Smooth Sailing!

First of all, I want to praise God for His Amazing love! I want all the glory and goodness of this experience and in my life to go to God. I hope you hear that :)!



Leaving Russia was a beautiful and smooth experience. Lex was amazing on the flight from Moscow to Chicago sleeping the last 3 hours of the flight and Jason and I even got to watch a movie. The first step off the plane in Chicago made Lex an American citizen. It was awesome to know he was safe and on American soil. Immigration went fast, Lex ate his first McDonald's french fry at the airport and before we knew it we were boarding for Dallas. From Chicago to Dallas he got a little unhappy and wanted out of his seat but all in all was fabulous for a 3 1/2 year old. I cried when we landed in Dallas because I was so happy to be home and to see Gabi and JR.

I could hear familiar voices as I rode down the escalator in terminal D at DFW . Soon I saw Gabi, JR, my mom, my dad, the rest of mine and Jason's family, as well as the MacDonald and Harris family. It was a glorious reunion joining Lex with his new extended family. We stayed at the airport catching up for about 45minutes and then headed to the house with some of the family. Lex was shy around everyone for the first 15 minutes and then hyper drive kicked in and he was laughing and playing along with the rest of the cousins. It was a beautiful site!

Lex and Jason slept in Lex's room Friday night and Gabi, JR and I slept in my and Jason's room. We got to bed at about 12:30am and Lex was up at 6am ready to play. JR was not feeling good the night before and woke up saying he wanted to go to the doctor so we headed out to find a place that was open at 8am on a Saturday morning. The only one we found was a Care Now in Hurst. He ended up have strep so I'm glad we went to the doctor.

Jason's sister Lizette came over in the afternoon with Chase and Morgan to play with Lex and they were cute together. Doing gymnastics and looking at his new toys. My sister Suzanne, Wade and Payton came over later that day and we had a great time catching up. Lex continued to amaze us with his ability to adapt and get along with new people. He had a hard time going to bed Saturday night even without a nap that afternoon but we really can't blame him for not going right to bed in a new environment. I'm also sure his is testing and trying his limits in his new family. We are having him sleep in his bed in his room even though Jason or myself usually stays in the room until he is asleep.

Sunday we didn't make it to church not because of Lex but because of JR having strep. We are planning on being at church this Sunday and putting Lex into the 3 year old class. Should be interesting?? He may find some new friends and love it or he'll think we have left him in a new and strange orphanage and hate it. At lunch time we headed to my parents and had a great meal and afterwards stayed and talked on the back porch while Lex played with his cousins. It was wonderful to see him be free to roam in a yard with other kids. He laughed, went down a slide, swung in a swing and ate chips out of a bag while sitting on Papa's lap. I bet he thought he was in Heaven!!

Lex has rode his tricycle in our court, chased neighbor kids, ran barefoot in our yard, jumped on a trampoline, had a Popsicle, eaten chips with big kids at the kitchen table, sang a song while sitting on his cousins Preston's lap, played in the bath tub..... I could go on and on but one thing is for sure, this "little dude" has already had the time of his life and we are only on day 3!!! I love it!!

Have a great night and I'll write more soon.

God bless you all for caring about us!
Stephenie