Curls and Tellico Grains

We were blessed on Saturday afternoon to receive an update on Will T from an AGCI family who just returned to the states from picking up their son at Hannah's Hope! Our sons were in the same room with the same special mothers and she sent us 8 new pictures! Here is what she said about him.....

"He does nothing but smile and giggle. I mean nothing but! His lungs and breathing sound great. You would never know he had pneumonia last month. His disposition is perfect. He is perfectly content and happy to hang out in a bouncy chair or bumbo -- or be in your lap playing. Enjoy these pics -- you're going to love love love him!!!"

This news and these pics made our day! These are the first pictures that we have seen with his CURLS! In previous pictures that we have seen of him, his hair has either been slicked down, or he just didn't have much! But it has really grown in! Love it! I still can't show his whole face until we get home, but I've cropped one picture that she sent so you can enjoy the curls!! One week from today we will be waking up in Addis Ababa ready to make the walk from our hotel to Hannah's Hope and meet him for the very first time! I can't wait!

Although there is much to be done, we are trying to hang out and spend good quality time with Beckett and Helen! We took a great trip on Friday to this place........

to get one of these......

Yum! I've been anticipating eating one of these club sandwiches from the Tellico Grains Bakery in Tellico Plains, TN for quite a while! We finally drove over for lunch on Friday and it was SO worth it! I highly recommend it if you are ever in the area! I had the club, Sean had the reuben and the kids had grilled cheese sandwiches. We also enjoyed some of their baked goodies for dessert! Sean would move to Tellico Plains in a heart-beat, but it is just too far from a Target for me! :) It really is in the middle of nowhere and it is a beautiful place. It is on the edge of the Cherokee National Forrest which is Sean's favorite place to fly fish! One more pic with Beck and Helen in front of the bakery....
On our way home, we stopped at another favorite place. Benton's Country Hams. We stocked up on our Saturday morning favorite.....Benton's bacon. While we were there, Mr. Allan Benton himself, took us on a tour of the facility and explained to us the process of dry curing ham. He was such a nice man and let me take pictures of the kids in some of the rooms! This place is just an old block building, but they sure make some yummy bacon and ham! They have been featured in Southern Living magazine and their products are used in many restaurants, including the Tellico Grains Bakery on my club sandwich!

Helen and Beckett with some bacon.....

and with some country ham!!

The kids will be going to Vacation Bible School every morning this week. This is Helen's first time to go and she is pumped! I'll try to post one more time before we head out! Can't believe it is almost time to go! Thanks for your prayers as we prepare to travel!