We're on our way!

One last post before we take off! Happy Thanksgiving everybody (= We certainly have a lot to be thankful for!

Sweet Rahel,
Sleep sweet tonight. In a few days you will be safe in our arms. Father sent you straight to us. We've been praying and waiting for you to join our little family. You have a big sister who can't wait to show you everything she knows! She prays for you every day and loves you very much. Your mommy and daddy can't wait to bring you home. We love you!

We will be leaving Friday night and flying out Saturday morning. Hunker on down for a 30 hour flight - oiy!
We'll keep you posted along the way. I hope the computer at the guest house will let me upload pictures to my blog. Thank you all so much for your support financially, mentally, physically etc... We are so glad that we are finally at this point in our journey!

We haven't died....yet!

Wow! What a week! The last couple actually! Here's the rundown.

• Our computer died...which is why we haven't blogged for such a long time (=
• I have become the official shuttle for a bunch of Ethiopian friends and I'm not sure I or my car can handle much more (= A friend is having marriage troubles and now has nothing. I packed her up with a bunch of dishes, tooth brush, shampoo table, couch, TV, bed etc... so she has something to function with. All the while planning a huge Ethiopian dinner for family and friends before we leave to get Rahel.
• The dinner was WONDERFUL! My friend is on an Ethiopian dance team and they came to perform for us as well as put on a traditional dress fashion show! Wednesday was highly emotional and very late with shopping for the dinner. Thursday was spent cooking, chopping, peeling etc. until about 1 a.m. and my friend got up at 4 a.m. to start the injera! She spent all day cooking kutfo (sp?) and injera while I spent all day throwing up and having tummy issues - yay! No sleep and stress tend to do this to me. After shuttling the dancers and friends, I made it to my own dinner about 20 minutes late (= We got several comments on the injera that it was the best they've had in the U.S.! Great job friend! We had an awesome turn out of about 110 people. Thanks to everybody who came to support us! We really had a great time!
• My friend spent the night at my house Friday and Saturday so we could cook and clean without too many trips to town! Upon waking up and getting all of the kids ready, Thomas brought me a tray with cinnamon rolls, eggs, chocolates, a goblet of orange juice and some flowers! What a great surprise! When I asked what this was for, Thomas replied Happy Anniversary! What?! I totally forgot my anniversary! 6 years! What a sweetheart (= He took me out to dinner, ran me a wonderful hot bath and pampered me with chocolates. How romantic!
• Also, the best news ever! We were recently informed that we have a new embassy date of December 2! We now can get Rahel home before Christmas! We were so worried about applying for her visa over the holidays and the delays that might come with that. Also, our finances will work out perfectly this year because we get her home before the end of the year! The Lord is looking out for us after testing us so much! Thank you Father.

Embassy date

We have an embassy date! We're scheduled to meet at the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa on December 16. We are hoping we will be able to get home before the end of the year, but it's not looking like we will. Anyway, still good news (= We're looking forward to holding our daughter soon!