Hello and Happy Thanksgiving! What a blessed holiday we had. We went out to spend the holiday with our friends near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Matt, Kimberly, Jonah, Gracia and Benjamin, THANK YOU so much for opening your home to us and for the wonderful day!!!
We met Matt and Kimberly in Uganda when we went to bring Timmy home. In the brief time (ten days) I was with them we had formed a great bond. Little did we know how through the tribulation of both of our adoptions that we would become much closer. Like in most things in life, adversity reveals character. I am here to attest that this family is of the highest character and without both of them we probably wouldn't have been able to bring the kids home. Kelly and Matt lived in a guest house together, after Kimberly and I went back home, for over a month while fighting and clawing for the small victories as far the adoption of our son and their daughter.
Imagine two big bald white guys walking the streets of Kampala each day with a Ugandan baby. The locals must have had a hard time not staring. MUZUNGU (Lugandan term for White), was often shouted at them as they were out and about. I don't think Matt misses hearing that term and would probably prefer never to hear it again. There are actually T-shirts with printing reading "My Name Is Not MUZUNGU" that one can purchase.
Here is the picture of their beautiful daughter, Gracia and our sweet mini man, Timmy. These two are two of the cutest Ugandan Americans ever!
Matt and Kimberly have a farm in Lancaster County, PA. Matt offered to take us on a hayride and the kids had a great time. We fed their goats, donkey and we attempted to feed their Holstein calf to no avail, he prefers his bottle. But Luke was able to pitch a corn ear in his pen and I think it was the highlight of his trip.
We stayed a t place called The Red Caboose Motel in Ronks, PA. It was a blast! They have forty train caboose' all outfitted like camping trailers, we spent two nights in the red caboose with Southern painted on the side. Right next door is the National Miniature Train Museum. We visited that the day after Thanksgiving. It was great the kids were allowed to push many buttons to animate different parts of the miniature trains displayed.
We also ate breakfast in The Little Red Caboose Motel's dining car. We watched buggy after buggy "klip klop" by on the road while eating. The dining car even shakes to give the illusion of riding the rails. What a fun time and great holiday! Thank you to Matt and Kimberly and their sweet kids for sharing the holiday with us! We love you and we are so glad to have met you in Africa. What a blessing to see you in your element in Pennsylvania. Please come and visit us anytime, we will keep the guest room open for you. Matt, I promise we won't even call you, MUZUNGU : )
We are once again preparing to leave D.C. and we HOPE to be flying out the middle of next week. It is a Muslim holiday, so the Kuwaiti Embassy is closed. Please pray for everything to come through and for us to get the visas early next week. As I look at these photos I am so thankful to God for the gift of friendship. What are you thankful for?
