Back to life

Welcome Home Eli!
A Perfect Homecoming!
Friday January 16th, 2009

Our family greeted us at the airport with colorful signs and balloons...Talk about a wonderful sight! I remember envisioning the moment we arrived home (longing for it at times) for months before we even left for Ethiopia. I just wanted us all to be together. And finally, after a really, really long plane ride, the dream became the reality. With tears of joy, we were greeted with hugs and familiar smiles. Much like the moments after the birth of a child, I'll never forget that moment. Thanks family (and Hilary!) for making that moment beautiful for all of us.


Family at the airport! Ben, Aunt Anne, Uncle Steve, Grammy Pammy, Uncle DJ, Auntie Sara, Grandma and Grandpa Markquart, Katie and Uncle Nathan. Zoe, Nate and Edie (in front). Hilary was the photographer! :)


Meet your sisters and brother, Eli!



Edie, chatting it up, with Eli!


Edie, making sure Eli knows everybody... Zoe, sizing him up!


Our first family picture!


Eli, flashing that smile...

Eli, once again, was a trooper! He slept about 80% of the flight home (with NO Benadryl!) and was calm and engaged for the other 20% of the time. Joel was thinking ahead and packed some balloons for the airport in DC to play with and burn off some energy. That proved to be a good thing. We found a good space in the airport (right near the newspaper stand telling of the plane in the Hudson...What was THAT!?!?) and Eli ran and jumped and giggled for about 45 minutes. People walking by smiled at his energy and a few people stopped to ask if we had just adopted him. They were surprised that he had only been with us for a few days. They commented that he seemed really bonded and happy. We agree. We were/are very surprised (and happy) with the way Eli was/is taking to us. He prefers to be carried, constantly wants to "go with" dad, and definitely has the word, "Mama" down perfectly. It was almost didn't seem possible that a week before we had never met.

Once at SeaTac, Eli took everything in. I can only imagine what he was thinking as we were hugging and crying in the middle of the airport! He met Nate, Edie and Zoe first. Nate was so excited to see his new brother, beaming his big semi-toothless grin! Edie, miss social, was introducing herself as her new sister in her normal "I'll take care of you" attitude. Zoe stood back and watched her older brother and sister with a little smile on her face. She finally looked at me and said, "He's cute." He made the rounds with the grandparents and aunt, uncles and cousins, giving an occasional smile that would be followed by a collective, "Awwwwww..." from the grown ups. It was the moment I had waited for and I remember trying to savor it, feel it, hear it, so that I would never forget it. I know, deep in my heart, I will always remember that as the moment we became a family.


So...the big question is, "How is Eli adjusting?" Well, this picture is a pretty good example! He is an amazing boy, so happy, so loving. He has learned (in the last 6 days he has been here) to love playing outside, especially swinging and riding the ride on toys. He is eating well and sleeping well. Each night the kids take turns laying with him until they both fall asleep. Sometime between us moving the kids back to their beds and us waking for the morning, Eli finds his way to our bed and snuggles in with us. It is a wonderful surprise to find him, sleeping soundly and calmly, in between us. He doesn't kick or sprawl like our other kids, so he manages not to be found until the morning! Nate, Edie and Zoe adore him and have each found special connections to him already. This was one of our biggest concerns, so we are beyond pleased that everyone is adjusting so well!

The one meltdown we encountered was our first morning getting everyone ready and off to school (Tuesday). Eli was getting dressed and started to whimper. During breakfast it turned into more of a cry. We were having trouble communicating with him to learn what was wrong. Finally, we figured out that he was unhappy with the flannel-lined cargo pants I had chosen for him that day (Darn. They are REALLY cute). Who would have thought? Apparently, our child has a preference for jeans. Once I pulled out the jeans, a huge smile pushed up the cheeks that still had traces of the wet tears. Go figure...

The sun was out on MLK day, which in our neighborhood means we're outside. Eli rode in the Barbie jeep for a couple hours, round and round the cal-du-sac, smiling and waving to us as he passed. I remember Joel and I waving and yelling, "HI ELI!" As he rounded the corner, Joel looked at me and pondered, "To think that a week ago he was in an orphanage in Africa..."

We know that we are providing a better life for Eli. He was an orphan in Ethiopia in every sense of the word. He literally had no one to raise him, to care for him, to love him. However, the blessing for us is Eli. Watching him with our other children, with our family, with our friends. He is making OUR life better. We are all better because of each other. And that is what a family is all about.

Welcome HOME Eli!