A Good Time at the Coast

I actually got to speak to TR for about half an hour this morning.

They are doing well. They are in Cape Coast now.

Today they made it to one of two of the slave castles and the Kakum National Park. I wanted you to get a feel for Kakum National Park.

Here is a description...
Located in Kakum National Park in the West African country of Ghana, Africa's only canopy walkway is suspended 100 feet above the ground, offering you what is truly a bird's eye view of the rainforest. At this height, you don't have to be an expert to identify the colorful patterns of tropical birds as they glide through the forest below you.

You don't even have to climb to get onto the walkway. It starts at ground level, and as you walk along, the land below you slopes into a valley, and you find yourself twelve stories up in the forest canopy. The horseshoe-like pattern of bridges — made of steel cable, netting, and narrow wooden planks — are connected by tree platforms that serve as observation points for viewing the rainforest. You circle back to complete your tour on level ground.

Here is a video of it. TR and Kman did fine. Kwame was a little scared but made it across the seven bridges.



It was awesome as I was able to hear the boys laughing and playing in the background the entire time TR and I were on the phone. TR says they are getting along well and having a blast!

They all are doing well except TR has a slight stomach ache. That also happened to me and a few days of Imodium helped so he is hoping it is the same for him!

He leaves the Coast in the morning and heads back to Accra. In Accra, He will get to hang out with J and his dad, Jason. He is very excited about getting to see them. They hope to go to the Art Market together and maybe some swimming!

TR and the boys leave to come home in a few days so their trip is winding down.

He is still spending the rest of his donation monies and has given most if not all of his supplies away. As it turned out, he did not get to make all the trips he planned and get all the things he wanted to get done but we are super happy with what he has accomplished there. Most of all, the boys are all getting to know each other and are enjoying themselves.

TR described Kwame as curious, inquisitive, talkative, adventurous and respectful. He is eating and sleeping well and when TR has to correct him on something, he is doing well with it. I was concerned he might get really upset to be corrected and might be really sensitive to it but TR says he is doing really well so far. We are so blessed! I can't wait to get them all home as the girls and I are so excited to meet him! Thankfully only a few more days in which I have tons to do!!!

A Great Day in Ghana...

TR and the boys had a great day in Ghana!
First of all, my Kman turned 10 today in Ghana! Happy Birthday to my wonderful son. I am so proud of you for who you are and all you accomplish...


They started off going to Tema for church mass at Our Lady of Mercy which was the last place that my great uncle, Fr. Fran, served. TR said it was really great because the priest there knew my great uncle as did several of the parishners. At the church mass, they prayed for Kwame and for Kman (since it was his bday!).

Tema is a neighboring city to where our adoption center is. I always loved driving there or through there as the road to Tema is lined with the ocean and it is beautiful.. The day I took pictures of the drive, it was rainy...



After church, TR decided he wanted to take the boys to La Palm which is a really nice hotel. I don't know if the president stayed there or at the hotel just as nice next door to La Palm but in Ghana, it is of that caliber.
La Palm has many nice pools and restaurants, a little ice cream shop etc. I stayed there for three nights with Selina and loved my time there.

So TR tells the driver, "La Palm" but instead was taken to "La Beach" which is a touristy beach. He decided they would stay there and said they had a blast. He decided to wanted to take the boys to La Palm for dinner but I sounds like someone came up to Kwame and before TR knew it, Kwame had ordered dinner! I am laughing as I picture someone talking to Kwame in his native language and the next thing is dinner being served as TR tries to figure out how that happened! So he said their dinner was good and they still made it to La Palm for some ice cream before heading back to their much cheaper guest house for the night.

Here is a short video from You Tube of the beach that I believe they were at..


So it sounds like the boys are doing great together! TR said the boys have even gotten in trouble together which I find totally adorable!

Tomorrow they are headed to Cape Coast for two days of sight seeing and fun! Their trip includes the following...

They are staying at a hotel that looks fun

They plan to visit Kakun National Park which features rope bridges going across the rainforest. Here is my friend Molly who went to Ghana with me last summer on a bridge..


and Elmina and Cape Coast Castles. I also visited these slave castles. It is so hard to hear about how Africans were treated during this dark part of our history. You read about it in school and hear but to see the actual rooms that men and women were in was hard. I have included my pictures from these castles below.


I am glad the boys are headed to the coast. Through the contacts and groups I am involved with regarding our adoption, I have met an American woman who lives in Ghana about half of the year and runs a non profit helping send students to school. She lives on the coast and has helped TR plan his trip to get there. It has been so helpful to have that contact and I am excited the boys will get to meet Kathryn as she seems like a wonderful woman!

So that is today's adventure and what is planned for the next few days!!

TR has a phone!!

I am so excited as TR got the phone working so we were able to chat a few minutes...

The boys are having a wonderful time. I could hear Kman and Kwame talking in the background and I got to speak to them for a moment. I spoke to Kman first and it was so cute to her him say, "Kwame, do you want to talk to mommy?" He said "Yes" and got on and said, "Hello Mommy!!" as if he had been in our family forever. He was so sweet and sounded so relaxed yet excited.

I simply asked TR how Kwame is and if he seems to fit right in and he said, "Oh yes, without a doubt". I did not ask more as I know we will get to chat more and I will get to hear all the details when they get home and we are alone but it is so comforting to hear that TR is doing well and having fun with his boys!

Here is where they are currently staying, I stayed here with Selina last year. The room has a little air conditioner in it that was like heaven after a long day with no air or after a few hours in Ghana traffic!!



Today he was so excited to have been able to make a donation at a local orphanage. His driver helped him secure a truck and the filled it up with different food items, donations he had brought with him and a water tank as he was told they needed one to have access to water.

He said they really did not have much. Prior to him arriving, it was reported that the 26 kids there ages six and up share three toys, two dolls and a ball. Kman and Kwame gave them all soccer jerseys and brought four good new balls for them to play with. Additionally TR learned that they did not have electricity there and the cost to get it really was not much so TR paid for that.

TR was so excited to have been able to help and said that the people he met at this orphanage, CKO, were very polite, thankful and faithful in their love and belief in God. He felt blessed to have been able to help them and wanted me to pass on to all of those that donated, that he is so thankful as he felt he was able to make a significant difference because of your generosity. He sounded so happy on the phone as he told me about his experience, he was so so excited.

We only spoke a few minutes as he wanted to call all our contacts and plan his trip to the coast in the next few days... He is also taking the boys to the Catholic Church where my great uncle was a priest for many years. It is nice as the church is nearby so it is an easy trip to make. He will ask for the priest to say a prayer over Kwame as I did for Selina before I brought her home last year. You can my experience at the church here.


I also want to update you on Kwame's friend "J" who has been with Kwame as they waited together for their passports. I told you about them here. Well, J got his visa the same day as Kwame and his dad is leaving for Ghana in two days! TR and J's dad will be together in Ghana for two days and the boys will be able to hang out with their dads and Kman! Here is a pic of J, his dad, and Kwame.


Aren't our boys so handsome?!! How fabulous is that to know the boys are going home at the same time! Thank you God for that!


Thank you for checking in and again for your prayers and donations! I will post more when I hear more!

What TR had to say this morning...

"When we arrived, Kwame came running out of the house and leapt into my arms shouting "Daddy, daddy". It was incredible..."

I am so glad that he had such a wonderful experience. I have read that sentence a few dozen times today. I feel so relieved and at peace. Of course I want to know what happened after that and what happened with Kman and Kwame but like a typical man, his email was pretty short.

I do know that Kman played soccer this morning for 20 minutes before complaining it is hot and he was tired...that made me smile as he plays in our AZ desert here in the summer for a few hours at a time so he is used to it being pretty hot. I am sure he is just still exhausted from the flight and the experience so far so I am hopeful he gets good sleep the next few nights. Plus even compared to AZ, Africa is hot so it is not surprising.

I am so happy for them all and just pray that they are having a good time and enjoy getting to know each other.

I will update when I get to talk to TR and get all my questions answered- as you can imagine, I have a few!

Thank you for keeping up with us and keeping us in your prayers...

It's a Beutiful Day!!!

Okay, here is what you need to do...
1. Click on the video
2. Turn it up
3. Do a dance
4. Read below



We have Kwame's visa....

TR and Kman are in Ghana...

and are with Kwame now...

The adoption process to bring him home is over....

It IS a BEAUTIFUL DAY

This morning as TR and Kman were flying into Ghana, our adoption coordinator was given news that the visa process was complete.

TR was given the news that the visa that we needed was done right as he was picked up at the airport.

On my end, I found out the visa was done and it was confirmed that TR and Kman were in the car with our driver and on their way to the adoption center at the same time...

I was so excited... our family is officially complete.

We have in the process to adopt since April 2007 straight.

I feel as if the biggest weight has been lifted off of me. I was joking with my coworkers and asking them if I looked skinnier because I felt so much lighter!

I am so happy for my boys to enjoy the next week in Ghana, having a wonderful time and getting to know each other in Ghana, where Kwame is comfortable- the place he knows as home.

What I realized as I thought about it is that we had Kman, our oldest child, 10 years ago on Saturday. It has been almost 10 years to the day and our family is complete. Ten years of building our family... a life time of loving each other...

God is good!

Now I am waiting as patiently as possible to hear from TR and how today went...

Going, Ghana, Gone!!!

TR and Kman are Ghana bound! Thank you to all those that have made donations, TR and Kman are so excited to put them to good use! I look forward to keeping you updated while they are there. Unfortunately I probably won't get pictures while they are there but I should get emails and phonecalls. Woo hoo, our son is coming home!

The suitcases are out and we are filling them up!!

We are down to our last few days! Our suitcases are filling up and TR and Kman are just about ready to leave!

We have collected some goods including toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss from our family Orthodontist, Dr. Matt Jones... enough for FIFTY children!! Thanks Dr. Matt!

We also have collected some vitamins and pain relievers from several of TR's coworkers.

Kman loves soccer...

Here he is this season at one of his league games. He has been playing on a club team for about four years now and loves it. He decided he wanted to help kids in Ghana get to play futbol too by handing out jerseys and balls. So far, he has collected about 80 jerseys with a few more coming! This would not have been possible without the assistance of his teammates and friends from the Arsenal Soccer Club. Thanks to some of the families that have spread the word as we received many of the jerseys from a local high school! Kman was so excited to look at all the jerseys tonight as we washed them and folded them up to pack!



Our monetary donations are now over $2000!! We are so excited! This will allow us to do several things in Ghana to help orphans and those who need help. We know we will make a donation at the one orphanage we have mentioned in previous posts and I am working out details to get to the orthopedic center which is also the location of where my great uncle is laid to rest. I also am working on a few other things so I am confident we can easily spend any money given to us to help others as once you get to Ghana, it is easy to see where there is need and to lend a hand...

TR and Kman did get their visa back and so they are set to go! We are hopeful Kwame will get his visa to come home with us this week. While we did not get a visa pick up date yet, we were told to have our power of attorney go to the embassy starting Tuesday this week to see if it is ready... Once we have that visa, we are home free!

A huge thank you to those that are helping to fill our suitcases with donations or are clicking on the donate button above and sending some money our way to use to help others in Ghana. No donation is too small and even $5 can purchase a nice amount of water to give to an orphanage. Plus, just think, if you donate, how fun will it be to be a part of helping others and to wait to see where your donation goes and who it helps! Last year we were able to purchase an arm for a boy who did not have one... who would have thought they could be a part of changing a boy's life like that?

I know we are talking a lot about the donations lately and are putting out there what we are trying to collect. We only have a few days left and so I feel I need to try to do the best that I can to collect all the donations that we can. As you may recall from older posts that it is very important to our family to not just go to Ghana and adopt a child but that we also want to help those children that will not be adopted. It is estimated that there may be up to 1 million orphans in Ghana. Ghana is the size of Oregon and there may be 1 million children that do not have parents. That breaks my heart and we feel that we need to do something to help those left behind. We are blessed to be able to do so and feel that we are honoring our children to help those in the same situation that our children were once in.

Thank you all so much again for being a part of helping us to do so!