We are home!

After a whirlwind day, we received our ICPC, had Joy discharged from the hospital, checked out of the Ronald McDonald house, had an apnea monitor ordered and delivered (complicated by multiple states and insurance plans), meet with the biological mother again, returned the rental car, and boarded an airplane for Houston. An exhausting day!

Our last day in the NICU!!


These are some of the nurses, the social worker, and one of the respiratory therapists at Glendale Memorial Hospital's NICU. They are wonderful people who love our little girl very much. We are truly in their debt!

When I learned we had our ICPC and could be released that very day, I did do a happy dance in the NICU - there were witnesses, I am ashamed to admit. :)

We flew with a 2 week old, brand new graduate of the NICU in a plane that was totally full - not a single empty seat. It was crowded and we are insane to expose her to all those germs, but we had to get home. Here is Joy at the airport.



Joy is now at home. She is the youngest of five sisters. She is a granddaughter of two sets of loving grandparents. She has many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Today she was introduced to some of the many family members that love her so very much!
What a blessing!

Our plane flight left LAX at 12:30 AM on Tuesday morning and arrived in Houston at 5:51 AM.
This is Sammi and Lizzy greeting us at the front door bright and early Tuesday morning!


Meeting Grandma Ball, Uncle Nathan, Aunt Mandi, Aunt Cyndi, Uncle Jeremy, cousins Andrew and Jacob. She also meet Grandma and Grandpa Turpin who picked us up from the airport (thank you!) I think I was too tired to get pictures. She also meet Aunt Marissa and cousins Megan, Grace, and Aidan. Despite what it looks like, we are trying to "look, and not touch" - at least not much! :)

What do the big girls think of Miss Joy? Let's just put it this way, We have to divide every chore - you can wipe the baby, you can put the diaper rash ointment on the baby, you can fasten the left tab of the diaper, and you can fasten the right tab of the diaper. Every task of tending to a newborn must be divisble by four so that each girl can help Joy. I'm not kidding. There were tears because "she changed more diapers than I did" today. It probably won't last, but I am so glad that they all love their new baby sister.

Here we are getting ready to change a diaper :)

Thank you everyone. Thanks for your prayers. We know we aren't anyone super wonderful or amazing. We are just a family trying to do what the Lord has asked us to do. The Lord truly has provided the way. Jason told me that more than anything he has been taught that when the Lord asks us to do something, He provides the way.
We have seen it demonstrated in every aspect of this adoption. We appreciate your prayers so very much!!

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. (1 Nephi 3:7)

On to more pictures, better than my rambling any day...

Jessi and Joy - Jessi loves that both of their names start with "J"


Becca with Joy and monitor


A tired Sammi and Joy


Happy Lizzy being "helped" - poor Joy


Becca learning to feed her sister


Just staring.......................We love you Joy!!!!!!!!
A beautiful beginning for our family