At Home: Great-Grandparents Loving Alana

Poppa and Alana

Alana and Mimi

Gramma, Gigi (actually in the Grandparent generation), and Alana

Gramma and Alana with the new puppy gift from Gramma

At Home: Grandparents Loving Alana

Alana and Oma

Alana and GoPa

Alana and Grammie

Meeting Alana at the Airport

Here are pictures of the family that met us at the airport. They couldn't wait to see Alana! (Neither could everyone else, but we asked them to meet us at our house with our kids - see next post.)

Oma, Mommy, and Alana

Mimi, Poppa, Mommy, and Alana with the new blankie Mimi knitted for her.

Alana, Mommy, and Auntie Laura

Grampie, Alana, Mommy, and Grammie

On the Way Home

Here we are, on the airplane coming home!

Visiting with Jennifer

Before coming home, we took the opportunity to meet with Jennifer one more time. We had another great visit, talking for almost two hours! We just love Alana's birth mother.

Beautiful smile

Smiling back

Sleeping with Alana

Alana and Mommy (note the arms - we sleep in the same position!)

Alana and Daddy

Sleeping like a baby

Alana sleeps fairly soundly...

...which is really nice in the middle of the night...

...but when it's dinner time...

...and she still looks like this... we just have to laugh.

She's a Swagerty alright. We make good sleepers. :)

Today in Louisiana

 

This morning Michelle put Alana into the wrap during breakfast. We had fun thinking of various names for the double-decker effect. Our favorite is "bunk beds."

 

This afternoon Michelle took a watch on the prayer wall here at LaHOP.

 

The names of the businesses here in Louisiana are quite ... fun. "Skent & Dent Outlet"? What is that? Oh ... they sell not-so-gently used washing machines and dryers. I still don't understand "skent" but at least "dent" makes sense.

And in case you weren't paying close attention to the bottom of the sign above...here is a closeup of the bottom of the sign.

 

That's right: "Billy Bob's Bank & Tooh Extraction." What?!?

Wakey Baby

Cuddling with Mommy

Alana likes the new wrap Mommy made for her!

Mommy likes it too - nice and snug.

La HOP

Here are some pictures of the beautiful House of Prayer/B&B where we are staying while we're here. We are in awe of our Father's extravagant care for us!

The prayer room

Another view of the prayer room

The kitchen



Making Alana's bottle

A Taste of Lousiana

This evening we were treated to dinner by our wonderful hosts. They took us to a traditional little "mom & pop" restaurant on a Louisiana bayou. Paul ate crawfish, catfish and some baby shrimp. Michelle ate salad. We were both were very happy.

Louisiana Bayou

Turtles in the water


Feeding the turtles in the water

Louisiana Michelle

The reason we are here! Princess Alana.

NOT Unwanted

Watch this video. It's only 1:30, and it's amazing and powerful.

The Louxes

One of the familys we follow closely is the Louxes in Kansas City. Derek and Renee Loux were one of the couples God used to give us the courage to go ahead and pursue adoption ourselves. John and Tracie, their brother and sister-in-law, are also an incredible adoptive family. And Tracie Loux has been our consultant and is the one who connected us with our precious Alana!

All that to say, read this post about Sasha Loux's new wheels! God is so extravagant in His love!

Alana's First Bath! (Now with sound!)

The Bath!


The Aftermath!




















Mommy and her CLEAN princess!