suds and buckets

So Neema and I are all settled into our new apartment! It is so great to finally have some of our own space. But we have yet to find a new house girl. Now before anyone goes judging....you should know that there is no dishwasher and no washing machines! Dishes I can handle....but anyone who knows me would have paid money to see me trying to wash 2 baskets full of dirty clothes in buckets. And if you have never been to Africa, clothes get DIRTY!! When I would pour the water out it was like black...just from walking around town the dust covers you...It took me like 2 and 1/2 hours to finish. And im not even sure my clothes are really that clean. It is hard work! Whenever I do find a house girl (which i hope is before my basket fills again) I am going to think twice about her salary. :) 

Life is good. Neema and I have her second and final court date on SEPTEMBER 22. If all goes well (and that is a big IF..this is Africa) then I should get the adoption order on that day. I will then just have to jump through a few more hoops before its all official ON THIS SIDE. The next step will be to acquire her a tourist visa to the US. Please pray that the these final steps will fall into place and that God would shed his grace on this last leg of the process. 

I will keep you all updated. Neema is excited to meet all of you...she has been talking about "Merica" a lot.   

****UPDATE****

Ok change of plans...September 22 is a Tanzanian Holiday (Eid - Muslim's break their fast from Ramadan) so courts will not be in session. This threw me into a tailspin for a few days but God has swooped in again! (Doesn't he always?! Sometimes its just harder for us to realize that is what he is doing) We have been rescheduled for just one day! So change your prayers to September 23rd!!  

Also, the tourist visa looks as though it may be more difficult than I anticipated. So prayers that I can get this baby home for Christmas! We love you all! ASANTE SANA! :)