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The gates to the orphanage opened and there he was, sitting on Lola Crain's lap.  Our hearts were beating so fast.  I still think Kathy set a world record getting out of the car.  For a second, we stared at him and he at us, but then I reached out my hands and he quietly laid his head on my shoulder.  Neither of us said anything.  i could hear Kathy crying and handed him to her.  The same thing happened, he just laid on her chest.  For the next 10-15 minutes he quietly slept and mom was beaming with joy.  We were bonding with our son.   After a quick nap and a biscuit (cookie) our little E-man came to life.   No words could have prepared us for this; he was so alive and so happy! This is little boy had been through so much and nearly died twice. In fact, our POA called him the "miracle boy" and yet here he is standing in front of us singing, dancing and playing. Amazing. We debated on telling him we were his new mother and father, but our hearts won out, and suddenl

I will update the blog this weekend.    We had an amazing trip!    We are preparing to go back in the next three to five weeks.     Below are few videos, to show you just a little glimpse of what we saw.    We can't wait to share pictures and videos of our son, once he is home.  These are unedited. What is Ghana like? This is the low income school, I discussed in an earlier post  Leaving the school - glimpse into the village Jessica and Shannon playing their African drums

This will be the hardest update to write. Emotions are on overload and we are trying hard to keep everything in perspective.  First, I am thankful for a sovereign God who is in complete control of every second of every day.  He knew exactly what would happen today and he knows what will happen tomorrow and I trust in his promises. Our day started, with a trip to one of poorest schools in Accra and it knocked the wind out of me.  Honestly, it took all that I had not to bust out crying as we entered. I have seen this type of thing many times, but it just rips your heart out every time. I wish I could put it into words or you could feel the heaviness of my heart.  Many of these kids have been rescued from ocean diving, which kills so many innocent children who have been sold or abducted from their parents. In one instance, the abductors found out the police were coming and they slaughtered sixty children.  I know this is not easy to read, but we can't hide from the truth. The wor

To each person who has prayed for us, bought a t-shirt, participated in a project, gave money or provided words of encouragement, you have changed our world forever. Thank you, doesn't seem to be enough, yet that is all we have to offer. Well, a hug from a cute little boy is coming soon.  We spent a full day with E'man.  He is calling us Mommy and Daddy and tells everyone is coming to America.  His personality is over the top, his smile melts your heart, his laugh is contagious and his dance moves make you smile.  This little boy who almost died twice is now our son! This little boy whose father and mother stated they did want him, now has a family surrounded by friends who love him, because of your generosity. In these moments, you are confronted with the brutal reality of the world. We will share more about what we have seen and heard about child slavery in the coming weeks.  Over the years, we have been asked over and over again "why go there" and we try t

What a day! Video added: Road to the orphanage We pulled in the driveway and with a beep of Percy's car horn, the gates opened and there was Lola (filming) with Emmanuel in her lap. Wow, this was really about to happen! We sat there a second just looking at him wondering what to do, I stretched out my hands and he came right to me and laid his head on my shoulder. I looked over at Kathy who had tears flowing and a big smile on her face.  I held him for a while, then he laid on Kathy's chest as peaceful as he can be.  Within a few minutes, he was in a deep sleep snoring. What an a amazing moment!  Video added: Lola  made this amazing video at the orphanage.  Halfway  through you will see the moment we met Emmanuel.  The owners wife took him inside to ensure he didn't miss snack time.  Within a few minutes, out came E'Man with a fast sprint straight to his Mama.  By this time, he was wide awake and ready to go!  Kathy pulled out his new family photo book

Kathy and I are very excited by this opportunity God has provided! The last year has been full of surprises and challenges.    Tomorrow we will get on plane and travel 6000 miles to meet our precious new son! Which is amazing! We are blown away by what God has done for our family.   We we will also leaving  our two sweet little  girls behind which will be challenging.    Jessica and Shannon, we couldn't prouder of the ladies you are!   As a father, I am so proud of the decisions, you are making and your desire to excel. I love how you make me smile, laugh and exasperate me (lol).    As your brother in Christ, your humbleness   inspires me!    You both continue to make tough stands  which comes at a   cost.    However, you stand firm in your faith, even when others don't understand.     There are   hard days and weeks, but in the end  you  stand

Court date set, airline tickets purchased, bags being packed! We are so thankful for your support and prayers over the last year. We are very excited about the opportunity to meet and visit with our son! The last two weeks have been crazy. We have learned so much about Emmanuel through pictures, video’s emails and posts. One of my favorite comments is from one of his caregivers who happens to be from Michigan “he is a little guy, who is so full of personality, I tell him all the time he is a 45-year-old man trapped in a two year’s body because he is so smart and funny.” We also know he is left- handed, filled with energy, loves to dance, laugh and has a look that will make you melt. We are so thankful we have direct flights (around 12 hours) coming and going out of Atlanta and a great friend who will be staying with our girls at the house. Our embassy/immigration appointment is next Monday @ 2:00 PM. We will try to update blog during our stay. We can’t wait to share pictures and