We have 4 bags packed to the brim- most registering 48-49 LBS on our scale (max is 50)! Cutting it a little close, we think! We are talking over 2 HUGE bags of donations filled with shoes, clothing, and diapers for our son's orphanage! Philip kept asking what we could take out, but my answer was, honey- they NEED that there! It's ALL going!!! NEED there is different than our desire here... I can't wait for him to understand what I am talking about when I say that! Soon enough, he will see! :)
We have our clothes packed, as well as little Daniel's! Looks like when we get there that we may be able to go and get him and bring him back with us to our guest home where we are staying! YA HOO!!!!!So with that news, we packed a whole lot of clothes for him ( 3T-5)- we don't know what size he is, so we will just pray something fits him! If not, mama is going shopping in ET, but I am really praying SOMETHING will fit! :) We also loaded up on things to "entertain" him and help him bond with us. Crayons, coloring books, playdough, Mr Potato head, makenas (cars)etc... We just can't wait! Makena is one of like 3 Amharic words I remember! :) I set off the alrams at the airport on the way back to the States... I still had makena's shoved in my pocket! :) Whatever you do, do not throw any makena's away! The kids LOVE them there!!! They go nuts when you hand them out! I remember my little guy after he got his new clothes and 2 makena's--He was ALL SMILES!!! Do you remember Kate,Nick and Rachel? I have a picture of him, standing there just BEAMING! :) Oh, I love that memory and it wasn't that long ago!
.jpg)
It's so hard to leave our 2 amazing and GORGEOUS/HANDSOME looking kids at home while we fly half way around the world to meet their brother! Robby and Caitlin--- We LOVE you sooo much and are so PROUD of you! We are missing you already and you have a GREAT time with all the grandparents! We are thinking of you EVERY day! We are praying for you to be happy and to know that we love you! We are bringing this little boy into our fold so there will be MORE love in our home! We will tell Daniel Mamo ALL about you! I know he can't wait to meet you!!! Hugs and Kisses!!!Have great days at school and we will be home soon! (Give the babies some extra kisses too for us!)
We leave today for Washington ( in just a few hours) and we stay the night! We head back to the airport for a 930am flight (830 Nashville time!) We land in Ethiopia Saturday at 8:30 am( 12:30pm Nashville time)( I think I figured that right))! Prayfully, we will be able to sleep on the flight, cause it's gonna be a LONG day if we don't! Hello, Mr. Lunesta! :) Our flight time( and time on the runway in Rome) is 16 hours total! We hope we get a window seat, so we can look out over the Sahara as we fly over! It was so awesome to see! I kept looking for a pyramid when we flew over Egypt, but no such luck! LOL So crazy, how far away we will be, yet so close to call via phone! We are going to TRY our best to Blog! :) I have the remote setting set up, so I should be able to access this trip ( that is IF we can get an Internet connection!)
So, how am I feeling? EXHAUSTED, that's how! I have been so busy organzing the details here at home of how life exists in our absence for the kids, packing, cleaning, going to wrestling matches, carpooling, working, etc.. that I haven't even really had time to process yet, that the most AMAZING little guy in the world is going to be in my arms in a few days! Can you believe it? I just met him July 20th and now we are journeying back to make him part of our FOREVER family. Wow, God's plan is unfolding so rapidly and we are so blessed to follow his desire!
Will You please begin to pray with us that he officially becomes a Payne on November 10th? Prayer warriors... start praying now Please! Pray especially hard on the 9th ( we are 8 hours ahead of you!) Our court date is scheduled for November 10th!
We are also praying that we get to meet his dad and have an exchange with him to learn more about Mamo's past. I pray he wants to keep a relationship with him and hope he has a chance to say goodbye to his father, who took care of him and provided for him for so long. I am sure it will be a very emotional day for all of us, but we desire so much to meet him and learn of his story, so that we may be able to tell Daniel Mamo about it some day. Please say a special prayer that his father will have peace with his decision for us to raise his son. Man, that is hard to type. I can only imagine.
Adoption is beautiful, but there is so much loss as the same time. Loss of family, loss of country, loss of heritage for this precious little boy. Our intentions are to keep his identity STRONG in his Ethiopian heritage, and are so thankful for the LARGE Ethiopian support community that is here in our backyard! Ethiopia is such a beautiful and amazing place, and mark my words right now....This will NOT be the last trip for our family to this beautiful country. This country is ALREADY in my blood, and we will continue visit this AMAZING place! God didn't send us all the way here to just save one child. I think he sent us to save ourselves. More on that in the future! ( I can't write more here because we are not sure what the future holds for us here, but I know it is something special!) :)
I cant wait to see where we are staying! I cant wait to see Philip's freaked out face (I will blog about this later) when he lands here! I cant wait to smell Ethiopia again! I cant wait to hug the necks of my Ethiopian friends! I cant wait to see my baby! I cant wait for Philip to meet him! I cant wait to fall madly in LOVE with this little guy all over again! I cant wait to tell him about his new family and his new friends! I cant wait to eat Ethiopian food (and my peanut butter and crackers!) I CANT WAIT! Just a little while longer! :) Almost there! and already there in my heart....Actually, Not sure I really ever left! :)
Blessings to all! Stay tuned for more updates!!! :)
Here we come little guy!!! :) Mama and daddy are leaving RIGHT now!!
No comments:
Post a Comment