Airport Photos!-- Part 1

Thanks to Michael Moore for sharing these photos. (More pics from others to come shortly) Rumors from those counting was that we had approximately 100 people there to welcome Kim, Sundi, and Damon home! What a blessing and honor to have such incredible family and friends! We hope to see you Saturday night at 6:30 sharp!

EAGER ANTICIPATION.......

AND THEY ARE HERE!!!!!

Pictures et al

This is Jeromy. We had a rockin' time at the airport welcoming Kim, Sundi, and Damon home. I think there were about 70 of you, but I was a bit distracted so I didn't really count! Sundi and Damon are adjusting well, and enjoying all of the attention. Big favor to ask....if you were there, can you PLEASE SEND US PICTURES????? We didn't have our camera, but would love to share some pictures on the blog, as well as keeping for posterity.

This weekend we are blessed to have the company of a few of the Nelson family, who flew in to see Kim and the kids. Their daughter Josie is having a good time playing with Damon, and we are also enjoying their company. They are the pioneers of the Kenyan-American adoptions, and are also the ones that lost one of their daughters because one social worker got mad at another and took and hid her. They have been and continue to be a wonderful support for us, and their faith/perspective on life is exemplary.

Hope some of you can make the Homecoming party next Saturday, 8/2-- it will start at 6:30pm at Bel Air Church of the Nazarene. It is 2430 Conowingo Rd, Bel Air, MD (Harford County). The music and sharing will start at 6:30, and we'll eat as soon as we are done. This will be an awesome time!

Home...

Just want to put a quick blog out there to let everyone know that we arrived safely in the US. The kids were angels on the flights and had a blast running around Heathrow. They especially liked the moving sidewalks. Immigration took all of fifteen minutes from the time we stepped off of the airplane until we got that all important stamp that made Damon and Sundi legal citizens of the United States. We had a nice welcome from about 70 friends and family. Sundi really enjoyed being the center of attention. Damon surprised us all and managed to only beat up one little kid the whole night! That is quite an accomplishment for him! All in all they are adjusting well.
We had some very funny experiences on the journey and I will try to blog about them tomorrow.
Cheers for now!
Mama S

Up-to-date Flight Info

See below for information related to today's gathering and more.

Kim and the kids (along with our friend Ruth) have now left London....they got a late start, and as of 1pm they are about 15 minutes behind schedule. Maybe I can forgive the pilot for that....but I hope he/she steps on the gas!

If you are a geek like me and want to check flight info before you head to the airport, go to:
http://www.britishairways.com/travel/arrdep/public/en_gb
(flight 229)

Important Info: Sunday arrival and more

Who is welcome?: You are! And if you can read this, thank a teacher. And Al Gore.

Flight Info: British Airways (BA) Flight 229 from London. Flight arrives Sunday at about 4:20pm.

Where to Meet: BWI Airport, in the International Wing. (No, we don’t have to drive to DC!) The international wing is at the far end of the airport.

When to Meet / Prep: We’ll be there at 4. If you get there by 4:30 you’ll probably be OK….BUT things could be much longer or shorter, because BA sometimes lands early and sometimes people pull Kim to the front of the line. Customs is a wild card, but I got through very quickly last time at BWI. Bottom line is that anything can happen, but since this is one of the biggest moments of my life I’ll be there early to help get the party started! Our friend Dave has graciously volunteered to video the homecoming, so before they arrive might be a good time to say a word of encouragement that will bless our kids later in life..and us now.

Game Plan: We will welcome them home, Kim will share a few words about her journey, then we’ll pray together before heading to our house. My kids may be tired and a bit cranky from the trip and the time zone changes, so don’t be offended if they don’t come off the plane partying like a rock star….but either way, we will! This is going to be SO fun!

What about dinner?: REVISED PLAN is that we are going to have a bunch of sandwiches, drinks, snacks and cookies at our place. If you need directions ask my Dad. (For those of you who haven’t met him, he will be the guy with a moustache, a bit more hair than me, and a huge grin!) If you can’t wait until my house to eat, then feel free to bring a cooler to the airport.

What about your blog?: Many have asked if we are continuing our blog. Yes! We will continue it until at least the end of August…we want to show pictures of our Homecoming, the Celebration Service, and some other important prayer requests about things happening in the next few months in Kenya.

What about the “Celebration Service”?: This is scheduled for August 2nd, with a tentative 6pm start time. There will be some music (American and Kenyan!), some sharing, some prayers of thanksgiving, and some partying. Oh yeah, and food! This will be done in lieu of a “baby shower” or whatever they call traditional adoption parties…actually, I’m not sure there is such a thing as a traditional adoption party. Anyway, more details within the week, but needless to say it is going to be a memorable time!

How did we get such amazing family and friends?: We have no idea. We simply can't thank you enough for the incredible support that you have shown our family throughout the rollercoaster of the past year.

Don’t hesitate to give us a call or email if you have any questions.

Asante sana, Baba Sundi

A Few More Days to Go!

Sorry no major blogs these days, but we are pretty busy putting last minute things together and saying our good-byes. Sundi is getting really excited to go to America. She keeps listing all the people she is going to see...Bibi, Babu, Shangazi, Mjomba, Mama Josie, Michelle, Matt, Mom (Leanne) and Kim. She prays for you people every night and can't wait to come and see you all again.

Jeromy forgot to mention that anyone that wants to is welcome to stop over at our house to visit and see the kids after we leave the airport. I really appreciate everyone that is planning to make the trip out to share in our arrival. Still, the airport is not really the most conducive place for visiting and catching up. So, mom is planning to have light refreshments and everyone that wants to come can either follow us to our place or meet us there. This was my decision, so don't worry. I am serious about you all feeling welcomed.

Mama Sundi

Homecoming Info

Several of you have expressed a desire to meet Kim and the kids at the airport to say hi. You are welcome to come! BA flight 229 lands at @4:20pm in Baltimore. Because it is BWI, they will probably clear customs fairly quickly. So, if you want to be sure to be there when they arrive, just come and chill with us at around 4.

Separately, we are planning a "Celebration Service" in Bel Air for the evening of Saturday, August 2nd. All are welcome. In fact, if you have been praying for our kids and we've never met you before, you are especially welcome. More details to follow.

And in other bizarre news....
This weekend I came home to find that somebody had found a very "creative" way to lock me out of my own house. Long story short, I had to call a locksmith. I asked the locksmith if he had ever seen this done before, and he said this was a new one. (Lucky me!) Apologies to any aspiring pranksters out there, I will not tell you how they did it!

Not sure if it was a practical joke, a bored but clever kid, or somebody else. The only neighbor (or anybody else around) that has ever indicated displeasure with us is a guy who doesn't like the fact that we have teenage boys in our home. Presumably he would prefer they roam the streets than be in a Bible study. Anyway, I really doubt it was him. If it was you, please let me know. LOL.

They say God is always working things together for good, and there were at least 2 good things that happened as a result.
1. The police are watching our house closely. (If you were planning a surprise toilet paper prank, beware!)
2. I now know that it won't be necessary to send Sundi and Damon to college! I learned they can make MUCH more money as a locksmith than from any degree they get in college. "Smith Locksmiths" has a nice ring, doesn't it?

Coming HOME!

I have waited for a long time to write this blog! We are booked on the night flight out of Nairobi next week! I am a huge mixture of conflicting emotions. On the one hand, I cannot wait to get home, but there is the side of me that doesn't even know where to begin to say goodbye.

I do want to say, as I know that we have put them so much in the last few months, that our embassy here in Nairobi has been very kind and helpful these past few weeks after Jeromy left. They have made the paperwork process very easy for me and have gone above and beyond to help us get home quickly. In addition, all of my interactions have been professional and kind. After all that we have been through in the past few months, it really meant so much. So, I know that people there check our blog, and I want to say a real thank you. They don't like their names to be used, but never the less, we are forever grateful.

Probably won't blog much in the next week as we pack and say farewell. See you on the flip-side!

Visa Interview Appointment

Wahoo!! We went to the embassy this morning and they gave us a visa appointment for Wednesday! So, we are really excited and hopeful that all will go well. I pick up the kids' medical reports tomorrow. I know they are fine, but ya know, I'll feel really good when I hear "everything's fine!" Will keep you posted!

Sundi is now sporting a cute set of star earings! Ever since she saw the Parent Trap, she has wanted her own set of earings. So, last Wednesday, we went and indulged! She was so excited and so very brave. No tears for this girl! We are very proud of her! She keeps walking around the house pointing at her ears and saying "pretty, yeah, pretty!" Self-confidence is not an issue for my Sundi!

This is Sundi's little friend Mary. She loved Sundi's earings so much that she had to go and get a pair for herself. Now they really think they are Nairobi's divas.

And Damon? Well, he just thinks it's crazy what the ladies will do for a little beauty!

A beautiful sight....

Yup, we have passports!!! We are so excited. It took many days of sitting, waiting, begging....and then it took two straight days of Samuel and George chasing and sitting and waiting and begging...and finally tonight at 5, they were released!!! So, one step closer and really excited! I'll make my visa appt. on Monday and then we will have an arrival date! See you soon!!!

My children and my bride

We’ll never forget Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007. This was so much more than just our 3rd anniversary—it was the night I told Kim that we were approved by the Kenya government to come meet our kids and begin the adoption process. Keeping the secret for about 30 hours almost made me implode! I’ll never forgot the joy in her eyes as she discovered she was about to begin her dream of being a Mom!

We “got lost” walking in Washington DC…and happened to see the Kenyan embassy.

Kim asked if we could stop before we went to dinner, and I obliged....I knew she would fall for it! It was then that I shared the approval letter from the Children's Department of Kenya. She was elated. I think maybe more elated than the day we got married! Here's the spot where it happened. Naturally, we had to get a pic next to the shield....
And I was also dressed for the occasion, of course.

That was certainly a magical day. When we prayed outside the Embassy and committed our "to be" children to the Lord, we had no idea how wild the ride would be...and maybe that was a good thing! But we also weren't capable of fully knowing the joy that Sundi and Damon would bring to our lives in the next year. Fast forward one year, to today.

Subject: An open letter
To: My bride
CC: The world

Kim-- I do love you much more than I did four years ago, when we committed our lives to each other at Bel Air Nazarene Church. I am so glad that I waited until I was “older”, which allowed time to find a truly rare gem to bless my soul. And I’m so glad you weren’t scared away by my “this is what I’m going to do with the rest of my life” speech on our first real date!

In your life you have experienced many more “obstacles” than most people I know. (Even if you remove me from the equation!) But you have chosen never to be a victim, but rather to be “more than a conqueror” through the freedom that only God offers.

I have always been so proud of who you are. The way the children’s eyes light up as you teach them. The way parents’ eyes light up when you direct a school play that you wrote up yourself—starring their kids, of course! The way you offer friendship and encouragement to those who are hurting. The way you find ways to make the simplest, most monotonous activities fun. The way you re-organize things so effectively that I can’t find them….OK, so maybe I’m not exactly proud of that, but it’s still kind of endearing!

I love your smile, your laugh, your eyes, your brain, your compassion, your dedication, your idealism, and your fierce devotion to everything you hold sacred.

Please allow me to insert a few comments to go along with a cool scripture, Proverbs 31.

Verse 16:
A wife of noble character, who can find? (Me! Me! I did!)
She is worth far more than rubies (True dat!)
Her husband has full confidence in her, and lacks nothing of value (True. And I am filthy rich in all of the ways that truly count!)

Verses 28-31
Her children arise, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. (It’s not my job to keep a nobility score, and I know you’re not perfect. But man, you are truly, undeniably an incredible woman!)

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting (although I’m enjoying yours a lot!); But a woman who fears God is to be praised. (that would be you)
Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. (Thanks for never even considering giving up during the last year. Just having our family complete at last is an incredible reward. Although we don’t have a city gate, I can’t wait to welcome you guys home through the airplane gate!)

Happy anniversary! Ninakupenda kabisa!
Jeromy

Good News

Well, we are super happy with the embassy right now!!! When we applied for our I-600 we were told that the standard time for processing is 30-60 days. Well, we officially filed all the paperwork on the 19th and we received our approvals TODAY!!!
So, I know Jeromy mentioned our concerns about the vaccinations for the kids. That too has been handled. The kids get their final vaccinations on Thursday and also have their visa examinations Thursday.
So, we are now waiting on Kenyan passports. Once we receive those, we can make a visa appointment. After that, we come home. No target date yet, but we are hopeful that we will be stateside before the end of July.
Sundi is getting excited about going to America.

She knows that is where Bibi and Babi, her Shangazi and her daddy are. So, while she doesn't all the way get it, she is getting excited anyway. Damon has no clue, he just misses his dad. He calls out the window for him, runs to the door for him, and begs to call him all day. I think this process is pretty hard on the kids being adopted. People always show such sympathy for me, but at least I understand what is going on. So, keep praying for those miracles. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers so much. Your support has been the glue that holds us together so many times. We thank God for your love and friendship.

Below I will load a few more random pics of cuteness.