Asante!

In nursing school I used to dress to the nine on exam days. Mom told me that she read a study about how people who dressed nice and felt good about themselves on exam/test days generally did better on their exams. It seemed to actually work a few times. So I wore my prom dress for my nursing boards and passed. just kidding!

Today, I wore and dress AND make up to go to them embassy. I heeded mom's advice once more. It benefited me once more!

CT and I had a great trip to the Embassy! ASANTE SANA to all of your who were up early and on your knees on behalf of the unknown members of Team Thompson. The Kenyan woman who talked to us was SUPER nice and answered our questions. She seemed very positive about our homestudy and doesn't think anything will need to be amended. But we will find out in 30-60 days. If all is well then we will receive the BIG FINAL paper to complete our dossier. In the meantime we can use this wait time to get papers authenticated and things put together. This is SUCH A HUGE RELIEF to me.

At first, CT had a meeting that he didn't think he was going to be able to get out of. He thought he'd have to send me to the embassy alone, but thankfully he got out of it. We delivered food this morning and while in Kawangware we saw and chatted with a few of the boys we tried to help out of the streets a while back. Unfortunately they CHOSE the streets over a different life. My heart was so sad after we saw them. Chris said "Lindy, they are considered adults in this country and there's nothing else we can do for them other than let them know we still love them." That got me thinking. If only someone had gotten to them at the age our boys are now, maybe they would be totally different people now. That is why our boys are at such a critical age. C

T and I talked about how Dennis was probably within weeks of passing the "point of no return".

Yet now, he is a happy, playful, AFFECTIONATE (if you knew him before you almost wouldn't believe it now), and hilarious little boy! He was probably within 3 years of dying b/c of the long term effects of sniffing glue. Now, slowly but surely his mind is learning and understanding more each day and his body is recuperating. And thankfully he has an adopted "mama" in America who intercedes for him on a daily basis. All of the boys have that thanks to a friend who has helped coordinate that through RIZPAH. Prayer is such a beautiful, wonderful blessing!

(Yea, this boy will do anything for a piggy back ride!) After seeing those boys in the streets my heart was heavy now with the thought of their empty futures and then being a bit apprehensive about the meeting at the embassy. I couldn't help but fumble my fingers and sit quietly. Chris was so good to me. He thanked me for being the mother of his children- "All of them."

Once we found the correct entrance (this is always a struggle- no one knows where you should go they just send you to the opposite gate). We played dumb games while waiting in line to keep us distracted. I noticed the lady in the seat ahead of us was looking at an i600A instruction sheet. I wasn't trying to be nosey. I broke mine out and sure enough they were the same. She then was called and went to the window and asked many questions. Most of which I already had an answer to. Not b/c I'm a genious, but b/c I've been around the block a few times as far as adoption goes. The first thing I heard her say was that she wasn't able to adopt from Kenya b/c f the restrictions so she was changing to Rwanda. Caught both mine and CT's attention. I really wanted to talk to her, but I didn't want her to think I was dropping eaves. There is just NO privacy in that place. Finally CT looked at me and said "Lindy, you need to talk to her." It was sounding like maybe she's going through this without an agency. Which is good and bad, but I knew i had to help her with the parts that I could. So I gave her my email and phone # and told her we needed to talk. She seemed very appreciative. So when we get back from TZ, hopefully I can help out a fellow adopting parent. I mean, do i have a choice? I'm not letting all we've been through go to waste! That's for sure.

Thanks again for your precious prayers my friends. We felt every one of them! It was so cool to sit there and look at my watch knowing I had family and friends on their knees. WOW. We are SO VERY BLESSED!