Hello From Ethiopia

Hi, everyone! Sadly, I can't access blogspot from here, so I'm posting this via Laura. I had looked forward to sharing this experience with you, step by step, but it seems that's not to be. A quick overview: I arrived safely and sick, but I'm all better now, I miss my family a lot, but I am still convinced this is where God would have me to be right now, I have been to the orphanage three times now, and my biggest prayer request right now is that I would be able to show Christ's love to these unloved children in practical ways, and that I would know exactly "how". We are separated by a huge language barrier, but God is not limited, and I am resting in that knowledge.

I like some of the food and am not so crazy about the rest of it, but their hot tea is probably the hot tea that was drunk by the gods on Mount Olympis

Last, but not least, TREASURE YOUR ICE. No joke. I had no idea how much I loved cold, icy drinks until they were no longer available. So, drink a cold bottle of water for me. :)

I am a stranger, in a strange land, surrounded by different customs, different expectations, and different values. I have found, however, that I am most certainly not alone. Even when I feel most cut off from the fellowship I am used to, my Heavenly Father comes alongside me, takes my hand, and reminds me that He is with me and will never leave me. This promise has become sweeter to me than I can begin to describe.

I feel much closer to Him here than I did in America, surrounded by comfort and familiarity, but I know that isn't because He's greater or nearer here... it's because I didn't realize how MUCH I wasn't resting in Him back home.

I encourage each of you to "press on to know the Lord, for His coming is as sure as the morning, as the sweet spring rains that water the ground." Hosea 6:3

Bon Voyage!

Aaaaannnnddd...

I'm off!

this is it....

It's definitely feelin' real. I'm leaving. Monday.

These last couple of days have been beautifully normal, only with lots of extra visiting and sweetness thrown in.

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I'm sick right now with a cough and a nasty sore throat, so I'd VERY much appreciate everyone's prayers that God would bless my body to be strong and well quickly.

For those five hundred of you who've asked, you can send me facebook messages or emails while I'm gone, and I should be able to get them and respond... tho perhaps not in a timely manner. And if you want to put pen to paper and actually write me, (remember, i'm a big fan of snail mail,) you can message me and I'll give you my address.

three days...

Three days left. This evening I'm spending time with Joseph and Andrea and their two ADORABLE little girls... little girls I'm not gonna see for three months... youngest little girl whose birthday I'm gonna miss...

mama and andrea are cooking a yummy supper - lots of vegetables, nicely coated in salt, pepper, and butter.

nora is crawling around, cooing and gurgling, and charlie is beseeching me to come do puzzles.

happy times.

five days.

Tonight, Anna and I Begin To Pack. To say that I have a multitude of things to cram into two suitcases - both of which have to weigh only fifty lbs. - is the understatement of the century.

Thankfully, Anna is a Master Packer, and could probably fit all the stuff I have plus a newborn baby elephant into a backpack.

Yes. That was stretching the truth a bit. But still.

six days to go...

I've found myself randomly gazing at things in our house and yard these last couple of days - a particular picture, a certain corner, a wall I've looked at thousands of times - memorizing each detail, storing each mental photo in my mind, treasuring it up for the days ahead. I like my home. I like my family.

but for really the first time, I'm getting excited.

with love, Daddy

Today, Mama stumbled across a box of supplies Daddy bought and took with him on one of his mission trips to Africa. There were bandaids, hydrocorisone cream, face astringent, pain patches, and lots of other useful odds and ends, all jumbled together, waiting to be used. I teared up as Mama showed me each item, because in a small way, it was like a little blessing, a gift, if you will, from Daddy as I make this trip. He would've been so excited for me, so helpful, so full of wise advice, so supportive, so prayerful, and I'm missing him very much these days. I don't know whether those we love can see us from Paradise. Daddy thought maybe they could, sometimes. I like to think that perhaps he knows what I'm about to do. -just seven days left-

the way it began.

today is Phoebe's Gotcha Day. For those unfortunate people who don't have adopted family and need explanation, your Gotcha Day is simply the day you come to live with your forever family.

Six years ago today, a long, thin, strong willed, beautiful baby was placed in Anna's arms.

To say she has changed all of our lives would be such an understatement.

Phoebe, (because you're reading this; because you can read now!!) I love you so much. You're not only my first niece, you're the first reason I began to love Ethiopia.

Now I'm going to live there for a while - live where you were born. I'm excited. And I'm thankful. Thankful that God knew exactly when you should come into our lives, thankful that He put you in our family, thankful that I get this chance to live in your Birth Country for a while.

Happy Gotcha Day, my dearest.

::eight days now::

savoring each moment.

I'm on the brink of tears today. Everything about home is so dang sweet, and everything about leaving is so grey looking. (except maybe my new backpack that makes me look like a genuine hardcore traveler... or a mountain woman... or something intense like that.)

so, I'm soaking in the sweetness. I cuddled with mama and annmarie. I'm about to endear myself forever to Laura by jumping on her to wake her up - at 8:30 on a Saturday morning. Tonight I'll spend with Lowell, Anna, Phoebe, Isaiah - and Phoebe's new puppy, Tumnus!





Nine days to go.