We had a good four days in NH just relaxing, spending time with family, and bonding with our new little one. I.'s brother and his family came down from Maine to have a little celebration with us. It was really neat to see them all and have some fun together. The kids all had a great time swimming, playing soccer, and hanging out with one another. It was probably our last trip to NH for a while as I.'s parents will be moving out here in August. It was good to say goodbye and do all the NH things before we left.
We headed back to CO on Thursday. The plane trip was pretty uneventful. It was a long day but went pretty smoothly. We had a straight through flight which I think was rather nice, no layovers or change of planes, especially with two children. My parents and brother greeted us at the airport and then we headed over to Mom and Dad's for lunch so most of my family and I.'s sister were able to meet K. He was a little freaked out by all the white people again and seemed to really connect with Nate and Brooke, and their darker skin. It was good to see everyone again, give souvenirs, discuss our trip, and share pictures.
Since coming back we have been quite busy. We bought a new house and moved in the following week. We are still trying to get settled. We've also had many events to go to and out-of-town company. I was hoping that things might slow down then but really it's only getting started. September through December are our busiest months with all of our families birthdays, including K's and the Holidays. We might have some free time in January.
But really things are going quite well. It was stressful in the beginning. We had so much going on and a newly adopted child. Getting to know and become attached to a child who hasn't known you for the first 9 months of his life isn't easy. He has luckily adjusted very quickly and is a good sleeper so that helps tremendously. Just don't be fooled, it is a process and it is tough at times. We love him very much though and are really enjoying ourselves.
The brothers were a little hesitant at first, and at times still are, but have really done well for the most part.
K has picked up some sign language already and is very easily adjusting to the new place. He's everywhere!
We've begun painting but still have lots more to do. We are excited but most be patient and wait until the budget allows. I. is thoroughly enjoying a 4.5 mile drive to work, and has a new small motorbike to take on nice days. It is so good to be in a place that we can grow into and be settled for a while.
We just feel so content and blessed by God. In the last seven months He has really astounded us with his faithfulness. We are glad we heard His call to adopt and were able to trust and follow Him even when it seemed impossible. Praise God, for He is good!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Homeward Bound
Friday morning dawned and it was beautiful. We were going home that day!!! There is so much about Ethiopia to love but with a brand new baby, it was difficult to enjoy. I was very excited to get home where Ashe could play on the floor, we would have everything we needed, and we could get a better night's sleep.
We were picked up from the main house to go to the German Embassy. Again, the Embassy was nothing fancy and much smaller than the American Embassy. We filled out the application and turned it in. After waiting for 20 minutes they called us to the front and said, "Okay. It will be ready on Monday." And we responded, "Ummm...we leave tonight." So they told us they could do it but it would be a little while. After an hour and a half of watching flies, we were called up again. This time everything was in order and we were off. Yay!
The rest of the afternoon we just packed and cleaned up. I. rested as he still felt terrible. We said our goodbyes and we were picked up at 5:00 p.m. for the airport. Our driver couldn't take us any further than the curb. He helped us get our bags out and then left. We were quickly overtaken by a few men who kept motioning that we needed to pay them money. I finally figured out they were porters. There was a sign nearby that said porters were available upon request but, apparently, they were not asking. So we paid them $2 and they helped us inside. After clearing security, a very easy security, he took us to the check-in desk. He sat us at a bench and said to wait there and he would be back. People were starting to line up and we thought it weird that he left us there instead of in line. After five minutes we just took our own bags over to the line. The man never came back.
We had plenty of time before we boarded our plane so we did some last minute shopping. It was definitely more expensive than the market but much easier. All the stores at the market were organized by what they carried. To get to something different we would have had to walk quite a ways. So we saw a lot of the same thing. We boarded our very full flight and headed out. Ashe did pretty well and the flight went surprisingly quick. We did, however, dread heading back to Frankfurt for a 6 hour layover, especially with K now.
We managed to find a seat and ordered some McDonald's for breakfast. We patiently waited for our flight to show up on the board so we knew where to go. Ashe was not happy to have to sit so still and have nowhere to play. Needless to say, it was a very long and boring wait. I was able to sleep in a hallway on some seats for a little bit while K and Daddy walked. I needed that!
We were so happy to get on that last plane, and so lucky. It was a much bigger plane and we got to have a bulkhead seat. Bassinets at the bulkhead row is a new addition for these planes and a godsend! The stewardesses set it up quickly and attach it to the wall. K was asleep before we were even in the air and slept for three hours straight! We also had meals and individual tvs. The meals were pretty bad this time around but the movies were wonderful. K ate and then slept some more. It was a much easier flight. It didn't go by quite as quick as I thought it would but only because I missed Isaiah terribly. I was much too anxious to see him.
We landed and headed for customs. It wasn't bad though we did have to go through a few extra steps that we normally wouldn't have. We also tried to take a picture at baggage and got in trouble with security. Apparently, that is a big no no! They might want to put up a sign. Wade greeted us as we arrived in the main terminal and we headed to the car where we managed to stuff all our luggage in.
Then we made the long drive to NH. It was K's first time in a car seat and he was a little freaked out. I had to hold his hand the whole time. I had hoped he would sleep but no such luck.
We arrived and Wade ran in to get Z and Carol. They came out with the video camera rolling. I heard Z screaming, "My brother is here, my brother is here!" We were welcomed in to balloons and presents, hugs and kisses. I. headed towards the couch and was out for the rest of the night. I was exhausted but remained awake to try to get K on the new schedule, and to eat tacos!!! Thanks Carol! We bathed the boys and then all went to bed. It was lovely!
We were picked up from the main house to go to the German Embassy. Again, the Embassy was nothing fancy and much smaller than the American Embassy. We filled out the application and turned it in. After waiting for 20 minutes they called us to the front and said, "Okay. It will be ready on Monday." And we responded, "Ummm...we leave tonight." So they told us they could do it but it would be a little while. After an hour and a half of watching flies, we were called up again. This time everything was in order and we were off. Yay!
The rest of the afternoon we just packed and cleaned up. I. rested as he still felt terrible. We said our goodbyes and we were picked up at 5:00 p.m. for the airport. Our driver couldn't take us any further than the curb. He helped us get our bags out and then left. We were quickly overtaken by a few men who kept motioning that we needed to pay them money. I finally figured out they were porters. There was a sign nearby that said porters were available upon request but, apparently, they were not asking. So we paid them $2 and they helped us inside. After clearing security, a very easy security, he took us to the check-in desk. He sat us at a bench and said to wait there and he would be back. People were starting to line up and we thought it weird that he left us there instead of in line. After five minutes we just took our own bags over to the line. The man never came back.
We had plenty of time before we boarded our plane so we did some last minute shopping. It was definitely more expensive than the market but much easier. All the stores at the market were organized by what they carried. To get to something different we would have had to walk quite a ways. So we saw a lot of the same thing. We boarded our very full flight and headed out. Ashe did pretty well and the flight went surprisingly quick. We did, however, dread heading back to Frankfurt for a 6 hour layover, especially with K now.
We managed to find a seat and ordered some McDonald's for breakfast. We patiently waited for our flight to show up on the board so we knew where to go. Ashe was not happy to have to sit so still and have nowhere to play. Needless to say, it was a very long and boring wait. I was able to sleep in a hallway on some seats for a little bit while K and Daddy walked. I needed that!
We were so happy to get on that last plane, and so lucky. It was a much bigger plane and we got to have a bulkhead seat. Bassinets at the bulkhead row is a new addition for these planes and a godsend! The stewardesses set it up quickly and attach it to the wall. K was asleep before we were even in the air and slept for three hours straight! We also had meals and individual tvs. The meals were pretty bad this time around but the movies were wonderful. K ate and then slept some more. It was a much easier flight. It didn't go by quite as quick as I thought it would but only because I missed Isaiah terribly. I was much too anxious to see him.
We landed and headed for customs. It wasn't bad though we did have to go through a few extra steps that we normally wouldn't have. We also tried to take a picture at baggage and got in trouble with security. Apparently, that is a big no no! They might want to put up a sign. Wade greeted us as we arrived in the main terminal and we headed to the car where we managed to stuff all our luggage in.
Then we made the long drive to NH. It was K's first time in a car seat and he was a little freaked out. I had to hold his hand the whole time. I had hoped he would sleep but no such luck.
We arrived and Wade ran in to get Z and Carol. They came out with the video camera rolling. I heard Z screaming, "My brother is here, my brother is here!" We were welcomed in to balloons and presents, hugs and kisses. I. headed towards the couch and was out for the rest of the night. I was exhausted but remained awake to try to get K on the new schedule, and to eat tacos!!! Thanks Carol! We bathed the boys and then all went to bed. It was lovely!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
I. woke up sick on our Thursday in Ethiopia. He couldn't tell if it was a stomach bug or a cold. We were hoping it wasn't something he ate in Nazaret. As the day went on he felt worse and ended up with a very high fever by afternoon. The rest of the trip was pretty miserable for him, and subsequently, for me.
We were supposed to wait at the main guesthouse on Thursday for Ashe's visa and passport to arrive. Then they would take us over to the German Embassy to apply for his transit visa. He needed this just to go through their airport since he had an Ethiopian passport. So we went over to the guesthouse and watched some tv, looked at magazines, and napped. They came about 11 or so with the paperwork we needed but said that the German Embassy would be closing and we wouldn't have enough time to go. We would have to wait until the next day. We were leaving the next night so were a little nervous in case it didn't happen then.
We called Jonathan to tell him what was going on. Since we had the time we took advantage of it and went to the Mercato. It is the largest outdoor market in Africa. After 4 hours there, we saw a very small portion of it. We spent lots of time walking around and looking at the "shops". We were able to get lots of neat things, especially items to give Ashe on his birthdays. Isaac was especially proud of his antique knife purchase, to give Ashe when he comes of age. And I was excited to find matching traditional wear for he and Z. We also bought jewelry, decorations, and coffee ceremony supplies. We got great deals as we had Jonathan and his cousins to barter for us. In fact, someone told Jonathan they would have charged us double had he not been there. They also helped our armloads of goods. It did rain on us off and on so we had to run from store to store and avoid the mud as best as we could. It didn't rain very hard until we were just ready to go home. I loved the scene of twenty or so women lined up against a wall sitting on boxes and bags with umbrellas to protect them from the torrential downpours.
Sadly we saw many crippled people making their way through the streets and mud on their hands. They wore flip flops over their hands to protect them and dragged the rest of their bodies behind them. It was devastating to see these poor people without the money or means to get the care they needed or simply a wheelchair. We offered money to those we could though it felt like so little.
Poor I. was leaning on the rest of us by the time we bought our last item. We made it through the water and mud to the car and headed back to the house. I. went to bed and I spent time packing up our things. We almost took I. to the hospital but managed to avoid it and get through the night.
We were supposed to wait at the main guesthouse on Thursday for Ashe's visa and passport to arrive. Then they would take us over to the German Embassy to apply for his transit visa. He needed this just to go through their airport since he had an Ethiopian passport. So we went over to the guesthouse and watched some tv, looked at magazines, and napped. They came about 11 or so with the paperwork we needed but said that the German Embassy would be closing and we wouldn't have enough time to go. We would have to wait until the next day. We were leaving the next night so were a little nervous in case it didn't happen then.
We called Jonathan to tell him what was going on. Since we had the time we took advantage of it and went to the Mercato. It is the largest outdoor market in Africa. After 4 hours there, we saw a very small portion of it. We spent lots of time walking around and looking at the "shops". We were able to get lots of neat things, especially items to give Ashe on his birthdays. Isaac was especially proud of his antique knife purchase, to give Ashe when he comes of age. And I was excited to find matching traditional wear for he and Z. We also bought jewelry, decorations, and coffee ceremony supplies. We got great deals as we had Jonathan and his cousins to barter for us. In fact, someone told Jonathan they would have charged us double had he not been there. They also helped our armloads of goods. It did rain on us off and on so we had to run from store to store and avoid the mud as best as we could. It didn't rain very hard until we were just ready to go home. I loved the scene of twenty or so women lined up against a wall sitting on boxes and bags with umbrellas to protect them from the torrential downpours.
Sadly we saw many crippled people making their way through the streets and mud on their hands. They wore flip flops over their hands to protect them and dragged the rest of their bodies behind them. It was devastating to see these poor people without the money or means to get the care they needed or simply a wheelchair. We offered money to those we could though it felt like so little.
Poor I. was leaning on the rest of us by the time we bought our last item. We made it through the water and mud to the car and headed back to the house. I. went to bed and I spent time packing up our things. We almost took I. to the hospital but managed to avoid it and get through the night.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
En route to Nazaret
On Wednesday we decided to rent a car for the remainder of the trip instead of paying for a taxi. It cost about $20 a day to rent a car, the same amount it cost to pay a driver for two hours. Again, this was something we wouldn't have been able to do without Jonathan. His cousin's friend rented the car under his name and his cousin's were in charge of driving it. One used to be able to drive with an American license in Ethiopia but they just recently changed that law. This gave us the freedom to do more that we wanted and more freedom for Jonathan as well. So we planned to drive to Nazaret, a small town to the west of Addis. We were told it was one of the favorite towns to visit. It also had a resort area that we planned to visit. They picked up the car on Tuesday night. It was a little nerve wracking as his cousin has only ever driven big trucks. He stalled several times in the car unable to get it started again. Was this what our whole drive would look like?
So we got going pretty early and made the hour and a half drive. After a lot of failed attempts, Jonathan took over the driving for his cousin. Technically it was illegal but Jonathan was willing to take the risk. We got out of the city and Jonathan hopped in the driver's seat. It was a pretty scary ride for me. Jonathan had never driven in Ethiopia before and it is so different than driving here in the US. There are basically no traffic rules. There are guidelines but nothing is enforced. People swerve and drift into the different lanes, honk when they want by, people and animals walk in the middle of the road, children are not in car seats, and drivers go when they think they can make it. Jonathan was going pretty fast and seemed a bit distracted. Then it happened...he had just finished telling us that if you hit a someone's cow you will have to pay them a hefty sum of money because it is their livelihood...and then Jonathan hit a donkey. He was trying to help his cousin adjust a mirror. We saw it coming and tried to tell him, but it didn't register in time. He finally looked up, slammed on the brakes, and skidded for several seconds. We stopped the car and Jonathan talked to the owner of the donkey. The donkey had just walked off almost as if nothing had happened. Jonathan offered the money but the man decided to take down the license plate and call if need be. The hood of the car was dented and the headlight pushed in. We were all in shock. Jonathan felt really bad and was pretty tense. We finally took off again hoping to figure out the damage when we got to our destination.
We arrived at the friend's home and were invited in. As with the other house we visited, it was well kept up and relatively nice inside. We were served food, I. and I being very careful to eat only what we thought safe but still trying to show appreciation. We had more coffee. We stayed quite a while as Jonathan had lots of talking to do. A woman at the house ended up being his mom's best friend from long ago. She remembered Jonathan as a child and confirmed some of his earliest memories. It was incredible. It was a very relaxing environment, quiet, and enjoyable. I. said he could see us living in a place like that. I, however, was stressed out trying to take care of Ashe and get him to sleep. I was thankful for the time spent but glad when we were headed back. We ended up not having time for visiting the resort. We got back that evening and crashed.
We don't actually know yet what happened with the car situation. They were able to move the headlight back but the dent was still pretty evident. When we left they still had the car so...at least it wasn't under our name. :)
So we got going pretty early and made the hour and a half drive. After a lot of failed attempts, Jonathan took over the driving for his cousin. Technically it was illegal but Jonathan was willing to take the risk. We got out of the city and Jonathan hopped in the driver's seat. It was a pretty scary ride for me. Jonathan had never driven in Ethiopia before and it is so different than driving here in the US. There are basically no traffic rules. There are guidelines but nothing is enforced. People swerve and drift into the different lanes, honk when they want by, people and animals walk in the middle of the road, children are not in car seats, and drivers go when they think they can make it. Jonathan was going pretty fast and seemed a bit distracted. Then it happened...he had just finished telling us that if you hit a someone's cow you will have to pay them a hefty sum of money because it is their livelihood...and then Jonathan hit a donkey. He was trying to help his cousin adjust a mirror. We saw it coming and tried to tell him, but it didn't register in time. He finally looked up, slammed on the brakes, and skidded for several seconds. We stopped the car and Jonathan talked to the owner of the donkey. The donkey had just walked off almost as if nothing had happened. Jonathan offered the money but the man decided to take down the license plate and call if need be. The hood of the car was dented and the headlight pushed in. We were all in shock. Jonathan felt really bad and was pretty tense. We finally took off again hoping to figure out the damage when we got to our destination.
We arrived at the friend's home and were invited in. As with the other house we visited, it was well kept up and relatively nice inside. We were served food, I. and I being very careful to eat only what we thought safe but still trying to show appreciation. We had more coffee. We stayed quite a while as Jonathan had lots of talking to do. A woman at the house ended up being his mom's best friend from long ago. She remembered Jonathan as a child and confirmed some of his earliest memories. It was incredible. It was a very relaxing environment, quiet, and enjoyable. I. said he could see us living in a place like that. I, however, was stressed out trying to take care of Ashe and get him to sleep. I was thankful for the time spent but glad when we were headed back. We ended up not having time for visiting the resort. We got back that evening and crashed.
We don't actually know yet what happened with the car situation. They were able to move the headlight back but the dent was still pretty evident. When we left they still had the car so...at least it wasn't under our name. :)
Friday, July 11, 2008
A taste of home
Finally we got over to browse the Hilton today. We were planning on going the day before but ran out of time. I was dying to go. I needed of taste of America, a change of pace, and some pizza. I had heard they had good pizza. Plus, I thought it would be nice to see Dan and Karin if we had time. We decided to leave at 10 and get picked up there with Dan and Karin for our Embassy appointment at 2. We managed to look at a few shops but did not buy much as it was expensive. We visited Dan, Karin, and Mandela at the pool. I desperately wanted to swim but we didn't have our suits with us. Then we went to go get pizza for lunch only to find out they only serve pizza at night. So we ate at another restaurant there instead. We then needed to stop at the supermarket to get the formula and cereal we had needed to get for the last 3 days. It's impossible to make anything happen there. So we quickly did their coffee ceremony which was not as good as what we had Sunday night but still delicious. Then we got the supermarket and money exchange taken care of before we went to wait outside for our ride to the Embassy.
Jonathan accompanied us to the Embassy but he had not brought his passport so he was not allowed in. Nothing about the Embassy was impressive. It was a lot like the DMV, maybe not as nice. We went through security and then sat and waited for our names to be called. Dan and Karin were first and seriously took less than 5 minutes. They had no complications and then it was our turn. It was cool to experience it with another couple and be able to encourage and congratulate each other. Our turn went just as quickly and we were on our way. This appointment had been the main thing we were working towards for so long. It was the big test. You pass it, everything is good. It was strange to have it done so quickly and easily.
The rest of the day we just relaxed and went to bed early as we had an eventful little road trip planned for the next day.
Jonathan accompanied us to the Embassy but he had not brought his passport so he was not allowed in. Nothing about the Embassy was impressive. It was a lot like the DMV, maybe not as nice. We went through security and then sat and waited for our names to be called. Dan and Karin were first and seriously took less than 5 minutes. They had no complications and then it was our turn. It was cool to experience it with another couple and be able to encourage and congratulate each other. Our turn went just as quickly and we were on our way. This appointment had been the main thing we were working towards for so long. It was the big test. You pass it, everything is good. It was strange to have it done so quickly and easily.
The rest of the day we just relaxed and went to bed early as we had an eventful little road trip planned for the next day.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Manic Monday
Ashe woke up at 7 a.m. again Monday morning. We slept a little better. I was up at 5, me from 1-2. We got ready quickly when Ashe woke up and went to the other house as were supposed to be picked up at 9. We fed Ashe his beloved cereal and then he fell asleep right at 9. This kid falls asleep anywhere (that all changed once we got home). He slept until 11, and still no one had picked us up. I. talked much with the Danish couple and I slept some. What a boring morning though just waiting to get picked up. I. finally called Robel and found out we wouldn't be picked up until 11:30. So our driver finally came to get us for the two appointments we were not aware of until we picked up Ashe on Saturday.
We went with the other CWA couple to the orphanage and met with the CWA counselor. She didn't speak English very well. Her job was to discuss their history with us and then see if we needed anything else. She started with Ashe but as they don't know too much, we were done pretty quickly. We did ask about the strange mark on his tummy. At first they didn't really know what to say or what to do. They finally got in touch with the doctor that had treated him and we found out he had had ringworm. They had treated it twice and now it was just on the mend. I was a little nervous that it might be contagious, luckily we know now it wasn't.
We were very frustrated that they hadn't told us about these appointments until we got to Addis. We had already arranged to meet our sponsored child from Compassion that day. By the time we found out, it was the weekend and we tried to reach our Compassion contact but just had to leave a message. We knew our sponsored child would be picked up very early on Monday morning. They called Monday morning while we were waiting to be picked up for our appointments and said they were in town and they would be there soon. We had to explain what happened and ask if they could come later, though we weren't sure when we would be back. They finally relented but were not very happy about it. There was nothing we could do.
Everything there was so uncertain and out of our control. It was very frustrating. By the way, I wrote this journal entry by candlelight. We had no power two full days while we were there. Apparently, they just don't have power two days of the week so that other cities can have power. They all alternate. There was one other day that we were without power most of the day for some other reason. We also lost water a couple of times. It felt very 1800's to write by candlelight. They never replenished our two small candles so by the end of the trip, we were down to almost nothing.
We went straight from counseling to the head office where we filled out our immigration forms with help. It was nervewracking because I just happened to have that paperwork with us. I didn't know we would be filling it out at that time. Also, we didn't have our 2007 tax forms and we thought we were going to need to get them sent or something, but they let us just take everything back a year. The whole process took another 40 minutes and we got back to the guesthouse at 2:00.
M, her project worker, and the Compassion coordinator came at about 3:30. He, the coordinator and our contact, gave us a huge guilt trip for rescheduling and he wasn't a very helpful translator. It was very awkward. M was precious and her project worker as well. They ate while there. I think they stayed about 3 hours. We kept waiting for them to leave. It was awesome to see M but very difficult to communicate, the guesthouse was crazy busy and Ashe was hard to watch. Just thirty minutes after M came, Jonathan came in with his three cousins and 2 friends. It was a madhoue. I felt so bad. Then Ashe had a nasty diaper and it went everywhere. We had to deal with all that while trying to visit. It was a crazy evening but we were blessed to see M. She loved her gifts, especially the doll. Her and I both had tears when we said goodbye.
As soon as she left, we all went to bed. It was a an exhausting day.
We went with the other CWA couple to the orphanage and met with the CWA counselor. She didn't speak English very well. Her job was to discuss their history with us and then see if we needed anything else. She started with Ashe but as they don't know too much, we were done pretty quickly. We did ask about the strange mark on his tummy. At first they didn't really know what to say or what to do. They finally got in touch with the doctor that had treated him and we found out he had had ringworm. They had treated it twice and now it was just on the mend. I was a little nervous that it might be contagious, luckily we know now it wasn't.
We were very frustrated that they hadn't told us about these appointments until we got to Addis. We had already arranged to meet our sponsored child from Compassion that day. By the time we found out, it was the weekend and we tried to reach our Compassion contact but just had to leave a message. We knew our sponsored child would be picked up very early on Monday morning. They called Monday morning while we were waiting to be picked up for our appointments and said they were in town and they would be there soon. We had to explain what happened and ask if they could come later, though we weren't sure when we would be back. They finally relented but were not very happy about it. There was nothing we could do.
Everything there was so uncertain and out of our control. It was very frustrating. By the way, I wrote this journal entry by candlelight. We had no power two full days while we were there. Apparently, they just don't have power two days of the week so that other cities can have power. They all alternate. There was one other day that we were without power most of the day for some other reason. We also lost water a couple of times. It felt very 1800's to write by candlelight. They never replenished our two small candles so by the end of the trip, we were down to almost nothing.
We went straight from counseling to the head office where we filled out our immigration forms with help. It was nervewracking because I just happened to have that paperwork with us. I didn't know we would be filling it out at that time. Also, we didn't have our 2007 tax forms and we thought we were going to need to get them sent or something, but they let us just take everything back a year. The whole process took another 40 minutes and we got back to the guesthouse at 2:00.
M, her project worker, and the Compassion coordinator came at about 3:30. He, the coordinator and our contact, gave us a huge guilt trip for rescheduling and he wasn't a very helpful translator. It was very awkward. M was precious and her project worker as well. They ate while there. I think they stayed about 3 hours. We kept waiting for them to leave. It was awesome to see M but very difficult to communicate, the guesthouse was crazy busy and Ashe was hard to watch. Just thirty minutes after M came, Jonathan came in with his three cousins and 2 friends. It was a madhoue. I felt so bad. Then Ashe had a nasty diaper and it went everywhere. We had to deal with all that while trying to visit. It was a crazy evening but we were blessed to see M. She loved her gifts, especially the doll. Her and I both had tears when we said goodbye.
As soon as she left, we all went to bed. It was a an exhausting day.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
A new day
Busy day. Ashe woke me up at 7 a.m. He was leaning over the crib looking at I. saying "baba, baba" (Amharic meaning is Father). I fed him a bottle. It was so amazing to wake up to his voice. I heard all his little noises in the night though he slept very good. When he's ready he sleeps really well. We on the other hand did not sleep well, again. I woke up at 11:30 and couldn't sleep again until 2. I. woke around 1:30 was awake for several hours. We got up when Ashe did because we knew we had a lot to do before Jonathan arrived to take us sight-seeing. As I had treated us all for scabies, we needed to now wash off the cream. We had to do Ashe's bath in the sink since the hot water in our bath was not working. He did well but was very wiggly. I also treated him with lice shampoo though I am not sure he has it. I don't want to take a chance. I took a hot shower in the 2nd bathroom while the boys went to get breakfast. The shower in this bathroom was much smaller and just consisted of a small space a bit lower than the rest of the floor with a drain, no curtain. Also, the window was open and mosquitos were everywhere. I took my shower as quick as I could and then tried my best to mop up the 2 inches of water on the floor.
I. and Ashe returned from breakfast and I. had news. Ashe was pulling up on everything and begging for cereal. We had no idea he was there yet. There will be little use for a lot of the stuff I bought not knowing his age or stage of development. Oh well, we will save it for the next one. We didn't have any cereal so we had to borrow some. We would need to find sometime and somewhere to buy some and the formula that he was used to at the orphanage. Not sure where that will happen.
Jonathan showed up and we got a taxi. Our taxi driver attended everything with us. This was a little weird to us but seemed normal to Jonathan and his cousin. He stayed with us for over 3 hours. He took us to the church de Selassie. It is a church that former Emperor Selassie had built. It was very interesting. The churches here are mostly Ethiopian Orthodox. It is very formal like that of the Catholics. They have very fancy buildings and many traditions. They also hold many of the same beliefs though I don't know specifics. The Orthodox church is set up like the Tabernacle of Moses' time with 3 sections, including the Holy of Holies. The church was very busy when we arrived and we soon discovered that there was a funeral going on. It was incredibly humbling to watch the crowd in their mourning. We were told that we would have to pay a fee to take pictures so we went with someone to a little building outside and paid money. This ended up giving up a tour of the church, the church museum, and liberty to take photos and video within the church.
We did the museum first. It was full of religious and historical artifacts donated by Selassie. There were crowns, Hebrew and Arabic bibles, gold crosses, and vestments. The guide was like something out of a movie, exactly what one would picture a historian to look like. Unfortunately, photos were not allowed here. We moved to the church and had a new guide. He spoke very good, but very very fast English. It was difficult to keep up. The church was beautiful and ornate. Inside were the tombs of Emperor Selassie and his wife and their thrones. We were told we could come back for a mass but only if we were wearing appropriate attire. As we were leaving the priest who had not helped or spoken one word to us asked I. for money. So we gave it. What can you do?
Next they wanted to stop at the National Museum. I had heard a lot about the museum and did want to see it. However, I was exhausted at this point. I carried K in the sling the entire time. I was really surprised how ergonomical it was. I didn't start hurting until much later than I thought I would. But we pressed on, this time I let I. take over holding the baby. We paid our entry fee which was more than that of the Ethiopians, including Jonathan who they didn't know is really an American citizen. We found out later the Dutch couple that came in after us was charged a whole lot more as they were not with Ethiopians who would question it. We were so lucky! The museum houses Lucy, the neanderthal skeleton thought to be the first human skeleton found. It also contains many pre-Axum relics, fossils, and much information on the origin of mankind. It is a rather small museum however. The tour was very long and somewhat boring but still worth it.
When we finally returned to the room, we let Ashe down to play. I. took a nap while Ashe and I played. He started out on the bed but then kept crawling towards Daddy. I would pull him away so as not to wake I. up, Ashe would grin and immediately start crawling back. It was quite a game to him. I finally pulled him away and let him play in his crib and suitcase. The floors were all tile and I was wary about letting him play on the floor for fear of uncleanliness and taking a hard fall. It was very difficult to entertain him without floor play. He eventually got sleepy so he took a nap along with us. After we changed a very messy diaper. He continued to have digestinal problems until we got home. We think it had to do with the change in formula. We were never able to find the formula he had been given so just gave him what we brought from America. I guess the change had to come at some point but there were some very inopportune moments. Also, he is incredibly difficult to change. He does not like to stay still. This has gotten somewhat better since we arrived home but was and can be WWF to change the kid.
After our nap, Jonathan was off again, ready to take us to his cousin's family's house for dinner. I was very interested in being a guest in someone's home and experiencing all that meant, but I was worried about how Ashe would do and the food. We were very much cautioned about what we should eat while in Africa. It was never a problem at the guest house as they are familiar with American sensitivities. However, outside of the guest house we weren't sure what to expect. It ended up being one of our favorite experiences. We experienced the culture so much more in that one night than the rest of our time in Addis. We ate injera, wot, and split pea soup. Everyone but us had seconds or thirds and ate really fast. It is a wonder they are such skinny people. I guess it helps that they walk almost everywhere. The dinner was really good and the company even better. Everyone was so friendly and hospitable, and much of them spoke some English. Another of Jonathan's cousins showed up whom he hadn't seen in 10 years. Arugaye had grown up with Jonathan. They were as close as brothers. In 8th grade his cousin left to be in the war and Jonathan hadn't seen him since. It was very moving.
We got to have our first and favorite cofffee ceremony as well. Coffee is Ethiopia's main export and they take great pride in it. It is said to be one of the best places for coffee in the world. Ethiopians have coffee ceremonies when they have guests and also to celebrate special occasions. They roast, grind, and brew the coffee right in front of you and I will personally attest to it's goodness. It was divine. They serve it in very tiny cups and usually give 3-4 cups. I am not a fan of black or strong coffee here in the US but it was fantastic. There was no need for cream and sugar.
Ashe was, as predicted, a handful. There wasn't really anywhere good to put him and he was very interested in our food. One of us had to hold him while the other ate. He played with the host's daughter Leah but neither of them were very good at sharing. We ended up leaving one of his books for Leah because she was very intrigued by it.
We all had a wonderful time and Jonathan was so proud to show off his country and its people.
I. and Ashe returned from breakfast and I. had news. Ashe was pulling up on everything and begging for cereal. We had no idea he was there yet. There will be little use for a lot of the stuff I bought not knowing his age or stage of development. Oh well, we will save it for the next one. We didn't have any cereal so we had to borrow some. We would need to find sometime and somewhere to buy some and the formula that he was used to at the orphanage. Not sure where that will happen.
Jonathan showed up and we got a taxi. Our taxi driver attended everything with us. This was a little weird to us but seemed normal to Jonathan and his cousin. He stayed with us for over 3 hours. He took us to the church de Selassie. It is a church that former Emperor Selassie had built. It was very interesting. The churches here are mostly Ethiopian Orthodox. It is very formal like that of the Catholics. They have very fancy buildings and many traditions. They also hold many of the same beliefs though I don't know specifics. The Orthodox church is set up like the Tabernacle of Moses' time with 3 sections, including the Holy of Holies. The church was very busy when we arrived and we soon discovered that there was a funeral going on. It was incredibly humbling to watch the crowd in their mourning. We were told that we would have to pay a fee to take pictures so we went with someone to a little building outside and paid money. This ended up giving up a tour of the church, the church museum, and liberty to take photos and video within the church.
We did the museum first. It was full of religious and historical artifacts donated by Selassie. There were crowns, Hebrew and Arabic bibles, gold crosses, and vestments. The guide was like something out of a movie, exactly what one would picture a historian to look like. Unfortunately, photos were not allowed here. We moved to the church and had a new guide. He spoke very good, but very very fast English. It was difficult to keep up. The church was beautiful and ornate. Inside were the tombs of Emperor Selassie and his wife and their thrones. We were told we could come back for a mass but only if we were wearing appropriate attire. As we were leaving the priest who had not helped or spoken one word to us asked I. for money. So we gave it. What can you do?
Next they wanted to stop at the National Museum. I had heard a lot about the museum and did want to see it. However, I was exhausted at this point. I carried K in the sling the entire time. I was really surprised how ergonomical it was. I didn't start hurting until much later than I thought I would. But we pressed on, this time I let I. take over holding the baby. We paid our entry fee which was more than that of the Ethiopians, including Jonathan who they didn't know is really an American citizen. We found out later the Dutch couple that came in after us was charged a whole lot more as they were not with Ethiopians who would question it. We were so lucky! The museum houses Lucy, the neanderthal skeleton thought to be the first human skeleton found. It also contains many pre-Axum relics, fossils, and much information on the origin of mankind. It is a rather small museum however. The tour was very long and somewhat boring but still worth it.
When we finally returned to the room, we let Ashe down to play. I. took a nap while Ashe and I played. He started out on the bed but then kept crawling towards Daddy. I would pull him away so as not to wake I. up, Ashe would grin and immediately start crawling back. It was quite a game to him. I finally pulled him away and let him play in his crib and suitcase. The floors were all tile and I was wary about letting him play on the floor for fear of uncleanliness and taking a hard fall. It was very difficult to entertain him without floor play. He eventually got sleepy so he took a nap along with us. After we changed a very messy diaper. He continued to have digestinal problems until we got home. We think it had to do with the change in formula. We were never able to find the formula he had been given so just gave him what we brought from America. I guess the change had to come at some point but there were some very inopportune moments. Also, he is incredibly difficult to change. He does not like to stay still. This has gotten somewhat better since we arrived home but was and can be WWF to change the kid.
After our nap, Jonathan was off again, ready to take us to his cousin's family's house for dinner. I was very interested in being a guest in someone's home and experiencing all that meant, but I was worried about how Ashe would do and the food. We were very much cautioned about what we should eat while in Africa. It was never a problem at the guest house as they are familiar with American sensitivities. However, outside of the guest house we weren't sure what to expect. It ended up being one of our favorite experiences. We experienced the culture so much more in that one night than the rest of our time in Addis. We ate injera, wot, and split pea soup. Everyone but us had seconds or thirds and ate really fast. It is a wonder they are such skinny people. I guess it helps that they walk almost everywhere. The dinner was really good and the company even better. Everyone was so friendly and hospitable, and much of them spoke some English. Another of Jonathan's cousins showed up whom he hadn't seen in 10 years. Arugaye had grown up with Jonathan. They were as close as brothers. In 8th grade his cousin left to be in the war and Jonathan hadn't seen him since. It was very moving.
We got to have our first and favorite cofffee ceremony as well. Coffee is Ethiopia's main export and they take great pride in it. It is said to be one of the best places for coffee in the world. Ethiopians have coffee ceremonies when they have guests and also to celebrate special occasions. They roast, grind, and brew the coffee right in front of you and I will personally attest to it's goodness. It was divine. They serve it in very tiny cups and usually give 3-4 cups. I am not a fan of black or strong coffee here in the US but it was fantastic. There was no need for cream and sugar.
Ashe was, as predicted, a handful. There wasn't really anywhere good to put him and he was very interested in our food. One of us had to hold him while the other ate. He played with the host's daughter Leah but neither of them were very good at sharing. We ended up leaving one of his books for Leah because she was very intrigued by it.
We all had a wonderful time and Jonathan was so proud to show off his country and its people.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Awaking in Addis
We didn't sleep very well the previous night. The Ambien helped us to fall asleep but not to stay there. We both woke up around 4 a.m. and never really went back to sleep. We were so messed up from the jetlag and so excited that we couldn't relax. Today was the day we were to meet our new son. We had hoped to leave right away in the morning but we had to wait until afternoon for the other family that would be going with us to pick up their child. I wasn't feeling too well from lack of sleep and eating at such strange times. I got out of bed excited to have a nice warm shower, maybe even a bath. Then we discovered there was no hot water in our bathroom. It wasn't working. We asked Keenan about it and he told us we would just have to use the other bathroom...more on that later. I jumped in and took a quick, very cold shower.
We decided to go over to the main house then for breakfast. While there we met all the other families staying at the house. There was a lady from Chicago with her adopted daughter Abigeya, a couple from Denmark with their baby boy, and a lady from Las Vegas with her son Immanuel. They were all very friendly and it was great to be able to spend time with others going through the same process. We especially got to spend time with the couple from Denmark and really enjoyed getting to talk to them. We will try to stay in touch through email.
We ate our continental breakfast of toast and tea or coffee. I. also ordered an omelette everyday which was about 3 dollars extra. We spent sometime on the internet at the house. It was a very slow dial-up connection but at least we had something. We watched some TV. They had quite a few English channels with news or movies. When Jonathan arrived he took us on a walk around the surrounding neighborhood. That was a very cool experience. We were able to see so much of the culture and take some amazing photos. Everyone we met was really excited to have their pictures taken and then to view them on the camera. The people are all good-looking and very friendly though one man whose picture I took grabbed my arm and asked for money. I walked away quickly. We were so fortunate to have Jonathan with us to help us navigate and feel safer.
I felt a lot better after a lunch of spaghetti and bread, and then we headed out to pick up the other couple from the Hilton and then go on to the orphanage. It was a very surreal experience that even now feels like a dream. On the drive we were able to see a lot of the city. We saw the presidential palaces, slums, the Hilton, and the Sheraton, one of the top ten must luxurious hotels in the world. When we arrived at the orphanage Dan and Karen's child Haile was standing outside with one of the staff waiting for him. They saw him and exclaimed, "There he is", and I started to cry. It was very moving just to experience it for someone else, and then we got to meet our own. We all got out of the van and were immediately told we weren't allowed to take pictures because the other children in the home could end up in the photo which is illegal as we do not have permission from them or their parents. We met Haile and were told he only answers to Mandela. He actually looks a lot like Nelson Mandela and won't answer to anything else since he was told that. Very cute.
We were then directed into one of the four small buildings where a lady was holding Ashenafi and kissing him goodbye. The man guiding us, Robel, said "Take him. He is yours". We were ushered into the baby's room where we sat and talked about the children's routine and our schedule for the next week. We wish we had been given more information but understand that it is very difficult. The orphanage was in good condition and the children looked very well cared for. We got to meet all the nannies who helped take care of him and formally thank them: Desta, Raquel, and Hannah, and we got to see his crib. Luckily all the children in this home are just waiting for their families to travel to get them so it wasn't so hard to leave them there.
Ashe fell asleep on me before we even left the orphanage. It was precious. We said goodbye to the staff and waved to those kids watching us leave. We returned to our room for a much needed nap while Ashe continued sleeping. Afterwards we introduced him to the others at the main house. He was crying partly because his teeth hurt and partly because he was frightened by all the "ferenji" (white people). He wanted to be right with us the whole time. If he couldn't see both of us he would cry. We went back to the house and I treated us all with cream for scabies. He had it and we wanted to prevent getting it. Fortunately you only have to treat is once and we never caught it. We laid him down at about seven. He was exhausted. We ate a late dinner and also went to bed. It was almost impossible to stay up past 9 there though we never slept all the way through the night. Jet lag is killer.
We decided to go over to the main house then for breakfast. While there we met all the other families staying at the house. There was a lady from Chicago with her adopted daughter Abigeya, a couple from Denmark with their baby boy, and a lady from Las Vegas with her son Immanuel. They were all very friendly and it was great to be able to spend time with others going through the same process. We especially got to spend time with the couple from Denmark and really enjoyed getting to talk to them. We will try to stay in touch through email.
We ate our continental breakfast of toast and tea or coffee. I. also ordered an omelette everyday which was about 3 dollars extra. We spent sometime on the internet at the house. It was a very slow dial-up connection but at least we had something. We watched some TV. They had quite a few English channels with news or movies. When Jonathan arrived he took us on a walk around the surrounding neighborhood. That was a very cool experience. We were able to see so much of the culture and take some amazing photos. Everyone we met was really excited to have their pictures taken and then to view them on the camera. The people are all good-looking and very friendly though one man whose picture I took grabbed my arm and asked for money. I walked away quickly. We were so fortunate to have Jonathan with us to help us navigate and feel safer.
I felt a lot better after a lunch of spaghetti and bread, and then we headed out to pick up the other couple from the Hilton and then go on to the orphanage. It was a very surreal experience that even now feels like a dream. On the drive we were able to see a lot of the city. We saw the presidential palaces, slums, the Hilton, and the Sheraton, one of the top ten must luxurious hotels in the world. When we arrived at the orphanage Dan and Karen's child Haile was standing outside with one of the staff waiting for him. They saw him and exclaimed, "There he is", and I started to cry. It was very moving just to experience it for someone else, and then we got to meet our own. We all got out of the van and were immediately told we weren't allowed to take pictures because the other children in the home could end up in the photo which is illegal as we do not have permission from them or their parents. We met Haile and were told he only answers to Mandela. He actually looks a lot like Nelson Mandela and won't answer to anything else since he was told that. Very cute.
We were then directed into one of the four small buildings where a lady was holding Ashenafi and kissing him goodbye. The man guiding us, Robel, said "Take him. He is yours". We were ushered into the baby's room where we sat and talked about the children's routine and our schedule for the next week. We wish we had been given more information but understand that it is very difficult. The orphanage was in good condition and the children looked very well cared for. We got to meet all the nannies who helped take care of him and formally thank them: Desta, Raquel, and Hannah, and we got to see his crib. Luckily all the children in this home are just waiting for their families to travel to get them so it wasn't so hard to leave them there.
Ashe fell asleep on me before we even left the orphanage. It was precious. We said goodbye to the staff and waved to those kids watching us leave. We returned to our room for a much needed nap while Ashe continued sleeping. Afterwards we introduced him to the others at the main house. He was crying partly because his teeth hurt and partly because he was frightened by all the "ferenji" (white people). He wanted to be right with us the whole time. If he couldn't see both of us he would cry. We went back to the house and I treated us all with cream for scabies. He had it and we wanted to prevent getting it. Fortunately you only have to treat is once and we never caught it. We laid him down at about seven. He was exhausted. We ate a late dinner and also went to bed. It was almost impossible to stay up past 9 there though we never slept all the way through the night. Jet lag is killer.
Friday, July 4, 2008
First Impressions
We made a last minute decision the week before we left to take a family friend along with us. I.'s knows Jonathan from NH. I met him about a year ago. Jonathan was adopted from Ethiopia to NH when he was 10 years old. He is now 21. He was able to go back a couple of years ago with his mom and visit. We decided it would be good for all of us to include him.
We left at about 11 a.m. from I.'s parent's house. Carol took us to the bus station in Newport and we took the bus from there to the Boston airport. I think it is about 2.5 hours. We said goodbye to Z there. I lost it. He seemed to do okay but it was very hard for Mommy.
We flew Lufthansa from Boston to Frankfurt. We got a pretty good dinner on the way of pasta and vegetables. We also had a movie. I., Jonathan, and another man good in trouble for laughing. They were told to quiet down as people were trying to sleep. Simply ridiculous. We had a 5 hour layover in Frankfurt. The Frankfurt airport is terrible. There is nothing to eat, nowhere to sit, very small bathrooms, and two or three security checkpoints before you get on your plane. We then flew from there to Khartoum, Sudan where we refueled. I. and I slept most of the way there. We did not get off the plane, just stopped for 45 minutes. We could see a lot of the city from where we flew in. I. saw camels walking on the side of the runway and we saw huge artillery guns there as well. Interesting. Then it was on to Addis.
May 29, 2008
In Addis. We got to the guest house around 10 p.m. There is a 7 hour time difference from NH so it was only 3 p.m. there. Our flights were uneventful and actually seemed to go pretty fast. We met our driver, Zodu, after getting our bags. He took us out to the van. It was raining pretty hard. After a long trip it was very refreshing. We loved it. We could smell different smells even as we got off the plane: a dusty, spicy scent. We drove through the rain about ten minutes to the guest house. We couldn't see much as it was dark and wet but I did notice a little place called the denver Cafe with a big bronco on it. Maybe we will find time to try it out.
The guest house is nice and big. We have this whole place to ourselves but then can eat with the other adopting families at the main house. My stomach has been queasy, partly from eating at such different times. Everyone is super friendly. Keenan and Solomon fix our food and assist us in anything else we need. We arrived at the guest house, were shown to our rooms, and met the director, Helen. Helen is Ethiopian but lived in Boston for 30 years. She has been very involved in adoptions and just opened this guest house in the last two years, hoping to accomodate adopting families. Our bedroom is pretty big but sparse. We do have one big unit that has shelves. The bathroom is quite nice with a big tub and shower. There is no shower curtain.
We were served dinner then at 10:00 p.m. I ordered a cheese sandwich and the guys ordered an Ethiopian meal. The cheese sandwich was a little strange and I did realize after that we are supposed to avoid dairy. We went to bed with our mosquito net up. There isn't supposed to be a problem in Addis with Malaria because the elevation is so high, over 8,000 feet. But we wanted to be cautious just the same. The staff probably was laughing at us. We both took an Ambien in order to insure good sleep on our last night before picking up K. I. started acting weird almost right away. He was being rather obnoxious. He didn't remember but I banned him from taking anymore.
We left at about 11 a.m. from I.'s parent's house. Carol took us to the bus station in Newport and we took the bus from there to the Boston airport. I think it is about 2.5 hours. We said goodbye to Z there. I lost it. He seemed to do okay but it was very hard for Mommy.
We flew Lufthansa from Boston to Frankfurt. We got a pretty good dinner on the way of pasta and vegetables. We also had a movie. I., Jonathan, and another man good in trouble for laughing. They were told to quiet down as people were trying to sleep. Simply ridiculous. We had a 5 hour layover in Frankfurt. The Frankfurt airport is terrible. There is nothing to eat, nowhere to sit, very small bathrooms, and two or three security checkpoints before you get on your plane. We then flew from there to Khartoum, Sudan where we refueled. I. and I slept most of the way there. We did not get off the plane, just stopped for 45 minutes. We could see a lot of the city from where we flew in. I. saw camels walking on the side of the runway and we saw huge artillery guns there as well. Interesting. Then it was on to Addis.
May 29, 2008
In Addis. We got to the guest house around 10 p.m. There is a 7 hour time difference from NH so it was only 3 p.m. there. Our flights were uneventful and actually seemed to go pretty fast. We met our driver, Zodu, after getting our bags. He took us out to the van. It was raining pretty hard. After a long trip it was very refreshing. We loved it. We could smell different smells even as we got off the plane: a dusty, spicy scent. We drove through the rain about ten minutes to the guest house. We couldn't see much as it was dark and wet but I did notice a little place called the denver Cafe with a big bronco on it. Maybe we will find time to try it out.
The guest house is nice and big. We have this whole place to ourselves but then can eat with the other adopting families at the main house. My stomach has been queasy, partly from eating at such different times. Everyone is super friendly. Keenan and Solomon fix our food and assist us in anything else we need. We arrived at the guest house, were shown to our rooms, and met the director, Helen. Helen is Ethiopian but lived in Boston for 30 years. She has been very involved in adoptions and just opened this guest house in the last two years, hoping to accomodate adopting families. Our bedroom is pretty big but sparse. We do have one big unit that has shelves. The bathroom is quite nice with a big tub and shower. There is no shower curtain.
We were served dinner then at 10:00 p.m. I ordered a cheese sandwich and the guys ordered an Ethiopian meal. The cheese sandwich was a little strange and I did realize after that we are supposed to avoid dairy. We went to bed with our mosquito net up. There isn't supposed to be a problem in Addis with Malaria because the elevation is so high, over 8,000 feet. But we wanted to be cautious just the same. The staff probably was laughing at us. We both took an Ambien in order to insure good sleep on our last night before picking up K. I. started acting weird almost right away. He was being rather obnoxious. He didn't remember but I banned him from taking anymore.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
To find our son
I. called me the morning of May 22nd. I was still sleeping but knew to get up for any call that came in. He told me to wake up because I would be getting a call soon. I knew then that our social worker was trying to get a hold of us. We had been waiting for this call for over 3 weeks, jumping at every ring. So Sue called and gave us all the instructions for travel to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to pick up our child. We were pretty sure of our travel date so weren't completely bowled over when she called. But we then had two days to finish packing and booking flights before we left for NH on Saturday May 24th. I had been in touch with a travel agency specializing in Ethiopian Adoption travel so we had a couple of flights on hold. Now I just had to decide which airline and dates would work best and buy our tickets. We planned to travel to NH first to take Z to I.'s parents to stay. We would be there a few days and then fly on to Addis.
Thursday and Friday were full of packing, phone calls, and gathering documents. We were pretty limited on our luggage so we had quite a job to fit everything in. I. and I only took 3 or 4 changes of clothes but with everything else we needed, it didn't make much of a dent. We took 4 large suitcases and 3 carry-ons. One suitcase was full of donations for the orphanage and we hoped to bring it back full of souvenirs. We weighed each bag to make sure it wasn't over 50 lbs. We had flights on hold for Lufthansa and Ethiopian airlines. We needed to decide which one was better. With Ethiopian we may not be able to get back until June 14th which would mean 2 weeks in Addis with a new baby and 2 weeks away from Isaiah. With Lufthansa we would only be there a week and have to hope to get a transit visa for K through Frankfurt in one day's time. We held off until Friday evening hoping that the waitlist for the June 8th Ethiopian flight would allow us on but it didn't. Neither option was entirely suitable but we finally opted for the Lufthansa flight as I couldn't stand to be away from Z that long. It was a great relief to actually purchase the tickets. I spent a lot of time gathering all the documents and paperwork we needed for the trip. It took me a couple of hours organizing and double-checking everything. I didn't want to leave anything out! In the end, the pile was about 2 inches thicks and took up about half of one carry-on. It was so scary to be traveling with such important papers.
We left Saturday morning bright and early. It felt like we were in a dream to be actually taking off for Africa. Our trip to Boston and then on to NH by car went well. Our time in NH was really good just relaxing and enjoying time together and with I.'s mom. We got to take Z to meet the lady he would stay with some of the days while Mima worked. He had a good time meeting her boys, playing with all her neat play equipment, and being introduced to her pigs, chickens, and 4 dogs. I. and I were able to squeeze in a last date as well which in retrospect was such a good good thing! By the time Thursday came we were rejuvenated and ready to go...except for me leaving Z.
Next installment will start our trip to Africa.
Thursday and Friday were full of packing, phone calls, and gathering documents. We were pretty limited on our luggage so we had quite a job to fit everything in. I. and I only took 3 or 4 changes of clothes but with everything else we needed, it didn't make much of a dent. We took 4 large suitcases and 3 carry-ons. One suitcase was full of donations for the orphanage and we hoped to bring it back full of souvenirs. We weighed each bag to make sure it wasn't over 50 lbs. We had flights on hold for Lufthansa and Ethiopian airlines. We needed to decide which one was better. With Ethiopian we may not be able to get back until June 14th which would mean 2 weeks in Addis with a new baby and 2 weeks away from Isaiah. With Lufthansa we would only be there a week and have to hope to get a transit visa for K through Frankfurt in one day's time. We held off until Friday evening hoping that the waitlist for the June 8th Ethiopian flight would allow us on but it didn't. Neither option was entirely suitable but we finally opted for the Lufthansa flight as I couldn't stand to be away from Z that long. It was a great relief to actually purchase the tickets. I spent a lot of time gathering all the documents and paperwork we needed for the trip. It took me a couple of hours organizing and double-checking everything. I didn't want to leave anything out! In the end, the pile was about 2 inches thicks and took up about half of one carry-on. It was so scary to be traveling with such important papers.
We left Saturday morning bright and early. It felt like we were in a dream to be actually taking off for Africa. Our trip to Boston and then on to NH by car went well. Our time in NH was really good just relaxing and enjoying time together and with I.'s mom. We got to take Z to meet the lady he would stay with some of the days while Mima worked. He had a good time meeting her boys, playing with all her neat play equipment, and being introduced to her pigs, chickens, and 4 dogs. I. and I were able to squeeze in a last date as well which in retrospect was such a good good thing! By the time Thursday came we were rejuvenated and ready to go...except for me leaving Z.
Next installment will start our trip to Africa.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
About Me
I just arrived from Ethiopia to my new home and family on June 12th, 2008. It has been a long awaited homecoming but now I am here and we can all hardly believe it. I am nine months old. I will turn one on September 23. My brother Z and I are enjoying getting to know one another, most of the time. He doesn't really like to share his toys with me and sometimes is a bit bossy. He is also still learning what he can and can't do with a baby. For instance, last week he was dragging me by my arm across the room supposedly he needed to move me because I was touching the fan. He sure knows a lot about the rules. I still don't really like him to touch me and am very jealous when Mommy touches him.
My parents say I am about as different from Z as can be. He is very timid about most things. I am so not. I will pretty much go anywhere, do anything by myself. I am a mover and a shaker while Z is much more content to at ease. Z didn't need an ounce of baby proofing and learned the word no really fast. I, however, am the reason for all those crazy safety inventions and locked cabinets. I know the word no really well too, it means go for it and only with a big huge grin on my face. Apparently my parents have always known their second child was bound to be a real spitfire.
I am adjusting very well. I attached to my mommy and daddy very quickly. I really hate it when one of them leaves the room, and really enjoy falling asleep with their arms around me. I am still very fragile though. I need lots of time to get used to this new world and all the new people in it. I like to be held by my parents when in the company of new faces.
I am really a good sleeper except for waking up a tad too early in the mornings. Once down I sleep straight through. Yay for me! I sit, crawl, and pull up on furniture. My parents are afraid I might be walking soon. They are not quite ready for that yet. I keep them busy enough as it is. I have already learned a few things since joining them. I learned to sign the word "more", pick up and eat finger foods, and drink for a cup. I love my bottle and food. This is pretty normal for children like me. It is a comfort to me and I need to know that there will always be food. I am eating very well and aside from a cough, am very healthy.
I look forward to meeting you all when I am ready and able. Stay posted.
My parents say I am about as different from Z as can be. He is very timid about most things. I am so not. I will pretty much go anywhere, do anything by myself. I am a mover and a shaker while Z is much more content to at ease. Z didn't need an ounce of baby proofing and learned the word no really fast. I, however, am the reason for all those crazy safety inventions and locked cabinets. I know the word no really well too, it means go for it and only with a big huge grin on my face. Apparently my parents have always known their second child was bound to be a real spitfire.
I am adjusting very well. I attached to my mommy and daddy very quickly. I really hate it when one of them leaves the room, and really enjoy falling asleep with their arms around me. I am still very fragile though. I need lots of time to get used to this new world and all the new people in it. I like to be held by my parents when in the company of new faces.
I am really a good sleeper except for waking up a tad too early in the mornings. Once down I sleep straight through. Yay for me! I sit, crawl, and pull up on furniture. My parents are afraid I might be walking soon. They are not quite ready for that yet. I keep them busy enough as it is. I have already learned a few things since joining them. I learned to sign the word "more", pick up and eat finger foods, and drink for a cup. I love my bottle and food. This is pretty normal for children like me. It is a comfort to me and I need to know that there will always be food. I am eating very well and aside from a cough, am very healthy.
I look forward to meeting you all when I am ready and able. Stay posted.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Peeling my eyes open
So, I've been a mother of a newborn before and I know what that tired is like when you've been up every night for 4, 5, 6 months and are beyond dead tired. I call it the new mommy tired. Well, I have it. After all we've had to do the last two days to get everything for the trip, I am thoroughly exhuasted. I can't function...which is partly from uncontrollable, insane excitement, and new mommy tired. I could sleep for hours if I had that luxury. I have been on the internet and phone non-stop. I talked to I.'s mom for an hour yesterday morning after we got the news in order to book our flights for NH. I did laundry. finished all of our packing, read luggage speculations, weighed the bags, loaded movies and audio books for amusement on the flight, etc. I let everyone know our news. I talked off and on all day with our adoption travel agent. Today, I set our house up to be left for three weeks, finished last minute packing, loaded the car, drove to Denver, and talked to our travel agent on the way. Again, I talked on and off with our travel agent, and I.'s mom. I discussed and scheduled meeting our sponsored child in Ethiopia with Compassion International (SO COOL!). And I finally booked our flights to Africa 45 minutes ago. We still have a lot to do but hope to have a day or two recuperation with nothing to do before we leave for ET. I will have to write about all of I.'s tasks while at work during one of the busiest times of the year...later. Must go take a short break to eat (if I can stuff something down; it's almost impossible to eat right now), and then get back to the grind. Forgive any typos please. *SNORING*
Thursday, May 22, 2008
So long, farewell
Our call to travel came this morning...just when we thought it wouldn't come! God likes to do that to me. It sure strengthens and matures me, let me tell ya. So after much anticipation and anxiety, we are off. Our Embassy date (the date we must be there in order to get all the legal stuff taken care of) is June 3rd. But, we first have to take Z to his Mima and Papa's and then we plan on going early to do some sight-seeing. So we leave for NH this Saturday, the 24th. We can't get out to Ethiopia until the 29th which is later than we wanted but, we'll take it. So, a very hectic two days await us as we try to get everything in order. Thank you all for your prayers and support through all of this. We have been abundantly blessed. Please pray for our safe travel, for Z as he has many days without his Mommy and Daddy, and for God to be in each and every detail of the trip. We expect to be back sometime on June 12th. We can't wait to introduce you all to K.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Success
We passed our court date on April 29th with success. We were so scared that it wouldn't pass the first time around so praise God! It feels wonderful to be know that the little boy we were hoping for is officially ours. We now are just waiting for the birth certificate to come in. Once it does, we will receive our travel date. We are thinking we will leave around May 24th but anything could happen at this point.
We are busy gathering all that we will need for another baby, packing for Ethiopia, and tying up loose ends. The baby's room is covered in things to take and lots of suitcases. It is crazy but exhilarating! We also must pack for Z as he will be staying in New Hampshire with Mima. And...we are getting ready to move so we are also packing up the house. Packing, packing, and more packing. We are getting really good at this.
We are busy gathering all that we will need for another baby, packing for Ethiopia, and tying up loose ends. The baby's room is covered in things to take and lots of suitcases. It is crazy but exhilarating! We also must pack for Z as he will be staying in New Hampshire with Mima. And...we are getting ready to move so we are also packing up the house. Packing, packing, and more packing. We are getting really good at this.
Big brother
We found out last week that I am officially a new brother. My baby brother will be coming home in the next month or two. I am very excited! I don't understand why I have to wait so long though, we've been talking about this for over a year. I am more than ready.
My Mommy and Daddy tell me that I have to do certain things correctly so that I can teach my brother to do them. I'm not sure that's completely fair. Sometimes I would prefer to regress. I may have a little trouble in the beginning accepting the fact that I have to share some attention. I'm used to being the only child, and until very recently, the only grandchild. What's up with that? But, thankfully, I learn quickly and will graciously give up my post after a short struggle.
My parents and I are taking advantage of this time to spend some good time together, just the three of us before life changes dramatically. Mommy took me swimming last week. I was a little nervous as I hadn't gone in a while but soon picked up where I had left off. We had a fun time. We also got to use the McDonald's Dollars I got for Easter from Mima and Papa for a special lunch. And Sunday, the three of us went to Cave of the Winds. It was my first cave visit and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mommy and Daddy were impressed that I always knew if we had traversed a specific junction already. They didn't even know! It was a great adventure.
Mommy and Daddy are packing things up for their trip to Africa, and I am packing my things for New Hampshire. I will get to stay with my Mima. We have lots of fun planned and I am excited. I hope she spoils me rotten, won't that be a great homecoming gift for my parents?
My Mommy and Daddy tell me that I have to do certain things correctly so that I can teach my brother to do them. I'm not sure that's completely fair. Sometimes I would prefer to regress. I may have a little trouble in the beginning accepting the fact that I have to share some attention. I'm used to being the only child, and until very recently, the only grandchild. What's up with that? But, thankfully, I learn quickly and will graciously give up my post after a short struggle.
My parents and I are taking advantage of this time to spend some good time together, just the three of us before life changes dramatically. Mommy took me swimming last week. I was a little nervous as I hadn't gone in a while but soon picked up where I had left off. We had a fun time. We also got to use the McDonald's Dollars I got for Easter from Mima and Papa for a special lunch. And Sunday, the three of us went to Cave of the Winds. It was my first cave visit and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mommy and Daddy were impressed that I always knew if we had traversed a specific junction already. They didn't even know! It was a great adventure.
Mommy and Daddy are packing things up for their trip to Africa, and I am packing my things for New Hampshire. I will get to stay with my Mima. We have lots of fun planned and I am excited. I hope she spoils me rotten, won't that be a great homecoming gift for my parents?
Monday, May 5, 2008
Letter from Mommy
My dearest son-
We are in the final weeks of your adoption. You are soon to come join our family and we couldn't be more excited. As I wait for you, I am reminded of the journey this last year in finding you. It hasn't been an easy time, but it has all been worth it, just like my pregnancy with Z was. The waiting, paper chasing, and setbacks were difficult because they delayed our meeting with you. We didn't want to miss out on one day with you. But God knows well what He does, and His timing is perfect. In just a few weeks we will travel to meet you. We never thought we would actually get to this point. It just seemed too good to be true. When we received the call telling us you were waiting for us and we got those first few pictures of you, we were speechless. Could God really be blessing us with you? You were beautiful and precious. As I looked into your big brown eyes for the first time, I felt an immediate connection. This was meant to be and we are so grateful to God for allowing it to happen for us.
We are aware that at times, your life and your past will include pain. While we know that we can't fix it all and we can't fully understand, we are here for you one hundred percent. We hope to share that pain with you and support you in the difficulties and the joys of your life. You are forever a part of us no matter what your journey may bring. We love you dearly. Thank you for coming into our lives!
Love Mommy
We are in the final weeks of your adoption. You are soon to come join our family and we couldn't be more excited. As I wait for you, I am reminded of the journey this last year in finding you. It hasn't been an easy time, but it has all been worth it, just like my pregnancy with Z was. The waiting, paper chasing, and setbacks were difficult because they delayed our meeting with you. We didn't want to miss out on one day with you. But God knows well what He does, and His timing is perfect. In just a few weeks we will travel to meet you. We never thought we would actually get to this point. It just seemed too good to be true. When we received the call telling us you were waiting for us and we got those first few pictures of you, we were speechless. Could God really be blessing us with you? You were beautiful and precious. As I looked into your big brown eyes for the first time, I felt an immediate connection. This was meant to be and we are so grateful to God for allowing it to happen for us.
We are aware that at times, your life and your past will include pain. While we know that we can't fix it all and we can't fully understand, we are here for you one hundred percent. We hope to share that pain with you and support you in the difficulties and the joys of your life. You are forever a part of us no matter what your journey may bring. We love you dearly. Thank you for coming into our lives!
Love Mommy
Thursday, April 17, 2008
On Cloud Nine
I am sorry it has been a while since I have posted. I am trying to get our soon-to-be son's blog up and running. It is started but not very far. Check it out at ourinvisibelly.blogspot.com.
We received our court date for Ethiopia last week. The date is only 6 days away now and came faster than we expected. Seems like everything with this adoption since the first of the year has been very quick. So the court date is scheduled for April 23rd. As long as everything goes okay with court and we get the birth certificate quickly, we will be traveling a few weeks from that time. It is so unreal to me that this has actually happened and we have arrived at this point.
We are busy trying to get everything ready. I am studying and poring over others packing lists and trying to figure out what to bring, especially for a boy whose size we aren't really sure of. We will probably ending up bringing things in several sizes.
We have been trying to contact the guest house in Ethiopia that we most want to stay at. It is not fancy like the Sheraton resort in Addis but looks very nice and we have heard excellent things about it. From emails and other's comments, I already feel like I know the woman who runs the place, Helen. So we hope she will have room for us. It is much cheaper than staying at an American hotel and much more of an experience. Perhaps we will stay at the Sheraton one night??
I discovered today that we get custody of our child as soon as we are in Addis and ready so that is very exciting. I thought we would have to wait several days. It seems to be different with every agency.
We are also trying to find a place to move into in Aurora before we travel. We decided that it would be best not to uproot our little one again so soon. So we will try to find something and just move the necessities before we go.
We will receive all our immunizations on Arpil 29th. I believe we will be getting: Hep A, Typhoid, Yellow Fever, and 2or 3 more. We will also be given sleeping pills for the plane ride and jet lag, Malaria meds if we decide to leave the capital city, and a treatment for Scabies which we have been told our little guy has. I am not too fond of needles so this will be quite the adventure for me. Maybe it will cure me!
I am also trying to order and purchase all the things we will need for this new baby. Not a whole lot but definitely still keeping me busy.
It is such an exhilirating time for us but please remember us in your thoughts and prayers. May God be with us in all the details and preparations.
Friday, March 7, 2008
We're pregnant!
Yes! We are expecting a 7-8 month old boy around the end of April, beginning of May.
We sent our Dossier to Washington D.C. for authentication at the Department of State and the Embassy of Ethiopia 3-4 weeks ago. We sent via courier service specifically used for adoption proceedings. The Dossier flied through D.C. in a week's time and then was shipped back to our agency. We received word on February 18th that our Dossier had made it back to the agency and that we would be notified when it was sent on to Ethiopia. On February 29th after welcoming my nephew, Freedom, into our family, I emailed our social worker to see what was going on as we still had not heard from her. She emailed me back to let me know that the Dossier was sent on February 19th and that she was trying to get a hold of us.
I got off the computer and was a little shaky. I was pretty sure that if she was trying to call us it could only be referral information of a possible child. But I didn't want to get my hopes up either. We had been told that it would take 2-4 months for a referral. Our Dossier had only been in country 10 days.
I emailed her a number to reach me at and waited.
She called me at 11:14 a.m. and wasted no time beating around the bush. There was indeed a referral for us! I was so shocked I just wrote the information down with seemingly no emotion at all. My mom was watching for an reaction to give her a clue about the reason for the call but left the room when she saw me so emotionless.
The referral is for a 6 month old boy. We are given ten business days to pray about it and discuss the medical report with a doctor. We have found a doctor specializing in reveiwing referrals in Ohio who has agreed to help us for free. Isaac faxed the information over today. Barring any major issues, we will accept the referral and move right along.
After the acceptance of a referral we will be given a court date, probably one to two months out. If we pass that right away, we will travel 2 weeks later.
We are stunned that everything has been happening so quickly lately. Our agency works with five different orphanages in Ethiopia so that certainly helps speed the process along. We are not allowed to share details about the referral as he is not legally our child yet. I will tell you all, however, that when I saw his picture, I instantly felt connected to him. I cannot wait to meet him and hold him in my arms.
Z is very excited to be a big brother and meet his new playmate. When I told him the news, he ran into my arms with a big grin on his face and said "I really wanted a boy!". Precious. I am soaking up my time with him right now and trying to make it clear to him that he is still loved and important. I think it will be difficult for him for a little while but, all in all, he is very proud and happy.
When I called I. to tell him, I couldn't get through because they had a power outage that messed up their phones. I was freaking out having to wait. I emailed him and told him to call me. When he did I had Z get on and say "I'm going to have a baby brother". I. was very confused and didn't believe me when I told him. It was all so big and sudden, he had to hang up, collect himself, and then call me back. We were all on cloud nine, and still are.
God is good!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
News on the Adoption front:
- We received yet another grant. This time it was awarded by our agency, CWA. We applied for that grant several months ago and thought we didn't get it. So to receive the letter in the mail was quite a surprise. We have been abundantly blessed.
- We sent our Dossier to a courier in DC on Saturday February, 9th. It went from there to the Department of State for authentication, then to the Embassy of Ethiopia. Then it went back to the courier and on to our adoption agency. From there, they will send it on to Ethiopia and we will be officially on the waiting list for a referral. Very soon! It is amazing to me how quickly things have moved in the last couple of months.
- We are excited to know whether it will be a boy or girl so that we can shop and set up the room accordingly.
In other news:
- We are now in a position to start looking for a place of our own. We will be looking at places in Aurora to be close to Isaac's office. After driving over an hour everyday to get to work, it will be nice to have him home much more and even have lunch with him sometimes. It will still be a bit of a drive to the grandparents and friends but much better than where we are right now! It has been wonderful to have a place to stay and to experience the Springs but we are looking forward to being settled and being back in Denver. We don't know exactly when we will move, it really depends on the adoption. We do not want to change any more forms! But the prospect of a move soon keeps me going.
- We are anxiously awaiting the birth of our nephew. My sister, Brooke, is due any day now. I will be in the delivery room as long as there are no complications. This is an exciting opportunity for me. I am so honored to be a such a huge part of this event. And it will be good for me to experience a birth other than my own so that I can decide about my desire to become a birth coach/doula.
- I am thoroughly enjoying having a bit of peace and stillness back after all the work for the adoption. It is rather strange to have time for other things. I am trying to keep life simple for a while. We will see how long that lasts. I think I thrive on chaos.
Enough on me for now...
Monday, February 4, 2008
All Good
No mistakes on our Dossier. They will be sending us the last two papers we need and then we can send the original to DC.
Thanks for your prayers!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Gone going
We sent our Dossier to the agency for review at 11:45 today. It felt so amazing to send it off. Yay!
Please pray that it will travel safely and smoothly, and that there would be nothing needing to be redone.
If there are no problems we should have it back in about a week to send on to DC.
Praise God!
Please pray that it will travel safely and smoothly, and that there would be nothing needing to be redone.
If there are no problems we should have it back in about a week to send on to DC.
Praise God!
A Success
So we had our benefit dinner for the adoption on Sunday, January 20th. It was a huge success. The space was donated by Red and Jerry's, a large entertainment center in Denver. They also provided the food at cost, which was such a huge help. They even made Ethiopian food which is not easy for someone who has never made it before, and it turned out really well. The room was beautiful and suited our needs perfectly. It was such a huge blessing.
We had a good turn out. We are so grateful to those that were able to come and support us. We raised over $3000 which was beyond our expectations.
God continues to amaze us by providing so thoroughly and we are so thankful for all the loving and generous people He has put in our life!
We had a good turn out. We are so grateful to those that were able to come and support us. We raised over $3000 which was beyond our expectations.
God continues to amaze us by providing so thoroughly and we are so thankful for all the loving and generous people He has put in our life!
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