heading to Ethiopia

So, Jared and I will be leaving tomorrow on a red-eye to Addis Ababa from Rome. It's a 6 hr flight that leaves Rome at 1:00 a.m.

Our friends, Dudley and Janet have graciously volunteered to come and stay with our children while we are gone, taking over parenting young ones again for a few days. They raised 5 great kids here in Italy who all live in the States now.

Will you pray for us please?

Pray for me (Rebekah) to have peace and calm in the travel, since you all know it's not my favorite thing and I struggle with being really nervous. Pray that we will rest quite a bit on the flight so that we are ready to see our kiddos and for the busy days that await us in Addis.

Pray that we have favor with the judge on Tuesday.

Pray that we will have favor with the Italian embassy and that the details for getting the children into Italy after the adoption is complete will be worked out completely.

Pray that we will have good health and safety in all the travelling.

Pray for Dudley and Janet as they care for our children.

Pray for our kids in Italy (and their parents) as we are apart for the longest we've been apart since moving to Italy.

Pray for our introduction to our kids in Addis. Pray for their hearts to be soft toward us and for bonding to start even with this visit. Pray for us all as we have to be separated after only a couple of days together. Pray protection over our children's hearts, that no damage will be done through this.

I know that's a lot. But we truly need you to cover us in your prayers. We need your intercession because we very much want this to glorify God and want to see His hand upon us in all that we do-- in the next few days especially. We cannot do this in our own strength and we need you to hold the ropes for us, so that when we are weak, your prayers will be heard on our behalf.

Thank you all. We can't WAIT to post pictures when we get back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!