy D. said...

How wonderful that Darcy decided to sleep in her own bed. You are indeed the baby whisperer!!

Glenda said...

Yes, it does seem like Darcy has always been part of the M--- family. Abbey prayed for Elijah to come home many times after we got home.

a Tonggu Momma said...

This brought a smile at the end of a long day...

Nancy said...

Sweet post!!!

Lisa said...

Amen and praises all around! Two new families knit together, two new normals and Darcy is in HER bed!!!