A more extensive update...

So I know yesterday's update was vague about a lot of what happened yesterday, so here is a little more info.

As we said we sat for a LONG time waiting for court. Finally during that wait we were told there was a playroom...this was about 1:00 which meant the first 3 1/2 hours of waiting were in a very confined waiting room. The kids did as good as we could have EVER expected a 7, 4, and 21 month old to do, so that was good!

The actually hearing was intense. For about the first 10-15 minutes we both felt like I was going home on Friday with Kasey and Kate, but without Martin and Kam-Ro (yes that is her new nickname...). What we found out later was that everyone else in the courtroom (mainly Farouk and our attorney Rececca) felt like things were going great. During the hearing, I kept watching Farouk and he was smiling most of the time, which was the only thing during the hearing which kept me from crying (and yes this is Brad posting).

The 'tide' turned (at least in our eyes) when the judge realized we had been here since June 8th and saw the pictures Kasey had brought chronicling our time here. He ask if we had chosen to be here (and the truth is God chose it for us, because this would not have been our choice, but for our children we are MORE than willing).

Other comments the judge made that we didn't understand, because they were speaking in Luganda were...(to the bio dad) "I am going to take care of these children" (the implication of that statement was quit having children and trying to get them adopted...that is a whole nother story not for the blog). He also said at the beginning that he was going to give the dad a hard time. Also when he was talking to our social worker, Isaac, if brought another family that had bio parents that he would not accept the case (which meant to us that we were good). The judge was VERY fair (I know that sounds weird, but he was). It is a different culture and knowing that helps us to realize that everything is great.

We feel like God is going to rain down His favor and that soon (in God's timing) we will be home! September 8th is day, but we are praying for faster! It is crazy, but God is in control.

NOW FOR THE IMPORTANT STUFF...the kids are GREAT. It is fun to get a glimpse of what it is going to be like at home. Martin LOVES Kate. They play, they tickle, etc. Kate LOVES Kam-Ro and she is definately mother hen. They all play well together! The BEST thing, at least in daddy's mind, is that Martin is WAY more relaxed at night. Kate has been sleeping by his bed and Kasey and I haven't even had to stay in the room with him. Last night we walked outside and sat on the balcony and he (very happily) told us, "Good Night" as we walked out. I also didn't put the towel in between his bed and the wall (that was a ploy so that he wouldn't be able to see the shadow in between the two) and he was GREAT with it. I can see the end result and it is GOOD! When we get home and everyone is together and Sam is in the same room as him then, I think bed time will be easy. He woke up 1 time last night, said, "daddy" and laid right back down and went to sleep...AWESOME!

I think that covers court and how things are going...I don't want Kasey and Kate to leave, but knowing that this time I will be the one getting on a plane...and coming home makes a world of difference! I have said from the beginning that I will be fine once court is done...and Praise the LORD it is, and I am good because we could get a call today saying our ruling is ready!!

Thank you all for everything!!
LOVE YOU ALL!!
brad, Kasey, Kate, Martin, Sam (in America), and Kam-Ro (I was so glad Kasey liked my nickname for her)