We Are Home...

Our first meeting

Never before in this orphanage, have kids met at a worship service..or with flowers, truely a blessing.

Our first sighting of them, the kids were chanting Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!

Bryan introducing his new family

Other kids, some from the orphange, some from the neighborhood

Pastor Abdisa

Pastor Bryan

Abdisa and his wife praying over the kids and us

David, Erica, Nicole and the gang, what a blessing and honor to have them all their for this wonderful day...we love you guys

Our new friends we stayed with, at a dinner celebration

Me and Samuel...or Sami

Coral and Meskerem

First ice cream...and it is cold

Building Legos back at the house...getting to know eachother

My friends, God is good and this trip is a testimony to His greatness and faithfulness. Not just because we are home with our children...but this whole trip has had God's hand in it. As we were recounting His goodness we truly realized just how deep, how wide, how high His love is for each and every one of us.

Our kids did great on the flight home...there were some unruly children...our kids were not one of them. They had a TON of firsts on the plane home and did great. We didn't even get to sit next to each other and had to split up into pairs or threes and they just adapted.

Once we landed in Minnesota, the children were so happy to be in America. There was snow on the ground and Eyob was really wanting to go outside to touch it. Much to his disappointment, we didn't of course, but we looked out the window a lot at it. I called home while we waited to board and everyone was able to talk on our cell phone.

We slept most of the way to Arizona, so the ride went quick!! When we got to that familiar ramp..we could see our friends and loved ones with signs and could hear them cheering from a mile away, seriously. We were all excited...glad we prepared the kids for it a head of time, they might have thought there was a fire or something.

We were so excited to see all of you who came to airport. What a total blessing, more than you will ever know on our side. Or kids were so excited to see all of this for them..or they prob. thought, their new parents were really something. There were so many people that I just didn't expect..new friends, old friends, newly healed friends, out of state family out of country friends...to see your shiny faces was the best thing for us!! I am so glad that we could rejoice together over the goodness of God in bringing these children home, this was priceless something I will not forget.

We collected our bags and decided we would take a group picture at the car!! WELL , God showed up yet again. For those of you who don't really know us but follow our blog, I will explain. We have nine kids...plus us makes eleven. If any kid has a friend, then add that on. Just with the number eleven, we have a serious car problem. Our car only seats eight. So...three of us don't fit. My solution, was to pray. Mind you, it sounds like a serious woman of faith..but I really did not have any other alternative, so prayer was it. I thought, God can do anything right. Since being in Kenya, I really learned that God can and will do what pleases Him, so I prayed and trusted that he knows. What was the worst thing really? Bryan and I would drive two separate cars...no biggie. While we were in Africa, we needed a bigger van to tote all of us around in and every time we would get into one, we would joke how we needed to take it home with us.

When we walked to the parking garage, I could hear all of the co motion going on and didn't know why. Suddenly I saw it...WE HAD A 15 PASSENGER VAN WAITING FOR US!!! Our friends are amazing!!! Ron and Zona had the idea to get this van...I still don't know all of the details...but some how they got my "adoption update" email list and emailed our friends and family and explained what they were doing and asked if anyone would like to chip in....I don't know who did yet, but I know several of you did! The car or bus rather is amazing...it seats us all with room for three more, STOP...I know what you are thinking, but give us time to settle in a bit, before you go and add on to our family!

We CAN'T BELIEVE THE GOODNESS OF GOD! We can't thank you enough for your prayers and donations. I still am sitting in awe of my friends and their obedience to Christs call to care for the orphans of this world. THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you friends for loving us so much...and for loving our kids so much...It leads me to my key phrase for the past two weeks...ONLY GOD!!! Who could do this better?...ONLY GOD.

I know all of you played a part, but ONLY because of GODS goodness and HIS desire to care for the least of these could this be accomplished...ONLY GOD would be able to pull this off. This is the blessing to us and to you...God desires to bless when we are obedient to His word. Because the Lord put His desire in our hearts and in the hearts of our friends...He was given glory, and made all things things fall into place...ONLY GOD. He loves Meskerem, Eyob and Samuel...it is evident in His handy work. We are grateful and humbled at the hearts of his servants...thank you dear ones...we are truly blessed.

I am posting some pictures that probably showed up at the top...I will post our comming home pictures tomorrow, this is just a little something to keep you looking. Until tomorrow..USA time.