MISSION ACCOMPLISHED...

29 March 2007...the LONGEST day ever...and still Rocco's 1st B-day...HAPPY B-DAY again Buddy!!!!

We are FINALLY HOME and now on my second wind...trying to enjoy the FAST INTERNET :) and being able to shower in my own house, pick out a plethera of CLEAN clothes, eat whatever suits my fancy in my pantry, hang out with my babies & just seeing my family again.

Our flight was rather bumpy at times, turbulance was on and off...but we land SAFE & sound in DFW around 10:30AM. I was so excited as Maile & I were washed up, changed into our "coming home outfits" and ready to race off the place to see our awaiting family/ friends. Well, as it turned out...we went through Immigration fairly smoothly, through one line, one room & got all stamped & OKed to get baggage. That seem to take forever, finding 5 bags but manage to finally gather them up. When ready to EXIT and the lady asks why we were in VIETNAM, we said to adopt our daughter...ANY FRUITS or MEATS that you bring back with you?? Don blurts out, I took ONE TANGERINE from the airplane!!!! THAT WAS IT....we were ushered to ANOTHER ROOM in customs where there were at least 20 PEOPLE IN LINE for another baggage check!!!! I was about to SCREAM.... I COULD SEE THE EXIT doors where our family was on the OTHER SIDE & we had to DETOUR because of Don's ONE TANGERINE...he will NEVER live that down nor probably ever eat another one for the rest of his life.... I was beyond LIVID...I could NOT believe we had to go through security for them to find the ONE TANGERINE in the PINK diaper bag, take it and then be on our way.....The baggage claim guys helping out sure had a LAUGH watching us wait in line for that!!!!! We WERE the running joke for them, someday I MAY laugh about it...but I certainly wasn't THEN!!!!

We FINALLY got through security in CUSTOMS which would have been AVOIDED if Don had EATEN the tangerine or NOT taken it with him...I was so irritated I could NOT cry or feel "emotions" of greeting our family. It was NOT a heartfelt, emotional reunion like I anticipated it being and I'm SOOO SORRY for my family & friends who waited so long to see our exit those doors!!!! It was ALL Don's fault and he knew it! But, I hope seeing Maile for the FIRST time made the wait worth while....Grandma Lizzy (my mom), the boys, Mama Karen, Aunt Michelle & Uncle Ken were there & Ms. Mandy with ANNA and her grandma, Karen greeted us joyfully and with open arms and kisses!!!! I was hot, sweaty (probably smelly) and sooooo relieved to be DONE with ALL the lines & waiting!!! The boys looked older, taller and more handsome since leaving them 19 days ago...they were soooo excited to see Maile (who has known her name for the most part as Thuy Trang almost the whole trip.) BUT, with showing constant photos of our closest family/ friends...she did amazingly well and did NOT cry until I tried to put her down. She was a wide-eyed as I anticipated her being, quiet, shy & taking it all in. Anna (who just came home with Mandy & Arnaud last Nov. and 2 yrs. old) was soooo sweet, precious & gregarious...offering string cheese & cheerios to Maile...she would NOT take anything Joseph, Samuel or Anna. We had a "production line" of cheerios to start...Joseph would put in my hand, then Maile would take it out of my hand and take about 5 bites to ONE cheerio. It was sweet to see everyone love on her & welcome her...Again, EVERYONE had seen, known & prayed for her for months, while she had NO CLUE what this "tomorrow would bring..." LANDING INTO AMERICA!!!!!

Maile did NOT take long to warm up, we had a FUN day of smiling for the first time at the AIRPORT (toward the end of our visit), singing in Vietnamese on the way home & :-) (smiling) at the family at lunch!!! **Maile Moments: She will put her HAND out to someone, in hopes they kiss her HAND and then she smiles and giggles. After lunch, the Solomons went to see Maile's (still unfinished) bedroom...as we were hanging out, she put her hand out to Aunt Michelle....and knowing what to do, kissed and kissed Maile's hand/ arm...she laughed & giggled "all over herself" (as Heather would say). It was such a precious moment!!!! She would SMILE heartedly at Uncle Ken & Grandmom Karen (Michelle's bro' & Mom). It's as if she KNEW they were so kind & loving & been praying for her arrival!!!!! She was still shy with the boys, esp. they were so excited, rambuncious & loud...she GRUNTS for NO - when the boys get too close like she did with Ba those first weeks of saying "Don't even think about touching me or picking me up!!" After the Solomons left, we tried to settle in for a nap...Joseph is sooooooo sweet, such a GREAT big brother, so kind & loving & gentle with her....eager to feed her, hold her & help run and get something. Well, the books the brothers bought her were a BIG hit...she EVEN raised her arms to have GRANDMA LIZZY pick her up to read the books!!!! It totally made my mom's day!!!!Then after Maile & I snuggled and crashed for a 2+ hrs. nap, she raised her arms AGAIN to GRANDMA LIZZY & SMILED at her...oh my gosh, my mom was IN HEAVEN!!!!! We both could NOT believe how well she had taken to my mom since she is a "big white woman" (what Joseph told my mom!!!- LOL!!!) It was a FUN evening & are in awe of listening to her littl' voice, laughter & commands to tell Daddy to carry her up AND downs the stairs (over & over again)!!!!! She would SHOUT something in Vietnamese & point upstairs with Don & giggled all the way down, Don got his work out with over 10 laps of carrying her back & forth!!!!!

Amazingly enough, after her bath tonight (which she does NOT LIKE AT ALL, whaled the whole time & spent half the time just trying to get her to SIT DOWN in the tub), she took her bottle & once asleep I put her in her crib in HER room!!!! We'll see how long that lasts, I KNOW I will hear as soon as she wakes up and I'm not there in this STRANGE & CRAZY Carlson household!!!! Overall, great day with seeing Maile COME HOME....she feels strangely peaceful & comfortable which is such an amazing blessing!!!! It's STILL surreal to me, but THRILLED to keep living this LIVE DREAM of having our first & probably ONLY baby girl!!!!! I fully intend to spoil her rotten :) (yet still expect obedience, really!!!!)

Until later, THANK YOU again for those who followed our journey, there will be many more stories/ antidotes of Maile as she adjusts to this CRAZY American lifestyle...and a SPECIAL THANK YOU for those at the airport to welcome us HOME: my mom (who is my hero), my incredible sons, Joseph & Samuel-whom I am so proud of beyond words, Mama Karen, Aunt Michelle & Uncle Ken (& Solomons) who ARE FAMILY here for us in TX & Mandy, Anna & Ms. Karen - whom I adore & appreciate already for forging the bond for Maile & Anna to build a friendship from Ninh Thuan, VN to Dallas, TX!!!! WE LOVE YOU soooo much and cannot wait to see you again, I promise to be more relaxed, less stressed out/ mad & CLEAN :)!!!!

Thrilled our work is done in VN and MAILE is HOME!!! Kim-Lan