Nothin' could be finer than to be in Carolina!

So, if you are my friend on Facebook, or know me at all other than the blog, you know by now that WE ARE HOME!!  I'm so sorry to my bloggy friends that I've not updated until now.  We just have been SO busy trying to settle in, get used to being parents (crazy hours), and catch up on sleep when we can.

To summarize -- we got clearance to leave OK on Thursday, Nov. 4th, at 8:51 a.m.  We had a flight booked by 9:30 a.m., packed a month's worth of clothes, baby clothes & items, and only God knows what else!  I still have no clue how we got it all home!!  We got up with the attorney at his office to get our official adoption paperwork at 11 a.m., turned in our rental car and entered the airport at around 12:15 p.m.  We somehow managed to check in (without going over our weight limit on bags - another miracle from God!!  haha), go through a craaaaazy long line at security with the baby, car seat, boppy pillow, huge diaper bag, large rolling carry-on, large backpack with laptops, and much more (as well as take a couple minutes to chat with the TSA folks who ooo'ed and aaaahhh'd over Zane), get through the terminal and to our gate, fed the baby & changed him all before boarding at 12:45 p.m.!!  Yes, yet another miracle ;)  We are starting to expect these miracles at this point!  Haha!

Sadly, we did not get to see T. one more time before we left.  She had asked to possibly see us before we left and we texted her the day before (Wed.) and asked if she wanted to meet us at the lawyer's office (for safety for us & her) that day since we might be leaving on Thursday.  She texted right back and said yes, but that "he" was over at her house and she would have to call us back.  We never heard from her again on Wed.  We texted and called a couple times on Thursday but again never heard from her, and had to make our flights.  It made me very sad, and I felt like I really let her down by promising this last moment to her and not being able to come through.

At our layover in Chicago, we finally got a text from T.  She said she was texting from her computer (who knew you could do that??), and that the birthfather had broken her phone so she never got our texts or calls.  :(  I was devastated.  We texted back and forth until I had to shut the phone off to board the plane.  Long story short, she is still in danger from this birthfather - it's a sad cycle that is either difficult to break emotionally or dangerous to break, physically.  I am very concerned for her safety, and expressed my worries to her about this.  I suggested restraining orders (tried that, she says, but there was some legal loophole), moving within the city without telling anyone (can't get out of her lease, she says), moving away to where her family lives in Hawaii (doesn't want to leave her kids, who are in the custody of the birthfather's mother).... just seems like she is stuck with him and can't get away.  This truly breaks my heart.  Please pray for T., as she moves on with her life, that God will allow some door to open to break this cycle of emotional and physical abuse (perhaps you will pray as I do that he will again be arrested, and this time go to prison for a very long time).

So we promised that when we return to OKC in a couple months to finalize the adoption before a judge (have to have a post-placement assessment done by a social worker, like the home study done prior), that we could meet up then so she could see him.  I just really pray she stays safe until then, and that he will leave her alone.

On another note, even though irrevocable consent has been signed, the birthfather's family has made it known to our attorney that they are going to contest the adoption, and try to get custody.  We have been assured they have no case, but we would appreciate any prayers you can offer up on our behalf, because even if they convince a lawyer to take their case and get it court, we will have to spend even more money for legal fees and court costs to defend our case.  It is really sad that they truly believe he would be in a good environment in that family unit.  Not that we think we are "better" than they are, but the family dynamics really do speak for themselves... drugs, cops, violence, and it goes on.  We pray for their peace and even for their salvation.  I have prayed that God would help me to see them as Jesus sees them, so that I don't begin to have bitterness or anger against them.

So we landed at RDU in Raleigh at 7:37 p.m. Thursday night.  Zane did awesome on the plane - thanks to Kimberly my flight attendant friend who suggested he suck on his paci for the entire flight to help with ear discomfort.  He only cried at the last 2-5 minutes of descent, and it wasn't very loud or anything.  My good friend Amber, my dad, and Justin's dad & his wife met us at the airport and it was so fantastic to see their smiling faces!!

We got home to find some of our closest family and friends waiting there with a small Welcome Home party, complete with a Welcome Home banner in NC State style (designed by my talented brother), some BOJANGLES food (man, I missed that stuff), and lots of hugs and happiness.  What a sweet surprise.  My family and friends are the BEST.  They even cleaned our house- washed the sheets, dusted, swept/mopped, cleaned mirrors and bathrooms!

So we are settling in as parents.  I will post very soon about how that transition is going, what it's like to be an adoptive parent, and other fun things about the adoption, being a new mom, etc.  Thanks so much for the amazing support, prayers..... I just can't say Thank You enough.

Love,