WE ARE HERE IN SAIGON, VIETNAM!!!!

I think it's like 1am now on the 12th of March!??? We have just landed after traveling for over 24 hrs. I did NOT take a watch and I was so confused on what time it was in Texas, Seoul, Saigon, what day it was, how much longer on the flight, etc.... Exhaustion has filled my body but joy & excitement race through in anticipation of the next few days.

We found Heather & Jason from SC (who will be traveling with us to NT to get 1 y/ o boy) & then also Carla & Mike from OK (they will go to Vinh Long to get 3 y/o boy) - at DFW airport...all on the same flights! We will meet Rachel & Tim from SD for breakfast in a few hours (going to Vinh Long -to get 3 y/o girl) breakfast.)

Our lay over was more than stressful trying to transfer planes & get through security with ONE LINE & then running in my FLIP FLOPS to the end of the terminal to get to gate 41!!!! Now, I realize why I always wear tennis shoes when traveling and don't know why I didn't this time... I will be buying a pair today & a WATCH!!! Like my littl' Sammy, I love to know the numbers...what time is it here and in TX???

I was teary-eyed on the plane reading again through Maile's birth mother's paperwork on the plane...just as I embark on being Maile's FOREVER Mommy, I know it is ONLY because of the LOVE of her birthmother that we have this little life soon-to-be in our arms!!! Maile's birth mom took her to Ninh Thuan Orphanage ONE day before she turned 18 mos. old on June 12 of 2006...Her birth mother's b-day is Sept 4, right between mine & Joseph's...so many thoughts/ emotions run through my head...what was the decision like for that moment of Maile's birth mother to say, "ok, I want a better/ longer life for you...I give you a new opportunity with another family..." Oh my heart aches for her, a face I will never meet but a heart I can pray for always... I hope somehow, someway the orphanage can relay to her that Maile is going to a GOOD HOME filled with LOVE, big brothers & resources to reach her fullest potential. I just want her birthmom to know that, I can only pray she will know that in her heart someday...

Landing at 11:30pm in Saigon on Sun 3/11...we were all so relieved to meet Minh, Thomas & Tinh greeting us with a Dillon sign among the 100's, I mean 100's of people greeting their family members!!! It's quite a sight to see...you feel like a celebrity but in reality you are a peon in a foreign land, helpless & looking for someone to understand English... I got teary eyed again when the emotions flooded me of realizing I was "back HOME" again to see my homeland and this time return with a littl' girl in hand...WOW...It felt like I was just here and yet a year ago...a lifetime of events have happened in between as well... We will look forward to meeting up again with Phat from MY adoption agency (AIAA) & Viet who was our tour guide on my Motherland Tour last March 2006.

I cannot believe STILL this is happening, it's surreal...all I have to say before signing off is "Maile: we are HERE and we are coming to get you sweet baby girl!!!!!!!!!!!!" Each moment we are closer :) ...March 13th & 14th will be days I will NEVER forget...meeting Maile for the first time & then having her "Forever Ours" on the 14th!

Michelle & friends: PLEASE tell my mom & the boys we LOVE them & HUG 'em around the necks for us! My heart broke to see Samuel cry on our send off...PLEASE just tell them how much we love them & that we are so proud of them!!!!! Our mission will soon be accomplished and we'll be bringing their littl' sister HOME!!!!

Signing off for now as I will TRY to get some rest for the adventure that awaits us, Ms. Saigon