Day 1 in Africa

So we arrived Saturday afternoon with just a few glitches. When we arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, the airline said that I did not have a ticket. It turns out that my ticket (just that leg) had not been paid for. Brian stood by my side and assisted with the decision. We decided just to purchase that leg because I didn't want to spend the night in South Africa without my team. Really, they wouldn't have left me, but they could've if they didn't love me.

We arrived tired and only one piece of luggage didn't make it. Here's some pictures of our times at the airport. Sleeping, listening to the ipod, and playing travel Scrabble thanks to Brian's purchase.





Here we are getting ready to play Scrabble at Starbucks. I would've beat the boys for sure if some Englishmen didn't decide to get involved and tell us that "ax" actually has an "e" on the end of it. Come on that was triple points. Well, we never finished the game and I would've won because I did finally get my "e" for the word axe. My competitve nature coming through....Big Nanny would be proud.



We found a Starbucks and here's J.T. (Jack and Kathleen's son) just being silly. We had been travelling for days, and we needed every bit of humor we could get! I've never laughed or cried so much in a week's time.


Here's our villa in Lusaka, Zambia. It is in an area (subdivision) called Mulungushi Village and life doesn't get more plush in Lusaka than here. Let me tell you that we were living plush for Africa, but not plush compared to the U.S. We did have electricity and occasionally hot water. There was a lot of dirt and dust at all times. I was dirtier in Africa than I probably have been in my entire life...but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. More pictures to come and you'll see why.



The boys room




This is "His Big Blue Bus" and it will become our transportation over the next week.

One of the Best Decisions of My Life

I never would have thought that my trip to Africa could rank in the top 5 things I've done, but it definitely does. The obvious top 4 are marrying Derek and adopting Stephen, Matthew and Elizabeth. I must say though that my trip to Africa is probably number 5. The memories of my trip are sweeter than words could ever express. The giant leap in my faith in Christ cannot be documented by words.

Here is the team Thursday morning, July 3rd. We met at Thompson Station Church around 8:30 that morning. I am here to tell you that these people died somewhere in Africa. The group that returned is not the same group that stands before you in this picture. On the drive to Atlanta, we talked about what we hoped this trip would be for us. Many of us said that we wanted it to be life-changing. My other request was that I would have joy like never before. Well, it was life-changing and I saw joy like I've never seen before. Zambian Christians know how to BELIEVE God and how to WORSHIP God!

I'll never, ever be the same! Praise the Lord! More details to come.

Family Pic before the Trip

Here we are an "abundantly blessed" family of five. I hope that my trip to Africa will forever change the way my family "does life". Our time here is short and I want the Jordan family to stand up and be counted. We want God to use us however He wants and wherever He wants.

A big thank you to my partners in ministry. Thank you for praying and giving so that I can go!

Love you all!

Zambia Bound

We're leaving at 8:30 Thursday morning for Atlanta. Our flight leaves for London at 6:30 Thursday night. We have to change airports in London. We have about a 10 hour layover in London then off for a 12 hour flight to Johannesburg. From Johannesburg, we fly to Lusaka, Zambia! YEA!!!!

Pray that we're not totally exhausted by the time we get there. Thanks for praying for us! It's going to be great!

Did I sign up for this?

Sometimes I think that if you knew beforehand how hard parenting would be, you would never willingly agree to it. Some people maybe didn't sign up for it, but since our children are adopted, we really did sign up for it!!

Our kids can come up with the craziest questions and they usually come at the craziest times. Here are two from yesterday...from Matthew.

We're in the women's bathroom at church before service (a busy time in the bathroom). Matthew's in one stall, I'm in the other and I hear.
"Mommy, what are these balls in my private for?"
Seriously, I about died. I'm thinking of all the times for you to ask me this...what do I say...how do I answer...who else is in this bathroom that I might possibly know....
So I said, "Just go potty and we'll talk about it later."

Then last night after he's been in bed for awhile, he comes and asks me.
"Is Santa a Christian?"
Now, how do I answer that? Well, your Santa is a Christian, but not all Santas are. I didn't know what to do....do I tell him who Santa really is...do I just try to change the subject...instead I just said
"If he believes in Jesus, then he is."
He seemed satisfied with the answer and went back to bed.

Somebody needs to write a book on tough questions kids ask. Maybe there already is one. If not, I think I could contribute an entire chapter. Anyway, those were our laughing points for the day.

I really didn't know what I was signing up for when I signed those adoption papers, but they all three (Stephen, Matthew and Elizabeth) are a huge blessing!

Update on My To-Do List

Well, I did get all my ironing done. 150 children's clothing items. Let me just say that my children have entirely too many clothes, because they weren't even desperate for the 150 items that were missing from their closets and drawers.

The answer to the question is...Yes, I do iron blue jeans and tshirts. I don't iron pajamas, underwear, socks or sheets. I've tried to go the ironless route on the tshirts, but I just don't like the wrinkled look. Even if you pull them straight from the dryer, they still look wrinkled. I love the crispness of ironed clothes. I know...I have a problem.

Anyway, I got everything else on my list done. It only took an entire week, but it's done! Yeah!

One more day of VBS. We've had about 260 babies-5 yr. olds and an additional 140 workers this week. Everyone has done an awesome job!

I'm off to Atlanta tomorrow with some girlfriends for the Deeper Still conference with Beth Moore, Kay Arthur and Priscilla Shirer. Then home for a couple of days before I head back to Atlanta to catch a flight to London, then to Johannesburg, then to Lusaka, Zambia.

A big thanks to "regular nanny and papa" for taking my kids a couple of days so that I could accomplish tasks on my list. A big thank you to "florida nanny and papa" for coming to Tennessee for two weeks so that I can travel to Africa. My kids will be spoiled rotten by the time I get home, but that's what grandparents do best!

And of course, a big thank you to Derek who is the best husband in the world for me. He tolerates all my overcommitments and then partners with me in most of it. He wrote an awesome VBS computer program for us this year, helped with early childcare so the VBS directors could get things done in the morning, worked out computer glitches (some created by us) and even took a group of 3 yr. olds from room to room on Monday because we were short helpers.

I am blessed! Thank you to God Almighty who showers me with His blessings in the form of friends, family and co-laborers!

Matthew and Ozzie

Today was Matthew's special day with Papa. Stephen went to a car race a couple of weekends ago (no pictures to post). Today Matthew went to a Nashville Sounds game. He also got to do something very fun...he got chased by Ozzie, the Sounds mascot from 2nd to home.

Here he is running, running...





and he beats Ozzie home! Go Matthew!





Ozzie and Matthew...



And it truly is a small world after all, because Ozzie goes to our church!