We made it!

Well we made it home Sunday night!  Jonah did great on the plane.  There were a few times when he got a little cranky, but I got cranky too!!!  I was so worried about the trip.  The oxygen, him, and ALL our luggage.  Maneuvering was not easy.  I was feeling very anxious when we were about to leave the hotel so I sat down with J while B was getting a cart for all our luggage and we said a prayer (he LOVES to pray).  We got to the airport and B got a cart.  He pushed it with 5 pieces of luggage on it and then pushed another one.  I had J in a stroller with three backpacks and his small rolling luggage.  We got in the LONG line to check-in and immediately a man came up to us and put us in the priority line and we were next.  Like I said, J did great on the plane.  We got to Japan and had to go through another security check...seriously there are SO many checks these days it is unbelievable.  We couldn't find our stroller that we gate checked.  B left me with three rolling luggage bags, three backpacks, and a four year old!  I was trying to go through the long security line by myself when a man came up to me and told me to go to the priority line!!  I think I really looked a hot mess!  While we were waiting in Japan J started talking about the orphanage.  He wasn't getting upset, but I could tell it was coming.  Sure enough, right before we were supposed to leave he said "I don't want to go to America!"  So I picked him up and said "I know you miss your friends, but we have to leave stinky Japan!"  I have nothing against Japan at all and I don't think it stinks, but I knew he would think that was funny and he did.  So we got in line to get on the plane and again, a lady came up and asked us to go to the priority line!  A few hours into the long trip I prayed that God would let J take a nap.  As soon as I opened my eyes he was asleep!  Then we got to L.A. and we had to go through Customs.  We got in line and...yep...someone immediately asked us to go to the priority line and we were next!  Another thing I was worried about was our last flight.  We all had separate seats.  I was praying hard about that.  B went up to the desk and the lady changed our tickets so we all sat together.  I know another family had the same problem and they were not as blessed.  Oh and I didn't even talk about the fact that he didn't need to use the oxygen!!!  THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!!!  That was a huge praise.  So the trip went smoothly...amazingly smoothly...supernaturally smoothly.  We were so blessed.  God answered every one of our prayers. 

We were welcomed by a huge crowd of people who love us and who love J.  I was also praying for how he would handle the welcoming party and he did awesome!  It was very overwhelming for me!  I held back tears because I didn't want him to breakdown!  It was amazing though.  A huge thank you to everyone who was there to welcome us home.  Our friends and family also cleaned our house, stocked our kitchen, and have been bringing us dinner every night!  Yes, we are loved...and we love!

We are adjusting at home.  Jet lag has been bad, but we are praying he is over it now.  I got some good tips and here is what we did yesterday:

• We got lots of sunlight
• We got out and tried to get rid of energy
• We stayed outside while the sun was going down so he could see it was getting to be night time
• We kept him up until 11:45!!! 
• We turned all the lights down closer to bed time and we did some low key activities like reading books
• Then we gave him some food so he wouldn't wake up due to hunger

He slept from 11:45 until 10:00...when we forced him to get up.  We aren't going to keep him up as late tonight, but we are doing all the other things.

He is really testing us and seeing how far he can push us.  We are using all the techniques we have seen our friends use.  We have some friends who are amazing parents!  The whining is killing us though!!  But we also have to remember that his schedule is completely off and he is used to a VERY strict schedule.  Overall we are doing great and he his handling everything really well.  I will have to post on attachment at another time.

We are going for our first doctor visit on Friday morning!  You can pray for that!!  He has to have lots of tests done at the cardiac clinic at a local hospital.  Our cardiologist can't wait to see what his insides look like and how it all works together. 

Sorry no pictures this time.  Just be glad I was able to sit down and write an update!!!  Pictures coming soon.

Katie