We Are Looking At Hypothetical Flights!

As our time draws closer, and after some good and exciting news we've received this past week (which I'm not sure can be shared with anyone who is not family at this point, but rest assured, I will share when I can), Kathee and I have begun getting tentative costs for flights. Now, just so we clear up anything before it gets all blown out of proportion and gets shared on message boards, emails, and phone calls, we have NOT received travel dates. We have NOT received a court date. We have NOT received travel plans. We have received nothing like that yet.
However, one piece of the good news is that AWAA is going to allow us to make our own flight plans. Why is that good news you ask? Because Kathee and I have been rolling the idea around to go and visit one of Kathee's childhood friend's family who is currently living in a neighboring country. When we were told a few weeks ago at our agency's conference call that we were not going to be allowed to make our travel plans, we were pretty bummed. However, we found that United Airlines has teamed with Air Ethiopia, so we will be able to fly to this neighboring country and visit if we so choose. Now Kathee and I have to decide if we will go and visit them or not. I believe we are leaning more towards visiting them, but still need to make the decision (and let them know).
One interesting thing to note, is that we seemed to get more travel information about our travel from the travel agent than we have received from our agency. We found this travel agent from others who have traveled to Ethiopia to adopt. We found out the days that "families normal travel/arrive (Sunday), what day of the week families meet for their US Embassy appointment (Wednesday), and what day people leave (Thursday if all paperwork is done which allows us to leave early, but many/most leave on Friday).
We have found out, hypothetically, that it will cost us an extra $1200+ to fly in and out of Moline. So we are going to work on that side of things and find other options of getting to and from Chicago (may a grandmother and grandfather be interested picking us up from O'Hare? We'll have to see.).
In all this, here is what we are excited about. Today is September 25. That means next week is the beginning of October. The beginning of October will bring with it another update from Rachel and picture of Gideon. We are also assuming that that will be the last update we receive about Gideon before we meet him in Ethiopia and bring him home to Moline!
And although we are more and more seeing this train coming in to the depot, we know that in the world and process of adoption, it's not over until it's over. We have many potentials and possibilities, but are never for sure until it's in hand. And oh, how we eagerly await when Gideon is literally in our hands. The day is coming everyone, and quickly approaching. Until that day we will remain faithful to the One who died for us on the cross. We will keep trudging along with the hope that one day this will be completed. We eagerly await the day when our family will be united as one. And it's interesting to note, I think, that these sentiments I have shared are exactly what God is doing. He is waiting for us to be reunited with Him for eternity. However, the difference between Gideon's union with us and our reunion with God is, there is no uncertainty with Him, and He knows the exact date and time when we will be reunited with Him in glory. And oh, how He waits!

Isaac T