Ethiopia 2nd Trip - Day One!

Monday, September 2, 2013

Labor Day

From my journal...

"We are on our flight from Charlotte to Washington DC - our 2nd flight of the day!  We are both so excited and can hardly believe that this day has finally come!  We are on our way back to Ethiopia to bring our daughter HOME!  It still feels a little surreal, but yet, at the same time, the timing feels right.  It is so evident that this is God's perfect timing to get back to our precious Caroline Faith Letehiwot!

We got to the airport this morning around 8:30 or so, with all 4 huge suitcases, 2 carry on suitcases, Jody's backpack, my big black bag, AND a pink umbrella stroller!  Once again, we are taking A LOT with us to Ethiopia! :)

And once again, the sweet man that goes to the Pinelake Rez campus let us borrow his airport parking pass.  So we got to park at the airport again for free!  Such a huge blessing!  We are so thankful.

We have packed lots of donations to take back to Hannah's Hope and to the Youth Rehab Center that we visited on our 1st trip.  I have been praying that the Lord would give us another miracle to help us get all these things to Ethiopia with no extra fees!

PRAISE GOD!  He gave us another miracle this morning!  We went up to the US Air counter to check our bags, and the sweetest lady was helping us.  I told her how we were going back to Ethiopia to get our daughter and bringing lots of donations with us.  I showed her the donation letter from AGCI and asked her if they ever showed grace with their baggage fees.  We were a little nervous, and she read the letter then said she didn't think so but would go ask her supervisor.

Well, she came back a few minutes later, and said that "no" - they could not waive the baggage fees.  We told her they had done it on our last trip, but she still said no.  Oh, well.  We just decided to go ahead and pay for them and just trust God to provide.

As she was typing in our information to get our baggage claim stickers, all of a sudden, she started giggling to herself.  Then she said to us softly, "Ok, all four bags are checked for FREE! " :)

Oh my goodness, we couldn't even believe it!  God had given us another miracle!  Tears immediately came to my eyes, and we thanked her over and over again!  She was so precious and sweet!  We are so thankful for God's goodness and provision!

Earlier when I had been filling out luggage tags and praying over the bags, I felt like God was telling me that He's got this!  Another test of faith.  We just have to trust Him and then watch Him move on our behalf!  Praising Him today!!!

Then we went on through security and got to the gate to wait on our flight.  We soon realized that our flight was running a little late.  We had a tight connection in Charlotte anyway, so we ended up getting them to switch us to a later flight.  We wanted to make sure that we ended up in DC tonight!

Well, our pilot ended up making up time in the air, so we probably could have made our original flight.  But we didn't know, and we're glad that we played it safe.  Now we are just praying for those suitcases!  We are still not sure if they went on to DC without us or not!  If they did, we are praying that they are at the US Air baggage claim office safe and sound and waiting for us!  Another test of faith - we are choosing to trust Him!

 It was pretty neat because Chelsea Rick, the current Miss Mississippi, was on our flight on the way to compete in Miss America!  We have some mutual friends, the Rafferty's, so it was fun to meet her and talk to her for a little bit.  Also, our girls had met her at the MS Children's Museum while we were on our first trip to Ethiopia, and got to be on the video they were shooting of her that day for Miss America!  She was really sweet, and I took a picture with her to text to the Rafferty's and the girls! :)

Then we got to Charlotte, ate some lunch, and then I got Starbucks while Jody got frozen yogurt.  My first pumpkin spice latte of the season!  Yum!  Although, it's really still too hot outside for the pumpkin spice! :)

Now we are about to land in Washington, DC!!!  Praying that our bags are with us on this flight or already waiting on us! :)  We are staying at the Hilton Garden Inn tonight, and then we're off to Addis in the morning!  YAY!!!  We should see our friends Chris and Emma (who we also traveled with on our 1st trip) tonight because they are staying at our same hotel and flying out with us tomorrow!

We are SO THANKFUL to have them with us again on this 2nd trip!  That is such a huge answered prayer and another miracle from the Lord!

Looks like our "Gotcha Day" will be September 4, 2013!  We get there Wednesday morning!  Can't wait to have our sweet baby girl back in our arms!!!  Almost time!  So excited!!!"