Monday, October 24, 2011

Leaving for Ethiopia in 4 days!!!



Can't believe it's almost time.... 4 days to go and we're off to Ethiopia to Finally meet our son!!! WooHoo!! I've been so full of emotions and cry at the drop of a hat.  I keep daydreaming about what it will be like the moment we see our son face to face..... and then I remember how incredible that overwhelming love and joy felt when I gave birth, saw and held my 4 beautiful babies for the first time. Absolutely nothing like it in the world!!! 

As soon as we pass court, he will legally be an "Archie" and we can then show his face and say his name. We're asking everyone to please keep us lifted up in prayer and pray that we pass court right away so we don't have to cover his face with these hearts any longer!  :)

Our 2 older children are going with us..... Michael Jr. is going on this first trip for our court appointment and our oldest daughter Jasmine is going the second time for our Embassy appointment when we get to bring him home. Michael Jr. is so excited and can't wait to meet his brother!! He's already packed and ready to go with his "Ordinary Hero" gear!

  


Our upstairs hallway is full of luggage / donations.



I hear it's a 14 hour trip going there and 17 hours back! Whew!
Bring on the Ambien!  :)


Been happily busy packing, collecting donations for the children in our son's orphanage, finishing travel paperwork, completing adoption educational requirements, making sure we have everything we need.....on top of the crazy busy everyday life of a typical mom of 4 very active athletic kiddos....school projects.... homework....sports practices/games every night of the week....sign making.....piles and piles of laundry, cooking (well, not so much cooking  LOL! - more like eating out), cleaning, volunteer work and growing my Rodan+Fields business across the country.  Whew!!!
But there's one more thing that we are so excited to add to our list of activities...something new to our family....SOCCER.  We hear our son LOVES soccer and we can't wait to see him play!


My sweet Jayla enjoyed helping me put 50 candy bags together for the children in Ethiopia. She really wishes she could go with us on this trip and meet her brother and pass out the candy. Every night at dinner, she prays and asks God to bring her big brother home by Christmas.  Love her heart! I know she will definitely be going with me on many, many mission trips in the future. She's a little world changer in the making!   :)



My amazing and dear friend Kelly Putty (founder of Ordinary Hero) was in Ethiopia again recently and went to see our son at his school. She always tells me how sweet and shy he is. 
Love this picture of that visit....such a beautiful smile!









This is his school's library.


My hubby sporting his new "Simply Love" t-shirt............



From the bottom of my heart......I want to sincerely thank all of those who have donated financially toward our adoption, donated clothes for the children in the orphanage and formula for the babies and most importantly for all your Love, Support and Prayers! What a blessing you are to our family and to these precious orphans! I can't wait to see their faces light up when we hand out the donations.


Before we leave, we're asking all of you to please keep our family in your prayers. We can't wait to share everything with you guys when we get home.



Please pray over the following........

- Safe travel and our health
- Pray for our children that are staying home (Jasmine, Jayla and Malik)
- And for my sister (and her children) who will be caring for them while we're gone.
- For a blessed and special time with our new son and for him to know and feel how much we love him.
- Pray that we pass Court on Nov. 3rd
- Pray for us and our new son when we have to leave him and come back to the U.S.  Not sure how I'm gonna held this one.
- Pray over Michael Jr. (who is 12) and that this trip will be life changing for him.
- Pray for a quick Embassy date so we can have our son home by Christmas!

Last but not least......
- Pray that CHRIST will be Glorified in all that we do!!!!!!


LOVE and APPRECIATE YOU ALL!!!!! 
~ Crystal




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