Sweet Home Alabama

Hi, family and friends! We made it, we made it! The last two days were grueling--a 2 hour train ride to Hong Kong turned into a 6 hour mini-bus ride--LONG story. Then, after the long 14.5 hour flight from HK to Detroit, we had a 7 hour layover that became a 9 hour layover after a late flight. Then, on that flight from Detroit to Bham, we had to put all our things throughout the plane and couldn't get to forumula, clothing, or diapers when both kids had major stink fests in their pants and Brenna got hungry...it was NOT pretty. But, we made it! My sweet mother in law was holding welcome signs and balloons for us and we cried and cried upon arriving. Micah slept from 1-6 am and Brenna 'til 9:30am. They're both napping now--which is nice!

We took Brenna to her pediatrician today...she's already gained 2.5 pounds since July 6th!!!! She really had a come apart at the doctor's office--she has so much fear from her hospital stay I'm sure and I think maybe she just needed to cry some after all the change and stress she's been through. It was so good to be able to hold her and love on her as she came apart. She's a very brave, special little girl. The doctors will be testing her for all sorts of things, but we feel that most likely she'd been getting less than half of what she needs calorically and has a parasite. I cannot even begin to explain how it feels to know your daughter has been starving. So surreal. She's beginning to blossom more and more--the last few days she's starting to try and hold her bottle and touch food. We are quite sure that she was never allowed to get her hands anywhere near food--perhaps even hit or yelled at when she tried--but now she's learning so much. She's learned to wave the last two days and understands several words--her favorites are congee, eat, more, Mommy, and Daddy.

Thank you all so much for the amazingly clean house and the awesome food and sweet cards, pictures, and decorations!!! Brenna LOVES the picture of us as a family--she touches it and squeals--so neat! Brenna loves the congee her Chinese aunties provided--thank you!!!

Love, love to all!!!