Sweet Homecomings!!

 We have had some new additions to our community this past weekend. I have to say we have a strong adoptive community in the greater Nashville area. We are blessed! This is always my favorite part of doing what I do. I meet these kids while they are still orphans as they sit waiting in their orphanages, and then I have the absolute JOY of seeing them finally come home in the arms of their forever family, to be orphaned NO MORE. There is just nothing like it!!You will recognize some of these faces if you followed my trip in December.

Two families and 5 new kiddos adopted from Ethiopia between the two families, were welcomed by crowds and cheers.  I love airport homecomings! They are just so exciting. I'm always a little nervous for the kids first arriving into America as the swarms of folks are standing ready, all geared up to shower them with lot's of kisses. I wouldn't blame them if they said "Who are all these crazy people?" and didn't want anything to do with anybody. I am ALWAYS so amazed at these kids who have just flown clear around the world for the first time in their life. They step off the plane to be faced with swarms of white faces whom they do not know, and yet they have more love shining off of them then you could ever imagine. Im sure that is not always the case but this day....these kids blew my socks off!! As you can see above, the first family to come in at 2:30 in the afternoon were the Green Family. Many stood ready to meet this beautiful sibling set of 3 that this family is adopting.

Lucy Lane, pictured below, was part of the festivities and actually unglued from her momma long enough to let Uncle Shane hold her :)

 So as everyone anxiously waited, we finally saw the first glimpse of them coming up the hallway. The oldest adopted child with her new sister. What beautiful sisters they are!!

 Here is the whole fam as they all arrived through the gate. Welcome home Green kiddos!!

 This was just the sweetest thing ever. Mamo, pictured below, has been home about two months. He lived in the same orphanage with these kids. He was adopted by Gina and her family, who traveled with us on our July trip last year and met him then. These kids saw his little cute face and they all lit up with delight and ran straight to him to give him big kisses. Mamo could not have been more excited to see them. He had been talking about them before they got there. These kids all live like brothers and sisters in the orphanage and it was the sweetest thing ever to see them united with their brother once more.

Mamo was busy filming it all while he was getting drowned in kisses :)

Then these kids were just the sweetest. Instead of getting all the kisses, they were giving them too.

Lot's of excited folks were ready to greet these adorable kids.

 Beautiful sisters!!

 Instant new friends!

Now fast forward to 11:30 pm and we are back at the airport waiting on the Flores family to come home with their two new little ones from Ethiopia. Some of you may remember the post about the Little Hero I did on them not too long ago. Their son is truly a hero. Check out that post if you haven't already. Amazing story!

You see their two children along with some friends waiting in the almost empty airport for any glimpse of their mom and dad and new siblings to arrive.

For such a late arrival, they still had quite the crowd.

And finally......here they come with their new son and baby daughter!! Home at last!!

Little Abenet doesn't seemed bothered by the crowd at all. He actually LOVES it, while momma is getting a hug from her girl she hasn't seen in over a week.

First hug from Grandma.....how sweet. He just LOVED her!

A hug for her little man she had been missing.

These brothers hugged like they had known each other their whole life. It was the sweetest thing ever!

He just loved everyone!

Are you kidding me? What beauty!!

Catching up on some overdue love makes the sweetest moments....

Watch out! Sister is on the loose!

Checking out her uncle's cool toy...

Another Grandma gets some first time love from her new grandson.....

Me and Amanda and baby Hannah.....

Look at these three siblings! They are gonna have some fun together.....

Loving on her new sissy :)

Rick and his two sons.....

And I have to end with what blows my mind about all these kids.....
I met all these kids in Ethiopia while sitting in an orphanage waiting to be chosen by a family....

Mamo, who I mentioned above was the friend of the Green kids, went from WAITING here.....

 To his FAMILY HERE.....

The Green Children were in the same orphanage as Mamo in Ethiopia and went from WAITING here.....

 To their FAMILY HERE....

And the Flores children I met in Ethiopia, went from WAITING here......

To a FAMILY HERE.......

Now you see why I'm so passionate about finding these waiting children homes. It literally changes their worlds. Bethy and Mahlet, TWO SISTERS (ages 9&11) I have been advocating for and met on two different OH trips, are STILL WAITING. If you haven't seen them yet and are praying about adopting older siblings, please email Kristi@OrdinaryHero.org and request the link and password.  Let's all step up the prayers for those two and pray them in a family for sure. THANK YOU!!