And we're off!

14 hours from now, we will be leaving for the airport. Our bags are packed (kind of) and we are ready (as ready as we are going to be).

Here's our schedule:
May 23- Depart, from through Amsterdan to Addis Ababa
May 24-Arrive in Addis Ababa, stay at a hotel for the evening
May 25-26- Visit Lalibela, a city north of Addis and famous for it's rock hewn churches (it is considered one of the top Christian historical sites in the world)
May 27-Return to Addis Ababa, tour and explore Addis for a couple days. We are hoping to meet up with the family of some of our Ethiopian friends from here
May 29- Meet up with our adoption group. There are a total of 8 families in our group who are adopting children from the same care center that week
May 30- Meet Kenyon! We will spend a couple hours with him this day
May 31- More visiting with Kenyon!
June 1- Travel south to the area of the country where Kenyon is from and meet people that have been important in his life, prior to coming to the care center
June 2-More Kenyon
June 3- Going away ceremony at the care center- all of the children who are being adopted that week will have a chance to say good bye to the other children and nannies at the care center. Kenyon will come with us to stay at guest house for the remainder of our time in Ethiopia. Visit the US Embassy with Kenyon to finalize his US Visa.
June 4-Free day
June 5-Depart on an evening flight
June 6- Return home!

Our agency has planned some tours for us during this week, ro help us understand more of the history and culture of Ethiopia. We will also visit some of our agency's humanitarian projects in the area. It will be a busy, amazing couple weeks.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we travel and prepare to meet Kenyon. Here are some things that we are praying for:
-A safe and smooth trip- that we would make all of our flights and that our luggage would make it to Ethiopia
-That we would have a positive travel experience and be able to absorb some of Ethiopia's beauty and culture (and that we would stay healthy)
-For Kenyon, that God would be preparing his heart for his new home and family
-For our interactions with Kenyon, that we would be sensitive to his needs and patient with him, that he would grow to trust us, and that we would bond together as a family
-For wisdom for Paul and I, as we parent a child for the first time

We will try our best to update our blog from Ethiopia and hope to be able to post pictures!