Good Bye Annie

Today was our day to say good-bye to our Annie.  I don't know what this summer would have been like without Annie and her servant's heart & zest for life.  She is a precious treasure to my little family and the gem of my heart. We've laughed until we've cried and had heart to hearts about Jesus, orphan care, politics, philosophy and boys. I am so very thankful for her AND her parents who loaned out such a large piece of their own hearts to help mine grow. This is what the crazy family of God does for each other; we become ONE family in Christ, even entrusting our children to others along the way...and occasionally claiming biological parentage when crossing international boarders and I've forgotten the notarized paperwork from the originating parents along the way! Oops (so glad she looks like me!)

So today was not our last good-bye but second See You Soon. The kids will skype with their Annie and she & I will leave long Voxer messages talking about school and life decisions and updates on the kiddos she came to love at Mila's orphanage. 

Gate passes let Isaac & Mila watch their Annie fly off into the sky.  They will miss her <3

We love you Annie! 

The Final Leg Home

While our morning was early I am so very glad we took the time to stay in Frankfurt for the night and be horizontal in real beds for 12 hours before tackling the final leg home.

Trying to stay warm while waiting for our  hotel shuttle--we aren't in warm and sunny Albania any more! Mila repeated asked for "Chauffeur Bob", our missionary friend who drove us around Tirane all week.  She knows Chauffeur Bob would not have left us in the cold for so long!

Five people, four suitcases, four backpacks and a roll on. It was a bit of work schlepping it all from airport to hotel to airport again.

The German-TSA man had somewhat of a double take when we presented 5 passports that included birth countries of: USA, Netherlands, China & Albania.  "Are...you all together?"

  Isaac and I having some silly fun together (Oh, the looks from the stewards as they passed by!!)

It was a 10 hour flight and Mila did AWESOME, even when I got pulled away for an in-flight medical emergency.  Sadly the last hour was a bit too much for her tummy and she left the last remnants of Albania on the flight during our descent. Poor girl. Being up for 24 hours and seeing the world from 36,000 feet sometimes isn't all it's cracked up to be.   I was really concerned for our welcome home reveal at the airport but the Lord provided a 'random' Albanian man at the airport who just happened to be picking up his parents at the same exit. He was welcomed into the fold and he provided my overwhelmed little girl with her first language while welcoming her into her new country. Thank you Jesus.

(A special thank you to our friend Cassandra for shooting this welcome home video!)

And now we sleep. My daughter in her own bed, in her own room, with her own family under one roof.  The door is locked...no one can take her away.  

The First Leg Home

Today started our travel HOME with ALL members of the Albanian team on the flight. Hallelujah. Our missionary friends helped explain to Mila what our days would look like, what happens on an airplane and how to stay close. When we attempted to review those details again today, she sighed sarcastically "I knoooooowwww!"  haha!  Seems I have a teenager on my hands. 

Mila was a rock star on this first leg home. She was SO excited to see our airplane and boarded with confidence, buckled in just like she was instructed (one too many times apparently) and then giggled through take off. Gramma said "look, we are going UP into the sky".  Mila's response (in English)?  "ohhhhh!  The sky!!" Like, we had just given her the missing piece of the puzzle. This magic plane-thing wasn't driving to Amerik we are going in the SKY! (She seriously cracks me up) 

She is doing so incredibly well.  I am so very thankful. Isaac too. He is ready to go home, but he is watching out for his sister making sure she knows how to manage international travel like the pro that he is (he even snuck her his airplane sandwich between the seats when she finished hers before his) <3

We are resting for the night in Frankfurt before boarding our final leg home to Seattle on Monday morning. For those in the Seattle area, we get home on Monday at 1330. Please come join the welcome home party at the airport!  We have MUCH to celebrate in #bringingherhome 

Final Goodbyes

When I talked to Mila by Skype last week I asked her what she wanted from Albania. She asked for only two things: Pizza and to see her favorite Sister who had transferred from the north of Albania to the coastal city of Durres. That seemed like a more than reasonable request, so today we did both. 

I am again so very thankful for these women who have dedicated their lives to Christ by loving children like mine. This particular Sister was apart of our dance fest back in July. When I told her today that I had video of her getting jiggy with it, she laughed and playfully gasped "don't tell my mother superior!"  That is my kinda nun! 

Half way through our visit our adoption friends helped our Sassy Polish Sister Friend skype Mila one last time. I don't know who was more giddy, Mila or the Sisters. It was a giant giggle fest and so good for all of them to have their final goodbye together. <3

Since we were blocks from the beach we took a quick trip to the Adriatic Sea to dip our toes in:

This evening was my goodbye to our dear friends from Elbasan. Nertila and Marjan have been such a blessing to us as a family and special friends to my heart. While I don't know that we'll have inhabit the same space again on this side of Heaven, I am so very thankful for the gift of technology to keep us connected a half world apart. 

"Korea"

In one of our final conversations before we left Albania in July, our missionary friend mentioned taking us to 'korea' during our return visit and quickly moved onto other details. I stopped her mid sentence, already overwhelmed with the current state of affairs I blurted out "how the heck does Korea fit into this mess?!"  Laughter came through the other side: "No KRUJE (crewe-ye)"  Turns out it's a traditional village saved by the Albanian hero Skanderbeg, not once but three times from the invading Ottoman Empire.  I suppose that makes more sense. So today, we went to "Korea", Albania:

We puttered around the Ethnographik Museum about traditional life in Kruje:

 Everyone had a helper:

Olive Press:

  Traditional wedding dress:

 Men's gathering place:

Photo by Isaac!

Annie working on her traditional Qifteli

Mila got to help make a traditional rug!

The weather was beautiful. The views were incredible. The history amazing. And to watch both my kids laughing together in the car on the way home was absolute music to my heart.