Getting to where we are, Volume 3

Our time in Ghana bringing Sadie home was a whirlwind!  We did that trip extremely quick!  Looking back I am glad we got her home as quickly as we did, however, I think more time there would have made a better impression on me.

When we arrived in Ghana, Johnbull and Stacy (the Directors of City of Refuge) greeted us at the airport long with Ma Teresa and our precious Sadie.  Ma Teresa is the most amazing woman.  She is the one that cared for over a year for our Princess 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

What I remember most was this amazing woman...Sadie's "first mom" sitting next to me for nearly 2 hours in the car as we drove from the airport and I wanted to be so respectful to her and her last days with Sadie, that I didn't hold her or ask....but all my mind was saying was "GIVE ME MY BABY!!!"

We spent days with our new family at City of Refuge and were AMAZED at all the work that their ministry does!!  Please take time to go to www.cityofrefugeoutreach.com and learn more about them, their ministry and what you can do to help!

On our last day there, they gave a party for Princess, we gave Ma Teresa some gifts, had time of prayer and a tearful goodbye.  Heart breaking is the only words to say....

I will tell you that the first moments of holding our daughter in my arms was truly amazing.  I could not believe how small she was...so so small.  I remember looking at her hands and feet and thinking that they were the size of newborns.

I knew that we needed to get this baby girl home.  My biggest concern was when  I saw her eat.  She would spit out more than she would swallow and it would just take forever to feed her!  Nick and I thought that if we made her baby food pasty pasty thick, then maybe she would have an easier time swallowing...Something we would work on at home.

After we left City of Refuge, we stayed our final two nights with the McIntyre family.  They are just the sweetest missionaries from WAMM (West African Mercy Ministries) and run the HOMe (House Of Mercy) Orphanage there (more info. on that to come). 

Sadie's passport was misprinted, so on Tuesday our final day in Ghana....when we were suppose to be flying home...we spent the entire day at the Embassy waiting for her reprinted Passport.  What a challenging day!  We literally were there all day and I started crying at one point, because if we didn't get it soon, we would surely miss our flight out of Ghana that night.  We started making Plans B and C on what we were going to do if we get it at the last possible second or if we don't get it at all.  At this point I was exhausted, HOT, scared for my daughter, missing our other kids at home and just wanted to leave this country!  Nick had left with our driver to go back to the McIntyre's and get our luggage.  At this point, if we did get the passport (which was still not guaranteed) we would have to leave right from the Embassy to the airport.  FINALLY at 4:45 they called our names, passport was given and the race was ON!  Thankfully we made it...no shower, no time to clean up...if you have been to Ghana, you know exactly how nasty I felt boarding that plane and for the next 22 hours traveling home.  But how cares...I was going home...with our daughter!!

My first impressions of Ghana...HOT, dirty, disgusting, busy, crazy...I really had very little of anything positive to say about it.  When I came home, I had NO desire to return...ever....FOR SURE MORE ON THIS LATER!

Tomorrow;  Hydrocephalus, miracles, scary moments...God moments...