#29. There's No Place Like Home

Our last day in Asia got off to a very early start.  With a 6 AM flight from Singapore to Tokyo, we arrived at the airport just shy of 4 AM.  With the impending cross over the international date line, it was going to be one of the longest days of our lives.  After we got everything checked in, we headed to the gate area.

Apparently, ellen is the show to watch at 5 AM in an airport

Luke thinks she's high-larious!

Same with Clare...she peed her pants!

For the first time in a long time, we were surrounded by a majority of Americans.  They seemed to be just as interested in our babies as the Asians we encountered in the previous month.  One woman even shoved her teenage daughter towards us in the boarding line to get a closer view of Luke and Clare.  Months ago, when we told people this crazy idea of surrogacy in Thailand, most people were most concerned with flying 20+ hours with two newborns in tow.  This now seemed like such an insignificant detail given everything we had been through to take these flights.  Flying with five week old babies was the last thing we were worried about on the return trip.  Maybe that's why the twins were amazing on both the 7-hour flight to Tokyo and the final 11-hour flight to Chicago.

Papa and Clare enjoying sweet slumber

Luke's favorite in-flight activity

In fact, Luke and Clare were so good that a flight attendant handed me their wings on the way off the plane.

After everything we've been through, they earned these for sure

While it was the longest day, we survived and made it to Chicago.  Aunt Amy was waiting for us at the airport with vehicle fully equipped with car seats

All strapped in

and drove us the final miles back to the townhouse where we were greeted by one excited dog. Nothing could top the amazing feeling of being 'home, sweet home'.

First townhouse family photo

Trig has been great with the twins right from the start.

And she digs the boppy pillow

At first she wasn't quite sure what to think

Keeping watch from a distance

but now approaches them when they are fussy and even gives a lick now and then.

Lovin' on Clare

We look forward to introducing everyone to the twins in the upcoming weeks.

Our two stars rockin' their rock n' plays

HOME...

SWEET...

HOME!!!

Thank you all so much for all of your positive thoughts, notes, and support in the past few weeks. We appreciate you all so much.  I plan to continue posting to this blog as the twins grow and reach new milestones.  Please feel free to follow our family as we now travel 'beyond the finish line'.