They're Home!!!

After the last update, it's been a whirlwind! We did fly to Orlando on Saturday, and then traveled to the Sanford airport, arriving around noon. The children landed there around 4:30 that afternoon. Then the drama started. Many families were waiting for their children to be released to them at the Sanford airport. About 1/3 of the children were released to their families between 5:00-7:00 am Sunday (yes we all waited up all night being told, "a couple more hours..." multiple times). Then they halted things and processed another 1/3 of the children who would be flown to meet their families in Colorado.

After that - nothing happened for a LONG time! Oh the roller-coaster of emotions! Sunday afternoon, there were 17 families (25 children) remaining, and they finally called all the families into a conference room to discuss the procedures - which had changed from what we'd been told early that morning. Then they started paperwork and got this new process started for us. We got to see our children briefly late that afternoon, but then sat several more hours before the children were FINALLY released to us at about 1:00 am Monday morning. We got to a hotel around 2, slept for about 6 hours, then got up to head back to the Orlando airport to fly home to Des Moines, via St. Louis. Our flights were all on time - amazing, considering the blizzard that was going on at home. Some family and friends were able to make it to the airport to welcome us home.

We are so blessed. Thank you all so much for all you've done for us - the prayers, avocating with calls to senators/congressmen/State Department, the meals, caring for Kaylen, calls/notes of encouragement, flight costs, welcome at the airport, etc. We're so blessed, and are praising God for the wonderful things he's made of the disaster in Haiti. We continue to pray for families who don't have their children home yet. The news of the halted exits is heartbreaking, and I pray that this new step is quashed quickly and they can get their children home ASAP! These kids need their moms and dads and the stable love and support that they can provide.

As far as Elijah & Josephine - they are doing great! Things have been interesting for all of us trying to adjust to everything new. I'll post more about that later, but wanted to get some photos out here for our friends and family who haven't seen us yet. These were taken tonight after supper - the kids seemingly broke out of their shell after a fairly somber day, and got all wild and silly and giggly. It was so fun! Love these two - God is good!