The Faces of Ethiopia

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The rest of Day 1...

Sorry all this stuff is so late in coming!

So we arrived at The New Flower and Travis and Joanna wanted to know if we needed time to rest, refresh or shower. We said "No way! We are ready to meet our daughter!" They were like, "Are you sure you don't even wanna brush your teeth?" We are still hoping they weren't hinting at morning flight breath :o) We were just so eager to meet Felicity and our adreneline was definately in full swing. We dropped off the stuff and headed to the baby house. The weather was beautiful, like 75 and sunny. I loved waking up in Ethiopia, the sun would come through our window so bright and it was just a good feeling. Every day we were there was amazing weather. When we got to the baby house we sat down in the living room area that's downstairs. We chatted and then Travis and Joanna took the camcorder upstairs with them to tape Felicity coming down and meeting us the first time. They brought her to us and it was so sweet! She looked just like her pictures and she had the roundest belly (which has since started to shrink!). She wasn't too sure but she let me take her and we just got to know eachother for a little while. It's funny because you feel like you should know this person (after all I AM her mom right? I have seen her pictures...) but when they are put in your arms you realize you are just learning everything about them and it's neat. When she would start to fuss I would sing some which seemed to calm her. Paul was able to hold her without crying within a few minutes. The rest of the day she was a jewel, no crying or fussiness. She just went with the flow. She would just observe everywhere we went and what was going on but seemed really easy going. We drove around some the rest of the day kind of getting a feel for Ethiopia and looking around. We were able to get to know Travis and Joanna - some of Gladney's in country staff - a bit. They are really neat and we enjoyed our time with them. Their kids are really sweet too! We went to the local grocery store for some crackers and water. They have quite a bit of things there - baby food, wipes, etc. I think they didn't carry good brand diapers but we saw several local little shops (one by the New Flower) that had Pampers for sale. We headed back to our room in the evening and rested, rocked Felicity to sleep and marveled that our daughter was actually asleep in the same room as us!

Our First Day in Ethiopia (pt 1)

I had met another family adopting at the Mestas Family baby shower before they went to pick up their kids. They already had their referral for a sibling group of three (two girls and a boy) and at the time we were still waiting on our referral. I had not spoken with the wife, Deanna, at all after the shower (a good 3 or 4 mos ago) but Eileen informed me she was pretty sure we were on the same flights to Addis! I was excited and when we recognized them in DC. As we waited to board we were able to share all that God has done in our hearts through our adoptions. I was so thankful for all that the Lord was already doing to sweeten our journey. We kept checking in with one another through the flight and saying things like "Can you sleep?" and "What will our first meetings be like?", it was so nice to have someone else on the plane with us that was going though the same process (except for them it was x3!). I kept thinking "wow, all these people are just having a normal flight, visiting Ethiopia, or going back home but no one can tell that we are sitting here so excited to get to Ethiopia to meet our child!" We arrived in Ethiopia at about 8:30am. My sleeping was on and off through the flight and I was able to journal and pray some. It was hard for me to rest when I would think of meeting her - what would she be like? Would she like us? What was Ethiopia like? Etc. Etc. When we arrived we got in line for our visa and then made our way to get our bags. Right when you get to the belt to swipe bags through security these guys come up and grab your bags onto the belt. It happens kinda fast and your still a little confused as to why we couldn't just grab the bags and set them on the belt in front of us but these guys wanted a tip. We gave them one (100 birr- $10 US) and then he looked at us and said "for two!" so we gave him another 100 birr. I guess you are supposed to tip around 30 birr a bag. Just a tip for future travelers :o) Then we spotted Travis and Joanna pretty quickly because they were the only two white folks in a sea of black. We met our driver and headed to New Flower Guest House. This place is great! We had read a blurb of a review on another site where someone suggested the surrounding area seemed unsafe. This is crazy! There is a row of 3 houses next to eachother and each has a gate and a guard and the area is busy with people (we saw a lot of people walking the road outside the compound). There is a lot of construction in Addis, they seem to be building everywhere. You know your in Addis when you say "Oh! Our guest house is the one next to that pile of rocks" :o) Anyways, we felt incredibly safe there, really we felt safe the whole time in Addis. I can't think of a time we ever felt uneasy while being there, even when we got looks its a curious look and not a glare. The people are very very friendly. The guest House was clean and they offer a menu of food choices. We ate in a lot for only $2-3 each time You could eat Ethiopian (very yummy), fries, grilled cheese, pasta with tomato sauce which was really good because the sauce has some zip to it and is not at all like American, a tuna sandwich and a few other things.

*Balcony we shared with one other room*
*Our wonderful master room with a private bathroom (a big plus!)*

*View from right outside the guest house gate*

*Berhane, a guys who helps run the guest house. We got to know him and he was such a sweetheart!*

It was nice because we got to meet all these other adoptive families. There was about 3 other families (just in our house) with other agencies and we would all commute at night in the living room and would get to know eachother. A lot of times we would all sit around the table and eat dinner together. It was like a little family and we were able to compare, ask questions and learn a lot from others adoption experience. We are people people though, we love chatting and such so it was nice to have the option once the baby went to sleep and not just sit in the room. We really felt like we had hit the jackpot at this place and were able to interact more with the culture of Ethiopia. We got to know our guard and housekeeper (as much as we could with speaking bits of English) and was able to talk to Helen, the owner. She is Ethiopian and lived in the US for a while. She really has a heart toward adoptive families. She was very helpful and had medicines for the baby if needed and mentioned a hospital that had good care that was close by. Our bedroom was a master with it's own bathroom so if you plan to stay here I would request a master bedroom with private bath. Everyone else had to split a bathroom that was in the hallway of the rooms. They always had toast with butter, jam and coffee for breakfast. If you wanted eggs and other things you could order it. The house help was amazing! These ladies would go and go and go. If someone came in at 9:p requesting something to eat/drink they would get it, they would clean our room each day and were always doing something to keep things up. Most houses have a compound around them in Addis and in the back two rooms are attached for a guard and a housekeeper to live. We were informed they make about 600 birr ($60) a month! If you stay here, be generous and tip these sweet people. They were such servants to us. We got laundry done about 5-6 times and it was I think maybe totalled $30, and baby clothes are FREE! You could hear dogs barking at night and of course could hear the local mosque at 5 but it really wasn't that bad and we were used to it after a few nights. The walls are thin and you can hear people talking if they are standing in the hallway. We saved a lot of money and really enjoyed our stay. We got a major glimpse of all that God is doing to bring orphans into families because there were a lot of other families we met and many were adopting older children (like older than 8). We were blessed by their faith and encouraged by how God is pursuing even the older children to place them in christian homes. I guess this is enough for one post but I will post about meeting Felicity next time

YAY ATWOODS!!!

Go over and congratulate the Atwoods because they finally made it through court and are going to get Isaac! I was blessed to be able to see sweet little Isaac and take pics for the Atwoods while we were in Ethiopia and he is suich a cutie! He will fit into the Atwood family just perfect :o) Paul and I are SO happy for you guys and want to tell you that we have been so blessed to be side by side with you in this journey. Your friendship has brought much sweetness Keva and it's too bad we weren't friends before we started adopting Ethiopians! I cannot wait to see you holding Isaac and see him light up with happiness as he grows into his beautiful family. CONGRATS GUYS!

Never Go Hungry...

As I adjust to life with three, I need constant reminder that God is enough for me each day. As the newness of adoption wears off and I realize - yep I am STILL a sinner - I find myself once again at God's mighty throne pleading for mercies. He is faithful to provide them and reminds me of his goodness to me in giving me these three precious gifts. He will equip me each day with just what I need to bring him glory. May this encourage you as it has me this morning:
Taken from Spurgeon's Morning & Evening
“And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.”
2 Kings 25:30
Jehoiachin was not sent away from the king’s palace with a store to last him for months, but his provision was given him as a daily pension. Herein he well pictures the happy position of all the Lord’s people. A daily portion is all that a man really wants. We do not need tomorrow’s supplies; that day has not yet dawned, and its wants are as yet unborn. The thirst which we may suffer in the month of June does not need to be quenched in February, for we do not feel it yet; if we have enough for each day as the days arrive we shall never know want. Sufficient for the day is all that we can enjoy. We cannot eat or drink or wear more than the day’s supply of food and raiment; the surplus gives us the care of storing it, and the anxiety of watching against a thief. One staff aids a traveller, but a bundle of staves is a heavy burden. Enough is not only as good as a feast, but is all that the greatest glutton can truly enjoy. This is all that we should expect; a craving for more than this is ungrateful. When our Father does not give us more, we should be content with his daily allowance. Jehoiachin’s case is ours, we have a sure portion, a portion given us of the king, a gracious portion, and a perpetual portion. Here is surely ground for thankfulness.
Beloved Christian reader, in matters of grace you need a daily supply. You have no store of strength. Day by day must you seek help from above. It is a very sweet assurance that a daily portion is provided for you. In the word, through the ministry, by meditation, in prayer, and waiting upon God you shall receive renewed strength. In Jesus all needful things are laid up for you. Then enjoy your continual allowance. Never go hungry while the daily bread of grace is on the table of mercy.

Our Little Darling

I thought I would post a few recent pics of Felicity at home and a couple with our boys. She is doing so well! Waking up once at night to eat...that belly has to keep it's shape somehow! I really think the Lord led us to the right name because Felicity is such a happy girl. She LOVES her brothers so much and gets very excited when they are driving their trucks around her. Enjoy the pics and I promise to write about Ethiopia soon. We are certainly enjoying our three little ones.

We are home!

We arrived home yesterday pretty much wiped out but still running on adrenaline from introducing everyone to Felicity and finally seeing our boys! It was such a sweet day for us!!! My family all came to the airport with balloons and hugs and videotaped us greeting everyone. Then we all went back to our house for subs while the kids played outside and everyone got to see a little bit of our new little sweetie pie. My house was cleaned and organized in just about every corner. My mother is INCREDIBLE! We had signs welcoming Felicity home as well. I know it was you Alyson & Tara :o) She seems to be adjusting amazingly well! She defiantely knows the difference between other people and Paul and myself. Whenever she is being held she looks at our faces to see if it's okay and often times wants back to us. Our flight went pretty good, it was all together about 17 hours. We didn't sleep much at all (maybe an hour put together) just because we were uncomfortable and would walk the baby around, etc. The Lord made it pass quickly though and we were on cloud nine when we arrived in DC and only had a 45 min flight left to NC. I didn't blog much while in Ethiopia because we were simply very busy and enjoying the country! We stayed at New Flower Guest House and LOVED it. I will write more about it later, but our house did not have a computer but the main house - a 30 sec walk away - did have one. It was dial up and I would have to resize every picture so we just enjoyed our time there and posted a couple pics. I will post pics from everything and talk about our amazing experience. We have fallen in love with Ethiopia, it was incredible time for us. Our boys are in love with Felicity. They want to help feed, dress and play with her and Phin even tried to wipe her nose for her this morning! I am so thankful the Lord has given grace to match all the changes that have taken place in our family. The fears and worries that can come with adoption (and sometimes occur) are washed away as I see God always couples it with his mercy.

More Pictures!

Finally a Picture!

We are ALIVE!

We are here in Addis and loving every minute of it. We got Felicity on Monday but aren't able to post pics yet as the internet has been really slow. She warmed right up to us and now, 6 days in, she is just blossoming! She laughs, smiles and holds out her arms for both Paul and I. The Lord has truly blessed every part of our trip so far. Can I just say Ethiopians ADORE babies? Everywhere we go they goo goo and want to hold her and it's very sweet. The first day we got her and she fell asleep on me for a nap and we were eating at a restaurant when a wait came up, put two chairs together and laid down a blanket for her to sleep on. Our house guard wants to kiss her head every time he sees her and says "Baby! Hallo Baby". The people are beautiful and precious. It's beautiful weather here, like 75 every day. Felicity is already sleeping through the night and is has just truly lived up to her name, she's so happy. Both of us have felt great so far other than Paul getting a little overheated one day after he played soccer for an hour with some boys. The altitude is so much higher you get really worn out when playing sports or running. The orphanages were incredible and very difficult at the same time. I am looking at our precious gift, knowing she will never be 8 or 10 or 16 without parents but seeing so many that have been living without parents for 3 or 5 or 12 years. There was a little girl who was 4, Hannah, who wanted to hold my hand the whole time and would giggle at Felicity. They say that most babies will find a home and get referred but it's the children over 2 that have a harder time being adopted. The people have nothing here but love being Ethiopian. Hopefully I can send some pics before we head home but we will see. Thanks for everyone's prayer and encouragements! We feel them :)