no letter

Thank you guys for praying for us today about our travel letter. Unfortunately, we did not get it. We are sad about that, sad about taking the kids back to the orphanage, sad that they are not here with us. But, we are not discouraged. We are trusting God in this, and planning on a super big day tomorrow.

Let me give you an idea of our day tomorrow:
6:20 am: board the bus (future travelers, the coffee is not ready by 6:20am here at this awesome hotel, and this is the second (or third?) morning we have had to leave the hotel so early, so bring your own (instant) coffee if this is an issue for you. This is a major issue for me. (no coffee makers in hotel room) Fortunately, I have very kind travel group-mates who share (thank you, Smiths!!!) their disposable coffee mugs with lids (think Starbucks) AND their hot boiled water because our kettle blew our converter thing. Sigh. We did bring instant coffee (via) and that does the trick when in a pinch. Bring your Splenda and your plastic spoons!

6:40am pick up kids at the orphanage (hopefully for the LAST time!)

7:00am go to the Ministry.
Sit at the Ministry.
Sit in the couches and in the hallways and take up as much space as possible. (this is where I almost tripped over the power cords, it is seriously crowded in there when our entire travel group goes)
Do not leave the Ministry until we have the travel letters.
Wait at the Ministry.
Sit at the Ministry.
Hope that many of the kids have a tantrum at the office so that they will want to get rid of us.
Do not leave until we have the letters.
Sit at the Ministry.

7:30am (see how optimistic I am?)
leave the Ministry, with the letters in hand, and go to the Immigration office.
8:00am Pick up the kids' passports!

8:30 return to the hotel for a leisurely breakfast (hahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahaha, I am so sure we will be at the Ministry begging and pleading at this time, I am in dream world, but work with me!)

After we pick up the passports, which is after we get the travel letter from the Ministry, we head to the Embassy for our appointment at 11:00am. I am not quite sure what this is for, honestly, I don't really need to know, I just need to be there. Apparently, we will be there until at least 2:00pm, (which is why, future travelers, they tell you to bring great snacks. These are NOT just snacks, this is lunch! and breakfast! and we will have all the kids with us!)

Once we get all this done, (and we WILL!), we should go back to the orphanage, where our children will say their goodbyes. I get tears in my eyes just thinking of it. My brave little girl will march on in there, in all her sassiness, and say goodbye to every friend and brother and sister and mother she has ever known. I'm sure a big deal won't be made, I know the kids are used to other kids leaving and going into families, but it hurts so much to not be able to explain to her all that is going on. My two children dearly love those nuns, those precious women who have given their lives.

Tomorrow afternoon, in all our exhaustion and stress of the day, we will go to the orphanage, give back the clothes off their back, leave our gifts, cry as we thank the nuns and the workers for all they have done, and say goodbye to the life they have known. I know it is exciting to think of the NEW life they will have, but I want to take it all in, reflect, make known that there is a death here, a deep sadness in saying goodbye to something, that while not ideal, is all my children have ever known.

Selah.

More news tomorrow. Please pray for us.