The Journey

This is Katie's sister, Amy:

Katie, Michael and Sophia Mekdes will begin their journey home in about an hour. I know that they are so excited for their families to meet Sophia (and believe me...we are SO excited to meet her!), but I think leaving Ethiopia is a little bittersweet for them as well. As I am certain you can tell from her blog posts, this has been an amazing time for them and while they have grown together as a family they have experienced tremendous personal growth as well. I can't wait to see all of the pictures, watch the videos, and hear all of the amazing stories that are not easily conveyed through choppy phone connections and text messages.

Please pray for safe travels and good health. I received an email from Katie about an hour ago saying that she was feeling nauseous and that Sophia had a fever earlier in the day. Traveling internationally (with a baby) is, I'm sure, rarely enjoyable -- but bearable...tolerable.. would be nice. Let's keep our fingers crossed for that.

While Katie has had some internet access, she has not been able to read the comments posted on her blog. I have been emailing them to her, and I know that they have meant so much to both of them. Thank you for your constant support and encouragement. Many of you have adopted or are in the process currently, and you have been able to provide a form of support that we cannot. For that I am extremely grateful.

When Katie decided on the title of her blog, "Journey From Ethiopia", I suggested that "From" should perhaps be "To". This is the story of your adoption process, your journey to Ethiopia. But Katie responded - No, this is the story of us coming home as a family. It's been a long journey, but it's finally happening! And this story is sweet, and perfect and definitely worth the wait.