Visa - it's exactly where we want to be! :)

Today was a really big day for us!  We got ourselves all dressed up and went to the U.S. Embassy.  We paid our fees and had a very cursory (like 2 minutes) interview with an Immigration Officer.  Bill gave an official sworn statement as the primary petitioner that all the papers presented were true and correct to the best of his knowledge.  The officer then stamped a little claim check, not at all unlike a car valet receipt, and told us that David's Visa would be ready any time after 4:30 p.m.  Just like that, it was finished!  The process of adopting is not a short trip, so it seems a little surreal to have David in hand, let alone all of his papers necessary to return to the U.S.

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Now we get to sit back and relax - literally.  On the wise counsel of our adoption agency, we had previously booked our return flight to leave on July 2 and land on July 3, allowing us plenty of time for any hiccups along the way.  God has been so gracious that our entire process has been accomplished without any paperwork issues, so we are finished a few days early.  We are not planning to change our flights though.  Instead, we are going to take it easy and enjoy the beauty of Hanoi, the air-conditioning and great care of the Hilton, and get to know our son.

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We're also going to let him get to know us.  You see, his little world is one big ball of changes right now.  After all, he had lived his entire young life in a kind and caring but very rural orphanage.  Suddenly, these two smiling faces (a.k.a., Bill and me) pick him up and whisk him into a world of cities, scooters, sights and sounds.  David has been an absolute trooper, hanging pretty tough despite all the changes.  The extra few days of quiet will do him a lot of good though, before we ask a huge task of him as we load him onto an airplane for 8,600 miles and 12 time zones!  (Hopefully, sitting close to us on the planes won't be a huge task for our fellow fliers!)  

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Thank you all for your prayers and support for us during this entire multi-year process.  Please continue to pray us all the way home.  We ask that you would pray for David's health right now - he has a nasty case of scabies that causes skin issues for him.  He is also working hard to adjust to life on Western formula and baby food, so pray for his little tummy to stay well.  Pray for wisdom for us as parents as we are trying to learn his schedule and world and to help him feel safe and secure with us.  

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I've posted some first-week highlight photos below.  Sorry it took so long to get them on the blog.  Our internet is much slower here, our eyes are a bit bleary from being awake nights with an infant, and our hands are more full taking care of our new son!  Most of all, though, our hearts have grown to hold even more love for another sweet boy! :)  Praise be to God, from Whom all blessings flow!