Ethiopia Day Four/Update

Got a brief e-mail from our agency last night that our paperwork is sitting at court and we're waiting to have a court date assigned. We were also told that things have slowed down a bit recently due to the court closures during the summer time and the backlog after they're re-opening.

Prayers go out to a the H. family who lost their two months old baby boy yesterday due to an infection (same orphanage we're adopting from). Can't imagine what they're going through right now. During our visit I realized a persistent cough on our baby (and the other baby that was visited by the other couple) and the chicken pox. I mentioned it to one of the workers there and she meant that ALL children have coughs all the time and most of them the chicken pox. Praying for the rest of the children there, and that God will protect them from further sicknesses. Praying for quick court and Embassy dates so we can get our children home as quickly as possible.

Ethiopia Day Four:

getting out of bed was torture this morning. We were up most of the night hugging the toilet bowl. Jes and I decided we'd try some tea and crackers for breakfast, but before that we medicated ourselves with Imodium, Pepto, Tylenol and Theraflu. We had important dates today. Our first date would be with our precious little daughter, the second one with the lawyer this afternoon.

We looked like Alien-zombies that haven't seen sunlight in centuries, sitting at that breakfast table trying to get some fluids into our system. Our waitress kept saying how sorry she was that we felt so miserable - bless her heart, it was not her fault and things like that do happen, lol.

The walk from the breakfast room to the car was like a walk though the desert. The drive to the orphanage with all the bumps didn't help much either.

We wobbled into the orphanages family room and waited for our YO. Jesse just hung halfway dead in that Sofa. I waited at the door, my knees shaking. And here she came again. Oh, how did I miss her the last two days. The Nanny handed her over and YO gave me a big "good morning" smile. This day I had the urge to check her out a little bit more. I wanted to see her feet, thighs (which were amazon-thighs by the way), her huge belly and just in general. Since she had her tongue stuck out most of the day we first met her I have gotten a bit suspicious. I know, I know, but it's the nurse coming out of me. If you have a simple sniffle I have 50 different scenarios running through my head on what it all could be and what complications a simple sniffle could lead to, hah........no comment, please.

So I checked her palms on feet and hands, her tongue, thickness of neck, shape of eyes - guess what I was checking for - pathetic, huh? Not that if would have mattered if she would have had anything, this is the child GOD has had in mind for us and THIS would be the child we will nurture and care for, come what may.

Today YO and I played quite a bit. I observed her developmental stages and of course, I'd say she's about 1-2 months behind, but so were Tarisa and Benaiah. After all, they ARE in an institution and not in a home, where they would get plenty one on one time.

Playing with our chunk of love :-)

Our friend who adopted through the same agency, visiting their baby as well was with us again this morning. We had a really good talk, ooooh'ed and aaaah'ed over our precious babies and just enjoyed those two hours that were given to us this morning with our babies.

Time passed way to quickly. Those two hours seemed like 10 minutes and the nannies were ready to pick up our babies. I asked one of the caretakers if I could visit two special babies, but was denied the next day, telling me that it would not be possible.

Jesse and Ed (the other PAP) started to chat while I witnessed something really heart wrenching happening in front of the "office" building. There was a woman sitting on the ground, surrounded by two man her age (early 30's). She held three pictures in her hand and just whaled over those pictures. I assumed it was either a relinquishment case or she just picked up some post placement pictures of her former child. I couldn't help but stare. I was so tempted to go over there and try to find out if she was OK, but had the feeling that was not my place. The two men kept hastingly talking onto that woman and encouraged her to get up. She did and they started moving. They walked right past me. That woman looked straight into my eyes. I could see she was in much emotional pain.

We headed back to our guesthouse. Jesse and I decided to take a nap before we had the meeting with the lawyer at 3 in the afternoon. Our nap surely felt good and we felt halfway decent again when we met up with the lawyer. The meeting was more then odd and I didn't see any purpose in it. We sat there and talked about the weather, Germany and living in the USA. Didn't sign anything, weren't asked anything, just really strange.

We headed back to the guesthouse and made a short stop to the supermarket to get some crackers, sprite and dried bread.
The supermarkets in Ethiopia pretty much carry everything, for a very high price and most items are exported from all kinds of parts of the world. Toys mainly come from China and are very cheap quality. Lot's of products were from Denmark and Europe (mainly crackers and sweets).........

We headed back to our room and slept. We slept from 5:30 p.m. that evening until 7 a.m. next morning. What a shame. Here we were in a foreign country, sleeping our time away, sigh....

Picture taken from the balcony of a small mall/supermarket

The other direction, towards the mountains.