Jacob got in trouble yesterday because he wanted to ride his bike around the block like Joseph. I told him "No!" , and then told him "No!" again and then he started to ride around the block -- onto our busy street! He came back when I started yelling like a crazy woman!
Of course right before that Danny had fallen and was crying and Addy was wanting to be carried like a baby! Marta had also gone around the block because I thought she was asking to have her picture taken and I said yes... to the picture! NOT TO RIDING AROUND THE BLOCK! So when Jacob asked, it was a very clear, "NO!"
Jacob came back and was sad and mad and embarrased. I told him no more bike today and made him sit and watch the rest of the kids. He was TICKED! When Ben got home, Danny was done crying, Addy was playing, Marta was back (and had her bike taken for the day), and Joseph was there to translate, we explained how scared I was and how he CANNOT do that again! Joseph was busy talking to him explaining everything and kept looking at me while talking. We finally asked him to tell us what Jacob was saying... Joseph looked away and said, "he want Ethiopia Mommy" My heart was crushed -- I think it still is. I did what all good parents would do... I said, "well that' s not gonna happen - Jacob, I am your mom and you have to stay here!" I am not sure what came over me... I wish it was sympathy and compassion but I think my heart was still racing from the image of a smooshed Jacob in the street.
After a very pitiful apology from Jacob I marched him up to my room and MADE him sit with me on my bed. He was not going to bend and he was still ticked. I knew that the rest of the night could go 2 ways, he could pout and mope and be rotten to be around OR I could try to mend and establish a stronger bond with his American Mommy. I started talking to him about school and he gave very short answers or ignored me completely. I sat there and prayed, "God tell me what to do!" Suddenly, I was telling Jacob... "When Jacob is 8 - I am your Mommy, when Jacob is 10... when Jacob is 12, when Jacob is 100 I will always be your Mommy and I will always love you and you will always be with me. " This monlogue went on for several minutes and then suddenly he grabbed me and kissed me and said he loves me and that he was sorry. He cuddled into me and kissed me again... THANK YOU, GOD for the words to say to a little boy who is hurting and missing his Ethiopian Mommy... the one who understands what he says, makes the food that he loves best, and smells like home!
The rest of the evening was better... not great - but better! I guess the whole 2 steps forward, 1 step back is so very true!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Dinner
Our good friend Alyssa, who also is our babysitter, made us dinner the other night. We all loved it! It was Chile Enchiladas and the kids were pretty sure it was buffalo enchiladas... when Joseph
asked what it was I told him that it was tortillas, meat and beans.
He got a horrified look and made this flying motion... "no, Mom, no buzz!"
He thought I had said meat and bees!
Hee Hee
asked what it was I told him that it was tortillas, meat and beans.
He got a horrified look and made this flying motion... "no, Mom, no buzz!"
He thought I had said meat and bees!
Hee Hee
Fine Line
It's a very fine line between being "mean" and "training" our kiddos in the ways of our home and their new home. Jacob has a wonderfully strong personality and knows his likes and dislikes. He will also share those very passionately at times. Yesterday he came home from school because he was "sick". His sickness was due to a peanut butter sandwich that did not look good to him. I am sure that part of his illness also came from being tired - but he was magically healed when the bikes came out after school. We had a little chat before school today that if he was "pouting or moping" (which I did a great charades routine to demonstrate) then he would get no TV or bike today... mean, I know! We also did charades for "EAT YOUR LUNCH" at school. I think I got the point across. I just called to check on him -- for the 2nd time today -- and all is well! He semi-reluctantly ate his lunch and was happy to go to recess. Phew...
The other "training" opportunities which present themselves include:
toilet paper roll replacement, toilet seat positioning, dishwasher loading, garbage taking out, laundry recepticle useage, spitting etiquitte, remote control - control, volume control, singing 6 different songs in the car - ALL AT ONCE, being quiet when people are sleeping, not turning on the lights when people are sleeping, speaking Amharic at the dinner table (outlawed at dinner as of last Saturday), saying, "No, Thank-you" when you do not want somehting, eating at least a few bites of whatever is offered for dinner - I am NOT a short order cook, computer care and useage, the use of a refridgerator and freezer, bicycle and car safety issues, seatbelt use, shower curtain use - it MUST BE INSIDE THE SHOWER to work properly....
I am sure there are more but that was the list from THIS MORNING :) Just kidding - sort of! It is such a funny thing to have to do so much of this all at once. I bet their brains are just spinning! I think about how much my brain absorbed while in Ethiopia and how many things I completely missed because I was so busy being overwhelmed by the sights, smells and experiences... I try to keep this in mind when I have to repeat things over and over...
Thank you God, for patience and your PERFECT PEACE! Amen!
The other "training" opportunities which present themselves include:
toilet paper roll replacement, toilet seat positioning, dishwasher loading, garbage taking out, laundry recepticle useage, spitting etiquitte, remote control - control, volume control, singing 6 different songs in the car - ALL AT ONCE, being quiet when people are sleeping, not turning on the lights when people are sleeping, speaking Amharic at the dinner table (outlawed at dinner as of last Saturday), saying, "No, Thank-you" when you do not want somehting, eating at least a few bites of whatever is offered for dinner - I am NOT a short order cook, computer care and useage, the use of a refridgerator and freezer, bicycle and car safety issues, seatbelt use, shower curtain use - it MUST BE INSIDE THE SHOWER to work properly....
I am sure there are more but that was the list from THIS MORNING :) Just kidding - sort of! It is such a funny thing to have to do so much of this all at once. I bet their brains are just spinning! I think about how much my brain absorbed while in Ethiopia and how many things I completely missed because I was so busy being overwhelmed by the sights, smells and experiences... I try to keep this in mind when I have to repeat things over and over...
Thank you God, for patience and your PERFECT PEACE! Amen!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Weekend
Our weekend was a lot of fun, the kids enjoyed Open Gym at a gymnastics studio and 2 hours at the play land at Carl’s Jr. We had the entire place to ourselves and the kids were worn out when we were done. We spent a lot of time talking… the kids English is improving daily! The following is my favorite conversation from the weekend!
We had just gotten back in the car after a wild and crazy soccer game at the park…
Danny: It’s too hot in here.
Lilly: It’s too hot in here.
Addy: It’s too hot
Joseph: it’s too hot
Jacob: It’s three hot!
English is so hard to learn! It is cracking me up the both Lilly and Addy are learning Amharic! J Very fun!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Last Night
I would like to give you a great update on yesterday, but I can't... I was asleep at 6:45! I slept most of the night and only got up to help with a cranky and sick Addy - but really, Ben did most of it! He is amazing!!!
Today, I feel like a new woman! Adoption is tough, people. So much harder than I ever imagined and at the same time... so much better! Our 6 kids are truly amazing and watching them form relationships with one another makes me smile! Lilly and Joseph have been bonding lately... yesterday they were listening to Joseph's Amharic music on the Walk-Man from Aunt Rebecca. They were sharing headphones and it was super cute! The day before it was praise music in English on the iPod from Grandpa - it is great to see them come together!
Keep praying for the kiddos and for Ben and I as we battle exhaustion and a sick kiddo... please don't let the rest of them get it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today, I feel like a new woman! Adoption is tough, people. So much harder than I ever imagined and at the same time... so much better! Our 6 kids are truly amazing and watching them form relationships with one another makes me smile! Lilly and Joseph have been bonding lately... yesterday they were listening to Joseph's Amharic music on the Walk-Man from Aunt Rebecca. They were sharing headphones and it was super cute! The day before it was praise music in English on the iPod from Grandpa - it is great to see them come together!
Keep praying for the kiddos and for Ben and I as we battle exhaustion and a sick kiddo... please don't let the rest of them get it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Doctor Appointments and Bicyles
We spent the day yesterday driving to and from Portland, visiting with Aunt Rebecca and seeing an Adoption MD. It all went well and we were glad to get home! The kids favorite part was seeing Aunt Rebecca, Jesse and THEIR NEW BIKES!!! They are so cool and the kids were beyond thrilled. I will post pictures soon!
I spent a lot of time thinking about the kids last LONG car ride. It was when they left their mom and were taken to the care center/orphanage in Addis. That car ride was about 8 hours and I am guessing one of the saddest times of their lives. I wonder what parts of our drive yesterday stirred memories? Did they have any of those moments when your stomach feels like a giant pit and you want to curl up and cry? Did they think about looking at their mom in the rearview mirror that one last time as they drove away from their home and EVERYTHING they loved?
The kids are adjusting so well that I often forget what a horribly hard road they have traveled to get here. They watched their dad, the man who they loved deeply, get sick and die. They grieved and then soon found that their mom was sick too. And right after that they were told that they were being adopted. What a day of rejoicing it was for us - but the day they were told must have been incomprehensible. I think about that day, that conversation, in terms of Danny - and I get sick to my stomach. Because I cannot imagine it. I cannot believe it is possible. And yet here I sit in a house with 3 kids who have lived it, are adjusting to it and will survive it.
Thank you, God that you were in the car with them as they drove away from Sodo, from their mom, from all that they held dear. Be with them Lord as we adjust to a family life that is so very different. Amen.
I ask that you keep the kids in your prayers this week -- I anticipate that the shock will begin to wear off and the emotions will come. I anticipate that, while they will still be wonderful, it could be a hard few weeks/months as we all adjust and bend to meet each need and fall in love as a family.
There is an old Tanya Tucker song... 'Strong Enough to Bend' That is what I pray we are in the coming weeks!
Here are the lyrics
There's a tree out in the backyard
That never has been broken by the wind
And the reason its still standing
It was strong enough to bend
For years, we have stayed together
As lovers and as friends
What we have will last forever
If we're strong enough to bend
When you say something that you can't take back
Big wind blows and you hear a little crack
When you say "Hey well I might be wrong"
You can sway with the wind till the storm is gone
Sway with the wind till the storm is gone
Like a tree out in the backyard
That never has been broken by the wind
Our love will last forever
If we're strong enough to bend
When you start thinkin' that you know it all
Big wind blows and a branch will fal
lWhen you say "Hey this job takes two"
We can sway with the wind till the skies turn blue
Sway with the wind till the skies turn blue
Like a tree out in the backyard
That never has been broken by the wind
Our love will last forever if we're strong enough to bend
Our love will last forever if we're strong enough to bend.
I spent a lot of time thinking about the kids last LONG car ride. It was when they left their mom and were taken to the care center/orphanage in Addis. That car ride was about 8 hours and I am guessing one of the saddest times of their lives. I wonder what parts of our drive yesterday stirred memories? Did they have any of those moments when your stomach feels like a giant pit and you want to curl up and cry? Did they think about looking at their mom in the rearview mirror that one last time as they drove away from their home and EVERYTHING they loved?
The kids are adjusting so well that I often forget what a horribly hard road they have traveled to get here. They watched their dad, the man who they loved deeply, get sick and die. They grieved and then soon found that their mom was sick too. And right after that they were told that they were being adopted. What a day of rejoicing it was for us - but the day they were told must have been incomprehensible. I think about that day, that conversation, in terms of Danny - and I get sick to my stomach. Because I cannot imagine it. I cannot believe it is possible. And yet here I sit in a house with 3 kids who have lived it, are adjusting to it and will survive it.
Thank you, God that you were in the car with them as they drove away from Sodo, from their mom, from all that they held dear. Be with them Lord as we adjust to a family life that is so very different. Amen.
I ask that you keep the kids in your prayers this week -- I anticipate that the shock will begin to wear off and the emotions will come. I anticipate that, while they will still be wonderful, it could be a hard few weeks/months as we all adjust and bend to meet each need and fall in love as a family.
There is an old Tanya Tucker song... 'Strong Enough to Bend' That is what I pray we are in the coming weeks!
Here are the lyrics
There's a tree out in the backyard
That never has been broken by the wind
And the reason its still standing
It was strong enough to bend
For years, we have stayed together
As lovers and as friends
What we have will last forever
If we're strong enough to bend
When you say something that you can't take back
Big wind blows and you hear a little crack
When you say "Hey well I might be wrong"
You can sway with the wind till the storm is gone
Sway with the wind till the storm is gone
Like a tree out in the backyard
That never has been broken by the wind
Our love will last forever
If we're strong enough to bend
When you start thinkin' that you know it all
Big wind blows and a branch will fal
lWhen you say "Hey this job takes two"
We can sway with the wind till the skies turn blue
Sway with the wind till the skies turn blue
Like a tree out in the backyard
That never has been broken by the wind
Our love will last forever if we're strong enough to bend
Our love will last forever if we're strong enough to bend.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Today
Today we are on our way to Portland to see an Adoption MD. She specializes in Adoptive Medicine and I have hear she is great. When I told my students that I would be gone today one of the students interrupted to ask what I was doing. I have been working really hard to teach them to wait until I call on them, so I kept explaining that even though I would be gone for the day I wanted them to be good. While I was explaining my expectations for their good behavior I overheard one of the kids say to THE INTERRUPTER, "OH! She's going to pick up more kids!" At that point, while laughing, I explained that I was just taking the kids to the doctor and that I was NOT going to be picking up any more kids! :) We WILL be visiting Aunt Rebecca (the kids are so excited to see her), eating some yummy Ethiopian food, shopping for injera and maybe Merinda (Marta's favorite drink). It promised to be a busy day!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The Dentist and Communication Problems
The kids had their first dental cleaning ever. For Marta and Jacob it was their first trip to a dentist ever. Joseph had a tooth pulled in Ethiopia and was very nervous about this visit. He kept asking, "Why dentist?" Super Grandpa picked up the younger two from school and he said it was a very somber trip. Poor kids! Amazingly they do not have a single cavity! That is fabulous. They all received flossing lessons and seemed to be happy when were done. I am so surprised to be able to tell a difference already! Their teeth and smiles were beautiful before, but today they are gleaming! The dentists and hygienists were so good with the kids and helped them along through the entire process. The teeth cleaning went well, took forever, and the kids were still speaking to me when it was over. I would say it was a success. When we first got there I realized I probably should have waited to do this for at least another month... but we were already settled in and the kids were fine. Ben had a softball game so between Grandpa and I we ran between rooms, calmed nerves and did a little bit of translating along the way. Joseph, we learned, has 6 wisdom teeth (if I understood correctly) and will need to have them pulled sometime this summer. Poor guy!
The big news today was that Dr. Ostler, an orthodontist in town, gave Dr. Matheson and his office 1 Orthodontia package to be given to a patient in need of braces/work (I am not sure of the details yet). They chose our sweet Marta to receive the gift. I cannot tell you how wonderful that moment was. I cried a bit and then gave Dr. Matheson a big hug. Ben and I had been wondering how we were going to pay for those! What a huge blessing for Ms. Marta.
Now for the Communication Problems... we were leaving the dentist office and I was overjoyed about the braces gift, and for those of you who know me well, that meant I was bee-bopping around and so excited! I turned to Marta and tried to explain braces and teeth straightening (while driving of course) and when she didn't understand I asked Joseph for the Amharic word for braces. He also didn't understand so I pointed to my teeth and said something... Joseph told me the word for braces was "Necatess". So with a huge grin I turned around to Marta and said, "Marta you get necatess." and was already imagining the excitement! Instead she got a HORRIFIED look on her face and began pleading with me, "No, Mommy please no necatess!" "Jesus no like necatess, Marta no like! PLEASE." Right away I begin saying "Marta necatess good, Jesus likes, Mommy likes, Mommy and Daddy necatess -- It's OK! Your teeth (pointing to teeth) straight! IT GOOD!!!!" My heart was pounding by this point as I am frantically trying to figure out how I will get this across and wondering WHAT KIND OF STRANGE RELIGION my kids were??? Would they not get a shot when the time came for immunizations? What about cold meds and the flu shot??? I was in a dizzy when I turned to Joseph to ask him about necatess. He and Marta then began showing me that necatess are tattoos which are often put on the gums and cheeks of women in their village. Ohhhhhhhhhh.... "No Marta, necatess different, these are BRACES! BRACES (yes, I was yelling) ARE GOOD! NO NECATESS for Marta (I am laughing at this point)! Marta, BRACES are different!" I believe that at that point she began to understand that braces are NOT NECATESS and looked a bit relieved -- not totally convinces but certainly not horrified. After a few more pronoun-free sentences she understood and Joseph and Jacob began laughing hysterically... they just kept saying, "Crazy Mommy, Crazy Marta!" I didn't stop them, I just laughed along with them... phew!!!!
Monday, April 21, 2008
To Ethiopia and Back -- Part II
To Ethiopia and Back Part II
From Part I...
time we had been traveling for about 28 hours (not including our night in the hotel in Portland) and it was so good to have clean clothes on. When we boarded our plane to Cairo we were so excited to each have an entire row to stretch out on... I slept for about 3 hours which was by far the most sleep I had had yet! I was so relaxed and getting so excited for the next part... then we landed in Cairo! EEEKKK!
Let me start by saying that Cairo is beautiful. They have these ornate street lights that light the entire city, you can see them from the plane and it looks almost magical. When we landed in Cairo we were herded into a waiting bus... much like at Portland Airport. I didn't realize that anything was amiss until I noticed that there was only 1 other woman on our bus. Then I thought about the fact that I was wearing a t-shirt, carpi's and sandals. Not innapropriate by our standards, but certainly not modest by Muslim standards. It was at that moment when Ben glared at me. Rebecca and I had been talking and there were 2 men on the bus who were scowling at us and it made Ben nervous. We were quiet for the rest of our trip - but we did NOT know where we were going. After about 15 minutes we arrived at a wing of the airport where men were standing holding signs for arriving guests. We
were very confused by this and became concerned -- they told us to go stand in a room with the other passengers. This room was windowless and had only 1 exit and was comprised of 50 or so men and Rebecca and I. The cigarette smoke was overwhelming and we were so very confused. A long and somewhat nerve racking 20 minutes passed before we were told to get on another bus. We truly had NO IDEA what was happening or where they were taking us. We ended up in another terminal of the airport where we were led into a building with a security checkpoint. The checkpoint moved fairly quickly but we were leaving in less than 40 minutes... After examining our bags, passports, and tickets we were led to another security clearance point. The podium that they use for the initial passport screening had a Muslim prayer rug folded and ready and many of the men working at the airport were wearing traditional Muslim clothing. It truly felt like we were in another world. By now we knew that our plane was leaving in less than 30 minutes and somehow we kept moving farther away
from the front of the line... the Cairo airport did not have a good NO CUTTING rule in effect :) We were all getting stressed knowing that there were no flights for 2 more days to Addis and we were wondering if they would even let us into the country without visas. Ben (in a moment of clarity) grabbed all 3 of our passports and PUSHED his way to the front. He says now that the clerk must have seen the desperation in his eyes because he quickly processed us and allowed us into the real airport. We left behind about 30 other passengers (including The Tennis Team) who did not end up making it onto the flight -- I keep wondering what happened to them. We then walked to our gate where we were screened again and were finally able to sit down at the gate. Can you see the pure joy and relief on our faces in the picture?
After less than 10 minutes we were screened AGAIN and then loaded onto another bus which took us to our airplane. We were on a fairly full flight but were still able to sleep. Throughout the 50 hours of travel we must have said 1,000 times, "can you believe we are going to ETHIOPIA???" The last 2 hours of our flight was surreal. We were so amazed and thankful that God had brought us to this place to bring our children home!
When we landed in Addis we quickly got off the plane, got visas, exchanged money, picked up our bags (THEY ALL MADE IT) and met Kassahoun who was employed by our agency and loved by our kids. He looked almost as tired as we did and was anxious to get us settled. He told us that he would be back at 11 to take us to pick up our kids. Woo Hoo! Driving through Addis at 4 am can lead you to believe that it is just like downtown LA or Portland (almost). We arrived at the Hilton and were surprised to see guards with AK-47's at the gate. We took our zillion bags inside and checked in quickly. A bellboy (that certainly cannot be politically correct) took our bags ahead of us and we all got into the elevator. Rebecca got off at the 5th floor and we pushed the button up to the 7th. As soon as the doors closed the power went off. We heard Rebecca yelp a bit but somehow did not panic. We attempted to pry open the doors, in our sleep fatigued state we must have thought we were Mr. and Mrs. McGyver, but we were stuck between floors. As we began to pray the power came on and we were on our way to our floor. We got to our room and felt like we were in heaven. It was lovely (not by American Hilton standards) and was to be our home for the next 6 days. We were so glad to be there. We ordered room service and ate the pancakes while unpacking and organizing. It was SUPER important to me that our room, the kids clothes, the kids backpacks ready, the bathroom be clean and WELL organized... I even wished I had brought some baskets to make it easier and more beautiful. I realize now that it was a bit silly but have chalked it up to Sleep Deprived Nesting which I have heard can be fatal :). So after 2 hours of frantic organinzing and bossing Ben around we fell asleep. We were surprised that we slept so well and woke up around 10:15. We showered and headed down to wait for Kassahoun in the lobby. I wandered over to the bakery and picked up a couple croissants and pretzels but we were all too excited to eat. Around 11:30 (considered on time by Ethiopian standards) we were loaded into the van to meet our kids. We rode to the Care Center with Nancy who was picking up her 8 year old twins, we had met at a training in Spokane back in November -- it was so fun to be together for this amazing day. Seeing Addis during the day was completely different and yet my mind was so focused on what was happening that I didn't even truly see it! I remember pulling up to the gate and getting out of the car. I remember saying something to Ben about not being very nervous and he agreed. I remember hearing Rebecca (it sounded as if she were underwater) saying something about our brain not processing things when it is so overwhelmed. I remember praying as Kassahoun knocked on the gate, "God prepare me so that when I am disappointed that it doesn't show... prepare me so that if the kids are sad or even angry that I don't take it personally". And then the gate opened!
From Part I...
We headed back to the hotel, prayed, and fell asleep right away.
We both slept pretty well, all things considered!
We woke up and I felt like I was in a movie... the alarm went off and my eyes popped open and I said, "TODAY IS THE DAY!" We could hardly believe it! We quickly got up showered and dressed. It was then that I realized I had left my curler, that would make my bangs somewhat normal for the next 8 days, at home... I asked the front desk for a pair of scissors and went to work chopping! It was bad. We spent less than 2 minutes praying for safe travels, for the kids, for grandparents and off we went. We got to the airport to find that our flight had been delayed... we were told that we would make our next flight so we settled in! It was at that moment I went looking for hair help! Did you know they have a salon in the Portland Airport? The kind hairdresser trimmed/fixed my bangs and I was off to find earrings (which I had also forgotten). I found a cute cheap pair and went to hang out with Rebecca and Ben. We were all giddy at this point and I think the people around us may have thought we were a tad bit crazy. We were making jokes and having a great time! When it was time to board our plane we were worn out (it was only 9:30) and were looking forward to a nap on the plane. I remember pretty much nothing of that flight except that the houses near Dulles are BEAUTIFUL! I was amazed at the mansions and beauty of DC in March! We got to DC and were put on this really weird PEOPLE MOVER thing! It is like a giant boxcar that gets driven all over the airport. We were taken to our gate where we were told that our flight was delayed... panic set in and we got stressed!
We quickly called our travel agent who assured us that we would be fine... a connection at the Cairo airport would not be a problem. We had dinner (paid for by Lufthansa) and settled in to wait! We finally got on the plane and endured the worst part of our travel. The flight was really hot and completely full. I prayed throughout the night that some day I would forget how horrible it had been! When we arrived in Frankfurt we discovered that we had missed our flight by 10 minutes and were sent to see an agent. We waited in line for about 2 hours with 20 - 30 others who were also traveling to Ethiopia. Some of the men had been with us in Dulles and I dubbed them THE TENNIS TEAM -- it didn't matter that they only had 1 tennis racket among the 12 of them... they were, and forever would be, The Tennis Team. We were told that we would be flying through Cairo and would arrive in Ethiopia only 6 hours later than planned! We enjoyed another meal which was partially paid for by Lufthansa... It was actually a $116 meal but we did have about $40 worth of meal vouchers.
I would say that the only good thing about our layover was that Ben got to have a beer in Germany and we all got to change clothes.
By this We woke up and I felt like I was in a movie... the alarm went off and my eyes popped open and I said, "TODAY IS THE DAY!" We could hardly believe it! We quickly got up showered and dressed. It was then that I realized I had left my curler, that would make my bangs somewhat normal for the next 8 days, at home... I asked the front desk for a pair of scissors and went to work chopping! It was bad. We spent less than 2 minutes praying for safe travels, for the kids, for grandparents and off we went. We got to the airport to find that our flight had been delayed... we were told that we would make our next flight so we settled in! It was at that moment I went looking for hair help! Did you know they have a salon in the Portland Airport? The kind hairdresser trimmed/fixed my bangs and I was off to find earrings (which I had also forgotten). I found a cute cheap pair and went to hang out with Rebecca and Ben. We were all giddy at this point and I think the people around us may have thought we were a tad bit crazy. We were making jokes and having a great time! When it was time to board our plane we were worn out (it was only 9:30) and were looking forward to a nap on the plane. I remember pretty much nothing of that flight except that the houses near Dulles are BEAUTIFUL! I was amazed at the mansions and beauty of DC in March! We got to DC and were put on this really weird PEOPLE MOVER thing! It is like a giant boxcar that gets driven all over the airport. We were taken to our gate where we were told that our flight was delayed... panic set in and we got stressed!
We quickly called our travel agent who assured us that we would be fine... a connection at the Cairo airport would not be a problem. We had dinner (paid for by Lufthansa) and settled in to wait! We finally got on the plane and endured the worst part of our travel. The flight was really hot and completely full. I prayed throughout the night that some day I would forget how horrible it had been! When we arrived in Frankfurt we discovered that we had missed our flight by 10 minutes and were sent to see an agent. We waited in line for about 2 hours with 20 - 30 others who were also traveling to Ethiopia. Some of the men had been with us in Dulles and I dubbed them THE TENNIS TEAM -- it didn't matter that they only had 1 tennis racket among the 12 of them... they were, and forever would be, The Tennis Team. We were told that we would be flying through Cairo and would arrive in Ethiopia only 6 hours later than planned! We enjoyed another meal which was partially paid for by Lufthansa... It was actually a $116 meal but we did have about $40 worth of meal vouchers.
I would say that the only good thing about our layover was that Ben got to have a beer in Germany and we all got to change clothes.
time we had been traveling for about 28 hours (not including our night in the hotel in Portland) and it was so good to have clean clothes on. When we boarded our plane to Cairo we were so excited to each have an entire row to stretch out on... I slept for about 3 hours which was by far the most sleep I had had yet! I was so relaxed and getting so excited for the next part... then we landed in Cairo! EEEKKK!Let me start by saying that Cairo is beautiful. They have these ornate street lights that light the entire city, you can see them from the plane and it looks almost magical. When we landed in Cairo we were herded into a waiting bus... much like at Portland Airport. I didn't realize that anything was amiss until I noticed that there was only 1 other woman on our bus. Then I thought about the fact that I was wearing a t-shirt, carpi's and sandals. Not innapropriate by our standards, but certainly not modest by Muslim standards. It was at that moment when Ben glared at me. Rebecca and I had been talking and there were 2 men on the bus who were scowling at us and it made Ben nervous. We were quiet for the rest of our trip - but we did NOT know where we were going. After about 15 minutes we arrived at a wing of the airport where men were standing holding signs for arriving guests. We
were very confused by this and became concerned -- they told us to go stand in a room with the other passengers. This room was windowless and had only 1 exit and was comprised of 50 or so men and Rebecca and I. The cigarette smoke was overwhelming and we were so very confused. A long and somewhat nerve racking 20 minutes passed before we were told to get on another bus. We truly had NO IDEA what was happening or where they were taking us. We ended up in another terminal of the airport where we were led into a building with a security checkpoint. The checkpoint moved fairly quickly but we were leaving in less than 40 minutes... After examining our bags, passports, and tickets we were led to another security clearance point. The podium that they use for the initial passport screening had a Muslim prayer rug folded and ready and many of the men working at the airport were wearing traditional Muslim clothing. It truly felt like we were in another world. By now we knew that our plane was leaving in less than 30 minutes and somehow we kept moving farther away
from the front of the line... the Cairo airport did not have a good NO CUTTING rule in effect :) We were all getting stressed knowing that there were no flights for 2 more days to Addis and we were wondering if they would even let us into the country without visas. Ben (in a moment of clarity) grabbed all 3 of our passports and PUSHED his way to the front. He says now that the clerk must have seen the desperation in his eyes because he quickly processed us and allowed us into the real airport. We left behind about 30 other passengers (including The Tennis Team) who did not end up making it onto the flight -- I keep wondering what happened to them. We then walked to our gate where we were screened again and were finally able to sit down at the gate. Can you see the pure joy and relief on our faces in the picture?After less than 10 minutes we were screened AGAIN and then loaded onto another bus which took us to our airplane. We were on a fairly full flight but were still able to sleep. Throughout the 50 hours of travel we must have said 1,000 times, "can you believe we are going to ETHIOPIA???" The last 2 hours of our flight was surreal. We were so amazed and thankful that God had brought us to this place to bring our children home!
When we landed in Addis we quickly got off the plane, got visas, exchanged money, picked up our bags (THEY ALL MADE IT) and met Kassahoun who was employed by our agency and loved by our kids. He looked almost as tired as we did and was anxious to get us settled. He told us that he would be back at 11 to take us to pick up our kids. Woo Hoo! Driving through Addis at 4 am can lead you to believe that it is just like downtown LA or Portland (almost). We arrived at the Hilton and were surprised to see guards with AK-47's at the gate. We took our zillion bags inside and checked in quickly. A bellboy (that certainly cannot be politically correct) took our bags ahead of us and we all got into the elevator. Rebecca got off at the 5th floor and we pushed the button up to the 7th. As soon as the doors closed the power went off. We heard Rebecca yelp a bit but somehow did not panic. We attempted to pry open the doors, in our sleep fatigued state we must have thought we were Mr. and Mrs. McGyver, but we were stuck between floors. As we began to pray the power came on and we were on our way to our floor. We got to our room and felt like we were in heaven. It was lovely (not by American Hilton standards) and was to be our home for the next 6 days. We were so glad to be there. We ordered room service and ate the pancakes while unpacking and organizing. It was SUPER important to me that our room, the kids clothes, the kids backpacks ready, the bathroom be clean and WELL organized... I even wished I had brought some baskets to make it easier and more beautiful. I realize now that it was a bit silly but have chalked it up to Sleep Deprived Nesting which I have heard can be fatal :). So after 2 hours of frantic organinzing and bossing Ben around we fell asleep. We were surprised that we slept so well and woke up around 10:15. We showered and headed down to wait for Kassahoun in the lobby. I wandered over to the bakery and picked up a couple croissants and pretzels but we were all too excited to eat. Around 11:30 (considered on time by Ethiopian standards) we were loaded into the van to meet our kids. We rode to the Care Center with Nancy who was picking up her 8 year old twins, we had met at a training in Spokane back in November -- it was so fun to be together for this amazing day. Seeing Addis during the day was completely different and yet my mind was so focused on what was happening that I didn't even truly see it! I remember pulling up to the gate and getting out of the car. I remember saying something to Ben about not being very nervous and he agreed. I remember hearing Rebecca (it sounded as if she were underwater) saying something about our brain not processing things when it is so overwhelmed. I remember praying as Kassahoun knocked on the gate, "God prepare me so that when I am disappointed that it doesn't show... prepare me so that if the kids are sad or even angry that I don't take it personally". And then the gate opened!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Phone Calls
The kids were in a funk today... certainly to be expected! The last 2 days have been more emotional for them and we even have had a couple of "Time Out's". After church Joseph was especially having a hard day. He is rarely grumpy but today was different. No smiles, no teasing... We decided to let the kids call home today -- we had planned on doing it next week but felt that today was the day! Their mom does not have a phone but a neighbor does so we spent about 20 minutes trying to get through! We finally reached Bereket (the neighbor) who ran to get Mom! The joy that shone on the kids faces was indescribable. Ben and I both got to talk also. When I talked to Anat (Ethiopian Mom) our conversation went like this:
American Mom (Me): Hello
Ethiopian Mom: I love
American Mom: Thank you
Ethiopian Mom: Thank you children
American Mom: Amasayganalo, Xabier (thank you, Jesus) Konjo (beautiful) children
Ethiopian Mom: OK
American Mom: I love you, I love you!
It sounds very dorky when put like that... but trust me, it was wonderful!
I loved watching the kids talk. Anat (Mom in Ethiopian) was so excited to hear that we have a piano IN OUR HOUSE! Joseph played a quick "tune" for her... Note to self: Joseph definitely needs lessons! Jacob yelled into the phone for 10 minutes and then sat on my lap while grinning from ear to ear for the rest of the hour. Marta talks like me and Anat - her hands were flying around the entire time she was on the phone. Joseph is such a man but his joy at talking to the woman who loves him more than anyone in the world was very obvious. I am so glad for the time they had on the phone. We also got an address (probably a neighbor) so we hope to be able to send pictures soon. I wonder what she will think of the pictures of them riding bikes, going to school and being kids?
Does this hurt our bonding to let them call home? Is it harder for their mom when we call? Are we sure that we should be calling and letting them talk to mom every month or so? The answers to those questions are hard. We have used our heart to direct this part of the process and feel that their connection to Anat and Ethiopia is as important as their bond to us and America... if they felt that is had to be a choice between the two -- which would they choose??? I am thankful that we don't feel that it has to one or the other!
God has blessed us with 6 amazing kids. 3 kids who have loved us their whole lives and are now willingly sharing us. 3 kids who have lost everything that was dear to them and are learning to love us and trust us with their hopes and dreams. Amasayganalo, Jesus!
American Mom (Me): Hello
Ethiopian Mom: I love
American Mom: Thank you
Ethiopian Mom: Thank you children
American Mom: Amasayganalo, Xabier (thank you, Jesus) Konjo (beautiful) children
Ethiopian Mom: OK
American Mom: I love you, I love you!
It sounds very dorky when put like that... but trust me, it was wonderful!
I loved watching the kids talk. Anat (Mom in Ethiopian) was so excited to hear that we have a piano IN OUR HOUSE! Joseph played a quick "tune" for her... Note to self: Joseph definitely needs lessons! Jacob yelled into the phone for 10 minutes and then sat on my lap while grinning from ear to ear for the rest of the hour. Marta talks like me and Anat - her hands were flying around the entire time she was on the phone. Joseph is such a man but his joy at talking to the woman who loves him more than anyone in the world was very obvious. I am so glad for the time they had on the phone. We also got an address (probably a neighbor) so we hope to be able to send pictures soon. I wonder what she will think of the pictures of them riding bikes, going to school and being kids?
Does this hurt our bonding to let them call home? Is it harder for their mom when we call? Are we sure that we should be calling and letting them talk to mom every month or so? The answers to those questions are hard. We have used our heart to direct this part of the process and feel that their connection to Anat and Ethiopia is as important as their bond to us and America... if they felt that is had to be a choice between the two -- which would they choose??? I am thankful that we don't feel that it has to one or the other!
God has blessed us with 6 amazing kids. 3 kids who have loved us their whole lives and are now willingly sharing us. 3 kids who have lost everything that was dear to them and are learning to love us and trust us with their hopes and dreams. Amasayganalo, Jesus!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
