We all safely made it back home, and are very thankful.  It was not without event getting everyone home, as we had a few snags.

So much has happened in the last week since my last post, and the family is still besieged by the Flu.  Turns out it is still Flu season in Africa and the kids caught it, after returning home.

Half the family is on antibotics including the family dog, who was lethargic and not eating when we returned home.

All that said we are still filled with Joy at having our complete family home in the Good old USA.

It would be hard to describe all the events as they unfolded, but i'll try to give a brief glimpse of some highlights.  I'll also reference a blog from our case worker which gives some information (this is about us)

http://www.homebyanotherway-ethiopia.blogspot.com/

We had some event packed days.  We ate local fare and watched local dancers from the various tribes.  Visited the zoo, and various other highlights.

We touring a village of the tribe of our daughter's birth mother.  Our car broke down with a flat tire, and we walked through the muddy streets to where the school facility is being built for the local children by Buckner Bright Hope.  We are surrounded by children and some adults, as the funny foreigners who don't like walking in the mud.  It actaully was great fun...

Children laughed, and people tried to help.  Some wanted their picture taken, so they could see it on the display on our camera's.  We saw a very brief glimpse of how the locals live, looking in there huts.

We even attended Church on Sunday.  We left after 3 hours, just before the sermon was to start.  Services in the states are barely a blip on the watch compared to Ethiopia services.

However sunday night our sweet baby, started to pull on her ears, and then threw up several times.  We thought she might have an ear infection, and were also concerned for her up coming air plane trip.  I found our case worker in the hotel business center, and was asking if any way we could get here to a doctor before departure. 

Then God stepped in and provided.  Another women overheard me, and said her husband was a doctor and he'd be glad to help.  Told us there room number, and told us to visit him.  They were from N. Carolina and also there to adopt.

We were relieved to get medical care, and get her started on antiobotics.  She perked up quickly and then turned out to be a real good traveler on the return trip.

However, the same family from N. Carolina told us their friends had traveled back via London as we planned to and they had to get a transit visa to do so from the UK.

So we started the next morn, the day before our flight to try to get one.  This turned out to be many phone calls, that confirmed (so it seemed) we needed one, and would have to visit the local UK office with entire family to get one.  We arrived there and begged and pleaded to get our visa for the flight the next day.  They gave us a 24 page form, asked for photo of baby, and money, then told us after taking everything after a long wait in queue, we'd have to wait 3 days to get it.  All this and we aren't even leaving the airport in the UK, and will only have 3 hour layover....

I continued to talk to UK staff, and beg and plead to get us home the next day.  Then finally assuming there was no more could be done, called our travel agent.  Travel agent confirmed my fears (having had trouble getting tickets in the 1st place on the return trip).  No available seats out of Ethiopia for some time (over a week).

Then God provided yet again.  We talked to another staff to get our application in, and prepare to send part of the family home, and one of us stay with baby for the remaining time till we could get a flight out.  Then UK finally after calling embassy and several more people, says you dont' need the visa.  This was then also confirmed by agency staff, that since we are not leaving airport we dont' even need the visa.  I'd already told the staff this numerous times in my pleadings, but apparently the rules aren't clear to everyone.

Then i asked do we need some letter or proof, it's ok and we don't need the visa.  I'm told "no, just tell them the embassy said your are ok to travel, if they question you"!!  Amazaing, then at the airport, no one even asked on the way back.....

We are so blessed and glad to be home, and most are on the mend.

I think the beatles were close, it should have been...

Back in the US,

Back in the US,

Back in the USA...

You don't know how lucky you are...

Bill