It was a beautiful May evening in Chicago. My brain knew that it was 7 p.m., but my jetlagged body felt like it was 3 a.m. Standing at the airport in the middle of that busy bee hive, Cristian and I looked at each other trying to figure out our next step. Our baby peacefully sleeping in his stroller, four suitcases and our hopes—that was all we had brought with us in this crazy adventure. Our tired eyes quickly spotted the only familiar face in that sea of people. Marc, our friend and supervisor, was there to introduce us to our new life in the States and take us to our new home.

It indeed felt like home from the first second we entered the door. Flowers on the table, food in the refrigerator, nice clean sheets and towels and a welcome card. There was even a highchair and a playpen for our son. We were all soon drifting to dreamland in our comfortable beds, wondering what tomorrow would look like. That whole week, everybody teamed up to make our transition smoother and easier. Our new friends gave us rides to the grocery store, doctor’s office, bank, and AFM office. They helped us purchase our car, assisted us with paperwork, gave us advice and patiently explained everything we didn’t understand about America.

Throughout the two and a half years we spent here, we have been blessed with so many friends and supporters who have been there for us at all times, through good and bad, and made our temporary stay a real blessing.

By the time you read this, our family, enriched with a new member and many more suitcases, will be starting the new-home adventure once again. Only this time, there will be no friendly faces at the airport, no comfortable house waiting for us with flowers on the table, no familiar language and no church. I wonder how much time it will take for us to call Georgia home.

One thing we know for sure: we are ready to embrace this new chapter of our life only by the grace of God and by your support and prayers. Thank you for making it possible.

• Twitter