Finally Home!!

This update is long over due as a few people have asked when they could read an update. We knew a few people were reading but it sounds like more are reading than we realized. I will try to update the flight home and then a little of our arrival. It will probably take more than one update to get you to today. So I will back up Sunday July 5th. We spent most of the day preparing to leave. This included another session of checking for critters... again. Only one of the kids seems to have a hard time making sure they are completely gone for good. Just when you think you have them ALL gone... you might find something that could be a problem. This reminds me of what I seem to face and need to deal with daily. Critters can be like sin. You think you have dealt with it and there are no more worries... then it creeps back in... pride, worry, selfishness, judgmental spirit, etc. It can be a daily struggle. It can be easy to beat myself up as I should know better by now. But as we know, the way to solve this is a closer, deeper walk with Christ and allowing the Spirit to guide our thoughts throughout the day. We arrived at the airport with the help of Luis in his car and Monica drove another car. After dropping us off Monica had to drive to the smaller airport so she could fly back home to Curitiba. As a reminder we stayed at Monica's parents home for our stay in Rio. They are a wonderful, loving couple that I will probably write about later. We said our good bye's to Monica (which was hard) and then off we flew to Sao Paulo. We had about an one hour layover there and then actually boarded the same plane to fly to Wash DC. The flight out of Sao Paulo left about 10:00 pm which allows us to fly overnight. The kids were excited and tired. One day when they can communicate more fully in English, I would like to know how or what they felt, or what they were thinking. The children slept fairly well during the flight, I did some and Rebekah did very little. When we arrived in Wash DC we had just over 1 1/2 hour lay over to get a plane to Detroit. We had to clear immigration and have the kids sealed paperwork all approved. This left just enough time to get to our connecting flight. But when we got to the gate... 10 minutes before the flight... the agent said the plane door was closed. I said the plane is sitting there and we are here before the flight departure. He repeated that the plane door was closed and we could see about the next flight to Detroit in 4 hrs. I pleaded my case again... We just arrived from Brazil... we have 4 children... that we adopted... and have people waiting for us in Detroit. It was like talking to a brick wall. I could not convince him, my reasoning had no impact. I could not do anything in my own power. So off we went to customer service. Boy!! was I grumbling, complaining, rehearsing what I was going to say. Then a verse popped into my head... "Do all things without murmuring and complaining". To be honest, I didn't like that verse at the time. I told God, "we have made it this far and gone through so much with His blessing, Why could not He just get us on the plane?" I then resigned myself to accept anything that He had for us. As He knows what is best. Now if you think I was upset... I haven't asked and I do not know if I want to know what Rebekah was thinking. She was clearly upset. The children were confused and I felt bad for them. They just wanted to see their new brothers and sister and see their new home. The range of emotions were all over the place. I got in line at customer service and could tell it would take a looonnnggg time as only one person was at the desk, and she didn't look like she enjoyed her job. I decided to not take anything out on her but to be pleasant and patient. After waiting for 10 minutes Rebekah took the girls to the bathroom. Just then the lady made an announcement. "Anyone waiting for a flight to Detroit could go back to the gate. There was some mechanical problems that delayed the departure and we could still board the plane." What?! you have got to be kidding me!! I rushed over to the restroom and got Rebekah and the children and ran to the gate. We made it! What I could not accomplish in my own strength God provided with no effort. I try to make my way through life doing things in my knowledge and strength and when I reflect on it, I realized I am quite weak and know very little. This was a great teachable moment for me that has many lessons I can learn throughout my life. So we boarded the plane. The kids were excited. Once they landed they would meet the rest of their new family. We arrived in Detroit and made our way to baggage claim. Before we got there we saw Andrew and Wes and my mom. Wes had grown. The 4 children were reserved which surprised me. They had built up this moment in their minds and now it was unfolding. The rest of the kids were at baggage claim looking for us. When I saw Amilia, Titus and Peyton I was surprised that they had grown a lot also. The 4 were still up a level meeting Andrew and Wes, so I sent Amilia, Titus and Peyton up to meet the 4. We piled into our 12 passenger van (Big Blue) and headed for home. When we arrived we found banners and signs and balloons for a great homecoming. My mother had gotten an new bunk bed for Lidiane and Pamela. We showed the kids there rooms and the house and everything around. It had to be information overload. But they seemed to fit in nicely. In the last few days we can see they are getting comfortable with their new family and life. Meal time is still a production but when more hands pitch in, things go faster and smoother. Life will be different... never the same... but that is ok. It is the journey that makes the destination. God Bless. I will update more in the days ahead.

Dave