• Home
  • About
  • Wild Olive Tees
  • No Hands But Ours
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • RSS

Ni Hao Y'all

when east meets south

  • Ni Hao Y'all
  • Faith
    • my faith
  • adoption
    • special needs adoption
      • clubfoot
      • Down syndrome
      • dwarfism
    • shared list
    • advocating
  • family
    • Magnolia
    • Clementine
    • Tallula
    • Poppy
    • Esther
    • Vivienne
    • Shepherd
    • Jude
    • Isabelle
    • Sophie
    • Dalton
    • Asher
    • Zach
    • Victoria
  • Life
    • memory lane
    • what works for us
    • things I love
    • Q and A
    • marriage
    • cooking
    • celebrations
    • blogging
      • love others
      • kudos
  • photography
    • photography 101
    • Sunday Snapshot

since then

Wow – a week since we got home.

Feels like no time. And it feels like forever.

In an effort to chronicle Clementine’s journey accurately, I wanted to share the few pictures I took between then and now.

sincethen

On our last night in China we walked out for dinner with some sweet friends we made on this trip. Sweet enough to agree to numerous efforts at a family photo of us on a busy street in Guangzhou, when we all should have been packing.

We started the trip together when we met flying out of Birmingham, toured together in Beijing, and ended the trip together in Guangzhou. Over a hotpot, some meatballs, and lots and lots of laughter.

Thankfully they live just a few hours from us – so goodbye wasn’t goodbye. Just so long.

sincethen-2

The trip home was relatively uneventful. As uneventful as 34 hours of travel with a 19-month old can be.

Clementine was a superstar – eating, drinking and sleeping her way home. She fussed at not being able to lay flat out as she is accustomed, but she managed to get in about 8 hours on the 12 hour international flight.

The rest of us weren’t quite as successful in getting our sleep on. But no vomiting occurred, and no other explosive expulsions. Whew.

sincethen-3

We hit the ground in Birmingham at 9:30 PM, completely exhausted. And blissfully happy.

We had quite a welcoming committee waiting for us at home. We stayed up until 1 AM, despite our fatigue, just sharing stories, catching up.

And feeling overwhelmed at God’s goodness. Clementine was home at last.

sincethen-4

The next day was Thanksgiving. And with so much to be thankful for, it was perfect.

My mom, sister and her family drove in to meet Clementine. And to help Victoria put together an unbelievable Thanksgiving feast.

sincethen-5

So. Good. Every bit of it.

(I am officially retiring as overseer-of-the-preparation-of-celebratory-food in our home, at least until Victoria refuses the position.)

sincethen-7

It was even better to all be under the same roof with our loved ones.

Several of our kiddos were sick (or getting sick) – so snuggling with their new baby sister would have to wait.

sincethen-8

But now we have forever.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • More
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
«
»

12.03.14 · celebrations, Clementine, To China for Clementine 11

Comments

  1. Sheryl says

    December 3, 2014 at 3:59 PM

    What a wonderful Thanksgiving! Home just in time, not having to cook and celebrating your newest addition. You are blessed!

    Reply
  2. Cindy says

    December 3, 2014 at 4:43 PM

    So happy to hear your trip home went well!! I have been checking your Instagram page. It’s great to see all the photos and hear how Clementine is doing. What a dear family you have! I am very impressed how well you to it with 12 children! We have one daughter and she is 5 and she is adopted from China. She keeps us on our toes!

    Reply
  3. tg says

    December 3, 2014 at 4:54 PM

    love it all!!!

    Reply
  4. lifewithkaishon says

    December 3, 2014 at 4:56 PM

    This was so beautiful to read. I prayed for you every time I saw a facebook post. May God bless your family.

    Reply
    • NiHaoYall says

      December 4, 2014 at 3:45 PM

      SO grateful for each and every prayer, my friend <3

      Reply
  5. thegangsmomma says

    December 3, 2014 at 5:22 PM

    OH! GAK! I was good till that last line. Held it together just fine till, “But now we have forever.” Seriously…. you killed me with that one.

    Praying for a peaceful, quiet, HEALTHY HOLIDAY season of snuggling, relaxing and adjusting for you all. Thanks for sharing your homecoming celebration with us.

    Reply
    • NiHaoYall says

      December 4, 2014 at 3:46 PM

      Forever is a beautiful thing, isn’t it? Thanks so much for the prayers – they certainly have been felt on this journey to our sweet girl <3

      Reply
  6. Jim R says

    December 3, 2014 at 5:49 PM

    Congratulations and welcome home.

    Reply
  7. Gina Smits says

    December 3, 2014 at 6:02 PM

    It was so good to meet you in Guangzhou! Wish we could’ve spent more time together. So glad that Clementine is doing so well. We are still recovering, big time, from jet lag and Julia is not sleeping well at all, but otherwise, she’s doing fantastic!!!!!!

    Reply
    • NiHaoYall says

      December 4, 2014 at 3:44 PM

      Gina Smits! So good to hear from you, what fun it was to meet you and yours in Guangzhou 🙂 Hope Julia is sleeping better soon!

      Reply
  8. MA says

    December 4, 2014 at 11:55 AM

    Congratulations! You and your husband are so blessed to be surrounded by so much love. And your children are so blessed to have you as their parents. Carey’s mom, Marilyn

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

I'm Stefanie. Wife to one, mom to 13. Occasional blogger and t-shirt maker. Wannabe photographer and exerciser. Constant grace-needer and orphan advocator. more
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS

Subscribe

instagram

see more...follow us on IG

our china journeys

magnolia - 2016
clementine - 2014
tallula - 2012
penelope - 2011
vivienne - 2010
shepherd - 2008
jude - 2007
sophie - 2006
isabelle - 2005

ways to make a difference

Love Project

proceed with caution

a dirty secret in adoption
we don't celebrate gotcha day
there's no such thing as an easy adoption
if I can, you can.
co-sleeping, why we do it.
gawsh. the series.
crazy
affording adoption
God and me.
Vivi's diagnosis
the ugly, beautiful truth
special needs: my .02
my testimony
dear anonymous
my chinese son

Creative Commons License

Copyright © 2023 · Darling theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 · Darling Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.