Saturday, April 21, 2012

We're Here!

Well friends, we have arrived!!  It was a long but uneventful trip. Praise the Lord! We made all of our connections, all of our luggage was ready and waiting for us when we arrived at the baggage carousel, we were greeted by a very friendly face, our helpful and wonderful guide, Mitko, and we've checked in to a lovely hotel in Sofia and just enjoyed a relaxing dinner. I'd say our first day was a success!

Anna has been the perfect travel companion. She's traveled many times before and is great at navigating confusing airports (Paris...whoa!), and she's calm and has a positive attitude, which has been great to counteract some of my anxiousness. Her company is very much a blessing. Jon and Ishmael, thank you for letting me borrow her!

And we've already made a few friends. There was a lovely couple from the UK in the lobby when we arrived. They heard us speaking English and struck up a conversation about why we're here. I'm learning how impossible it is to explain this crazy life I'm living without explaining Jesus. He's the reason all of this is happening and the reason it makes sense. 

We also ran into another couple who is adopting through Reece's Rainbow. They're bringing their daughter home this trip! How great is that?! I'm so excited for them. I hope we'll run into them again and have the opportunity to meet their little girl. I think that would be a sweet reminder, after saying goodbye to Sam, that my baby's time is coming.

Tomorrow we get to sleep in, which will be a great blessing after a long day of travel. At noon our sweet and very accommodating guide will pick us up and drive us to Pleven. We're told the drive should take around three hours. Once we arrive, our only plans for the rest of the day are to get settled in our hotel and to prepare for my first visit with Sam. I'm getting so excited and nervous! Please keep praying for our interactions. Pray that I might greet her with a gentle and quiet spirit, and that I will keep my eyes on Jesus and trust Him for all of our needs.

My eyes are drooping so I think I'd better get some sleep. Thank you all for your continued prayers. Love to each of you.

5 comments:

  1. OH dear sweet Grace,

    I am so excited for you! I have been checking to see if you made it safely! Praise the LORD! You are covered in prayer...go and be HIS LIGHT...go and be HIS hands...go and be HIS feet and share that love inside you!

    YOU GO GIRL!!!

    LOVE to you in Christ,
    steph brian sasha ellianna avi and NOW LINA TOO...whisper a prayer when you walk through the doors that LINA would know her Mommy and Big sister are on their way soon...she is forever a Carpenter!!!

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  2. Grace, I get goose-bumps and over-flowing eyes reading about how close you are to YOUR DAUGHTER!! Sending many, many prayers to our God for your week together.
    Love,
    Laura

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  3. We are soooo glad that you made it safe and sound. We will continue to pray that your trip goes as planned and that God will be with you and Samantha and the entire team.
    God bless you!
    The Ravndals

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  4. I am so glad you arrived safely and I love that you've already made some friends. You are always on my mind and I am praying constantly. I love you so much and am so proud of you. You are my hero and I look up to you with the utmost respect. You really are Jesus' hands and feet on this side of heaven.

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  5. Grace,
    It's great to hear that you made it safely! I just started catching up on your recent posts, and I hadn't realized that you were traveling with someone I know as well. I think I went to junior high and high school with Anna (my memory fails me). How neat that she was able to travel along with you. My class and I continue to pray for you daily, Grace. May he bless your time as you meet your sweet little one and show her your care and tenderness--something for which she has been desperate for way too long.

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