Here we go! Flight on the way to Brussels. Notice how clean and fresh we look. Also notice that there is no going-home photo at the end of these pictures. By that point we did not look so clean and fresh...

Pastor Ernest, Mama Catherine and the whole gang. Aren't they beautiful?

Joy and me with Ernest and Catherine

Meeting Joseph for the first time.

Hannah does my hair while we wait in court. This was actually really helpful because by then I'd been several days without my hair dryer and I was starting to look a little rough...

After court Hannah poses with a picture of brother and sisters back home in the ATL

And Joseph does the same

Cows with horns like I have never seen in my life!!

On the way to visit M with sweet Okiru, who lives with Nathalie.

Here's Joy breakin' it down old school

And just like that, we’re headed home. Early yesterday morning, Joy and I packed up our stuff. I am so happy to come home to Dan, Madeline, Davis and Baby Charlotte. I am so happy not to miss Baby C’s first birthday on Monday. But it’s all bittersweet because I also packed up the sweet outfits, the socks, the shoes, even the underwear I had packed for Hannah and Joseph to wear on the flight home with me. And it’s all coming back to Atlanta unworn.


The details of our case are not simple. Our lawyer did a great job, she certainly prepared us as much as possible. It just didn’t quite play out like anyone imagined. I can’t share many of the details on here but we had a hard day in court on Thursday. Please continue to pray that God’s will be done and that the judge will rule in accordance with His plans on December 16th.

On this trip, we spent much time with the Dutch missionaries that SixtyFeet supports, Nathalie and Werner. We spent many, many hours in their car (thanks to traffic like I have never seen in my life) and had a chance to see much of the area in and around the city of Kampala. So many of the “homes” in this place are structures most of us would consider unfit for our pets. Truly, my lawnmower has a nicer home than many of the adults, children and babies we encountered.

When we drove by these slums or passed young, teenage mothers on the street begging with their babies, my first instinct was to reach into my wallet and start handing money to these people. Because I came to Uganda to complete an adoption, I (for once) had quite a bit of cash on me. I sat in Nathalie and Werner’s car and imagined myself running into the slums handing out dollar bills to every person I encountered. Imagine!! I thought, how many people I could feed with this money just sitting in my wallet.

I know, I know… we’ve all read the “When Helping Hurts” book. I know we’re supposed to direct our giving in responsible, targeted ways that will help people in the long run. And, as a good American, my goal should always be to help people help themselves, right? Well, sometimes you don't have time to come up with a smart, reponsible, American business plan. Something you just want to help. And once we get to Heaven, I really don't think there is going to be condemnation for people who give too much money or have too much compassion on the poor. Seriously.

Out on the roads yesterday, I told Nathalie that if I saw one more young child carrying a baby on her back, I thought my heart would literally break in two. I wanted to put on my sunglasses, turn away and pretend that these things were not happening just on the other side of the car window. And yet I kept forcing myself to look because I never, ever want to forget. During my time in Uganda, I have been asking the Lord to deeply impress these images on my heart and mind.

I pray that the Lord will use these images and experiences to help me live simply and sacrificially. I also pray that Jesus will be glorified through our adoption journey. In this teeny, tiny country in Africa, there are 2.5 million orphans. Dan and I are hoping to soon bring the toll to 2.5 million, minus 2. And friends, that number means that there are a whole lot left.

Do you have a little extra love in your heart? Don’t worry about whether or not you have extra room in your house or in your car or enough money in the bank because the Lord will deal with that part. Pray and ask the Lord how He’d have you serve these 2.5 million orphans. Ask Him to take away your fear and your desire to live life according to your plan – and then ask Him to show you what you can do.

“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in Him? Dear children, let us not love in words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” --1 John 3:17-18

It is so late here... just wanted to write a quick update. Today was a hard, long day but it was also a good day. I feel so much more peaceful about everything.

Joy and leave tomorrow after we serve at M (the facility SixtyFeet works with) so it was my last day with Hannah and Joseph. I held them both on my lap and whispered in their ears that Dan and I would be back for them -- and I do believe we will. Hopefully soon.

We've been privledged to witness some amazing things here in Uganda and it's been a life changing experience for me. I mean, my word, today I even swatted a dragonfly out of the car with my bare hand. Without screaming or anything.

But seriously, I feel like I've been changed forever. It's one thing to see the pictures and, to know the statistics and to hear about poverty from someone else. It is another thing entirely to wade through it yourself, to see, hear and smell firsthand.

Truly, it's been an honor to spend the last week in this country. Some of the world's poorest, most destitute people live in this place. Some of the world's happiest and most generous souls live here as well. In many cases, they are one in the same. And that is some humbling stuff. With all my heart, I look forward to coming back one day.

OK, going to bed. For a little more info on our day, check out Joy's blog. She's a better writer than me anyways... http://www.fruitfulfamily.blogspot.com/.

TIA -- this is Africa. There are no straight paths, no easy answers, no quick solutions. I am exhausted. I keep trying to find the words but I'm not even sure how to describe the past couple of days.

Yesterday, I met Hannah and Joseph for the first time. Our time together was amazing. Since July our two little ones have been staying with Mama Catherine and Pastor Ernest. Their home is very simple and modest and overflowing with love. It is situated on perhaps the most breath taking piece of property I have ever seen in my life. Truly, the most exotic Ritz Carlton property you can think of has nothing on this place.

We arrived at Mama Catherine's home yesterday morning. I hopped out of the car and stood around just taking everything in. And out of nowhere, this chubby little boy with a huge smile came walking around the corner. He walked right up to me, dazzled me with that amazing grin, and then let me scoop him up in my arms. Simple as that. That's my Joseph. Hannah took a bit more convincing but she eventually came around and then I think I spent the rest of the afternoon carrying her or sitting with her on my lap. She is absolutely stunning. Her beautiful eyelashes are so long that they curl.That was a great day.

On the other hand, today was not so great. My court appointment was at 11am this morning. The children and I went out to breakfast and then headed over to the courthouse. And there we sat. And sat. And sat. And sat some more. Hannah and Joseph behaved so beautifully and handled it all so well. And finally our case was heard. The judge did not say no -- but he did not say yes either. He told our attorney to come back on December 16th for his ruling on our case and that was that. He had nothing more to say to us. I was so, so bitterly disappointed. God bless poor Joy who had to deal with me all day today. From the judge I had expected a "yes." I had somewhat prepared myself to hear a "no." But an "I don't know about this, come back in a couple of weeks and we'll let you know" I did not expect at all.

So now, we wait some more. Because the courts will not rule on our case for the next two weeks, I am coming home with Joy on Sunday. If the judge's ruling is positive, Dan will return after the 16th to bring Hannah & Joseph home. If it's negative, it's all over. I am sad and scared and worn out but I fully trust in God's plan for our family and know that He is in control.

Overall, it's just been exhausting to be here -- mentally, spiritually and physically. It's hard because now I've seen the poverty here first hand... and because I know of the wealth and abundance on the other side. It is so hard to reconcile the two. Today I saw two toddlers walking alone down the side of a busy rode with heavy water buckets, I saw several young fathers carrying tiny babies through a slum, I saw a girl no older than my 7 year old daughter with a baby tied on her back. I've seen the pictures and heard all the stories but in real life, it's not the same. I have no words for most of it.

Thank you so much for praying. Thank you for the emails of encouragement, the text messages, the comments on the blog. I've been savoring each one of them. Thank you for standing with us. We feel "pressed on every side yet not crushed; perplexed but not to despair." (2 Corin 4:8)

I’m half-way there! Today I’m in Brussels, Belgium and tomorrow morning I’m heading on to Uganda. I cannot believe it! I’m so excited for the days ahead. I’m so thankful to have my friend Joy by my side and my friend Laura coming soon. But I’m especially grateful for my sweet and amazing husband and his willingness to let me take this trip and have this time with my new children while he holds down the fort at home.

Shelly and Joy getting dropped off for adventure

While I’m gone we have some help from sitters, friends and family – but basically Dan is running the show for nearly two weeks. And the show at our house is no joke. There’s a crawling baby who is in to everything, an active 4-year old boy and a studious first grader with all the homework she could ever hope for. There’s piano and ballet and birthday parties and carpools and playtime and baths and bedtime; it’s a lot for a full-time stay at home mom. It’s insane for a Daddy who is also juggling his full time job and helping run a budding ministry in Africa.

Sitting here in Europe, I wonder what people might think of me for leaving my family behind to go and do this thing? I know that many are supportive, especially my husband (otherwise, I would of course not be going) but I know there are others who will judge me for this decision.

I mean, I am a wife and a mother – isn’t my first ministry to my husband and children? What kind of wife takes off for Africa for two weeks and leaves her husband to fend for himself? What kind of mom is out of the country for her baby’s 1st birthday? (Yes, my baby Charlotte turns one on December 6 and I will miss it). What kind of mom would really go get on the plane after her 7 and 4 year olds beg her through tears and sniffles – “mommy, please, please don’t go. Please stay here.”?

I hope no one suspects I take this lightly. I am literally heartbroken to miss Baby C’s 1st birthday. Madeline is about to lose her first tooth. Davis has his first sleepover on Friday. I’m missing it all and this is time I can’t ever get back. But I tell you what, it is my honor and my privilege to give this time. I give it completely, sacrificially and joyfully – because this is an act of obedience, pure and simple.

Daily, I teach my children about obedience. Obedience to me, to Daddy, to all adults and most importantly, to their Heavenly Father. How could I ever stand before my children reciting our mantra - “we obey all the way, right away and with happy hearts” - if I myself am unwilling to obey?

Last night I told my oldest child this: “Madeline, if Mommy loves you more than she loves Jesus, if I love you and Davis and Charlotte so much that it makes me disobedient to our Lord, then you, my babies, are my idols.” The very definition of idolatry is loving something, anything more than you love the Lord your God. An idol is anything or anyone that comes between you and Jesus and His plans for your life.

And finally, to those who might say “Shelly I don’t believe you. I don’t believe that the Lord would really call you to this. Christ would never call a mother to leave her husband and children in order to serve Him.” To that person I would say, Really? You really don’t think Jesus would ask me to do something that might be hard? He would not ask me to do something that would require me and my husband and even my children to step out of their comfort zones and grow in our faith? After all He’s done for me, would He not also ask me to sacrifice for Him?

Post Script, from DaddyDan
Ok, first of all, I think most of you saw through that whole "Sweet and amazing" bit she said about me. My sweet wife orchestrated everything for the next two weeks before she left like a giant Rube Goldberg machine. Seriously everything. She even has one of her friends scheduled to call me periodically to remind me of specific things. The fact that I'm able to work from the office at all this week is a testament to her organizational skills, and perhaps a small testament to my penchant for occasionally, sometimes, every now and then forgetting a thing or two, which prompted her to set all this up.

Regardless of all that, I just had to poke my head in here to say that I am extremely proud of my wife for what she is doing. If you know her at all then you know that she would sooner perform her own root canal than camp out... in an RV, even. She calls me at work to come home and kill a spider, although thankfully we had a boy and I have dubbed him the Killer of all Creepy Things While Daddy is Away or Unavailable.

My wife has deliberately given up some personal comforts this week, and even more notably, has chosen to be away from her children for the first time ever, in order to be with her new children for the first time ever. I couldn't have kept her away. You don't stand between a mama bear and her cubs, even cubs that have not yet seen the loving mother that is on her way to kiss them and hold them in her arms like they've never been held before. I love you Honey.