Big Happy Family

We are home with Bryant and it is more than wonderful. We are now one big happy (and exhausted) family. It was a 24 hour journey from the time we left our apartment in Moscow to the time we landed at home. Bryant slept 4 of those 24 hours. We slept a big fat 0. I have to admit that the travel back home was one of the more difficult things I have ever done. I am happy to now forget every minute of it. When we arrived at the airport in Moscow we realized Bryant was running a fever. He had a cold when we picked him up at the orphanage but the cough kept getting worse and then the fever started. His 1 year molar teeth are coming in too so you can only imagine how he felt. And to top it all off he had a blow-out diaper right before boarding. I knew right then we were in for a long day. Even though he was sick he still had a smile on his face. He is such a trooper. I am amazed at his strength. During the plane ride when I felt like crying I thought look at all this little boy has been through and he can still manage to smile. I do think surviving the trip home brought us all closer in a crazy kind of way.

 When the wheels of the final flight touched down I was the first one out of my seat, the plane may have still been moving. The minute I stood up the tears started rolling. By that time everyone on the flight had seen me and we explained that we had three daughters anxiously waiting to meet their little brother. Everyone was so sweet and happy for us.  As we walked out of the airport we were greeted by our girls and family with a "Welcome Home Bryant" sign that the girls made. The happiness, joy, and relief were flowing out of me through my tears. The beautiful faces of my girls and family were staring back at me and I thought how lucky I was to have them all. As a tired little Bryant met his three sisters he took one glance and gave them a smile. You could feel the love and acceptance radiating from them. They had their brother home.

 Bryant now has one big Mommy and three little ones. The girls are very nurturing, but are almost smothering him. When we left the airport to come home Bryant started crying when we put him in the car seat which I figured he would since it was his first time being in one. I looked back in the car and  Sara Kathryn and Macie were crying. They were so upset that he was crying. They can't stand for him to be upset or cry. The littlest sister, Amelia, has been running around bragging about her new status "I da Big Sista." She is also the one Bryant loves to play with and watches her every move.

 Getting off the plane as my feet touched the ground all I could do was thank God for this little boy he has entrusted in my care and for bringing me back home safely to my girls. All of my prayers had been answered. It is proof that God does exist and through him anything is possible. The journey to adopt Bryant has been extremely difficult but as I watched my baby sleep in his crib on his first night home I realized it was all worth it.