Home Sweet Home!

After a nine day trip to Ethiopia, we arrived back in Seattle this past Saturday.   A journey that has taken us to the end of ourselves in many ways - a journey to once again recognize God's provision and goodness.   Paradoxically, we feel spent and yet so filled.  

It has taken us a few days to get our bearings as we have been quite tired readjusting to our time zone coupled with an intense week of little sleep and now adjusting to infants and their idea of sleep and wake time.  On the whole, we are doing well and are so blessed to have the added help from our girls who are reveling in the new additions to our family.

Here's a few pics from the journey - from Addis to Seattle.

 Play time at the guest house.

 Fun times in the "rainbow room" at the House of Hope.

 Play time on the airplane in the bassinet.

 The girls made a welcome home banner and even lined the entrance into our neighborhood with pink and blue balloons.

God is good.

Journey Home

It's Friday morning in Addis, both the twins have colds and dad is feeling rather ill. Please pray that they would all have strength for the long flights ahead.

-C

We Passed Embassy!

Thank you all who prayed for our embassy appointment this morning.  We didn't actually know if all our paperwork was updated until we arrived and met with the officer.  Everything was in order, it all arrived just moments before we arrived.  Perfect timing - His timing is just that.

We spent the afternoon touring a local school that educates a thousands children in the poorest part of Addis.  Children's Hope International (our adoption agency) works with this school for special projects and other ministry ventures.  So much need as well as opportunity in this very populated city.  We'll post some photos of the school a bit later.

A few pics from mom's photo shoot right after passing embassy.  Notice our sweet threads!

Traveling in Style

Fingerprints Found!

Almost 3 AM here in Addis  and just got off phone with the national visa center - they finally received our updated fingerprints and forwarded them on to the embassy here in Ethiopia.  This is truly good news on our end.  If our case file was not updated with new fingerprints, then our embassy appointment would not happen tomorrow and this could mean extended time away from home for mom and dad.

We picked up Caleb and Samara from the house of hope this morning and they are at the moment sound asleep in our room here at the guest house where we are staying.  They are very sweet personalities and are actually more mobile than we had thought they would be.  They are very fun and we cannot wait to introduce them to all back home.

off to bed I go.    God is good.  

-J

Tired but Thankful - Truly

Well, we finally arrived in Ethiopia about 1pm Sunday afternoon our time.  Our flight landing was the most eventful flight thus far - side winds making sure we got our money's worth.  We are thankful to finally be at the guest house we are staying at all week - miscommunication with our taxi but after a couple hours found a ride - truly thankful to be getting settled in.  Tomorrow (Monday) we will head out in the early morning for the twins original orphanage and to have our birth parent interview.  Would love prayer covering for the 6 hour round-trip, but even more for our time with the birth mom. Really hard to know how to prepare for this one - pray that we might be an evidence of God's grace to her.  Mostly just prayed we'd be sensitive to God's Spirit in how we interact.  OK, Julie is already crashed for the evening, I'm heading back to our room now to see if sleep will not evade when the clock strikes 3:30 am.  :)

 Thanks Doug A. for bringing a great sermon on the grace of Adoption this morning at TDC.  Sure missed worshiping with our church family.

Grace and Peace to our friends and family.

God is good.  J & J

First Leg Down...

Mom and Dad safely landed in opulent, 102 degree Dubai and are waiting to board the next plane to Ethiopia. So far, no surprises...well, except for the baggage that didn't seem to appear =) Apparently nobody told them their bags were going straight to Addis. After three and half hours of sleep in the past day and half, they ask for rest and protection.

Thank you for your prayers!

-C

Team Turner Makes 9!

We are preparing to head out this evening at 5:30 pm for nine days in Ethiopia.  Lord willing, we will return next Saturday with the twins accompanying us.  It has been a trying week of last minute document hunting and preparation.  The grace in all of this is that Jay might actually sleep some during the first 14 hour leg of our trip through the night!  Can't believe we are about to board another airplane...

We are anxious and yet striving to find our peace in our Kind Savior, who is a refuge and faithful always.  We would covet your prayers this next week - for uneventful travel, logistics, transition and bonding with the twins, and protection for our girls waiting expectantly at home.  And an extra prayer for energy once we arrive - we have the twins 24/7 beginning Monday.   It has been a while since we've done the infant thing and we are presently feeling like tired parents.  We are heading back to Addis with 3 suitcases this trip,  2 of which contain only baby items for the week.

Part of our journey this next week will be a 6 hour round-trip to visit the first orphanage the twins were placed in.  We also will be having a birth mom interview - hard to know what to expect and even what to ask during this time that promises to carry great emotion.  Please pray for this meeting and travel day as well.

This has been a long journey, and the real journey of parenting these sweet children is just about to begin.
What a privilege to participate in something that is so dear to our God's heart - Adoption. Thank you dear friends for your faithful prayers - we are in this together.

Bringing Samara Beti & Caleb Biniyam Turner Home!

"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (Psa 46:10)

We have very good news!  

We got an email that the Embassy in Ethiopia is ready for our interview.  The Embassy told us to pick three dates that would work for our family (M-Th) and we emailed back this morning with the 22^nd, 23^rd, or 24^th.  We will not hear back from the Embassy until early next week if these dates work with their schedule due to it being the weekend.  Our adoption consultant told us that usually the Embassy goes with the family’s first choice 95% of the time.  By faith we purchased flight tickets for Friday, May 18^th hoping that the Embassy will agree with one of our choices.  We chose to buy our tickets before waiting until next week to confirm our date due to rising costs in airfare.  We plan to be home by Saturday the 26^th. 

We ask for prayers that Julie's fingerprints which will be taken on Monday the 14^th will be approved and processed and cabled to Ethiopia before our appt. at the Embassy.  We also ask for prayers for safety, uneventful travel, good health, energy, joy for the girls at home, and good transitions with the twins. 

Time to bring the twins home! 

Time to get packing!

When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. ² Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." ³ The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad. (Psa 126:1-3)