(This post is an email forward from Mark and Kelli in Ehtiopia. Please keep them and Ruby in your prayers--especially that little Ruby recovers quickly. Posted by Kelli's Dad)
Hello family......Kelli and I are safe and sound in Addis Ababa. Our flights went extremely well. No problems with anything. Luggage, visas etc....were fine also. We got a good nights sleep and are going to see Ruby in about 1 hour!!
We did get some bad news though- Ruby is in the hospital again. We know very little right now but evidently she has pneumonia. But I do not think it is as bad as its sounds because Milkiyas said 'most kids get that during the rainy season' so we are hopeful that it is just a small cold. They send kids to the hospital all the time here for everything so we hope to know more later. So we are going to the hospital soon and bringing her clothes diapers etc.....
We have internet access here at the hotel but it is limited so we will try and update you guys everyday but do not expect pictures- but we will try.
Their is a another adoptive family staying here from MN and they are big Twins fans.....so that is a real answer to prayer :) Anyway, pray for Ruby's illness to be minor and continued safety for all of us here. We will write you later today or sometime tomorrow- if the internet is working (which is spotty at times). Love you all!
Mark and Kelli
Friday, September 12, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Tomorrow!
I think that I am pretty much ready to go. I spent all day packing, cleaning, running errands... and now I am tired, but still incredibly excited. We will be gone tonight and then tomorrow my parents are going to pick us up at noon. We will go out for lunch and then head to the airport in Grand Rapids! Tomorrow morning I need to vacuum, pack the dog's stuff, and finish packing all our bathroom stuff, then we should be good to go.
I was hoping we could squeeze all of our stuff into 3 suitcases, but it looks like we will be taking 4 and possibly just coming back with 3. I got all of our clothes (including clothes for Ruby) and bathroom stuff in two suitcases, one suitcase is filled with clothes for the orphanage and the 4th is filled with odds and ends such as donations, candy for the kids at the orphanage, Ruby's diaper bag, bottles, pacifier, snacks...etc. I have to weigh them tonight and make sure none of them are over 50lbs, else we will get charged a lot extra.
Okay- that is all from me. I hope you all have a great week. I can't wait to introduce you all to Ruby Grace in a few days (if we have internet :). Thanks for your prayers!
I was hoping we could squeeze all of our stuff into 3 suitcases, but it looks like we will be taking 4 and possibly just coming back with 3. I got all of our clothes (including clothes for Ruby) and bathroom stuff in two suitcases, one suitcase is filled with clothes for the orphanage and the 4th is filled with odds and ends such as donations, candy for the kids at the orphanage, Ruby's diaper bag, bottles, pacifier, snacks...etc. I have to weigh them tonight and make sure none of them are over 50lbs, else we will get charged a lot extra.
Okay- that is all from me. I hope you all have a great week. I can't wait to introduce you all to Ruby Grace in a few days (if we have internet :). Thanks for your prayers!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Preparations
Last night I washed a load of baby girl clothes. When my husband saw the pile of pink I think reality set it, we are really bringing home a baby next week! This has all been so surreal; we have waited for this week for almost a year and a half so it's hard to believe it is actually here!
Today my plan is to do finalize hotel reservations and make sure our flights are good to go, do a lot of laundry, clean the house, pick up a few more things for the trip and tie up some loose ends at school. I am hoping that tonight we can start to fill our suitcases. I already have some of Ruby's stuff laid out to go. Tomorrow I can pick up anything else we might need and finish packing so we are ready to go Wed. morning! We are leaving for the airport around 12:30pm on Wednesday. Yeah! I am so excited, but I better get to work :)
Today my plan is to do finalize hotel reservations and make sure our flights are good to go, do a lot of laundry, clean the house, pick up a few more things for the trip and tie up some loose ends at school. I am hoping that tonight we can start to fill our suitcases. I already have some of Ruby's stuff laid out to go. Tomorrow I can pick up anything else we might need and finish packing so we are ready to go Wed. morning! We are leaving for the airport around 12:30pm on Wednesday. Yeah! I am so excited, but I better get to work :)
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Travel Plans
It is about 7am on a Saturday morning, but I am so excited about next week that I am having a hard time sleeping in this morning :) So, I thought I would fill you all in on our plans so far.
Yesterday we made several calls and we got flights booked. It looks like we are going to fly Northwest instead of Ethiopian Air because they could get us home about 3 days sooner. We leave from Grand Rapids around 3 on Wednesday (yes-that is in like 3 days!!) and we eventually arrive in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at 7pm on Thursday (they are 7 hours ahead of us). On the way home we leave Ethiopia around 10pm on Thursday, Sept. 18 and we get back to Grand Rapids around 1:20 pm on Friday, Sept 19. Anyone who would like to is welcome to come to the airport on Friday to say hi. We would love to see all of you. I will try to have my dad update our blog Friday morning to let you know if our flights are on time or if we are delayed.
We think we are going to stay at the Millennium hotel, but we haven't booked that yet. This is where most of the other Bethany families have stayed and it seems like they have been happy there. It is also fairly close to the Bethany offices and the transitional home where Ruby will be until after our embassy date on Tuesday; then she gets to come back to the hotel with us until we leave Thursday night!
We probably won't be able to post much when we are in Ethiopia because other families have told us the internet connects are very spotty. I think the computer at the Millennium was broken the whole week the other families were there. I will try to at least post something, but pictures and details will probably have to wait until we get back.
Wow- my head is spinning with packing lists and phone calls to make but really none of those details seem as important as they did a couple of weeks ago because we will be meeting our little girl in less than a week! Thanks again for your prayers and partnership in this journey the past year and a half. I don't know how we would have held up without being surrounded my a community of believers. We appreciate all of you and can't wait to have you meet Ruby.
Yesterday we made several calls and we got flights booked. It looks like we are going to fly Northwest instead of Ethiopian Air because they could get us home about 3 days sooner. We leave from Grand Rapids around 3 on Wednesday (yes-that is in like 3 days!!) and we eventually arrive in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at 7pm on Thursday (they are 7 hours ahead of us). On the way home we leave Ethiopia around 10pm on Thursday, Sept. 18 and we get back to Grand Rapids around 1:20 pm on Friday, Sept 19. Anyone who would like to is welcome to come to the airport on Friday to say hi. We would love to see all of you. I will try to have my dad update our blog Friday morning to let you know if our flights are on time or if we are delayed.
We think we are going to stay at the Millennium hotel, but we haven't booked that yet. This is where most of the other Bethany families have stayed and it seems like they have been happy there. It is also fairly close to the Bethany offices and the transitional home where Ruby will be until after our embassy date on Tuesday; then she gets to come back to the hotel with us until we leave Thursday night!
We probably won't be able to post much when we are in Ethiopia because other families have told us the internet connects are very spotty. I think the computer at the Millennium was broken the whole week the other families were there. I will try to at least post something, but pictures and details will probably have to wait until we get back.
Wow- my head is spinning with packing lists and phone calls to make but really none of those details seem as important as they did a couple of weeks ago because we will be meeting our little girl in less than a week! Thanks again for your prayers and partnership in this journey the past year and a half. I don't know how we would have held up without being surrounded my a community of believers. We appreciate all of you and can't wait to have you meet Ruby.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Ethiopia Here We Come!!
I got the call today-- we are leaving to go get Ruby next week!! We need to be in Ethiopia by Thursday or Friday, which means in one week I will be holding my daughter! Wow- I have so many crazy emotions running through my head. We are so excited and thankful to God for being faithful and bringing us this far.
I have tons of phone calls to make; as soon as I know more details about our travel plans I will post them. Thanks again for all of your prayers and support; you have each been a blessing to us through this journey. Praise God!!!
I have tons of phone calls to make; as soon as I know more details about our travel plans I will post them. Thanks again for all of your prayers and support; you have each been a blessing to us through this journey. Praise God!!!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Fun Photos
I don't have any updates about Ruby, so I thought I would just post some fun pictures.
My crazy husband when we went four wheeling :)
Me - 14 weeks pregnant.
Mark and I looking hot in our googles; again, this is when we went four wheeling a couple of weeks again. We had so much fun.
Tiger is very curious about Ruby's stuff.
These are the sleepers and little bunny blanket that I sent to Ruby a few weeks ago. They might be way to big for her, but it was fun to send something to her.
My crazy husband when we went four wheeling :)
Me - 14 weeks pregnant.
Mark and I looking hot in our googles; again, this is when we went four wheeling a couple of weeks again. We had so much fun.
Tiger is very curious about Ruby's stuff.
These are the sleepers and little bunny blanket that I sent to Ruby a few weeks ago. They might be way to big for her, but it was fun to send something to her.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Labor Day
What a great day. We met my family for brunch in the park this morning. The eggs, bacon, monkey bread, coffee cake and fruit were all delicious; I think food always tastes better outside. After a feeding the ducks in the pond with my niece, pushing her in the swing and playing a few outdoor games with the family, Mark and I headed home for a relaxing afternoon. I took a two hour nap-- I will blame that on being pregnant-- and he watched sports for awhile.
Tonight I golfed the best round I have ever golfed; it was so good that I actually kept score:) Usually it is pretty rough so I give up keeping score by about the 3rd hole. Then, after golf, Mark and I ate at Logan's together. Then, when I got home, I had an email from Holly with pictures of Ruby .(Thanks again Holly!) Her and her husband Ben were just in Ethiopia picking up their daughter. It is such a blessing to see more pictures of Ruby. She looks better than a couple of weeks ago, but she is very tiny. We are hoping that she makes a lot of progress this week; hopefully we will get an update by the end of the week.
It has been a good couple of days. Don't get me wrong I am very ready to get Ruby home, but I have had a peace about things. I am going to do my best to be content with life while we wait.
Have a great week!
Tonight I golfed the best round I have ever golfed; it was so good that I actually kept score:) Usually it is pretty rough so I give up keeping score by about the 3rd hole. Then, after golf, Mark and I ate at Logan's together. Then, when I got home, I had an email from Holly with pictures of Ruby .(Thanks again Holly!) Her and her husband Ben were just in Ethiopia picking up their daughter. It is such a blessing to see more pictures of Ruby. She looks better than a couple of weeks ago, but she is very tiny. We are hoping that she makes a lot of progress this week; hopefully we will get an update by the end of the week.
It has been a good couple of days. Don't get me wrong I am very ready to get Ruby home, but I have had a peace about things. I am going to do my best to be content with life while we wait.
Have a great week!
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