It's a long way over there, but OH, so worth it!!!

I left for the airport at 9pm Thursday to fly from:

1) Phoenix to Detroit

2) Detroit to Chicago

(where I met up with the rest of the team)

3) Chicago to Amsterdam

4) Amsterdam to Sudan

 (little surprise from KLM that they forgot to mention)

5) Sudan to Addis Ababa

By flight 5 (3 for everyone else)

we were getting a little loopy.

Laughter abounded, and we made quite a scene.

My husband likes to tease me that when I am

over-tired, I will laugh at anything. 

His favorite is making me laugh at the word "hand".

  (inside joke)  This was one of those times.

This was a relief after all those hours of flying.

I waited for no-one to pack up their stuff...

I had hugs waiting for me just outside Customs.

(unfortunately, I am too nice, and got held up finding

every one's luggage... they caught up with me before I

had hoisted all 850 pounds off of the conveyor belt)

Had a few surprises waiting...

I knew Emnatu and Ayal would be there,

but was pleasantly surprised to see little Mezgebu,

 and Emnatu's friend Gizachew.

(Hagos, Wondemnhe, & Sisay were there to greet Crystal)

Emnatu & Wondemnhe saw the hotel drivers holding up

name cards, & decided Emnatu needed one for

his mom, too.  It was a very SWEET idea. ;o)

Stink... most of the photos at the airport were blurry.

So much for those famous first hug photos...

I also don't have a photo of the airport surprise..

What surprise?

Well, our 20 year old son who is a govt driver,

told his boss that his mom was coming to town,

(FYI... that is a big step for a former orphan)

and he wanted to borrow his work car

 to drive her to her guest house.

You will ask, the answer is YES,

he is a very good driver.