Today was amazing! I am feeling so very tired after this amazing long day but am so happy! We started off by taking a bumpy car ride to the National Museum. I enjoyed this ride because we got to see a lot of Addis Ababa and the local neighborhoods and people. Downside was that it was so bumpy and the fumes were strong. Our kids said they felt bad from the ride. Well....about 5 minutes into the National Museum tour, our son threw up, no notice. Our driver is the kindest guy you could ever meet and immediately helped. We took him outside and some ladies were so worried about him too and making sure he was ok. We quickly finished that tour sans Mike and him and then went to the National Museum where our driver stayed and let him sleep on him while we looked around. It was very cool and nice to learn more history about where our boys are from. Ethiopia is so rich in history.
We were due to meet the boys at 2pm and we get back to our hotel at 1:30pm after another ride and our poor son again felt bad from the van. We decided to administer one of the 10 or so prescriptions we brought with us in case he was ill from the food or water. After a short rest, we were back in the van!
I didn't think I was going to cry but when we pulled on the street and another couple in the car said "here we are and here's the gate," I lost it for a few minutes. To be in the courtyard where they play and just steps from them really hit me hard. We were ushered into the house and the four of us sat on a couch staring at the doorway. Well....in the door pop these two beautiful, wide-eyed boys and their nannies and I don't know how long that moment lasted (felt like two minutes, but probably was like two seconds) but the four of us stared at each other and then we opened our arms and they came (or were maybe pushed, I don't know!) and stood by us and we gave them fives and smiles and hugs and were just talking a hundred miles a minute. Within just a few minutes, they were smiling and laughing and in our laps. Seriously, the rest of the few hours we were there were that amazing, our boys were so comfortable and reaching out for us and playing with us.
We opened their backpacks. B laughed so hard at a Clifford book and both boys enjoyed looking at every page of their new photo albums. When they saw us in the book, they would point at us in the picture and then at our chests. They would point at their brother and themselves too saying their names. Their voices are so sweet and I love to hear them talk in their language. Our daughter was so amazing with all of the children and so gentle with her new brothers, it is so obvious she loves them so much. Our son put on such a brave face even though he didn't feel great and did his best to interact with them. The boys clearly already know who their new sister and brother are and B patted our son while he was laying down on the couch and then handed him his new stuffed dog from his backpack (something no other kids were allowed to touch!).
We got to tour where they live and meet all of their sweet friends and caretakers. We gave a couple care packages from other waiting families and got to see the first meeting for the other couple with us too which was beautiful. We got to be part of a coffee ceremony for a couple taking their son home today which was also very special. His caretakers were so emotional when he was leaving, it is so obvious they fall in love with these children. Very special place and very special boys!
So, thanking God for today and looking forward to so much more! Here are a couple of quick pics before logging off! Thank you again friends for following along with prayers! MELISSA
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