Celebration!!!!

Honey - I'm coming home!!! and the 2 little ones are coming with me! Everything went really well at the Embassy today. The visas will be ready for tomorrow afternoon. The only bad thing is the flights are all booked now for Natalie to come and help so we are looking at delaying the return 1 day to the 23rd. This will make for a very tiring Christmas and Christmas Eve but it will be so worth it!

Thank you all for your prayers, positive re-inforcement, and well wishes. They have all helped. We will be sure to update everyone as to when we will be arriving home. Thank you all and God Bless!

Father Christmas

Sunday - Today we celebrated Christmas at the Orphanage. We had a big party with family and friends of the Orphanage. The house mothers decorated the whole yard with balloons and toys for the kids to play with. They had a Christmas Tree in the corner surrounded with Ball Pit style balls the kids loved throwing around. They found a cheap play slide and swing secondhand at the market as well. Auntie Sylvia brought bubbles for all the kids. Andrew loved having the bubbles fly in his face as he would try to pop them. He looked the happiest I have ever seen him.

We played musical chairs with the adults.I won of course! and I took out 2 chairs along the way. Plastic chairs are not good for musical chairs! The children played next- Cutie Faith won! (With some help of one of the house mothers).

Father Christmas then rode in on a Boda Boda. The kids were so excited. Natalie and I had bought each of the kids a small gift for Christmas so we had the orphanage wrap them up and give them to the children. Each of the boys got a small car and the girls got their own dollies. Father Christmas even had a gift for me - 2 mugs shaped like a Giraffe and a Zebra. After dinner I gave everyone some American Candy we brought in. They absolutely loved it! The saltwater taffy was their favorite! It was a good night.

Monday - Today is judgement day. I meet with the Embassy in about 7 hours. Today I find out if my children are coming home with me or not. Fingers crossed!

A better day

Today was really rough this morning. I woke early and was really feeling sorry for myself. I had a good conversation with Natalie though. I got some extra sleep as I wasn't needed anywhere until about 3:30 this afternoon. This was a good thing. The directors of the Orphanage took me to a Christmas play - African style. It focused on the 3 wise men and how they spread through Africa reporting the birth of Christ. There were about 200 cast members and it was wonderful. We sang hymns such as Angels we have heard on high, and silent night. There were probably 500-600 people in the audience and it was pretty special. It really helped get my mind straight.

I took 2 firsts today in Africa - I rode a Boda Boda (Motorcycle taxi), and I ate Grasshoppers. Neither were as scary as I expected. The Grasshopper was actually pretty good. Very crunchy, kind of like a sunflower seed shell.

Thank you for all the comments and positive thoughts. They have helped. Loves to all.

Homesick as Homesick can be...

Amazing the things I take for granted. What I would give to be laying in my bed next to Natalie right now; to hear Keira running around the house and doing her art projects. It is so sad and lonely being in a place you really don't know, trusting people you barely know, being threatened by people you don't know, and loving people you will get to know.

I went to the Embassy this morning (after waiting 1 1/2 hours for my ride to show up). I was told to come in Monday afternoon for the formal interview. If things go well, Visas will be ready on Wednesday. Good thing right! Not quite - I am scheduled to leave Tuesday night and there is no way I am missing Christmas with my family. I love Faith and T very much but it is different. I will not miss Christmas. Not knowing until Monday doesn't even allow time for flights to be adjusted. If they are able to get Visas done on Tuesday, that would be great. If not - I will fly home and return with Natalie in January to bring the kids home.

We knew it was a long shot just coming out. The fact I missed Wednesday really hurt any chance of getting the kids home for Christmas. Atleast now we will know exactly when the Visas are ready and will, have no problems when we return. I am content with this.

I know not what Gods plan is, but I know that he loves me - and that is enough. Money is Money - we will make more. I am tired of stressing, and crying, and doubting, and getting frustrated, and being apart from family.

My life will change, Andrew will need ALOT of help. He doesn't communicate, or even crawl. It will be a tough transition. Natalie and I are ready for the next stage in our lives to begin. If that doesn't happen until January - it is for a reason.

Please give loves to my girls. Then hug them again for me. Keira has a school performance this evening and I am so sad I will be missing it. Loves to all. T

A productive yet frustrating day

Today has been long and hard. It has been long in the fact that I awoke early to begin making contact with the Embassy around 7:30 am. By 10:00 I was unable to get through and no e-mails were returned. I convinced the Orphanage directors to take me to the Embassy so I may plead with them directly. This worked and I now have a 7:30 am appointment tomorrow morning at the Embassy.

Now the frustrating part - I do not know how much of an "interview" it will actually be. Now it is being termed an "informal meet" to see what we need to do to proceed. I have no clue what to make of this. I have been at the orphanage from 3:00 - 10:00 pm tonight spending time with the kids.

It is at this time where I get especially Homesick though. While I enjoy spending time with my kids - it's not like they are really mine yet. Someone is always watching, eyeing you, judging you etc... I spend most my time imagining I am home with my girls, listening to Keira laugh, watching natalie smile. It makes it really hard being here alone.

Depending on how the Embassy goes tomorrow - I may just go a little crazy!!! Was this trip all for nothing? I guess I will find out tomorrow. Until then it is sweet dreams of my girls...

Another journey - Another Problem

Could this adoption get any crazier??? Detroit was 10 degrees when we landed yesterday. Next plane all set to take off when they can't get the cargo doors to shut because they are frozen!!! 3 hours later we are finally on our way to Amsterdam on a new plane. The problem is I have now missed my connecting flight and can't get another one until tomorrow!!!

I am now stuck at an Amsterdam hotel for the next 18 hours! I have e-mailed the Embassy and they will see what they can do once I do finally arrive. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!