Thanks for staying with me as I conclude our story, which believe it or not is slightly abbreviated. If there was no editing it would have easily turned into 10+ posts. If you are just joining the journey catch up on what you missed in part 3.

The day before our flight was scheduled to leave my husband spent the entire day at the passport office trying to get an officer to sign off on the reprint. He was told to come back at 5:30 and in the back of his mind he thought no way would it actually happen and started doubting that we would actually make our flight.

The kids and I hung out at the hotel all day and I didn’t have any update from my husband. So I just kept the prayers coming, because I had no idea what the scenario would be. I most certainly put into practice in a new way, pray without ceasing from 1 Thessalonians.

Our last day in Ghana.

Finally, as I was getting the boys ready for bed my husband returned as a bearer of great news! He was given the new passport!! It may have been the 59th minute but we had it!! In addition he strolled my suitcase through the door!! I about leapt out of my skin! I went to bed that night feeling refreshed, clean and hopeful we would get the visa in time.

The next day my husband headed to the embassy. Thankfully our flight wasn’t departing until later that night, so we had all day to try and get the visa. While my husband was at the embassy I started packing just in case we would be going to the airport that evening. Of course I also continued to pray like crazy!!

We were so grateful that the U.S. Embassy was more than accommodating. They assured my husband we would have the visa in time for our flight that evening and they didn’t let us down! Two hours before we had to be at the airport we finally received the visa and now had everything in place to make the flight back to the United States!! I can’t explain the weight lifted from my shoulders when I heard the news and I knew God’s hand was on us.

Finally home!

I had been prepping the boys throughout the day about the flight, the weather and everything our travels would entail. So Kolbe got dressed in all the warm winter clothes I had packed for him, including a winter hat. He insisted on wearing it all to the airport even in the Ghana heat, while stuck in traffic with no a/c. Needless to say sweat started pouring down his face.

I will never forget their expressions as we walked outside to stand before the large plane we were about to board. They were so, so excited to be on a real airplane that they only slept the first 8 hours of our total time of 16 hours in flight. I on the other hand would have taken the extra hours to sleep, especially after hardly sleeping at all while we were in Ghana.

The boys did amazing on the flights, absolutely AMAZING!!! In my book it’s a miracle how well the travel went. I had packed a lot to keep them busy, well fed and to hold off tears. They just loved all of the buttons and the little TV screens they had in front of them. Simply mesmerized by being on an airplane.

Our last flight was only an hour. The flight attendant asked if this was the boys first flight, no actually this is their third within 24 hours! She gave them each a pin and some candy and did they ever deserve it. They most definitely earned their wings that day!

Continuing with what has turned into a mini-series. If you missed the first two you can easily get caught up here and here.

Meeting our sons for the first time is an experience and memory forever in my mind and heart. Beyond words and yet captured for all time in my heart to hold. I was nervous, anxious, excited, overwhelmed and full of hope and joy! I managed to hold back my tears as I hugged them for the first time and finally saw their most beautiful smiles. I will never forget their sweet little giggles as my husband blew bubbles for them to chase and catch.

The next day we headed to the U.S. Embassy for the visa interview. We didn’t know what to expect as the original birth certificates had been lost at the passport office. I had a pit in my stomach thinking there was no way we would pass without them. I found myself constantly praying. Never have I prayed so much in such a short amount of time in my life!

Over five hours sitting in a row of chairs answering questions and waiting for our names to be called. Praying and hoping we would be given the blue slip of paper meaning we passed. I tried to remain calm as the officer said they would waive the need for original birth certificates if it was okay with us and he proceeded to hand me the blue slip!!!

My eyes immediately filled with tears as I told my husband the news. I wish I had on camera the joy on all of our faces as we literally ran out the door through the embassy courtyard swinging our boys in the air! I knew my prayers were answered!!

We were given an appointment to go back to the embassy in two days at 1:30 to pick up the visas. Two days later I stood in front of the embassy which seemed rather quiet as a police officer informed me they were closed. Assuming it was a misunderstanding I showed him my slip stating my 1:30 appointment, which further puzzled him because the embassy closed at 12:00 that day. After speaking with security he told me to come back in two days, which would be Friday.

The patio at the third hotel we stayed at, where we spent a lot of time.

This time my husband went back to the embassy and was given one visa. He was then informed there was a misspelling on the other passport. We would need to have the passport office issue our son a new one before they would print the visa. Something which took us months to get we needed to try and get reprinted in 3 days as our flight was scheduled to leave Tuesday evening.

Oh by the way, my suitcase was still lost. Thankfully I packed an extra outfit in my carry on, but other than that I was grubbing it in the same clothes and borrowing my husband’s clothes for sleeping. It also gave my husband the opportunity to grow a beard as his shaver was in my bag.

I tried not to think about the what ifs and the possibility of it taking weeks to get the new passport. It was truly God’s grace and prayer that kept this type A person so, so calm. Besides at this point it wasn’t about me anymore, mere inconveniences or another stumbling block. My focus was completely on my boys.

On Monday, the day before we were scheduled to leave Ghana, my husband headed to the passport office begging someone to sign off on the reprint.

After writing the first post I am realizing this may end up being more like a four part series and not two as I had originally thought.

We finally landed in Ghana around 2:00am. Having no idea how to navigate our way through the airport we just followed everyone else from the flight. Anxiously waited in line as we went through customs and was just hoping I answered all of the questions correctly.

Onto baggage claim. We had thought we strategically marked our black suitcases, soon to find out a few others had the same idea! I tried to quickly glance over everyone else’s bags to make sure ours didn’t mistakenly end up on their cart.

Thankful we had almost all of them, but soon realizing the one bag still missing was my mine! As the bags and people dwindled down, I had to face the reality that my bag was officially lost. So we moved on to filing the lost bag claim, where I was told it would probably arrive in one day. Grateful they didn’t know or tell me the reality of how long it would actually take to get, because I probably would have had a meltdown at this point.

Now almost 3:00am and there was still no sight of our driver and we had no clue where we were going. We were approaching the last door that led outside. It looked like there were a few people waiting behind a gate along with numerous taxis that I was praying we wouldn’t need to use. I had no plan B for this scenario and was ready to camp out at the airport until morning in the case we were stranded.

Prayers answered!! I about jumped out of my skin and had to fight back tears when I saw our driver waiting for us! A rush of relief!! I repeatedly thanked him for waiting for us for over 5 hours!

We arrived at the hotel nervous, excited, overwhelmed, exhausted and the list goes on. Most ready to catch some sleep as we had another driver scheduled to pick us up for church at 7:45am. Who could sleep?!? We were in Africa!! We were meeting our sons in 12 hours!!!!

We had both just finally fell asleep when the alarm went off. Here’s to hoping adrenaline would be enough to get me through the day. Waiting for our driver 7:45 came and went, soon it was 8:15. So I decided to give him a call.

He assured me he would be there at 8:00. We went back downstairs as we thought that meant he would be there any minute only to realize it was really only 7am!! Our phones didn’t switch the hour difference from Frankfurt and at this point we were really wishing for that hour of potential sleep back!

I guess we were ready an hour early and he happened to show up an hour late! Finally at 8:45 he picked us up for 8:00 church. I told him we would be back in 15 minutes, not knowing Mass in Ghana isn’t the typical American one hour. Nonetheless I was grateful we had that time to pray before meeting the boys, not to mention it was the Feast of the Holy Family.

I was flooded with emotions as I continually counted down the hours until we would meet our sons for the first time. I tried to put my feelings on paper and write them down, but it was all beyond words. Feelings so new and so profound.

Unsure if I could hold it together and not become an emotional mess. Having loved them for years, now finally able to hold them in my arms. Most of all I couldn’t wait to see them smile!