Road Trip & Visit to Orphanage

We are finally back home and relaxing from a long road trip to Ibanda and to Mweya Lodge at Queen Elizabeth's National Park. Sarah arrived late Wednesday night after a delay and we woke up early on Thursday to head out. The trip on Thursday took about 12 hours. It was rainy most of the day, there was road construction, traffic and some good ole' red dirt roads. We visited Ibanda Babies Home which is where Eli was placed for a few months prior to being taken to the hospital in Kampala and then placed in Ms Elizabeth's Foster Home. Here we met the Sister over the babies home who was the same Sister that came to court on Friday. All the children were sleeping, so we did not get to meet or play with them. We received a tour of the facility, met some of the other ladies that helped out and gave our appreciation for all that they have done for Eli & for our family. 

Then we made our way to Mweya Lodge, which was another 3-4 hours away. This made for a very long day for all of us. The Lodge was beautiful!!! We wished we could have stayed longer for sure. Friday we went on a Safari (both land & water). We saw so many elephants, hyena's, crocodiles, hippos, baboons, water buffalo, antelopes, and even a lion in a tree. Yes, a lion in a tree... who knew that's where they sometimes sleep?!?! It was soooo cool. Eli did well, as well as a 10 month on a 12, 6, and 8 hour trip  could do for 3 days. It was soooo great to see Sarah. It just felt so good to see someone from home and of all people, Sarah :) 

We start another work week tomorrow and praying that things begin to move again with our process. For those of you specifically praying, please continue to pray for our written ruling which we have not received yet. This must be obtained prior to applying for Eli's passport. Also pray for our brand new Canon Camera, it's not working and so we are left with only our phones to snap pics & videos. Silly I know, but we'd like to capture as much as we can of Eli's country and where he was born. It's important to me to document as much as possible, so this is important to us. And for the Goggin's who are here with us as well, going through this process during the holidays with their first child, Dani. (Dani & Eli get to play together every few days as we visit with them at least once a week). 

A little more about Eli and things he likes and doesn't like... He LOVES food. He eats all the time. And he cries when he isn't being fed all the time. We are about to run out of puffs... which could potentially be disastrous for us. We are planing to replace puffs with Cherrios and we hope it does the trick. He hates clothes. He doesn't like wearing them, he doesn't like putting them on, he doesn't like taking them off. He also sweats a lot. So it works out for all of us that he is naked with just a diaper most of the time. He baby talks when he is happy, but still not distinct words. He enjoys holding our phones, touching the computer and bath time. Although bath time has now turned in to relaxing and pooping in the tub time. So we are trying to get away from bath time being poopy time, as it is messy for mama & daddy. 

We plan to stay around Kampala for quite some time and don't plan on traveling much this week. 

I'll be sending an update this next week with some amazing letters from some kids in Kenya that have been praying for us. They are all from Ms. Idsardi's class and I can't keep the letters to myself because they are such a testament to the God's love and how it covers the entire world and isn't just for 1 tribe or nation but for ALL! 

P.S. Tracy Pate... I had to chop on my hair, it was driving me crazy. You'll have some repairing to do when I get home, I begin to appreciate you more and more each day ;)