Aunt Karen tying the "Welcome Home" balloons on our mailbox before coming to pick us up at the airport.
We arrived at Newark, NJ airport about 6pm. We got our bags and went through immigration with no problem. We had the sweetest airport moment. Our family was waiting for us with a sign that read "Welcome Home Sweet Katie". Dan had the video camera to capture the moment and I had Katie. We didn't take many pictures at the airport or at Candela's afterwards. So most of these pictures are courtesy of my Mom who had her friend Liz come and take pictures at the airport.
Waiting for us to arrive....Aunt Nancy, AuntDolores, Aunt Karen, Mom-Mom Maureen, Mimi, Uncle Bill, Aunt Judy, Uncle Jeff. In the front row the kids....Katie's cousins.....William, Brady, Bailey, and Molly.
Katie meeting her family at the airport
We weren't the only ones having an airport moment. Karen meeting her daughter Mia. Remember Kevin and his Mom Carol traveled with us while Karen stayed home with there daughter Maddie.
Two couples who met in a social worker class a year and a half prior finally home with there babies.
We went right from the airport to Candela's for dinner. Remember this post.
When we got home there was a surprise waiting for us....a LADYBUG Christmas tree. We got Katie's referral on December 9, 2005. We bought Christmas presents for her and so did our family. My Mom and a couple of her friends from work put up this Christmas tree and decorated it with wallet size pictures of us in China glued to old Christmas cards. They topped the tree with a babydoll with ladybug wings and used a ladybug blanket for a tree skirt. So cute!
Picture of the ornaments.
After we got home, Dan walked Katie room to room showing her our home. Dan showed Katie her room and her crib. He tried to see if she would like her crib at home since she didn't like the crib in China. Well she didn't!
The next day, the tree with Katie's presents underneath.
The day after we come home we had a little welcome home party with family and friends. Karen did a great job with the cake and food for the party.
Katie opening her presents.
This picture makes me laugh. Katie checking out her new family.
We had a wonderful homecoming. Our friends and family couldn't wait to meet Katie Min Min.
I really enjoyed walking down memory lane and blogging about our trip to adopt Katie Min Min.
8 comments:
So sweet!! I'm so glad that you posted your photos and memories of your trip! What an adorable baby she was and such a beautiful little girl now!
Janet
How wonderful. Thank you for sharing this story with us.
Laura
That Christmas tree was a cute idea.
It still cracks me up that you went out to dinner after getting off the plane. There is no way I could have done all that after getting back. You amaze me. ; )
Sue
First of all, I absolutely ADORE the Christmas tree. Sooo creative! Secondly, we went out to eat straight from the airport, too! Great minds think alike.
Thanks for taking us on your journey to Katie Min Min! It was a great one!
What a welcome home!!! That was awesome....I loved the tree! That was a great idea. And I do remember the post you did on Candela's...as soon as I saw the picture, I knew exactly where it was taken!!
Have a nice weekend...see you next Saturday:)
Lisa
Jen- thank you for sharing your memories of your adoption journey and of Wuhan in particular! So fun to see your photos and compare sites and notes. Gave me the chills and brought back so many happy thoughts. Thank you.
And your Katie was (is) such a smiley baby! Oh my. Amazing- and you got so many good ones of her in China. Really great photos.
My Maddie is really smiley too- must be a Hubei thing! :)
Hugs
Just love all of the reminiscing. Wouldn't you love to replay some of the moments? I would give anything to get that referral call again.
thanks for sharing...the crib pic makes me laugh...although I am sure you weren't laughing at the time : )
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