Sunday
6:00p Andrew walked to the orphanage to get paperwork needed for Embassy appointment. Couldn't find original care order.
9:00p Called orphanage, still can't find form.
Monday
6:15a Called orphange. No answer. No original care order.
6:55a Left The Lodge without original care order.
6:56a Began praying they wouldn't need the original care order
7:53a Boda Boda hit our van
8:01a Jude vomited all over his shirt and shorts
8:15a Bought a new shirt at the store
8:23a Jude, happy in his new shirt
8:26a Waiting outside Embassy
8:27a Reviewed paperwork
8:35a Go through security and sit in waiting room
8:42a Andrew tells me he can't breath
9:31a They call us back
9:33a They tell us we don't have the correct probation officer's signature
9:34a Andrew gives them a letter from our lawyer about the signature
9:36a Whisper to Chapel to keep praying
9:44a Andrew answers the lady by saying 'Yes sir, I mean, mam'
9:49a Chapel and I are still quietly laughing about Andrew's mistake
9:55a They send us back into the waiting room
9:56a We prayed
10:40a They call us back again
10:41a They accepted our paperwork. Come back for an exit interview @ 2:30. Bring Jude's biological mom and her I.D.
10:42a Explain to Chapel what's happened. Remind her to thank Jesus
10:50a Chapel says, 'Now is a really good time to flap my hands, can I?!' Andrew says, "Flap all you want."
10:54a Left the Embassy
11:10a Sat down for lunch at Cafe Mocha
11:21a Ordered milkshakes to celebrate!
11:30a I asked if biological mom had an I.D.
11:31a Linda (our guide) is not worried about the I.D.
11:32a Andrew says, 'But then we could say you were the mom.'
11:33a Linda say, "Good point."
12:15p Went to a local shop to purchase 2 gifts
12:33p Went to a coffee shop while our driver went to pick up Jude's biological mom and we discussed possibilities for an I.D. for her.
1:20p Left the coffee shop, with biological mom, to find a place to take her picture...to copy on her baptism certificate (that's our plan for an I.D.).
1:48p Jude fell asleep on me on the way to the Embassy
2:00p Arrived at the Embassy
2:40p They called us back. We were asked many questions about our process and Jude's story. He said he had concerns about the father and was unsure everything had been done to contact/find him.
3:10p We sat back in the waiting room
3:12p Called in biological mom
3:14p She came out saying "I.D"
3:15p We prayed the baptism certificate with picture was a good enough 'I.D."
3:18p She came back out and sat down
3:19p Called us back
3:20p They told us they needed to find a translater
3:30p Called biological mom back in
3:43p She came out
3:50p They called her back in
4:10p She came out
4:15p They called us back. The officer said he was still confused about who the biological father but did not know how to get more answers. So he approved our visa. We pick it up Wednesday at 4:00!
4:19p Left the Embassy
4:20p Walking to the car, said a prayer for Gillian, Jude's half sister, as she made faces at me over her mom's shoulder.
4:22p Called Linda to tell her we got it and heard her scream through the phone.
5:08p My heart rate returned to normal
5:20p Dropped of biological mom to her hotel
5:45p Arrived at the Newsome's to pick up laundry and share the stress and joy of our day
6:10p Got in the car to head back to The Lodge
6:12p Hit traffic
6:13p Turned on our Ugandan mobile router to access internet while we waited
6:18p Started looking at plane tickets online
6:30p Called and ordered pizza
6:41p Bought Chapel a Halloween costume from Amazon
7:19p Sitting in traffic, thought, "He's really my son...I really get to bring him home!"
7:39p Picked up pizza
7:52p Finally 'home' to The Lodge
8:00p Can't find my passport
8:01p Andrew said he's going to throw up
8:05p We think it's at the Embassy
8:06p Emailed the Embassy
9:50p Booked plane tickets HOME!
Shew! It was a long stressful, happy day! So thankful for everyone's prayers today!
We can't wait to get our visa Wednesday and get home to our other boy!!