Anyone have a Jetlag Cure or Suggestions?

My body has more than 16,000 miles added to it and I am REALLY experiencing jet lag...help! It is 5:26 a.m. and this is the second morning and my new bedtime...haha. I am hopefully going upstairs now...except....uh....MaryAlyce is sitting in the kitchen floor playing with Barbies and singing her little heart out. High School Musical songs are her choice this morning....so sweet! She has had apple with peanut butter and is as chipper as the little birds singing their songs outside the window. How in the world do I transition back to North America time? (sigh)

We had a good flight home and the kids cried minimally. Of course, Jasper and I didn't get much sleep because someone was always wanting or needing something. Esther Marie seemed to be running a slight temp at one point and MaryAlyce had a nosebleed from the dry air in the plane. Both were resolved fairly easily. Esther Marie doesn't seem to be running any more fever thankfully. Her nose is a bit runny though.

After we crammed the luggage into the van, we decided we needed to eat around midnight (our lunch time in China), so we went to IHOP. It was good to sit down and talk and have a nice hot cup of coffee. I didn't have any on the flight because I was afraid it would get kicked over by wiggly feet or hands. We were all up until around 2:30 and when the kids went to bed, then Patrick and Jasper and finally me. Most of us slept in until about 3:00 on Saturday. I am sure that was a mistake but it felt SO good to rest. I have picked up a cold along the way so I have the sniffles and some sneezing...ugh. The stuffy atmosphere in the plane is enough to make you sick. Anyway, things are going pretty well around here even though we are blitzed with jet lag.

Esther Marie is having fun exploring her new environment. I can see that we need to childproof alot more! I have forgotten what it was like to have a true toddler who is SO curious. She seems to love climbing up on things, especially chairs. Shortly after we got home, Emmie dragged a chair around the room and landed in front of the kitchen drawers. She put it right in front of one, climbed up on the chair, opened the drawer and discovered the contents. Then she would move on. We were watching her carefully! MORE drawer safety latches coming right up! She has been playing with her new ladybug ball, a tiny blow-up beach ball and a Noah's Ark play set. She also enjoyed playing with an empty gallon water jug. In China at the hotel, her favorite "toys" ended up being the two empty water large water bottles and a coke bottle. We were so happy the maid didn't carry them away because she ended up being entertained by them for hours! She is having fun playing with sisters and brother and getting to know...peek-a-boo is a favorite. She thinks eating is the greatest and tried pasta and butter beans today....mashed up. She hasn't cried yet except when she was going to sleep..but only for a short while. She seems to have trouble with bedtime, but we know that will get better with time.

I am very grateful that Patrick is still here! Jasper and I had joked that he would probably be packed and waiting with the car running so he could leave the second we pulled into the driveway. Thankfully, that did NOT end up being the case! He is hanging around to help us get over jet lag. He fed the kids today and fixed dinner, baked brownies and took the three older ones to the park and grocery. I was in a daze so I'm glad he could do all that....Jasper too.

I am sorry to say that we won't be going to church this first Sunday because I would love to see everyone and let them meet Esther Marie. Hopefully, we can make it next Sunday...and I hope everyone understands. We still have to unpack and get some more energy before we venture out. I will be glad if that does not take more than a few days!

Give us a call if you would like...we'd love to hear from you. (New photos posted below.)

Love,
Sarah