It was always meant to be this way

As my friend sent me pictures and video from home last night of my girls all reuniting as Kyra and Adrie were welcomed home , I was so emotional watching their joyful reunion.

When this little peanut was born I could never have imagined where she would take our family 

I don't think we can fully comprehend her vast mission on this earth or the ripple effects of her life. 

I have often said that when Bree was born we took on a new plan for our family, a new life then the one we had anticipated . I have always thought our plans were CHANGED

I mean it's not common to think of your typical plan for your family and foresee the way our family has come together.

I have often thought how grateful I am that Bree CHANGED those plans 

And recently as Noah's miracle has unfolded I have begun to realize something 

I do not think Bree changed our plans at all ,

I think this was the plan all along 

When I first went through the emotions of having a child born with down syndrome, I grieved a little for my own plans of what my family was "supposed" to look like 

When Bree was born I thought of my older children and what this might change in them or Would they resent their sister for demanding a different life than the one I had imagined for our family? Would they be embarrassed by her? 

It's safe to say I had no idea the love they could all share because of her and her purpose here 

I absolutely loved the words of another mother of a child with Down syndrome who wrote about what she would have told herself when her child was born if she could have known then what she knows now...and I couldn't agree with her more! "there was never a different story.  This was the real story all along,   The true story of our family. " Our typical girls were created with this plan already in motion,  In our faith we believe in a pre earth life and I imagine our girls all knew they were meant to be together here ,  And now they are ready for their baby brother to join them  Because he too is part of our plan   "I would have told my pregnant self , it’s perfect this way, I'd tell her.  Just watch and see."

Today was another step closer to getting home 

We had our first appointment at the United States embassy for his visa and just walking in the building made me emotional 

The embassy went quickly and smoothly and then we headed to the medical appointment which is required by the embassy for Noah to be cleared to travel into the US and boy was I grateful to have extra hands from julie through all of these appointments today! 

A long skinny hallway filled with people waiting for one doctor and only a handful of seats. 

This is pretty much how we felt about the experience ! We stood there for two hours waiting and then a kind man let us go in front of him and his daughter , and had he not done that it probably would have been another 3 hours ! Very grateful for his kindness 

We went home for a few minutes and then went out to walk around and find food in the beautiful spring weather that decided to arrive here today 

Noah is an angel in his stroller when we are out and he barely makes a peep just taking in the world around him 

But he bobbled his head right into the side of the stroller today and for the first time he cried a real cry, and I was more then happy to cuddle his cute little sadness until he stopped ... That's what moms are there for little buddy, to comfort you when you are sad or hurt. You don't have to hurt alone anymore!

Took julie to the star burger and our favorite waitress was there and remembered me and even gave me a hug ha ha 

I am so homesick for my girls and kris and America , but I am trying to remind myself of my dads advice he gave me when I left , "respect the process and enjoy the journey " and I am doing just that. Before we know it we will be home and I can't wait for that but I am also really grateful for the experiences and time I have had here.