We are Here!!

We are all in Ghana together!!! Sorry it has taken so long for me to update you; we let our family know that we got here; but then I haven’t been able to go to an internet café yet or do this at Eban House because of timing issues. First off, we have obviously met Fia & Kwame now and our time with them everyday is our favorite. They are even tinier than I thought. Well, we were probably right about Mefia, but Kwame is not quite size 18mo. He is little and they are sooo cute!!! Our flight here went super smooth and the kids were awesome! I was never worried about them traveling; and now I am glad I didn’t since it would have been worrying for nothing.
We arrived into Ghana later on Sat., so we couldn’t meet the kids until the morning. So after going for breakfast, we jetted over to meet the kids. They were already at church by 9:00, so we got to meet them there. As we were walking around the building, we all spied Kwame and he smiled at us and came running to Daron(“Daddy-Daddy”). Fia then came outside too and we picked them up and hugged them!! Justus, Greta, and Ella were also so excited and I couldn’t believe that we were all finally together. We just held them and sat with them for a few moments before going back into the children’s church with them. After church we went back to Eban and played with them there for awhile until it was time for them to have lunch and take naps. The older three just love playing with their siblings and the other kids at Eban Home. Every morning they wake up, they ask, “When can we go, hurry up we need to go to Eban now, etc”; they have fallen in love with Fia and Kwame and it is so wonderful to see.
What is hard is that we still don’t have the approval for the 1-600 or the passports, so we can’t take custody of them yet. I think it is going to make a world of difference when we can. Right now, I see it is hard for Fia to see us all come, play with them, then leave. On one hand, we are getting to know them and growing closer, and on the other I think she is smart enough to question why we aren’t all leaving together, but too young to understand why. It is just hard. As wonderful as the orphanage is, it is still an orphanage/adoption center, and it is not a home with their family. I long for the time when we can live like a family and be together forever! I am hopeful it is soon, and yet, everyday is hard to see come and go without a change in the status. Fia and Kwame need us, and we need them!
We have also been able to experience some Ghanaian food –some we like and others, not so much! Daron has taken us to some of his favorite places nearby and gotten us to try some new things. I have gotten to have coke out of a bottle, and hope to again soon. We also have loved their ice cream treats that you can buy on the side of the road. They are almost like big Mr. Freezes with ice cream in it that you have to suck out. Interesting……..Probably everyone’s favorite meals have been the ones that Daron has cooked us to remind us of home a bit. One morning he cooked us eggs, made me coffee, and we had some pineapple juice and one evening he made a big pot of spaghetti. He has also been cleaning all our dishes so I don’t have too! I think it has been funny for the people of Ghana to see him do this, but he knows me well, and he is taking care of me!!! What a great husband, huh?
Tuesday we are going to go and explore a little of the region where are kids are from, Lartey, and hope to find some great fabrics and Ghanian items to bring home with us from there. We will try post some pictures when we can!