And We're Home!

Praise God We are HOME!!!

What a crazy trip home. It started out on Sunday after we went to church at Greater Love Baptist Church. Pastor Wesley preached and we worshiped Jesus together, African style. It was fun and of course pretty hot in that little church. Had some fun times talking and joking with a lot of the people we met in November on the mission trip.

We went to the Airport after church. I told Pastor Wesley we wanted to be at the airport early and he joked with me, saying I was going to be there waaaay to early. Well I'm glad we insisted on leaving at 2PM instead of the 4PM he was trying to convince us to leave at. We got to Roberts International Airport in Monrovia after an hour long drive. We made it into the airport with only a few people looking for money. When I went to check in, they told me I didn't have a ticket for Siete. I showed them I had tickets for him from Brussels to Dallas and tickets for everyone else from Monrovia to Dallas, I wouldn't have NOT purchased the cheapest ticket of them all for the baby. The fought with me, sent me to the Brussels Airline office and made me sit there for a half hour before the figured out THEIR mistake. I was already tired and annoyed, but I took my boarding pass and went back through security and got passed a few more attempts at bribes by the security personal.

While I was fighting with Brussels airline to let me get my baby on the plane, Kevin was fighting with the Liberian Customs and Immigration people. They wouldn't let him past the passport stamping process because he didn't have the "adoption packet" that all adoptive parents have presented to him for the past years when they leave Liberia. We were on the phone to Addy's Hope and eventually the man and Pastor Wesley talked and Pastor Wesley was able to get us through. For about an hour or 2 we all thought we were going to be trapped in Liberia for who knows how long. But God is gracious....and we were allowed to pass through and by the time we all had made it to the waiting area, our flight was boarding. Had we waited until 4, like Pastor Wesley wanted, we would have been stuck there even longer. Thank You God!

Finally after all that, we got on the plane and started our 28 hour or so travels home. The flights were decent. God put in our paths some great people who were naturally curious why a few white guys had a gaggle of brown children making lots of noise and running around. So many people helped out at different times on different flights, giving the kids some distraction from whatever was making them sad.

Each flight got progressively worse for Tres. She naturally got more tired as we got off planes, waited in airports, got on planes and move all about. She ended up having some large meltdowns on planes and in the airports. But again different people helped out, and having a stranger come up and talk nicely and trying to comfort her helped so much.

When we finally landed in Mayberry, it all made sense. She asked me if we were in America? All those flights, taking off and landing, she was sad we weren't in America and was questioning if she was ever going to go to America, which is what she was promised by Pastor Wesley.

Today being home with my family, it's so much fun looking at my kids and seeing the future of family name all together in one house. Communication is a little difficult, but Cinco and Dos have been playing, Tres has been looking at books and dressing her new doll, all the kids have been playing in the playroom. I know, as it is with all kids, there will times of stress and craziness, but I am so glad to call this crew my family. God has blessed me so many times over I don't even know how to express to Him in prayer or action how in awe and grateful I am for the opportunities he has given and allowed us to do for Him.

Brown and white faces, boys and girls, Liberians and American....Our's.

Praise God!

Last post until I am home!

Today we went to the reception with the birth families. It was awkward but not too bad. Tres's mother and aunt were there and were very outgoing. They were very happy to see Tres going to America to have a good life. Cinco and Siete's mother and his father (or so I think) was there. Their mother seemed very quiet and it was awkward. The father was more outgoing. They took turns holding the boys. Cinco had a great night after we got home, Tres had a meltdown, but recovered and went to sleep. I am sure it was an emotional day for all of them. Siete still has very wet poopy diapers, so pray that it gets better for the plane ride.

This is the last time I will be able to post until I am home. We are flying out Sunday night and will be in A CITY Monday night, then Mayberry Tuesday morning. Pray for a smooth flight.

I Love You Guys!

I Love You God!

Visa's in Hand!!!!

Praise God we have our visas. Not without some drama, but they are in hand.

Pastor Wesley came by at 1 o'clock like he said he would, to bring us to the Embassy to get the visas. Only he was pretty flustered and talking about 3 hours of traffic and how Fanny (one of the other kids being adopted by the Stewarts) needed to have her finger prints done. He wanted to take me and fanny to the embassy to get her prints done and for me to pay my last fee. I told him heck no, we were all going. The whole ride there and wait I thought her prints needed to be run by the US government. After waiting outside for about 30 minutes at some restaurant while Pastor Wesley and Fanny were in getting her finger prints, we finally were allowed into the Embassy and we waited for the visas and our immigration packets to be processed. Thankfully the visa for Fanny wasn't held up because of her prints and everyone left with an immigration packet and visa. Turns out, since Fanny's passport says she was born in 1993 (absolutely no way she is 14 years old), she had to have finger prints done. New policy for anyone 14 and older coming in the country. So since her paperwork says she is 14 (again...she must have been born in 1993, not 1998) she needed finger prints. While waiting of course Siete had a sloppy poopy.

Spent some good time with our friend Matthew tonight. We met him when the missions team came to Liberia in November. He is a solid guy and working hard to finish his degree in Accounting. It was good to spend time with him and hear his stories of life in Liberia. We all sat around and talked tonight; Ryan, Kevin, Matthew and I. It was fun to share our stories and life with each other.

Tomorrow is our day of fellowship at the church. It should be interesting. We will be meeting the birth parents of the children we are adopting. Those who know me know, when I say it'll be interesting, I mean I think it's going to be weird. I pray that it will go ok. I'm told that the relationships with the parents and kids aren't like they are in the US. Still, if the kids see their birth mothers, it could get awkward and potentially sad.

Random thoughts about Liberia: All the wood carvers make the same stuff...are they really wood carvers? Or is there a wood carvers outlet somewhere?It's the rainy season here...probably should have packed a parka or 2The roads here are a major mess. Holes the size of Rhode Island!! (For you Texans...that's like the size of a most hats worn in the Lone Star State)The electricity here in the hotel stays on consistently for about 18 minutes.Ryan looks pretty stinking funny holding baby...19 years old and wiping boogy noses and rocking babies to sleep. He is so freaking incredible.

Thanks Jon, Sara, Mike and Chuck for stopping by the house! You guys are awesome.

Love You Guys....Love You God