In Accra..these kids made us laugh all the time

A picture in the lobby of the very nice hotel we were in.

 The view from our window and our room.

 Our family with Stella's birth mom and Kofi.

 When we got to the room the kids tore thru their new clothes and loved them.

 They all easily called us mommy and daddy.

 Sticker goofballs.

Our United Airlines Experience....and how the Lord provided

This is Dulles Airport at 2 am and the bottom picture is Paul getting ready to sleep at Dulles Airport :) Our flight out was to be at 11:15 pm. We were at the airport by 7:15 pm- got checked in, thru security and found our gate easy...then there was an announcement that the computer systems were down world wide and they did not know when any flights would leave...hrs went by and at 11pm I felt an leading to go up to the desk and talk with the clerk. I asked for her honest opinion if she thought the flight would leave tonite for Ghana...she said no. Then I immediately asked her to book us on the flight for Sat. nite...we had met our friends at this gate who were also traveling to pick up their boys ( Stella's brothers) . I asked for 4 tickets and she got us them and issued us our boarding passes...Good thing she did all of this because at 1:30 pm they cancelled the flight...and asked people to go to the customer service desk. We just walked down that way to see because we had nothing else to do...and there were 1,000 people in line - took up the whole terminal. We would have been waiting for hrs to make our flight for the next nite ( which we already did). We tried to get a hotel by the airport but they were full and instead we got one 20 minutes away in Leesburg with a free shuttle at 7:30am...So we hunkered down for the nite at the airport...thus the first pic. was taken :) Weird nite at the airport but at 7 am another United worker came to the same desk and I went up to see if we could push our return flight home back to Mon. nite instead of getting there Sun. afternoon and leaving Sun. nite. we thought it best for the kids to spend one nite with us before we left. She was able to do that but when others came up she would not help them...amazing but she was very helpful with our situation... both United employees were thankfully. When we left Sat. nite we left an hr and a half late. They said because our plane needed extra cleaning- what ? When we got on we found out the first plane was broken and they brought a second plane that needed to be cleaned...never had this happen before. When we left Accra on Mon. nite that flight was also an hr and a half late leaving........About half way thru the flight the said they had a medical emergency and was there any doctors or medical personel who could help out ? I never found out what but they again asked for help 10 minutes later- strange. Then about 5 minutes later the woman across the isle on my far side was taken to first class. Now they bump you to a better seat but it is usually in the beginning of the flight not well into the flight. Then the flight attendants came up to me and the lady behind me and asked if we saw anything strange..any man across the isle ? I did not but the lady behind me saw the man they were descibing...evidently the yg. woman had been asleep and woke to a man gropping her....Now I am wide awake - I put my feet around my purse that was on the floor and I can't not go to sleep....When we land we stood on the plane to leave for over 20 minutes. They asked for 2 people to come up and leave first and for the rest of us to make room for them to pass...No one came up...then they asked everyone to go back to their seats...by then everyone was 10 seats up and all mixed up...So finally we got to get off the plane. Then we boarded the bus to go to the main terminal and we sat for 30 minutes waiting to leave...I over heard the captain on the phone talking with security but still we don't know what happened ...I have no desire to get on a plane for awhile after this journey . My video did not work on the first flight and they gave me an apology certificate that was worth 10 percent off my next flight or 50 dollars...I am not interested in getting on a plane anytime soon though...

One very positive side though was we got to meet in person and hang with the Bassetts who were traveling also to pick up their sons ( Stella's brothers ). We shared the hotel room in Leesburg for the day and traveled on both flights together and stayed in the same hotel in Accra...that part was alot of fun being with them and a huge blessing. So the Lord provided and took care of some interesting details in this journey to bringing our kids home as he always does.

We are home :)

We are together...tired, but happy. Precious children and we are blessed. More later when I feel alive. I hate the airplane travel...lots to share about this journey with United Airlines.....

Thank you to those who have loved on us....

We have had the awesome priviledge to have some friends...( kindred hearts ) who have shared their love with us these past few weeks...We got this box in the mail from a friend I met who is adopting from Bulgaria. She crocheted Cate and me these beautiful prayer shawls ( She prays for us as she makes them). I love that I had someone praying for me like that . She also sent the girls these craft stitching sets...My girls love to do crafts and she thought they might enjoy them...thank you Elizabeth.

Also we were blessed with some unexpected mail and checks and a gift card from people who loved us thru their giving . We love your support and your words of encouragement and your prayers...

Finally to those of you who have in lots of ways encouraged or supported us as we walked this adoption journey into Ghana....Thank you ! I will not be blogging until I am home because it is such a short trip ( leaving the computer behind this time) ...but I will share when I get home Monday with our kids...( that sounds so surreal to be able to say that). We leave Friday nite from Dulles and arrive home Monday am early ( 6:10am)...so we never loose a day and Ghana is only a 4 hr time diff...hardly any jet lag...Please pray for us as we travel and for our ever expanding family. Thank you Jesus for allowing Paul and I to love 3 more precious blessings and may we feel your presence and share your love with those we meet on our travels.

What we have been doing this week for fun....

We have tried to make the evenings a bit different this week...Some of our kids have been gone to NC helping Jenn and Jeremiah out. So for those of us left behind we have planned a special evening event...We went out for ice cream , we went out to eat at Ci Ci s - an all you can eat pizza, spaghetti, soup, salad and dessert bar, and tonite we did some fireworks. Thursday the ones from NC come home just in time for Paul and I to leave Friday...and then 4 of our older girls leave Sunday for a week to camp....We decided to do camp this summer for anyone who wanted to. It is a Christian camp where several of our kids have given their life to Jesus at. No frills but lots of fun and good fellowship . We were able to get a scholarship for them and are grateful to Camp Joy El for their support of all our children. We also have been swimming...but all summer we love doing that....

5 days and counting....Ghana here we come !

I am just starting to collect our stuff for our trip to Ghana. We are beyond excited for this...because our kids are coming home. We will be meeting up with another family and an adoption friend who is over there now on a "missions trip of sorts" . We have been ready for the kids since Feb...so not too much to do for that. I know this week is full but I am always melancholy when we add another child or one of my children leave ( get married, leave for college ) . It changes the dynamics of the family and I am one who loves change.... but life moves along at such a fast pace and I want to cherish the time we have with each child. I am so happy to be able to love these 3 and experience life once again thru the eyes of a little one....

Look Whose Walking....

Last nite we babysat for Keith and Mary Kate. When they came home we were all sitting in the green room playing with Mady and she decided to walk....It is so neat to watch her take her first steps. We will be celebrating her one yr b-day June 25.

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