Swimming

Wednesday and Thursday mornings we decided to enjoy the beautiful pool at the Sheraton. We found a children's pool that had a slide and on the other side steps. Addis & Mulu had a great time.



Steve and I both got burned in the African sun. We covered up our legs because mine got burned so bad last year, and I thought I had put enough sunscreen on my chest and shoulder area, but I apparently missed some spots.

Shopping & Embassy

We were picked up in the a.m. by a driver to take us to the CWAE compound to talk to the counselor about Addis & Mulu. She affirmed that Steve & I need to be there for the girls as Addis especially was quite attached with her father. We need to fill that hole for her as much as we can.

While we were there the counselor asked if we wanted to see the girl's compound and we said, "Yes!" She walked over there with us and as soon as we entered the gates the other girls flocked around our girls. Hugs and kisses abounded. We were taken in and shown where the girls slept. They slept in different rooms from each other because of age. Kind of sad that they weren't kept together, but that's my perspective.

When we were done touring the compound the staff came around us and prayed for the girls and for our strength as parents. They laid hands on us and they prayed. It was very powerful and emotional to hear even though we didn't understand a thing they were saying. It was from their lips to God's ears.

We walked back to the boy's compound and told our driver we were ready to go. He took us to Churchhill Rd. to buy some dresses and then to the Kaffa House to buy some coffee. Steve loves the strong Ethiopian coffee and says it's "high octane."

We went back to the hotel when we were done so we could rest and get ready for the embassy appt. Our embassy was successful. We were questioned as to a death certficate for the mother. We don't know how, when, where or what she died from, so there was no way we could have produced a death certificate.

We found out that the passports/visas would be delivered on Thursday morning so we headed to the Hilton where the Ethiopian Airlines ticket office was able to chang our flight from Friday to Thursday with a $100 fee each for me & Steve. We just had a longer layover in D.C., but at least we would be back in the states.

When we got back to the Sheraton we went to dinner at Breezes. We had pizza, of which I scraped off the cheese because it was gross. I didn't realize I had such a picky palate, but I've figured out my mouth doesn't like international travel. It's American born and raised.

Lights were out at 8pm. We would wake up about 3am and stay quiet so the girls could sleep.

Tomorrow: Swimming & visiting the KVI orphanage

Pictures of our Meeting!

Here we are!

Waiting for the girls to walk through the gate.

Mommy, Addis & Mulu

Mulu, Addis & Daddy

Sporting their Americanized look.

CWAE staff at the girl's compound. Most passionate prayer warriors I've ever come across.

Pictures from Friday/Saturday

Our family except Jesse who was working
Sarah in her new Ethiopian dress
Family & friends in Ethiopian dress
Jake pushing the girls in the backyard
Mulu
Addis

Meeting Our Girls

We were picked up by Kassahun about 2pm. There were two other couples in the van going to meet their children too! I was most surprised by what we traveled in: a NEW Sprinter van. I couldn't believe it! In August we rode around the city in a jeep which meant children HAD to sit on an adult lap. This time everyone just about had their own seat.

We arrived at the boy's compound and waited for Addis & Mulu to arrive from the girl's compound which was down the street and up an alley. The nurse was talking to me about their shot records so I didn't see them come in. Darn it! I looked down and Mulu was in front of me with a HUGE smile. I instantly turned the video camera on to try and catch Addis & Steve meeting. We all hugged and kissed. They were so beautiful!

(I'll have pictures later, Steve has his camera in his car.)

After the other couples met their children we drove across town to the CWAE office to complete our embassy paperwork and pay any owed fees. Steve took the girls into another room while I was going over the paperwork with Sheka. They emptied their backpacks and had fun playing with their Barbies and their cameras.

We rode back to the Sheraton and headed back to our room. The girls were a little scared when the elevator took off, but it soon turned into fun.

They are amazed with things we take for granted; the different ways that toilets flush, the different ways that a faucet turns on, drinking fountains, the pool, straws, elevators & escalators. They giggle with excitement when they experience something for the first time.

We went to dinner at the Italian restaurant at the Sheraton. It was disgusting to me and I couldn't eat. Between the tiredness and my tummy not feeling right, Ethiopian Italian food was not appetizing to me. Steve loved his and the girls ate theirs so it must have just been me.

When it was time to go to bed the girls and I slept in a king bed and Steve slept on the roll-a-way. Addis kicked Mulu out of the spot next to me so she could sleep there. The next night I made sure Mulu got the coveted spot.

Travel to Ethiopia

Jesse drove us to the airport and came in with us. We had an extra bag and wanted to be able to send it home with him if it was going to be too expensive to take. It was. The airlines wanted $180 to take a 50 lb. bag of used clothing. We were allowed four bags total, two for each, with no extra charge. We each had our own suitcase plus two duffel bags for Kingdom Vision International's orphanages. We decided we would rather give Eyob (KVI) the $200 rather than the airlines.

I saw a couple that looked Ethiopian in the San Diego airport so I asked them if they were traveling to Ethiopia. They confirmed they were and told them we were too. I was able to ask questions about the ET church here in town. We continued our conversations in the Washington D.C. Dulles airport. He asked us where we were staying and he did call us to go for coffee, but because of time we weren't able to go. I'm hoping that we can connect somehow through divine intervention when they return to the San Diego area.

Our flight was long and uneventful. In the airport we paid and received our Ethiopian Visas. We then traded U.S. dollars for birr and then got in line for Immigration. While standing at the window I spotted Kassahun, our CWAE (Christian World Adoption Ethiopia) driver from last time. Once we made it through he greeted us by shaking hands with Steve and giving me a hug and saying, "Hi, Mama!"

All of our luggage made it safely and we loaded the bags in the car. He took us to the Sheraton and we were able to go to our room and shower before meeting our girls.