Kaya is here!

Welcome Kaya, our newest addition to our family!!! No, we didn't have a new baby but we are hosting an exchange student from Germany for the school year!

To start our experience, we first found about this opportunity to host a student from our Church in Corner, High Point Community Church. They told us some students were coming and needed a place to stay. Well, after a week, Kaya feel into our lives. She stated she was allergic to indoor animals and so am I. I guess we are the only people in the world that are:) The EF (Education Foundation) sent us her paperwork and it was love at first sight. She is a petite, innocent looking brunette with a sweet smile. We knew she was the one for our house. We immediately started the paperwork and we were on our way. We started cleaning out the 4th bedroom for our room for Kaya. Needless to say, we are having a yard sale this weekend. Anyway, all we knew was that she was flying in on Saturday. I wanted everything to be perfect. I made her a sign for at the airport and a scrapbook for her memories here. But only one problem, David and I were going to be at Miami Beach for a Katy Perry Concert. After all the worrying, David's brother Trent and his wife, Ashley picked up Kaya from the airport and hung out with her in our absence. I was so sad that I wouldn't be there.

Saturday comes and Trent and Ashley pick her up from the Birmingham airport. They give her the gifts I made and begin their busy day. First was a birthday party for Darby (3) and Bodie (1) at the SplashPad in Gardendale, a shower and then Sunday was a birthday party for Katelyn(2). All these people to meet in such a short time. If she only knew that all those people were just the beginning. But she did great and participated just like she had always been there.

Finally on Sunday night, David and I made it home from Miami. The weather was horrible and it took so long to get home. As we approached the baggage claim, there was my babies, Alexia (8) and Zachary(3) waiting on mommy. Right behind them was Kaya and her sweet smiling face. I had seen her pictures and chatted online with her, but I finally got to meet her. I was so excited. And the irony in her picking me up instead of vice versa. Anyway, we all got our luggage and went home like a happy family. It was so nice.

When we got home from the airport, we gave Kaya the tour of the house. She also told us about her and her family. They sound very nice. I am sure they are too since their daughter is so sweet. We checked out her German Macbook which was neat. And we talked a while. I cannot wait to see what the next day will bring.....