Tuesday, Our miracle day!

w Today we got up and kind of packed here and there just in case we were able to fly out later in the day. We then went downstairst to the lobby and finished up our souvenir shopping.

It came time for us to get picked up for our embassy appt. We hooked up with Tony and Laura and their girls in the lobby and headed outside since our CWAE ride was running late. Of course the youngest baby messed her diaper while we were waiting. I changed her on a bench and was able to finish before the ride got there.

We piled into the car and headed off for the Embassy. Eyob was behind us in another car. We arrived at the Embassy and had to go through screening. Sarah forgot that she had her camera in her little passport pouch and had to leave it at the front counter. We headed into a little waiting room and I saw the families from another agency that I had seen on the plane on the way over there. This time they too had their new children!

It was our turn to head upstairs. We waited for them to call the "Grieshaber" family to the window. I had to swear with my right hand that all the info was true to my knowledge. When it was all done, Eyob politely told the clerk that our flight was to leave that night. He asked if it were possible to get our passports/visas that day. The response? "Sure, no problem!" WHAT?!!!! I immediately burst into tears. This was a God thing. The ONLY way we got their passports was because the Lord went before us and allowed it to happen. We had our church family and our adoption families praying for us. Our God is a MIGHTY God and only He can miracles.

I headed over to the other families and Lisa gave me a big hug. (I secretly think she is the one who sent me red roses to our hotel room or was it Laura?)(still a big mystery!) Eyob explained that no other family had ever received there documentation on the same day. Sometimes its iffy to even get it the next day. We then had to wait a little bit while they prepared both of them. They called up Derartu Stephen and then Mihret Stephen. (Cute names!)

We raced back to the hotel and furiously packed. I headed over to the little store at the Hilton to look for Benadryl. Knowing that our oldest one was a screamer I wanted a back-up if she got out of control. They didn't have it and again the Lord came through and she slept most of the time. We were able to pack our bags quickly and head down to the lobby to check out. Casahun was waiting for us and off we went to the airport!

We drove through a much nicer part of Addis than I had so far seen and wondered why we were never brought or told about this area. I would have felt safer shopping here. We got to the airport and again mass confusion. Families saying goodbye, people trying to help and this was just at the sidewalk in the parking lot. Casahun walked us in and we retrieved the luggage that was lost on the inbound flight and he took it back to the care center since it was donations. We had left Sarah, Mihret and our carry-ons at a bench while we retrieved the bag. Casahun was going to go, but I had no idea where Sarah was so I asked him and he took me to her. After checking us in at the airline counter he went ahead and left. I tipped him $10 which seemed meager for all the help he had been to us.

With Casahun gone, it was just us four girls. We went and filled out the immigration form and presented that. Passed through that and headed somewhere else to actually fly out. Checked in at Ethiopia Airlines and had just enough time to change the girls into some pjs. and board the plane. We were able to sit in Business Class at the very front of the plane. The girls each had a baby bed that attached to the wall that they could sleep in. Derartu threw up in hers once on the way home, but other than they were both very well behaved, especially for ALL the changes they were going through.

They fed us well, and the seats just about fully reclined. It was time to relax, catch some sleep, thank our Father, and reflect on the events of the day.