30 hours until together!!

This week has been a blur of emotions, tears, new information, fear -  more tears, hugs, good-byes that weren't supposed to happen, questions needing answers, and lots more tears!  Per our agency's recommendation, Craig and I took Mary-Aster to the US Embassy on Monday to ask them to show us favor and allow us to come home that evening.  We were told that all of our paperwork was turned in and complete and there was a SLIGHT possibility they would let us leave.  On a positive note, we did get to speak with the adoption officer, however, the news he had for us shook me.  The US Embassy was actually going to Gimbie to investigate cases.  I was devastated.  The only thing that kept me from needing to be mopped up off the floor like a puddle was that the officer was informative, sympathetic, patient and kind.  God put that man across from us because HE knew that would get us through this difficult time. 
Craig made the decision that I should take the children home that night on our scheduled flight and he would stay with Mary-Aster in Ethiopia for however long it took.  I don't have words to describe my shock, disappointment and feeling of helplessness.  We went back to the guest house, broke the news to the kids, and began separating our stuff to take home from Craig and Mary-Aster's stuff to leave there.  It was painful and telling her goodbye when we left for the airport was horrible -- but through many tears and sobs we were off for our flight back to Texas.
The older four children are seasoned travelers.  They were SO helpful, sweet and easy.  We waited in SO many lines -- lines for security, lines for ticketing, lines for immigration, another line for security and then lines to get on the plane --- and that was before we ever left Bole Airport in Addis.  We had a 7 hour flight from Addis to Franfurt (the kids slept 6 1/2 of those hours) - then a 5 hour layover in Frankfurt- and a 10 hour flight from Frankfurt to DFW.  We arrived in Dallas Tues afternoon and were met by our dear friends the Orlies who had brought a truck for all of our stuff and my mom who brought a car for us.  They knew this is not how I had pictured our homecoming, and I was sad about it.  It was a real bummer to be coming home without Mary-Aster and daddy and it was a real bummer to not know when they would be coming home.  We walked in our home and felt it filled with love.  Our friends had brought groceries and flowers and notes and comfort food -- it touched my heart and made us feel SO loved and supported!!
Weds morning I woke up and, as I always do, checked my email first thing.  There was an email from the adoption officer at the Embassy.  He said they had concluded their investigation and for Craig to appear at the Embassy for a 1:00  interview the next day.  WHAT?!?!?  Was I reading that right?  He said that Craig could wait and walk out the doors with all of Mary-Aster's Visa/Immigration paperwork the same-day.  This is a modern day miracle of God moving mountains! 
Craig and Mary-Aster will be boarding their plane in 7 hours and will arrive home tomorrow afternoon.  Our family will finally be together at home!!  I can not express my gratitude to God and how miraculous these last couple of days have been.  He moved people and circumstances and red-tape, and changed hearts.  HE gets all the glory!!

2 Samuel 22:15 "Therefore I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to your name.

Psalm 9:1 "I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. 

Psalm 28:6 "Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy."