Time Will Tell

It's hard to say how today's appointment went. The tone of the interview was much more aggressive than Tommy's and the outcome was far more noncommittal (this is standard), so I didn't exactly leave in a good mood. We have no timeline. Seriously, none. This is hard. Even though I know that timelines were made to be broken (and frequently are here), it is difficult to have absolutely no idea when they might be calling. Please pray that they would be able to finish their investigations quickly and that they would grant us our visa very soon! Tommy and Jeff and I want my whole family on one continent.

With the exception of getting my tail KICKED by jet-lag, I am doing very well. I feel safe and at peace. I have been able to go to bed easily, but keep waking up in the middle of the night and have been completely unable to fall back asleep. I am an eight hour girl, so I am exhausted.

Thankfully, Mtoto is a dream. I had been told that he had a very easy-going personality, and this was an accurate description. He gets fussy when he wants to eat or desires a bit more attention, but he has not been a screaming or yelling much at all. He likes to be held and cuddled, enjoys tickles and songs, and has amazingly cute dimples when he smiles. I am head over heels.

He is scarfing down food- his introduction to fruit was a delight to behold. He gobbled down the entire packet of baby food, then tried to put his head in the bowl to lick up the leftovers (he failed miserably at this). He is bigger than I thought he would be, but also younger than I expected. I know that probably doesn't make a lot of sense, but it is what it is. I was certain his birthday was off...but now I am thinking it might be close to accurate.

He does not appear to have parasites (you have no idea how amazing this is or how much easier it is making my trip). He does have a nasty, terrible diaper rash, that I suspect is (and am treating like) a yeast infection. He was not in real diapers, he was wrapped in a rag with the absorbency of cheese cloth and that was wrapped in a section of plastic. It is clear that he has suffered from an awful rash for a very long time. His skin looks like he has been burned. Please pray for his healing. He is so sweet about letting me tend to it, but I can see in his facial expressions and grunts that he is very uncomfortable.

Now that all of my appointments and such are over for the moment, we are in a holding pattern. Timelines for others have been very long of late. Although we are praying for a quick result (and that I would be home by Tommy's birthday with Mtoto) we are also throwing around other options. Please pray for wisdom as we discuss our alternate plans. Also, please continue to pray for me as I sit out the wait. God has granted me peace and patience thus far, but there is a very long road ahead. The group of families that I am with are planning a number of service projects, which should help our time be more meaningful. We intend to visit one of the more difficult orphanages tomorrow. Please pray for a fruitful visit with these kids- that they would be nourished by both the food we bring and the love we show them.

Thank you for all your comments, emails, messages, etc. I appreciate the support so much. Please continue to pray for a positive and speedy response for our visa, for our health, for bonding, and for opportunities to serve.