Home At Last!

Well, we finally made it! It was definitely a journey I will not forget anytime soon! I have learned many things on this trip, many things about others and about myself. First of all, I learned that I can do anything with God in front of me and even when He is carrying me. I would have never thought a year or two ago that I would have went to Africa without anyone physically with me. I know that on the way there I spoke to different people that when they would ask where I was going and I told them Liberia, West Africa, they could not believe that I would go there without anyone else with me. They would say, do you know how dangerous it is there. I would say, well that is the only way this little girl is getting home and God will be with me. It gave me a chance to share my story and what God had done for us. When I got there, there were a whole lot of emotions. I was with people that I did not know or who did not know me, they had just seen a picture of me. Then when I got to the compound I met another man that was adopting a little boy (he had been there for 3 weeks and was leaving on Wed.), but Neil was very helpful and I am so grateful that he was there when he was. Then, before I knew it a little girl walked around the corner and from that time on we have not been apart to much. Was I nervous? Yes. Did I miss my family at this point? More than you will ever know. Just knowing that I couldn't get back to them quickly and it would be awhile before I could see them again was hard. Just knowing they were on the other side of the world at times broke my heart. But, I looked at this little girl and knew, I was what she had to depend on. We have learned many things about each other. We have seen each other happy and sad. We have seen the most beautiful things in the world together, but we have also see a place together that I can't imagine my children growing up in. I have met people along the way that I will probably forget about, then there are ones that I pray to God that I will see again one day that I could never imagine forgetting. People that I know God put in my path not only to help them, but they will never know how they helped me.
Just a couple of them:
First and Foremost God: Without you, I would have never done this or got through it! You sent me there for a reason, some I know and some I may never know this side of Heaven. Thank you my Father for leading me and sometimes carrying me! We made it! I give you glory for ALL of this!
Chris and Robert: "My Buddies" I don't know what I would have done without these guys. They showed me around the area, they helped get me "many" phone cards, bananas, helped me to take out Josephine's braids, took me to the beach (even if Robert doesn't like the water to well), and they made me laugh. These are two young men who live at the compound and go to school. They know how important it is to go to school and how it is not a given in Liberia. They work hard and they are very respectful. I learned many things from them. I learned how to value an education, how to be grateful for what I had and how to make the best of a situation. They also helped to "tote" Josephine on the very hot days when I had "toted" her enough:). I also got to share America with them. Whether through pictures or through movies I brought. They couldn't believe we had "current"(electricity) all day:). I was also told that I talk to fast, then I laughed and told them that was funny I was just thinking the same things about them. Well, I sure miss you guys and wish you could come to America, you could sure teach some of the teenagers here a few lessons in how to work hard and value an education. By the way, I hope that you guys got some new "slippers". Robert, leave Chris' slippers alone.:)
Rocking Joe: I thought rush hour traffic was bad to drive in here. I don't know how you do it man! There were many times I just closed my eyes and prayed that we would make it to where we were going:). We did not get into an accident the whole time I was there and we got into place that I still don't know how we got throught without stratching another car or person for that fact:) Your Good! You could drive anywhere here in America my friend! You earn every penny you get! By the way, I hope you got the van fixed, sorry I didn't get to say goodbye to you, even though we didn't talk much, I enjoyed meeting you and riding with you!! By the end, I knew we would get to where we needed to go as long as you were driving! Thanks for helping get me to the airport!
Menz: What can I say! You seen the best and worst! Thanks for everything from just listening to me when I got homesick, to taking me to the market, travel agency and finally to the airport. You are one that truly knew how much my family means to me and you respected that! Thanks for calling Mike to let him know I left and for calling me at home to make sure Josephine and I got home! I know you won't forget me!
Amos: Well, I guess you are part of the family now:) Just know that I won't be coming there to pick you up, you will have to be escorted:). Thanks for letting me us your computer. One day you will get that MP3 player. Just let me know when you want to Skype Mike and I, I will also tell Jean-Paul:). Josephine still says "I have a friend named Josephine":) You are one of a kind.
Francis: Thanks for putting up with me! Hope that you may have learned a little from me too, I enjoyed the tours and learning about Liberia and seeing the beauty that is hidden!
Williette: Thanks for everything! I know things were crazy for you at this time, but I enjoyed meeting your family and thanks for sharing them with me. Hope you all are doing better.
Emma: You were so kind. I enjoyed talking to you, you are a beautiful person inside and out! Keep rocking those babies, they need you and need your mothering until there new moms come!
Saturday: I wish I could have brought you home with me too, so did Mike! Thanks for everything you did. I never seen one spider the whole time I was there, thanks! Thanks for the good food too. Thank Pa Peter for me!
Tracy and Esau: Where do I even begin! What would I have even done without you two? I feel like you are two of our kids! I miss you two so much. I think of you very often and pray for you too. You seen me very happy and you also seen a few tears and you knew why. When I left you at the airport, my heart way breaking. I was so happy to be going home, but so sad to be leaving you two. You both have something that God has given you. You are very special people, look to God because He has a plan for you two, just keep your eyes on Him. Be safe! Take care of each other. I will be in touch with you both to check in on you and I have a couple of other people who will be checking in on you too:). I enjoyed telling you guys about America (and what American Idol was, and what a curling iron was) The look on your faces when I curled my hair was priceless:). You two will always be in my heart and Josephine's. Sometimes I think that besides getting Josephine, you two were the reason God sent me. Not only to meet you and spend time with you, but also to learn a thing or two from you. Miss you guys!
Mike: WOW! You were there for me so many miles away. You listened when I know you felt like you were missing out, and you also listened when the tears were falling and homesickness set in. You tried to get me home earlier, but that wasn't God's plan. I never want to be that far away for that long again. I learned that without you, a big part of me is missing (my best friend). I learned just how much I can miss you. Believe me, we won't be apart like that again for a very long time if ever again! Thanks for believing in me, you will never know how much it meant. No more long trips without you! Just like the song says, I was surrounded my a million people but I still feel alone (that is without you and our family). Thanks for being there and listening and loving me. Your my heart! God truly designed you for me! Thanks for always being there for me and for our family! I will be so proud if our sons grow up to be a husband and father just like you! Thanks for holding things down here while I was gone, I know it is not an easy task!
Thomas and Steven: Thanks for letting mommy experience this and not making it hard on me. Thanks for the phone calls and for helping mommy. I love you boys more than you will ever know and now your sister too.
Thanks to all who prayed for me and sent words of encouragement! The prayers were felt!
Well, I will be blogging in the days ahead of the different things I experienced and learned along the way, but I need to thank these people. Did I change the world while I was there? No. Did I expect to? No. Did I change a little? Yes. Did I see why my children will have a better life here? You can guarentee that. I loved it, but it also broke my heart to think that my children would have had to live their life there if God hadn't of brought us together. I understand why their birth parents did what they did and one day my children will too. I want to say thank you to them too. Even though they will probably never read this, I still need to thank them for being selfless and loving these kids as much as we do!
The pictures are of my friends Chris and Robert.
Then Tracy, Esau, Josphine and me.
Then when we got home from the airport.

By the way, when Josephine saw Mike, she ran to him! She has him wrapped around her figure already:)