"An incredibly emotional day"

An update from Jeff - sent Sunday at 7:30 pm west coast time.

Yesterday was really an amazing day. We took a four hour trip down south, and saw the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen. I have never been to Ireland, but that is what parts reminded me of. Sprawling green hills, lush vegetation, rivers, streams. It was amazing and beautiful. The people, once you get out of the city, are so loving and nice. All they want to do is touch you and shake your hand, and they smile and wave at you. They are so friendly. We stopped in a village along the way and went in someone's hut.

When we got to Hosanna, where the orphanage is that Tigist and Mihiretu were first brought, they brought us in a room, and we had to wait to be called. We still didn't know if the father had come. We were the fourth family called, and sure enough, he came.

Out of all the people I've ever met in my life, I don't think I've met a sweeter or more sincere man. The second we handed him the pictures of Tigist and Mihiretu, he started kissing the frames and holding it to his chest. Then he would kiss the picture of Kristen and I. We got to talk with him for about twenty minutes, and asked him all the questions we had. He asked us a few questions as well. He told us about Mihiretu, and how his nickname was Anshi, because he looked just like his father. We are going to name Mihiretu "Mihiretu Anshi Greene". Then he told us about Tigist, and how much she loved her father. She would run to him and kiss him all over his face he said when he got home from work. Their mother's name was Almaz, and she would sing all day and pray with the kids as well. Anshiso said this is why Tigist would sing and pray every night at the orphanage. Almaz means diamond. We are going to name Tigist "Tigist Almaz Greene".

We got to take pictures with Anshiso, and then the day ended with a candle lighting ceremony, which represented passing on of the children to us. Each said a prayer to each other. This is the prayer we read aloud:

"Through God's divine plan, our journeys have crossed and these your children have created a sacred bond between us. We would like to express our gratitude, which is beyond words, for your willingness to share the joy of your children with us. Thank you for the humbling privilege to open our homes to raise your beautiful children from this point on. May God make us worthy to the measure of the gift that your children are for us. With god's grace, we promise to honor your deep love for them and your rich culture by raising them to be honorable sons and daughters to Ethiopia, now shared with the United States. As a symbol of this passing responsibility we humbly receive these candles from you. May the good lord bless all your family. "

There was not a dry eye in the room.

We got to say goodbye to him, and express our thankfulness to him. It was hard to say goodbye to him because we love him so much. After meeting him, we feel a great amount of responsibility to love the children as much as he did. It was just an incredibly emotional day.

We get to spend all morning with the kids today (Monday), and then take full custody of them tomorrow morning (Tuesday).

Please keep the children's Ethiopian family in your prayers. It is overwhelming to realize how much we are gaining and how much they are losing.

Talk to you all tomorrow-

Jeff and Kristen