Home, Sweet, Home!

Hello everyone, and thank you so much for checking back in. I've had a few people tell me I better hurry up and post or someone will think we never made it home! So sorry for the delay---we had a lot of jet lag to overcome and now I have a little 'helper' that would love to work on the computer with me!

So--the 32 hours of travel were just what I expected---YUCK. Our flights were fine, all on time and no lost luggage. However, my 2 year old was so not into flying, and spent many hours crying and/or not sleeping. By the time we were in the middle of our 13 hour flight from Tokyo to Chicago, I was also crying, causing the flight attendants to start to worry. Neither of us (Leila or I) felt much like eating and we were so exhausted...it was pretty miserable. We did make it through and once in Chicago, I began getting so excited to finally board the plane to Kansas City. Once we boarded that easy, one hour flight, I think Leila thought we were doing the 13 hour thing again and she was not happy. However, we kept her occupied and finally made it to Kansas City. As we were landing I told Jason I had NEVER been so excited to see Kansas City in all my life.

When we got off the plane, we had quite the entourage waiting for us. Jason's parents and the kids were there, as well as three of my close friends, Traci, Autumn, and Kelli. Autumn had given the kids "big brother" and "big sister" shirts and they all looked so cute! Cameras were clicking---but not mine---so I'll get those pictures posted ASAP. We probably looked so tired by then...I hardly even remember it. Leila was great with the kids right away. She was doing all kinds of silly things just to get them to laugh and of course, they were a very captive audience. Madison had made brownies at home, and brought one for Leila---amazing the effect chocolate can have. We had worried so much about the car seat and her reaction to it but she never even noticed as she was way too focused on that brownie! When we got home, we played for a little while but it was already 11:30pm and we were all ready to crash. I did get Leila to sleep in her bed, and she entertained Madison by singing herself to sleep.

We've now been home 6 days and I wouldn't say we're completely over jet-lag/sleep deprivation, but we're getting there (I think we counted that in 32 hours of travel, Leila slept about 4 and I slept a little less than that). The first couple nights Leila was up from 2-6am, so it truly felt like having a newborn again. When she does sleep, she tends to have pretty bad nightmares right now, so we're working though that. However---I'm posting this morning at 5:15am and she's still sleeping soundly after a good night of rest---almost nightmare free! (I know---this time I couldn't sleep!).

The kids absolutely adore her, and she is pretty happy to have such a captive audience all the time. She is especially attached to Madison and cried like crazy when Maddie got on the bus on Monday morning. She is bossing the kids around, pulling their hands and telling them where to go. She's also very attached to me, and still gets very sad if I leave the room or get up too suddenly, as if I may leave her. She'll let Jason take care of her in terms of bath or dinner, but still resists him holding her. This is hard for both of us, but we know in time it will change. Yesterday I had to clean a little bit to maintain my sanity, and I found that if I gave Leila jobs, she was very content. She put away my tupperware, the kids' silverware, and mopped the kitchen floor. OK, so maybe not---but that will come in time, too, right?

I forgot to mention that Sunday we were able to go to church after a decent's night sleep...boy did we underanticipate the homecoming! We are so blessed by our family and friends all over the US (and a few NOT in the US!). On Sunday, we were incredibly touched by the outpouring of support and love from all of those in our church family. We missed them very much and were so happy to be back "home" at LSCC---it is truly an amazing community which we will never take for granted.

ATTENTION FAITHFUL BLOG WATCHERS!
I have had so many people telling me that they watched the blog faithfully the entire time we were gone---I had NO idea! I wish I had written more for those of you who told me that you were continously "refreshing"---hate to think I was disappointing anyone!! Anyway---I had turned off my comments earlier this year due to someone getting into my blog and changing pictures into very obscene photos. However, I am going to turn back ON the comments today so that those of you who followed the blog can let me know. I think it would be cool for Leila to see (someday) all the people who were keeping track of her journey home. I do plan to print the blog at some point for her to read in the future. So please take a couple minutes, and let us know you were watching...we appreciate it! (Name/location would be great!)

Many have asked what I plan to do with the blog now that we're home. Hmmm...good question. I think I will continue to blog about Leila's transitions to life at the Potocnik home, and something tells me I'll have many stories to share about her, as well as my other 3 munchkins. I have always loved to journal and still have volumes of them from high school and college, so I guess this is just the updated version of my old "Dear Diary" years (and yes, I promise to spare you any entries re: zits or all the unfair chores my parents make me do).

Thank you again for your love and support, we are so honored that you've chosen to keep an eye on our story!

Love,
Jason, Alissa, Madison, Caeden, Rudy, and Leila Grace