Home from Ghana!

After ten days gone, we touched ground in Dallas yesterday afternoon. We were very ready to see our girls, and were so thankful for soft beds, hot showers, chick-fil-a tea, and mexican food.

But, even with the "perks" of life here, my heart is still halfway across the world. How could it not be? Look at these precious ones!

That picture was taken the minute I got off the bus the first night. What a greeting we received!!

After flying all night last Thursday, I woke to see this beautiful land.

I really can't describe the feeling I had as I stared down on the beautiful green of Africa. I just prayed and thanked the Lord for the opportunity to be back here again, just four months later. I surrendered (again) my plans and expectations for the week to Him, hoping it would be exactly what HE had planned instead. Oh my, I had no idea what awaited me over the next eight days. And, I picture God just smiling that Friday morning as I arrived, because He already knew I would experience so much more than I ever anticipated.

As we landed, we began the drive to Village Of Hope, where we would get to greet the kids we spent time with last summer. (They have relocated to Village of Hope while the new village is being built!) As we inched along in AWFUL traffic, I was getting more and more anxious to be there. Almost four hours later, we finally arrived---after dark---to see the children.

I will never forget watching them RUN from their house all the way to our bus, as I was literally knocked over by kids' hugs. Nothing feels as good as that. Their smiles and their laughter is all I remember from those first few moments. As they walked with me to show me their new house at Village of Hope, they began asking all kinds of questions. Where is Mark? Where is Mama Amy and Colin? Where is Mama Shannon and Brad? Where is Megan? How are Kendyll, Carlie, and Abba Kate? They remembered everyone. And, wanted to tell me all kinds of things too.

They also got to meet Rebekah and Jaron, and were instantly in love with them too. :)

The rest of the first night was spent hugging and loving on these kids, and talking about everything they could think of. It was SO GOOD to be back with them.

So, needless to say, it was a wonderful week. I have so much to share with all of you, and I'm trying my best to figure out just how to do that. It is hard to believe all that we experienced in eight days there.

God was so good. We were part of an absolutely amazing team of people, joined together in a way we could have never expected, to do things we could not have predicted.

So many of you were a part of this for us. You sent supplies, you sent your love, you sent your prayers, you sent your encouragement. Thank you!!

I will be back with more stories. Stories of what God did this week in a beautiful land across the world. And, also in my own heart.

For now, I'm heading out to get another American meal and large iced tea with my three cute girls. I'm realizing my heart truly does live in multiple places. And, that's feeling better all the time. :)