where in the world are those crazy coens?!

First let me say that I have missed you!! It's very difficult for me to be disconnected from the internet. And it has been very difficult. So glad to be back for one sweet night. Sorry there's been no time or opportunity to answer emails, but I will later...promise.

Well we survived! So far, so good. We are currently in Shreveport, Louisiana. Our goal was at least Monroe, LA, but Silas and Sophie were doing well at that point and it was only 2 in the afternoon. As we pulled into Shreveport (10 hours of driving/riding later) Silas let us know it was far enough.

And no we're not gambling. :)

Our trip from Germany to Dulles was good. Silas was great and Sophie was a trooper. We were so worried about how she would do. Dulles was not so good. Made me want to swim (not fly) back to Europe. Long story short, when we got on the plane in Frankfurt, the lady at the gate took our boarding passes, including Sophie's receipt showing we paid for her to fly all the way to Charleston. Lufthansa partners with United (whom after flying with them a few years ago, I remember saying NEVER again. Now I remember why...) Anyway, we had to pay for Sophie to fly 1 1/2 hours from Dulles to Charleston. Again. Whatever...she's worth it. But answer me this: if we didn't pay for her to fly, how did she get from Frankfurt to Dulles? yeah. Then there was some running through the airport to catch our flight and the security making me take off my flip flops and Silas' Robeez (thin leather shoes...what could be hiding in those?) some mishaps with the stroller, some throwing up, a paci falling on the ground and the security guy telling me I may want to wash that off before I give it back to my baby (this was all at security)....but, we made it.

Here's the cool part...when we got to Charleston, we went outside for a taxi to our motel. I took Sophie to potty and a guy helped Marshall with ALL of our huge bags. I asked the guy where he was from, because, you know, I'm obsessed. That's right...he's was from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Isn't it a small world? This was after I pointed out all of the people in Dulles to Marshall that I thought were of ET decent...he just nods politely. It's like I think I'm an expert or something.

Then the other cool part was our driver who was retired Army and Marshall arranged for him to come back early the next morning to take him to pick up our car. After all of the craziness of travel day, it was as if God was reminding us that He was in control and was taking care of every detail...down to a sweet Ethiopian guy as our first contact at the airport.

We drove to Georgia yesterday and got to see our family there...it was wonderful! We're going back through there for a reunion on the way to our new home, so goodbye was ok. Sophie wanted to stay with Aunt Gloria because she fed her green beans and let her play in her big yard. Sophie was her shadow last night. We told her we'd be back.

Silas had a rough night....definitely some jet lag going on. That made us get an early start this morning and that's how we ended up 3 states to the west in Shreveport.

I do have to say that being back in the U S of A is a little overwhelming. I can understand EVERYTHING EVERYONE is saying...information overload. Our first stop yesterday was Wally World in Charleston. We needed a few essentials. Marshall waited in the car with the AC running with Silas and Sophie. I had to keep my head down and just glanced from my list to the aisle signs....I could not take it ALL in...there was so much STUFF. Thank goodness our car is stuffed to the gills already, or I may have gone into purchase overload.

At that same Wally World, I got to the checkout and started unloading my things onto the belt. The bag of diapers was open...grrrr. Two young ladies came up to get in line behind me at the same time I noticed. I told them I had to run and get more diapers and they could get in front of me. When I came back, the cashier gave me my total....had she unloaded my cart and scanned everything? No...the lady behind me did that. Isn't that sweet? Most people would have just gone ahead of me. I probably would have just gone ahead or waited for me to get back. Another sweet reminder that God had gone before us and is making our way....

I must get into bed now....everyone else is. We absolutely cannot wait to get to our family tomorrow. I'm just giddy.

Mannheim family, we miss you already. Thanks for making our exit so smooth and our time there so sweet.

Love from Louisiana!