Tina is HERE!

Today was full of surprises and FUN!  My sweet friend (and baby whisperer) Tina Myers landed in Entebbe on Tuesday night and her driver picked her up at 8:15am this morning.  I remember that 3 hour journey and decided to surprise Tina and meet her in Kampala.  I had another driver take me to our attorney's office to pick up Abigail's Ugandan Passport and the last of the paperwork we needed for her Visa then we went to a gas station across the street from the US Embassy and waited.  I had asked Tina's driver, Wilson, to keep my secret and bring Tina to the gas station.  When they pulled up, Abigail and I got out of the car and I wish you all could have seen Tina's face...PRICELESS!!!  Other than attracting the Embassy guards attention with all our squealing and hugging the surprise was PERFECT!

Poor Tina was then dragged into the Embassy with me where she joyfully bonded with Baby Sister.  We had lunch at Cafe Java in Kampala (HIGH CHAIR... woohoo), then we went back to the Embassy for our Visa appointment.  Yep, they saw us the SAME DAY!!!  So grateful that God is going before us and with us every step of this journey.  It has been such a joy to watch Him work and to be in His will during our time in Uganda and basically during this entire adoption.  I feel so incredibly blessed! 

After many hours at the Embassy, they were unable to complete the Visa because their computer system was not working properly so we do have to make one more trip to Kampala Friday morning to pick up the Visa but our interview and paperwork is COMPLETE!!!  Abigail turns 1 year old on Friday and I think a Visa to her new home in America is the ULTIMATE GIFT!

So Tina finally made her way to Jinja as it was getting dark.  She was greeted warmly from all our house mates and neighbors in Masese and promptly started helping Carol with her math homework (praises Tina is here because Math is NOT my strength).  We stayed up late going through the packages Tina delivered and Abigail got some early birthday gifts.  We looked at pictures for hours and said repeatedly that we can not believe we are here together with the most perfect baby! 

Thank you Tina, my sweet friend, for leaving your own family to serve me and mine!  Thank you God for the multiple gifts you have given to me! Thank you friends and family for loving us and waiting for us to come home!

                                              Peek-a-Boo with Wilson at Cafe Java

                                                      Baby sister LOVES some 'maters

                                         First Ride in a shopping cart - Uganda's version of Walmart

                                           Gettin' with the Program!  Auntie Tina has arrived!

                                                     Snuggles with the Baby Whisperer

                      SWEET kisses for mom after a 13 hour day in the car and at the Embassy!

This is a gift from Auntie Renee (Manuel).  NEVER has there been a more precious reaction to a gift!  She laughed, squeezed, rocked, patted and giggled at this baby for the longest time. 

Love from Uganda!