So much for counting down this week!
How is it that the past 3 months have crawled, and the past week has gone by in the blink of an eye?
Either way, we are where we are...in 48 hours (actually, 46 if we want to be precise), we will be on a plane headed for Seattle headed for D.C. headed for Rome headed for Addis!!!
Oddly...the same amount of time b/t now and when we leave is the same amount of time between leaving and arriving in Ethiopia. Only I'm sure that span will go a whole lot more slowly...
Family Woven by Faith: Our journey of faith to bring our new daughter home from Ethiopia...
Friday, October 22, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
9 DAYS!!!
Just so you know, on this here blog this week, you may learn to count backwards better than ever before!
I had a crazy, wonderful day today. My dear friend Kindra watched the kids for me, even doing all of their schooling with them...so that I could go get ready for our trip! Last night I spent hours poring over other people's travel advice from our agency, and then making one veeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry long list, Then Rebecca and I headed to Anchorage for a day of shopping!
We hit the $1 bins at Target pretty hard, and have tons of goodies to give out at the orphanages. We found some nice little gifts for the nannies at the transition home where Karis lives. And I got almost all of the necessary little travel incidentals...from hand sanitizer to a pair of comfy pants to wear on our 48-hour-journey.
At Costco, I did all of our grocery shopping to last us from now till we get back. This coming week I'll be making dinners in double and freezing to make it easier for my mom, who is staying with the kiddos, to cook for some food-allergic kids. I also got our required 10 packs of baby wipes to bring to the transition home, and the most loved gift of all for nannies and drivers and such in Ethiopia: chocolate!
Overall, it was a very productive day, and I feel ready to break out the suitcases and get packing!
I had a crazy, wonderful day today. My dear friend Kindra watched the kids for me, even doing all of their schooling with them...so that I could go get ready for our trip! Last night I spent hours poring over other people's travel advice from our agency, and then making one veeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry long list, Then Rebecca and I headed to Anchorage for a day of shopping!
We hit the $1 bins at Target pretty hard, and have tons of goodies to give out at the orphanages. We found some nice little gifts for the nannies at the transition home where Karis lives. And I got almost all of the necessary little travel incidentals...from hand sanitizer to a pair of comfy pants to wear on our 48-hour-journey.
At Costco, I did all of our grocery shopping to last us from now till we get back. This coming week I'll be making dinners in double and freezing to make it easier for my mom, who is staying with the kiddos, to cook for some food-allergic kids. I also got our required 10 packs of baby wipes to bring to the transition home, and the most loved gift of all for nannies and drivers and such in Ethiopia: chocolate!
Overall, it was a very productive day, and I feel ready to break out the suitcases and get packing!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Cleared for Travel!
Praise the Lord...the court has confirmed our appointment for October 29th!!!
We were able to rebook our exact same flights for the nearly the exact same price...so we leave here the night of the 24th and return the night of Nov. 1st!
Thank you so much for praying with us...16 days to pack, get donations for the orphanages gathered, get my kids squared away for while we're gone, and celebrate Jacob's birthday!
We were able to rebook our exact same flights for the nearly the exact same price...so we leave here the night of the 24th and return the night of Nov. 1st!
Thank you so much for praying with us...16 days to pack, get donations for the orphanages gathered, get my kids squared away for while we're gone, and celebrate Jacob's birthday!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
PLEASE PRAY!!!
This morning, Kristen (the travel coordinator with our agency) called the three families traveling for court on Oct. 29th. Apparently there are not a lot of details, but the court is being "funny" about keeping our appointments on the 29th. They have not been clear on what they want to do.
The in-country staff is campaigning hard for us, urging them to honor their commitment...especially as all of us have already purchased our tickets. If the court refuses to keep the date, we will have no other recourse than to change our tickets.
At this point, the courts are closed for the day, and the earliest we will hear anything is tomorrow morning.
Please pray with us on this one...
Lord Jesus, you know the plans you have for us, the plans you have for our
children. We know that there is no "funny business" that you do not know about.
You provided clear travel itineraries and funds for tickets for all of us with
court on the 29th, and you can move mountains on our behalf. Lord, please grant
Duni and the AWAA staff favor as they beseech the court to honor the commitment
they have given. Smooth the way ahead of us, that there is nothing in this that
will prevent us from passing court when we DO, by the grace of God, have court
on the 29th. Please be mighty to save in this situation. Amen!
The in-country staff is campaigning hard for us, urging them to honor their commitment...especially as all of us have already purchased our tickets. If the court refuses to keep the date, we will have no other recourse than to change our tickets.
At this point, the courts are closed for the day, and the earliest we will hear anything is tomorrow morning.
Please pray with us on this one...
Lord Jesus, you know the plans you have for us, the plans you have for our
children. We know that there is no "funny business" that you do not know about.
You provided clear travel itineraries and funds for tickets for all of us with
court on the 29th, and you can move mountains on our behalf. Lord, please grant
Duni and the AWAA staff favor as they beseech the court to honor the commitment
they have given. Smooth the way ahead of us, that there is nothing in this that
will prevent us from passing court when we DO, by the grace of God, have court
on the 29th. Please be mighty to save in this situation. Amen!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
21 Days!!!
I think I should come up with a list of everything I need to get done and packed before we leave...I'm sure there's at least enough for one a day for the 21 days until we meet Karis...which really leaves me just 19 days to get everything done!!!
Monday, October 4, 2010
22 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Assuming that our itinerary is approved by our travel coordinator tomorrow, we will meet Karis in just 22 days!!!
It was interesting trying to get our flights, as you must be in-country 2 days prior to court, and can't leave until the evening after court, and also finding that it was significantly cheaper to actually stay a few days longer than we expected.
We leave here at 5 p.m., Sunday, October 24th, which has us in Addis at 8:20 a.m. on October 26th.
Baby-holding (and sight-seeing when they finally kick us out for the day*) on the 26th, 27th, and 28th.
Court on the 29th. Hopefully, prayerfully, there will be much rejoicing and the sharing of pictures of the beautiful baby who is legally our daughter!
More baby-holding and sight-seeing on the 30th. Church service (I'm so looking forward to this, too!) and baby-holding on the 31st. Tearful farewell to our precious girl. Fly out at 10:15 p.m. Arrive back in Anchorage on Nov. 1st at 10 p.m.
Continue praying for a speedy embassy date so we can hightail it back to get her and bring her home!!!
There you go, in a nutshell! 22 days!!!
*The hours we may spend at the transition home with Karis will be limited. I think this is mostly due to the fact that the nannies have to carry on a routine with all of the babies and children after the parents leave...which can be very difficult to do when you have had doting parents there every day all day for a week.
It was interesting trying to get our flights, as you must be in-country 2 days prior to court, and can't leave until the evening after court, and also finding that it was significantly cheaper to actually stay a few days longer than we expected.
We leave here at 5 p.m., Sunday, October 24th, which has us in Addis at 8:20 a.m. on October 26th.
Baby-holding (and sight-seeing when they finally kick us out for the day*) on the 26th, 27th, and 28th.
Court on the 29th. Hopefully, prayerfully, there will be much rejoicing and the sharing of pictures of the beautiful baby who is legally our daughter!
More baby-holding and sight-seeing on the 30th. Church service (I'm so looking forward to this, too!) and baby-holding on the 31st. Tearful farewell to our precious girl. Fly out at 10:15 p.m. Arrive back in Anchorage on Nov. 1st at 10 p.m.
Continue praying for a speedy embassy date so we can hightail it back to get her and bring her home!!!
There you go, in a nutshell! 22 days!!!
*The hours we may spend at the transition home with Karis will be limited. I think this is mostly due to the fact that the nannies have to carry on a routine with all of the babies and children after the parents leave...which can be very difficult to do when you have had doting parents there every day all day for a week.
WE HAVE A COURT DATE!!!
We just received word from America World that we have a court date scheduled for October 29th!!!
We have to be in-country by the evening of October 26th, and we finally get to meet Karis on Wednesday, October 27th!!! I am so excited I could burst!!!
PLEASE start praying now with us that we pass court the first time around (there is a 50% pass rate, with no reflection on the families whatsoever...it's all a matter if every document and letter that is required actually finds its way into our file).
Also, please be praying that we are HOME BY CHRISTMAS!!! (Thanksgiving is still remotely within the realm of possibility, though not highly likely). There is typically a 4-6 week wait between a court date and an embassy appointment . If we don't pass court the first time, or if the US Embassy is backed up for any reason, it could delay our appointment schedule. SO, please pray for the Spirit of God to move on our behalf!
We have to be in-country by the evening of October 26th, and we finally get to meet Karis on Wednesday, October 27th!!! I am so excited I could burst!!!
PLEASE start praying now with us that we pass court the first time around (there is a 50% pass rate, with no reflection on the families whatsoever...it's all a matter if every document and letter that is required actually finds its way into our file).
Also, please be praying that we are HOME BY CHRISTMAS!!! (Thanksgiving is still remotely within the realm of possibility, though not highly likely). There is typically a 4-6 week wait between a court date and an embassy appointment . If we don't pass court the first time, or if the US Embassy is backed up for any reason, it could delay our appointment schedule. SO, please pray for the Spirit of God to move on our behalf!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)