Thoughts at 6am in Addis.... :)

It’s 6am here in Addis and I don’t think I’m going to get back to sleep any more this morning, so I thought I’d type out some thoughts and feelings from yesterday.

First, to Annika, Christoph, & Nena…. You guys are just gonna die when you get Ezana in a few days!  You guys!  You know how we would always love a new picture we got of him when we were all at home and we would look at it all the time and ooooo & aaaaaa over it?  To actually see and hold that total cuteness in person is a million times better with so many more ooooo’s & aaaaaaa’s!!!!  You’ll see what I mean when I see you on Saturday at the airport, I promise! J  We love you guys!  Oh!  And while Papa was videotaping me holding Ezana yesterday, I gave him a huge kiss from each one of you and told him how much you all love him and can’t wait to see him! J  

 

OK!  To all of you that have done this already….Wow!  What an intense day….like no other day in my entire life!!!  To those of you waiting to come here….you are going to have the time of your life!  I wish all our family and close friends could be here to experience this with us!  It’s so cool!  Now, get this!  Guess how many pictures Dietrich and I took between the two of us with only one camera…………….   796!!!!!!!!!!!   NO I AM NOT KIDDING!!!!!!!!!  And that’s not counting video!!!  I’m not guaranteeing that all almost 8 hundred are the absolute best pics in the world, but they are pics nonetheless and I know all you with kids there will love them!!!!  And to all our family and friends at home…..OOOHHHHH!!!!!   We can hardly wait to share them with you….but you’ll have the real deal right in front of you so that will be a bit better than pictures…just a bit! LOL

 

Yesterday was so intense.  We had been very calm ever since we got here.  Even yesterday, the hours leading up to going to the Transition Home for the first time.  I didn’t know what to expect, it all seems so surreal, so I just went with the flow.  I knew we would be so happy when Rachel brought E. out to us, but I was in no way ready for my reaction when it actually happened!!!  Oh my goodness!!! J  Driving up to “the green gate”, the entrance to the TH, was so weird (in a good way! J).  And then standing in the courtyard where so many have stood before us and waited for their child to be brought out is even crazier!  I was totally into the VanWettens seeing Etsegenet first, taking pictures and all that.  And then Rachel caught my eye from across the courtyard, smiled a knowing smile, and announced we were next.  The next few seconds saw all my calmness and distraction completely disappear!   I was so over come with intense emotion I don’t even know how to describe it!  It was like in a movie where you see a person standing there and all the events, hard times, tears, prayers, phone calls, arguments, loves, hopes, dreams, everything, just come flying in together into that one moment and take you over.  Do you all know what I mean?  If not, go rent some mushy movie and it’ll probably have something like that in there…HAHAHA.  “Intense emotion” doesn’t even do justice to the moment.  It really was a culmination of everything that has happened in our lives beginning with that day 12 years ago when we first found that God had put the desire to adopt one day in both of our hearts up to that very moment we stood in the courtyard.  Amazing!!  It seriously gave us a whole new dimension of our own adoption by God through Christ.  Want the most amazing and intense charge in your life?  Adopt a child!  You’ll be sanctified beyond belief (which means you grow in Jesus) through the process and when you finally get your child, you’ll experience the love of God for your soul in a way you’ve never felt.  It will re-charge your life completely.

 

I have to tell you all reading this…Ezana is so absolutely yummy beyond belief!!!!  We are head over heels in love (which we thought we already were). hahaha

 

Let me tell some of you about your children that stood out to me on that totally intense day yesterday.  I can recall each and every one I saw but wasn’t able to find out who went with which family so I may not say something specifically about your child.  Please don’t be hurt or offended if I don’t.  You’ll understand one day soon…there’s just a lot going on.  All of them were so cute, fun, and loving.

 

OK:

Jason & Jessica:  Your baby girl with that bow on her head is just so sweet and beautiful.  She was sitting in a bumbo seat just looking around contentedly.  To hold her!  Oh!  She’s so heavy and so healthy and drooling up a storm J  I held her for a long time and gave her lots of love and told her about her mom and dad and brothers.

Karen Wistrom & Family: I already could tell that your oldest boy was very sweet and kind, but Rachel then confirmed it and said he was the sweetest boy there.  He came and hugged me and looked at pictures of himself on my camera before I even knew he was your son.  When I found out, I couldn’t stop touching his face, smiling and hugging him, and telling him how much his family loves him.  Your little guy is so cute too and it seems like the both love each other a lot.  The little guy is quite busy though and always running around.  I spoke to Fortuna and today I will give them their packages and read the letter to them.

Jori  & Tracey:  Your oldest daughter is so full of love!!!  She would leave me for a few minutes and the come right back with more hugs and I gave her lots of kisses for you.  At the end when we were leaving, she and I kept kissing and hugging right up to the green gate with promises of seeing each other tomorrow.  I told her how much her family loves here and how wonderful they are.  The little one is a busy body too and hard to catch on film.  I did get a few, but couldn’t find them last night J

Lori Laughner & family:  Oh! My goodness!  You are going to have some serious “girl problems” when your little guy gets older!! LOL  He’s just toooooo good looking and so fun to boot.  He was always around and always happy.

Sherry Semlow & family---Oh man!  Your little guy is intense!  So full of fun and mischief!  He loves to play and he’s so cute with that big smile!

Ana & Sam---Guess what!  Des. Sleeps in the same room as Ezana, in a crib right next to his!!!  Yipee!  They’ve been roommates all this time!!!  He’s just too cute for words!  Everyone just loves on him and those lips….you won’t be able to stop kissing them!!!

Rebecca & Zack--- Oh my goodness!  I can’t wait to give your little guy his care package tomorrow…I’m hoping you will have some amazing pics! J  You are going to die when you see him!  He’s amazing!  Hold on…you’ll be here SOON Lord willing!

Jen Sloniger & family---I could figure out which one was Jonas yet (sometimes it’s hard to understand the names the nannies say for the baby they are holding and Rachel was busy…she knows ALL  of them and who goes to which family!  Did I mention yet that Rachel is amazing?! Hahaha)  Anyway!  Never fear!  I will find him today and love on him and try to get just as many pics as we did yesterday! J

Heather Sparr & family---I’m pretty sure I know which little girl is yours, but I couldn’t ask anyone that could tell me for sure.  But don’t worry! I will have it nailed down today!  And if she’s the one I think she is, she IS SOOO CUTE!!!

Kimberly & Chad Kulp:  We got some great pics of your little guy.  Dietrich held him for a long time and got him to smile quite a bit.  He is so sweet and cute.  He has a very intense face and is so yummy to hold J

Stricklands: Don’t know if I spelled that right or if this family even reads our blogs, but if someone knows them, please direct them here.  I have to tell you that your daughter is so loving and sweet.  She hung around Dietrich and I for most of the time we were there.  So many hugs and kisses were exchanged – we just totally fell in love with her and gave her lots of love.  She sat with Dietrich in a chair with his arm around her just stroking his arm for a long time.  I think I got some great pictures.

You guys!  All your kids are just beautiful!  And so happy and loving!!!  It’s so neat!

 

To all families that have children at the TH or will, please don’t give in to your fears that your child(ren) aren’t being loved and taken care of!  Please try not to give into feeling like you should be getting more updates or communication about your child.  Please talk to yourself when these natural feelings arise and tell yourself that there are those that have been there and seen with their own eyes what goes on there and how much love and care is taken of each and every child in that home.  The nannies are so full of love and attentive care for all the children.  And not just that, but Rachel and Barrett LOVE  each of your children!  And that is an understatement!  They have such an amazing connection it seems with each and everyone one of those kids!  It’s like a rock star has entered the TH when they arrive!  I’m serious!  So please, please don’t give into your fears and negative feelings but trust that God has provided excellently for your babies while you are apart from them. 

 

We send our love to each one of you, our family and friends!!!  Talk to you again soon! J