Ethiopia - Part Two

Aliyah Konjit laughing at Samuel
Ariel Tarikua being kissed by Samuel

Bubbe kissing her babydoll Aliyah

SO - continuing the story from last post....Let me preface this to say - when we first began pursuing international adoption, i was trying to figure out how i could get out of flying half-way across the world. I am not a good long trip traveler. To be honest, i'm quite the "princess and the pea"; not something I'm super proud of but true none the less. Early in the process, once the reality of going to get our children set in, i was preparing myself for the trip i knew i had to make. How could i not go get my children? HOWEVER, after we got the referral of the girls and Claire put me in a frenzy of packing, getting the house preparations completed, etc. i began to really worry about the travel to Ethiopia - a third world country. In fact, for a few days i was wondering if i could just send isaac and claire - would that be too weird? basically, i was desperate to figure out a solution for my fears of third world traveling. BUT, when Aliyah was in the hospital, Isaac flew to be with her and we got the email we could join him and bring them home SOONER, God's grace took over and i never looked back. I can't explain it other than it was like i suddenly had all the resources of heaven backing me. I had SO MUCH to do before Claire and i flew out in 8 days. I was trying to finish as much of the boys school as possible, get everything done for the company that I needed to do as Mary was also out of the country, pack and plan our trip, get the house preparations finished as well as i had decided to surprise isaac with a total master bedroom make-over (back when i thought we would be home in a few days) and that had to be completed as well. Needless to say it was CRAZY around here. PLUS, i had so many emotions going on in me - my husband being gone and our daughters who were so fragile, though they were geting better, it was nerve-racking to not be with them. I was overwhelmed with the love of God who moved so powerfully to cause all the forces of 2 goverments to do His bidding and bring our girls home early. Our boys were missing daddy and now i was going to be gone too. But i had such peace, such grace. Was everything perfect? Heck no. But it was like i had moved to a different place in my heart and God was providing ALL my needs. My abilities to provide for anything were gone but His abilities were "far above all i could ask or imagine".
When Claire and I flew out on Wed., March 12th, we were ready. All had been done or had been lined up to be done before we got home (which included Shiloh Painting painting our whole upstairs living area to also surprise Isaac with). Claire and i had a fabulous trip. Here i had been scared out of my mind at times about this 30 hour travel and yet, once i was doing it, i was in grace. On the last leg of the trip (Asheville, Detroit, Amsterdam, Sudan and then Ethiopia) we had a great time with our flight attendant who was from Holland. She motioned me toward the back at the end of the flight and gave me 2 wonderful ceramic "Holland houses" for the girls. what a great gift to share with the girls as they grow.

When we landed in Addis Ababa after about 30 hours of travel we had to wait another hour or so to get through the visa line. While we were waiting in the LONG line we started talking to a woman about why we were there. She mentioned how great it would be if isaac had the girls with him at the airport to meet us. Claire and i knew it was not possible; not only was it 11:30 PM but the girls wouldn't be with us full-time until we were there to help. After all the long line and luggage we got to the part of the airport where isaac was waiting. Suddenly we saw him with the video camera (see older posts about that :) )and lots of balloons. He was standing with an Ethiopian woman (a nanny from the home) and they were holding two bundles of blankets. I realized he had our girls with him. It is a moment i can't describe....when he first put them in my arms it was like holding air. But when i looked into their eyes, it was like seeing heaven.
more later.....