ARRESTED!

Brussels - Earlier today, the Steve Dyer family was apprehended by the Immigration Polizei for trying to smuggle pint-sized Liberian contraband across the Belgian border. They were detained and put on the first airplane back to the US. [AP]

Well, this is all true, but not quite as dramatic. After our 6-hour red-eye flight out of Monrovia Friday night, we had planned to stop over in Brussels before our long journey home. When checking our passports, we were asked for a visa for Pewe Joseph. Of course, he has one for the US, but it had not even crossed my mind to check to see if he needed one for Belgium. After all, we don't. So they would not let us pass and took us into that little secret room off to the side. The immigration police were able to get us all on the next plane to Washington, DC to connect to Indy. Boy, they get results! The good news is that after 30 hours of traveling, we're home a day early. The bad news is that I didn't get to buy any Belgian chocolate for souvenirs. More good news: It's kind of fun to say that we've been kicked out of Belgium!

Pewe Joseph was quite a trooper all the way home. The worst of it was a 20-minute screaming fit with Steve on the plane as we left Belgium. Steve was pretty frazzled as you can imagine, but Kelly and I were living it up with our real silverware and glassware in Business class. When the flight attendant came to get me, we traded places and I slipped Pewe some Benadryl, so we had a much more peaceful time after that. When we got to Dulles airport in Washington DC, Pewe asked me, "Is this America?"

On the last leg home, Pewe Joseph got to sit next to the window. He seemed mezmerized by all the sights of the airport and actually flying. It was beautiful to see all the lights after the sun went down. I can't even imagine what was going through his mind. Everything seems new when you look at it through the eyes of a child.

God has been faithful to us. We are so grateful for your friendship and your prayers. And a special, heartfelt thanks to the Mark, Catherine, Taylor and Will Whittier for all the lovingkindnesses they've given us as well as caring for Michele, Eric and Nathan while we were gone.

I was afraid Pewe Joseph would be tired and withdrawn when he met the rest of the family, but he even reached out a little bit to Nathan and Eric. He seemed especially glad to have some boys to play cars with! Michele and Taylor put together a beautiful hand-made scrapbook of our African Adventure so far. Thank you to those who contributed. It will be a treasured keepsake for our family. Now to bed and a great day of bonding as a family tomorrow ...

Love,
Jill