We started the trip home on Wednesday morning (US time) via a train from Guangzhou to Hong Kong. Maren was quite unhappy for about 45 minutes. Another adoptive family mentioned their child had a hard time, as well. We wonder if the packing up and leaving the hotel confused her. We then flew from Hong Kong to Tokyo, and we made our connection (we only had 1 hour between flights). This leg of the trip was a 4 hour flight. We then flew from Tokyo to Detroit which was 12 hours. The flight was extremely rough (the flight stewardess told us the captain had warned them about it being a rough ride due to storms), and we were unable to get up to walk around much. Once in Detroit, we went through immigration where Maren became a U.S. citizen. We then flew from Detroit to St. Louis. We know that you all were interceding in prayer for these flights, as Maren did very well. We packed several toys for her, but typical toddler-style guess what she had the most entertainment value: the plastic coffee cups, plastic spoon, and packaged butter (from the meal trays). She used them to "cook" with a lot of her time.
We arrived in St. Louis around 6PM. Our other 3 children, Michelle's parents, Michelle's cousin and her husband and son, Michelle's aunt, and 2 friends met us at the airport: waving U.S. flags and welcome Maren signs. We were overwhelmed with God's goodness, grace, and faithfulness to us during the time of greeting. Some friends of Michelle's twin sister (and us) brought our van to the airport (and nonetheless, to our suprise, had it cleaned inside and out!). Maren had her first ride in a carseat (in China, there are no carseats and no seatbelts); she had sad eyes, whimpered, and pulled on the straps for the majority of the trip. We felt bad for her as we know it had to be confusing for her. On the way home, we kept thanking God for completing this journey to being a forever Boatman family. It seemed surreal to have our entire family together finally. We know He protected us and kept each detail of the trip running smoothly.
When we got home last night, we had breakfast waiting for us for this morning: cinnamon rolls, donuts, milk, and juice (a good friend brought these in for us). We showed Maren her home, and she began playing with her siblings immediately. I think she decided pretty quickly that older siblings are a blast! She was smiling and laughing with them as they played together. She woke up 3 times whimpering and crying in the night; however, she woke this morning with a smile. She has played with her siblings, met her neighbor friends, and enjoyed time with cousins today. We went to Walmart and Sams to restock our shelves. She rode in the shopping cart the last half of the trip and seemed to enjoy the shopping trip. Tonight some of our family came over with ice cream treats.
Multiple times the past 24 hours of being home we have thought how amazing God's sovereignty and grace is in our lives. In the adoption arena, we have often heard family's mention the phrase "one less," meaning there is one less orphan in this world today (the adoption day). As of August 2nd, there is "one less." Maren is a picture example of God's adoption of us as children of His. His choosing her to be "one less" orphan in order to enrich and bless our lives along with Him ordaining that even us, as her parents, were born into the lives we were, is speaking into our hearts: His mercy abounds.
We do not even have adequate words to express the closing of this portion of our journey. We are overflowing with gratitude to God for faithfully seeing Maren and us through this until she is home at last. We thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support along the way: we knew throughout this journey that prayer requests and praises were being brought before our Father.
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