First Days

We made it! And Father has been generous as usual. Because things have been so eventful, we're going to break down this post into a few different sections.

The Flight

Yes, it was long. Yes, the children did very well. In fact, on the long 13 hour flight, Autumn slept nearly the entire time and Isaac probably about 8 hours, even without the aid of Benadryl! We brought a mat for them to sleep on, and spread it out on the floor under their two seats. One slept on the floor and the other on the seats. It was perfect.

Cara and I on the other hand weren't so fortunate. Cara caught maybe an hour or so of sleep, while I probably didn't get more than 30 minutes total during the entire trip. We were doing very well until we got to our seven hour layover which was only 2 hours from our destination. That was frustrating.

The Trip to Our New House

Fortunately, the help of what seemed like a 12 year old boy was secured to drive our van from the airport to our new apartment. And, it should go without mentioning that the van did not include car seats for the children. After several near misses, some very long unnecessary detours, and much futile honking, we arrived anxious to see our place in person.

The First Night

About 7:00, we were startled by what sounded very much like a gunshot. We hurried to the window to check things out feeling very safe on the 13th floor and discovered it was merely firecrackers -- exploding just outside our window! The entire show probably lasted a good 10 minutes. We were later informed that this is a very common occurance, as in EVERY DAY! Fortunately, although always close enough to hear, they are very rarely that close to our window.

Life Since

The rest of the time here has been spent learning our way around the city and purchasing new items for our new home. I've included some views from Isaac and Autumn's bedroom window.

We've walked, ridden in taxies, and taken an electric scooter. The buses and subway experiences are yet to come. Our place is feeling more and more like home everyday as we put things away and add some basic furniture items. Today, our Father's provision and care was felt in a great way through one of these experiences. We had just returned to our apartment from visiting with a friend, and Isaac was worn out. He was not really sure what he wanted, but just really down. I'm sure the events of the past several months truly have taken a toll, and he sometimes he just doesn't know what to think. However, not 10 minutes after we had gotten back, there was a knock on the door and their new bunkbed had arrived. As Isaac watched them assemble the bed, his eyes just continued to get bigger and bigger. When he saw the finished product, he was more excited than I have seen him in a long time (as you can see in the pictures!)

Probably at one of the times when Isaac needed it the most, our Father provided him with such an example of His love and compassion for His children.

There is so much more to tell, and we plan on posting another blog this week. So, check back for that one. For now, we need some rest. We love you all.