Isabella Danielle: Friday/Sat/Sunday

Sunday
March 15
What a good first full day home, it was wonderful. Isabella slept in her own bed and was the last one to get up at around 7:00
She has a yogurt breakfast and while Dan, Coty and Chloe went to church and the other girls stayed home with me to catch up. Isabella continues to be so happy.
During the day she rollerbladed, rode her bike, played in the yard, loves the piano and Cam and Tori took her to the park. She is having a blast.
As we watched her and Dan walk hand in hand with the other girls running around them, Coty said “you know mom I think our family just feels perfect” We I could not have said it better.
While there is still work ahead she is making forward steps everyday. She watches her sisters wanting to fit in. To think our Gotcha Day was March 2 is amazing. She still is a little stingy on hugs and kisses to me but the point is I get some! Not too long ago I could not even touch her. I am so thrilled she LOVES her Daddy so much. Tori is also wonderful to her. And well, we are “filling her bucket” with love and love to see her so happy!!
Keira is struggling much more. She had a sad first night and during the day still has quiet crying times. She called on Skype where the girls can see each other and wanted Isabella to come over so bad. She calls on the phone and asks her to come over and also still cries for the guide. She has to learn to be independent of Isabella and I’m sure that is scary on top of all the changes. She loves her family and will allow Stacy to comfort her when she is sad but still is sad. Time will change it but its hard until then. I’m hoping for a better night tonight for the Knopers.
I’m getting ready for a “normal” week. Work on Monday night, school with the girls and yes lots playing. Going to keep Isabella’s week very quiet…hope to have her not leave the house but we will see.
Praying for continued good progress with Isabella and less sadness for Keira.
Tammy
Ps. The pictures are some from her first day home. I hope to get copies of the airport picture later.

WE ARE HOME!!!
March 13/14/
Thursday/Friday night we started packing for leaving on Friday. Ohhhh that’s not a treat. I love to pack, repack and then do it again but I did not have time for that so we just was just shoving things in!! We did not purchase many things but we both felt like it was going to be a little tight so Coty ran out at to try and buy a suitcase. Fun to watch him from the hotel room window talking, looking, walking away and then back after they made their “best offer” as he was going to leave. TOO FUNNY, he is so good at knocking down prices! So we finished packing and had about 3 hrs sleep before we needed to get up and ready to go. Its always such a frantic time to finish things up, pack, check-out, think about what would be needed in Hong Kong, snack for the girls etc but we were ready and out the door and on the bus by 5:50. While the breakfast buffet is not even open at that time, they had box lunches for us to eat. The girls ate nothing and nerves made us not hungry either.
At the Guangzhou airport our luggage was taken off from the bus and off we go to check-in and find our gate. In the process we forgot to load a small duffle bag and by the time we remembered it - well it was stolen. Not sure what all was in it but I know they got my underwear! Serves them right!!
Airport are very hard, busy & filled with security checkpoints at which every point they takes just a little more from your luggage. We finally boarded the plane and made the short flight to Hong Kong where we stayed at a hotel in the airport. The girls were very excited about their 1st out of 4 plane rides. The kept ourselves busy at the airport/hotel and again at night started the finally packing. We (OK I) woke up at 3:00am and got everyone in the Prins room ready to go only to find out it was Tokyo time NOT Hong Kong and we were ready 1 hour early.
Finally we were ready to check in to fly to Japan and Stacy realized she left her alarm clock and Isabella left Stacys coat in the room. Well, we were slowing lighting up our loads….. Duffle bag gone, coat gone, clock gone. After that I had to count everything 10 times before we moved to our next points.
Anyways, the girl were wonderful on ALL 4 of the planes. We were smart enough to NOT let them sit together and they really slept a lot. GREAT plane rides for which we are very thankful. It is so many hours in such a small area that well, it could have been trouble but was not.
On the flight from Detroit to GR Isabella was so excited. We talked about hugging Babba (Daddy) her brother and sisters and she was just so happy! Keira, well she hardly spoke most of the day and was very somber. We got off the plane Isabella ran to her family and just hugged everyone. She was so excited to finally met them! She got to meet her Grandma & Grandpa, Aunts and Uncles and cousins and our very special friends the Wiersmas and Sterkens
Lots of pictures, lots of hugs and lots of smiles from both girls to finally meet everyone. We were nervous about finally parting ways with the girls but Keira was hand-in-hand with her sisters and well Isabella LOVED her dad and family and so they both waved goodbye and were off to their new homes.
Never dreamed it would go so well in/at the airports and I’m so very thankful!!
Isabella and Keira spent the rest of the night exploring their new homes and playing with their families. Both so excited about everything!!
Perfect ending to the LONG day!
tammy

Isabella and her Dad