And so it begins.....

Day One

We are here and it has been an adventure already! On our 3 hour flight to D.C. we sat near a local celebrity, or at least someone who is well recognized - the gal who is the "face of Price Chopper", had a relaxing overnight layover at a hotel in D.C., checked in early for our 12+ hour flight and behind us in line was one of the people that started a ministry that I have been following (Out of the Ashes) which works in Korah AND who is from Missouri. My friend (Megan) and I will get to visit with them on Wednesday this week before the larger team comes in, to see what they do on the ground in Korah. How amazing is that? Then our flight was thankfully not filled to capacity- which meant this long legged gal had a little more space to stretch out - amazing). Although we arrived at 10pm (KC time) the time difference made it 7am here. Which means that our day had just begun and was begging to be filled, regardless of lack of sleep.

We had an absolutely ridiculous snafu transportation when we arrived that is absolutely laughable to look back and see how it unfolded.......lets just say we didn't realize until we left the airport that we had gotten into the WRONG car. (disclaimer so no family members reading this freak out - we just had TOO many people to pick us up - we were never in danger ;) We got it all figured out and got where we needed to be - but as I've heard before, the best memories are made when mishaps happen - and this situation will be one that is remembered!

The home that we are blessed to be staying in has an amazing outdoor space and is tucked at the end of a road in a neighborhood. In the first few hours of being here I experienced more i country that I did the other two times combined. Benji (the caretaker of the home and much more!) took us walking to find somewhere who could change the configuration of my phone so that I could have data access (which then enables me to call home via viber app - therefore extremely inexpensive), then we needed to meet our driver (Ephrim) at a nearby hotel and instead of walking the distance, because we were running late, we hopped in the very back of a taxi van, that probably had 15 or 16 people crammed in like sardines. Obviously not a big deal for the locals - but it was an adventure for us!

We met up with Eprhrim at the entrance of the hotel and then we went off to our agencies transition home that Little Miss has been residing in this past year. It proved difficult to find, since it had moved locations since my last trip to Ethiopia, but after multiple calls to an agency person in country, it was found! The new transition home is INCREDIBLE compared to where they were before. Much more spacious outside areas for the older kids to play, more rooms (which means there are less kids per room), isolation rooms for when kids are sick (this is HUGE). All in all, so impressed.

I was able to see Little Miss as soon as I got there. Took her a little while to warm up but after about the first hour she started to act more smiley and relaxed. She gotten so big - and is now sporting 8 teeth, much to my surprise (because that is something hard to see in update pics), I got to see her cute little crawl.......oh love! I was able to call Jason & the kids while I was visiting yesterday afternoon (which was their morning) and was even able to video call! So they got to see little miss live - technology blows me away sometimes.

By the middle/end of our visit let's just say I was not feeling well. When you combine lack of sleep with higher elevation AND stomach confusion, not having eaten something substantial since the plane (eating gets confusing to me in a time change - for whatever reason) - Megan and my heads were throbbing, felt lightheaded and by the time I got in the van for the ride back to the home we are staying, totally thought I was going to throw up, even rode with a plastic bag in my hands......that's how bad it was. We both still felt horrible after we got back, but at least we were back! Megan did end up getting sick, but thankfully felt better after doing so. We were thankfully already getting in bed at 6:30pm as the electricity when out right at that same time.

Whew.

I'll do my best to update the blog when I can, but my access to the internet is only on my phone, so I can only post when I have internet access for my other device, so it won't be an everyday thing.

Please continue to pray for favor and that we receive a court date soon. As great as the new transition home is? I'm ready little miss to end her stretch of group care - and be with her family full time! Also continue to pray for my sweet kiddos at home. That time would go fast, that they would see this as an adventure themselves and would even thrive during this time.