Travel Dates!!!

Quick update!

We got the best call of all today! We are leaving Saturday to go pick up our children!!! On cloud 9!

We will be arriving in Ethiopia on Monday morning. Our Embassy appointment is Tuesday. We will be leaving Ethiopia on Thursday and arriving home on Friday afternoon - Good Friday!!! What a way to celebrate Easter! Celebrating a new life for so many!

Thank you all for your prayers. Can't wait to share my new children with you! It is so close!!

Candi

Just a couple of details about the call that will make it memorable for me. First of all, the timing of it all, even down to the threat of shutting down the government, all lands our Gotcha day on my birthday!

Second, I am sitting in a barber's chair for the first time in probably 4 years (my lack of hair doesn't really lend itself toward paying a barber). The wonderful thing about this is that I received a gift card for a haircut and shave at the Ordinary Hero benefit dinner just last Thursday night that they gave to all the soon-to-be adoptive fathers in the audience...and there were probably close to 20 of them in the room which is just amazing. Thank you to the Tanksleys, as Kirk is my brothers best friend and donated the freebies to Uncles Classic Barbershop, and he didn't even find out about our adoption until last night when he was visiting my brother in Atlanta.

And my favorite, before I get in the chair I tell my barber Jeffery M that I am expecting a call, and that I wouldn't normally except it...and shared the whole story. Well, about 25 minutes later, I'm right in the middle of my spa treatment...I mean shave that felt like a spa treatment, and the phone rings. It's our case worker, and she tells me that she has good news - for all you case workers out there, it's always good to get straight to the point - no need to beat around the bush when we all know why you're calling. She says that our application has been accepted by the US Embassy, and we are clear to travel for our Embassy date on Tuesday the 19th. I finish the call, and am beaming from ear to ear - can kick myself for not getting a picture, but I have a face full of shaving cream - and it's all over my phone after my call. So I finish my very relaxing straight razor shave, complete with hot towel wrap and enjoy my last few minutes of relaxation for the day.

The next 5 hours are a whirlwind. Candi is working and unavailable most of the day. I even had to leave her a message and text, but I was under strict orders to only call if I had news about our travel dates, and I dare not disobey an order. We find out quickly that several of our AGCI friends are traveling with us, Yay for the Marcordes family, and so excited to be able to travel with the Voss family, who are bringing home a girl and boy who are almost the exact ages of our M and S. In our rejoicing, we pray for the Huss and Williams families that they will get good news in the morning and they could travel with the rest of us and hurry up and bring their kiddos home.

One of my more memorable days for sure...with more to come just one week from today!

God is Good.

Jay