home

how sweet it is....24 hours together, all under the same roof.  this is such an amazing Christmas gift.  we have our son and brother finally here!  no more waiting for emails, updates, photos, documents.  no more dreaming, wondering, wishing.  it is a feeling of refreshing peacefulness and gratitude.  AJ is doing great.  from his perspective, what is not to love?  he's like a prince or a king in his own home.  he simply waves his hand and there are many little people here at his beck and call.  that will change, of course, and not be his reality forever.  but for today it has been so fun to watch.  for a child like Alemayehu, who has already in his three short years experienced so much loss, today was wonderful.  he loves the attention of his five siblings and two neighbour friends and cousins and parents and grandparents.  he continues to bask in the affection offered to him.  he also loves to hold hands and when i placed him in bed tonight he grabbed onto my hand and wrapped his two around mine. 
yes, AJ is doing well even though he seems to have a bit of a cold.  i went today and received his temporary OHIP number, and tomorrow he will be off to see the pediatrician for the first time.  it will be good for him to have a full medical exam and any necessary advice or treatment to give him the best chance to catch up physically and developmentally. 
backtracking a bit to the trip home~ flights went well, mechanically speaking.  however, scary and dramatic still (of course) as we seriously wondered for a few hours whether we'd make it to our connecting flight home.  we were about 20 minutes from landing in Frankfurt and noticed the pilot circling, when he announced that Frankfurt was closed due to weather conditions and we'd have to divert to Munich airport instead.  there we sat on the apron, waiting with at least 10 other long haul planes, not knowing if we were coming or going.  literally.  thankfully the time sitting there on the plane went well, considering.  we were just so happy to learn three hours later that the airport in Frankfurt had re-opened and we were back on our way.  having a long eight hour stopover proved to be such a blessing, because we were one of the fortunate families who made our connecting flight home.  we arrived at the airport to frenzied travellers, some running full speed to their gates, and many others in line trying to come up with a plan B.  there was just enough time for lunch and then we checked in for the final trek.  19 hours in a plane, too many pretzels, replayed cartoons, lots of head-bobbing and mouth gaping, leg shifting, beef goulash with red cabbage (mmmm..... :)), two freak-outs...well, it all worked out and we were thrilled to arrive in TO to our two dads waiting for us.  amazing.  so great to get home and sleep off a bit of the fatigue of the prior two days.  getting tired again here though, so i think i'll wrap up with a few pictures.  more to come, i promise...

above~ before leaving the guesthouse.  below~ AJ loving the technology at his fingertips.