Home

We made it home on March 9th.  It's extremely exhausting traveling all the way from Uganda to Alaska.  It takes three flights of 8 hours, 10.5 hours, and 3.5 hours- plus lay overs.  Justine was excited, but of course she didn't fully comprehend what it entailed to make it home.  Luckily, the first and last flight we all slept.  It's the LONG, middle flight that gets the best of us.  Let's just say she doesn't quite have a personal bubble.  She sat with a man on her left and me on her right.  Dustin sat next to me.  I thought about putting her between us, but then thought she would give the stranger more room and also I wouldn't have to sit next to some guy for 10.5 hours. Poor guy...  She would lay her head on my lap and put her feet on her seat, but I was constantly reaching over to pull her feet away from his leg.  When she was awake, she watched "Frozen" for about 30 minutes on the screen that was on the headrest in front of her.  Then she decided she would play with the touch screen... which at first was fine.  BUT, I had to make sure she didn't constantly call the flight attendants and turn the light above her off and on (since those are touch screen selections).  Then, she randomly put on a mature movie that I had to turn off.  So eventually I went into the "game selections" for her and she didn't know how to exit out of them.  I refused to exit out of them for her...  not a happy camper.  And then there's the seat belt issue.  Wearing a seat belt is not really required in Uganda, so she never wore one.  When I buckled her up the first time she immediately tried yanking it apart.  I loosened it enough so she could lay down, but it was a battle much of the flight.  Let's just say, we survived.  Now that long flight is history!  She is adjusting very well to Alaska and her new family.  She about had a heart attack when she met her furry family members, but now she loves them.  I have color coated dishes for each of us and she quickly learned that hers are dark purple.  She has slept through each night in her room without a problem.  Right now she is under the coffee table with her blanket and she just said, "Mommy, good night!"  Her English is picking up very quickly.  Yesterday she said, "Chace, c'mon!"  The kids are on spring break until Monday, so that is a huge blessing.  What perfect timing.  I will slowly introduce her to school when they go back and within the first few weeks, she will be in Chace's class.  It's a Waldorf school, so there is absolutely no curriculum for kindergartners.  It'll be great for her since she thrives around other children.  More updates to come on the school transition.  So for now...   I'm sure we are in for some rough times but, so far, so good.