In Case We Leave Tomorrow...

In case we do get to head out tomorrow, I thought I should add a few pictures and share our in Ethiopia itinerary!

Above:

1. a picture of SOME of our luggage! We have 5 checked bags and 4 carry ons! That's one less checked bag than allowed and expected. To the dear family shipping 3 cases of Nutramigen - they have not arrived yet! But - no problem because some other ladies in San Antonio are headed to ET in June and they will be able to take it.

2. Libby sitting in her new big-girl-twin-bed right before bedtime.  Isn't she so cute!

3 and 4 - Libby went to a birthday party on Sunday. A couple of boys were getting their faces painted like pirates so that is what she wanted. She also received a "balloon sword". Well, about 10 minutes after that I heard the moms of the boys talking about Libby being so tough and I looked inside the big moon bounce and Libby had pinned all four balloon sword carrying pirate boys in a corner. She ROCKS!

We have packed EVERYTHING besides a few toiletries we will need in the morning. We have taken out trash, cleaned most of the house (minus the floors but oh well!) and worked our little tails off. We have every detail taken care of down to friends housesitting, new CD off to print, power of attorney for closing of our house all done (we close May 28!!!), utilities turned off at old house, bills paid.... and the list goes on!

So - IF we travel tomorrow (oh please Jesus please!!!) here is what our itinerary will look like once we are in Ethiopia:

We fly through Dubai and stay in Dubai for 2 nights so we arrive in Ethiopia on Saturday May 23. Most of the other families traveling will arrive on Sunday, I think. Sunday (24th) we just eat and rest in the Guest House that is actually more like a hotel with suites!

Monday, May 25 - Go to the Hilton Hotel in the morning for orientation meeting and have lunch there. Then we go to meet our baby girl at the Transitional Home!!!!! This is the day we will refer to at Metcha Day (the day we meet Aria Lu!). We are encouraged to use those 2 hours at the TH to visit with our baby girl and the nannies there!

Then we're back to the Guest House. And then head out for a group dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant.

Tuesday, May 26 - GOTCHA DAY! We shop in the morning. In the afternoon we go to pick up our baby girl! We will also have a chance to ask the nanny some questions, POSSIBLY meet the birth mother, hand out care packages (we have packages for 3 other families and photo consents for those 3 families plus one other) AND give the nannies/TH staff their gifts. That will be a busy day right there! I think we also have a coffee ceremony and then in the evening we are back to the guest house for our first night with Aria Lu! (typing that just made me cry!)

Wednesday, May 27 - we have alone time with our family and new baby girl in the morning. We have lunch on our own until we have to be at the Embassy appointment. That appointment could take 1-2 hours so we were encouraged to eat a good lunch before we go. After the embassy appointment we do some more shopping and site seeing!!

Thursday, May 28 - In the morning we have the option to go visit 2 orphanages - one being Kids Care. While I really want to do that, I'm going to play it be ear. Our girls may just need to be still that day. We'll see. Then we have lunch as a group and dinner on our own. The Zebra Grill is within walking distance so I'm sure that's where we'll be Thursday night!

Friday, May 29 - we have sightseeing and shopping in the morning. But we also need to pack everything back up because we start our flight home on this evening!!!

Saturday May 30 - we arrive home on this evening thoroughly happy and exhausted after close to 35 hours of traveling (including lay overs)! 

And then we have exactly one week off before we fly to Colorado to lead worship for a Student Life camp there for one week. Our drummer's wife and girls along with our electric players wife will both be at that camp so I will have LOTS of help with Libby and Lu will mostly sleep and eat (I'm guessing) since she will only be 4 months old! And then we have several weeks off before more camps.... WHEW!

So - I'm hoping you will read "We're headed to ET" in my next blog post in the morning! If not -we'll have to go to Sea World or something and reward all our hard work (and Libby's endurance of all our work) in some fun way! God is good either way... but I'm still his little girl begging for what I want - TRAVEL TO ET TOMORROW!!

With joy!

cindy