Coming Home

We received confirmation today from our adoption agency that our family has been included in the next travel group to Ethiopia. Though we have yet to make official travel plans, we must be in Addis Ababa on Thursday, June 10th. On Sunday, our group will travel six hours from the capital city to Durame where we will have the privilege of meeting our daughter's birth family. Such joy and sorrow this adoption journey. Such gain and loss.

We will have our meeting in the US embassy on Tuesday the 15th and then take legal custody of Lucia, and begin awaiting her visa which should be issued by Thursday. There is much to do in preparation for our journey to Africa: A photo album to put together for Lucia's family; collecting and filling out paperwork for our interview; meals to prepare and freeze for Russell and Elliot in our absence. Thankfully, Thomas has completed all the necessary shots and Jared and I will complete our last Hepatitis A round this week. (There is still the live typhoid that has been sitting in our refrigerator for months that we need to take. Good thing it doesn't expire until August.)

Foremost on my mind is preparing my precious twins—who will be turning three right before our departure—for the nine days without us and trying to emotionally, mentally, and physically prepare ourselves for the next step in our family's journey. Thankfully, we have parents and an abundance of friends who have graciously agreed to stay in our home and take care of our boys while we are gone as well as many who have offered to come and assist us once we return with our daughter. A joyous day. To quote my oldest son Thomas, "I can't wait to see her!"