Visa!

Today's appointment at the US Embassy could not have gone more smoothly.  The consulate was very helpful and processed our paperwork quite quickly, ending with the gift of Josiane's visa!  The security at the Embassy here is like nothing we've ever seen for a government building, which is to be expected given the Nairobi Embassy's history.  Getting the visa was like finishing a really long race.  We all felt like it was celebration-worthy, so we went to the local market and bought ingredients to make guacamole with the HUGE avocados we brought with us from Rwanda.

It was delicious and we had a great time together.  After the party was over, I was standing with another mom at their open window in our 11th floor room, looking out over the skyline of Nairobi when  the evening call to prayer began from the city mosque.  While I am not Muslim, I find the morning and evening call to prayer beautiful.  It is a song sung over the city and one cannot help but stop and remember God in that moment.  While she rocked her new little boy to sleep, we listened and stood in awe of the moment.  

Today, there is much for which to be thankful....
...a new daughter
...new friendships, which will be lifelong
...experiencing a new culture
...seeing God at work

Tomorrow, we will go on a safari to Nakuru National Park, which is 2.5 hrs outside of Nairobi.  I am SO excited!

With visa in hand, we can leave earlier than expected.  So, Thursday evening, we will leave here to arrive home at 7:30am on Friday morning!  The kids will not be home until Monday.  My sister is going the extra mile (!) and flying them from Texas to home for us.  We are so glad to have the time to get unpacked, shop for groceries, and recover a bit from jet lag before we have to be "on the job" with four kids!  Maggie and Brent, thank you again for the ways in which you've served us the past few weeks!