Day 3 Our Flight to Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA

We are in a security line at the Dubai airport and it was very quite. I felt eyes looking at Scott and I. We were surrounded by Muslims. The women dressed with only their eyes showing and the men dress in white. It was a weird feeling, I smiled at a few ladies and they only lowered their heads. No one was talking and made me feel so uncomfortable. After finally getting through the line we checked into Ethiopian airlines. We boarded our flight and quickly realized we are the only white people on the plane! The music was loud and everyone was chatting like the whole plane knew each other. For the 1st time ever I wanted to be black to fit in and to be a part of their joy. What a different feeling it was from the line we just came from. People were welcoming and when I smiled, I received huge smiles in return. There was a warmth around me and I wanted to be their friend to ask them a million questions about their country and culture. I wanted to jump into the conversations as it seemed so fun and interesting. Oh, if I could have only known what they were saying. I just wanted to soak it all in so I could share it with Jonas one day. I was choked up by the beauty of the people instantly! Scott and I just sat in awe for few minutes and I turned to him with tears building in my eyes. He felt it too .. we were so blessed we are so instantly in love with Ethiopia. I had Scott get my journal because I had to get it all out how I was feeling. It was the only time I wrote the whole trip and this is what I wrote...

I want so badly to cry my eyes out I'm just overflowing with JOY. The people are BEAUTIFUL their spirit so loving they are now a part of our lives forever.. they are now a part of our family. My heart feels so much love for them. Scott and I are completely surrounded by people from where our son was from..it's just so overwhelming I want to soak it all in... the culture, their traditions, their heritage, their land and I was only on the plane:) .. it was much more than I ever imagine. I thank God for he had put us EXACTLY where he wants us.. I just feel so loved he choose us to experience this! Our last trip to Africa we fell in love and we knew they had changed us somehow, it all makes total perfect sense to me why all that has happened in our life to lead us to this point. It was beyond our dreams, Thank you Lord for showing us a glimpse of Heaven. I feel like I get to see a different side of your beauty! You have opened my eyes so i can see more of your love, grace, and your divine plan for our lives. The moment is finally here .. with so much anticipation to what this trip would be like now I need to sit back and take it all in. We have 3 days until we meet our son for the 1st time. I'm sad for him losing a part of his roots I want so badly to keep these memories alive. I can't wait to share with him all about this trip. I know we will be back with him.. it's now a part of our lives together forever. So, we are on our way not expecting or knowing what's next but I can't wait and with God as my strength I'm ready. Just this small taste on this plane excites me! The not knowing is like nothing I have ever felt before, but with unspoken words between Scott and I, we are sitting in a humble silence between us knowing that we are sharing in a memory of a lifetime . This is a journey we're sharing in together that bonds us so close because only he and I will fully understand. Oh what a feeling LORD to have someone you love so much by your side sharing such an amazing experience! Thank you for blessing us together! Thank you, for this is beyond our wildest dreams that we get to experience together.

Still choked up we landed and departed off the plane on the soil of Ethiopia. Oh, the instant feelings and smells that we entered into....