Partying the Night Away (part 1)

It is 6:00 Dec 11 here in Addis as I write this and 7:00 Dec 10th at home. I just want to share about our fabulous evening! Ketema picked us up with his family in tow and we went to the Yod Abisynia Cultural Restaurant. This is also where we had lunch the other day. The food is fantastic there. It is near to the guest houses and orphanages too. Lots of families like to go to Crown Hotel to see the dancing but the show last night at this restaurant can not be possibly improved on. We had so much fun.
We got there about 8:00 PM and Ketema had reserved the best seats in the house. For those of you unaware of traditional Ethiopian meals....we sat on short chairs around the taller round basket tables. The top of basket holds the round injera about size of giant pizza. First of all the beautifully dressed waitress come to pour wash you with soap and warn water poured over your hands into basin. Then we were served our feast. The injera (soured flat bread) in then covered with plops of all different kinds of delicious "wats". Wat is many things like meat or vegetables cooked up in spices from mild to really hot and spicy. The food must be chopped or minced before cooking to ensure you can eat it all by tearing off a piece of injera to scoop up food to your mouth (no silverwear of course) I have tried one thing this trip that was new to me. I have heard from many they don’t like it. I don’t know the Amharic name but it is "false banana leaf bread" which is really good with kitfo. I had the cooked meat Kitfo version not the raw meat version.

Play Day

I guess everyday can be called a play day when you get to spend it with kids. Until today I have spend most of everyday hanging out with and playing with kids here in Ethiopia. Today was a "play day" as it seemed more tourist type "play" stuff for my friend and I. It costs 600 birr ($60) to hire a driver for whole day or 70 birr ($7) per hour. This is more than in the past and because gas prices have gone up so much here. Anyway, it is really better use of money to hire a drive for all day and use that day to do a lot of stuff. Today we shopped at Haile Sellasie shopping center and Sorvino shopping. Selassie is a shopping place all enclosed in one building. The prices seemed good and it was kind of easy not dealing with a large market type crown. Sorvino shopping is where I have been before. It is a long row of open front shops to find all sorts of traditional Ethiopian kind of goods. I am watching my money but I did have a small list of things I wanted to bring home. There are some common things adopting parents buy for their new children from Ethiopia. Most parents try to get a traditional outfit or two, the fancy carved wooden crosses, silver necklace cross and other jewelry, and scarves or other lines. Of course there are endless things to buy that speak of Ethiopia. Every main Orthodox church here has it's own style cross design. I like the Lalibela style and have worn the silver necklace I got in 2005 constantly since then. The different woven linens of all types are extremely beautiful. I bought some more tablecloths today. I love to have things from here that I use every day. I also did a little Christmas shopping for our kids. That was fun. We also went to buy Ethiopian music CDs (psst...it is a secret, don’t tell the Ethio teens) I bought some Teddy Afro music. He is the popular young singer sentenced to six years in jail last week for having some wording in his songs that the government didn't agree with. sigh.

We had lunch at a fun place I hadn’t heard of. It is called "The Old Milk Can" and had both American and Ethiopian food. We ate Morracan and it was good! The nicest thing is that the restaurant is on top floor of tall building next to place grounds. The view of Addis from the top was amazing and worth the price of lunch.

We stopped by the Ritmo guest house to visit some other adopting parents there. I saw Gail there before she took a small group to their embassy appointment. The embassy appointment is to apply for their new adopted child's visa to enter the U.S. We also went to big AHOPE to deliver donations and to the Fantu supermarket. There are so many beggars and giving out money to them is discouraged. I have found great joy is always having bags of bread
to give out, especially to the moms with little children. So I bought a lot more bread
and small packages of crackers, etc....to share. I wish I could tell you how happy their faces looks to get the food. We also stocked up on bread and cheese for ourselves and the times we can not get out to get food.

Tonight at 7:30 Ketema is picking us up to have dinner at a place where we will see a lot of traditional dancing. The food is suppose to be great Ethiopian fare also. My friend and I invited Ketema to bring his wife and two young boys with us. I look forward to meeting them. I'll let you know tomorrow how the dancing was!

I missed being able to spend the whole days with my boys. My heart and mind was with them all day, but the break from orphanage emotions was restful for me. I love being in the orphanage so much. It is just so emotional. I knew this was a good day to have our "play" day. My friend leaves Friday night and I wouldn’t have wanted to do this stuff without someone along with me for company.

Maggie at home is feeling better but MyHao and Solomon now are ill with fever and tummy upset. Good to know Maggie was dealing with a bug rather than something more serious but sad more of my kids are sick when I am not there. Bless Kayla our older daughter helping Mike care for the kids. She is really doing a great job! I guess she slept on the floor last night between Maggie, MyHao and Solomon. Bet she is tired.

Love from Addis,
Julee

From Addis

My friend and I are having a grand time here at the Addis Kidan guest house. Last night a whole crowd of people checked in and so we shared a room. It was slumber party time. Most of the those folks are checking out tonight. They have been working short term mission trip in a village down south of here.

My schedule has been visiting AHOPE and my baby Assefa first thing in the morning as it is a close walk from guest house. Then I have Ketema (driver) or one of his friend pick me up and take me to Layla/Wanna to see Gezehegn. Sometimes my friend will come to Layla with me. We may do errands like change money, grocery shop or stop for lunch. Yesterday we went to the Yilma for lunch. I was longing for a Diet Coke and the Yilma Hotel restaurant is the only place in Ethiopia I have ever seen "Coca Cola Light".

AHOPE is amazing for the care they give the kids. It has been so fun to watch them all begin to get to know all the children's personalities. Our Assefa is never put down. He is being held or loved on every minute by the caregivers. He has really matured the last two months and coos and laughs and giggles. He is also a very mellow baby. We'll see if he is still as mellow after coming home when not being held every second. Actually knowing my kids that baby is going to be held a LOT at home too! Gezehegn is so wonderful I am so in love with that little boy. He seems pretty in love with me too. I have never ever seen so many babies and toddlers at Wanna! Today was calmer there for my visit and it was a great time for me. I was able to get a good dose of cuddling Gezehegn and also help with the other toddlers. They are so hungry for affection. Any kind of touch or attention is like a special gift to them. I have asked God for an endless supply of hugs and prays to give out to these precious little ones. Can you guess how many toddlers you can hold on your lap at one time? I cry every day to leave Gezehegn. It isn’t so hard to leave assefa as he is always being carted around and every whimper or need immediately addressed. I love both our boys so much and feel so very blessed to be here with them.

Maggie has been ill at home and I have been worried about her but Mike has stuff all under control. I miss all the kids a lot but feel guilty not to be with her when she doesn't feel good.

Tomorrow will be a fun day, we have Ketema for whole day. Can't wait to report it to you tomorrow.

Seven years ago Dec. 9th Mike, Michael and I were in China adopting Anna. Our first adoption. Today is a special day for another reason too. Happy Birthday Cody! My first child , my baby boy. You changed my life and maybe saved my life because I wanted to be a better person for you my little baby...now all grown up to a wonderful man. Sooo, family who has his phone number...call my boy Cody and wish him Happy Birthday for me.

Blessings, Julee

Back in Addis

I am here in Ethiopia. I got in late last night after leaving home Tuesday afternoon. Good flights even though United made me check my carry on in D.C. because the plane was too full and heavy. That will show me not to wait till last minute to board.

I am staying at the Addis Kidan Guest House which is walking distance to AHOPE. It is nice here. There is internet access which is handy. Tonight I go back to the airport to pick up an email friend who is visiting her daughter this week. It will be so nice to have another mo to hang out with here.

First thing this morning I walked to AHOPE to see Assefa. He looks wonderful and has gained weight. He slept my whole visit so haven’t seen him awake yet but will tomorrow. For others with children waiting at little AHOPE, I saw and loved on your kids already! I will be there daily for two weeks but wanted you to know they all look great and I am taking lots of photos. I will try to write to each of you. There is a new little girl way, way cute there....bet she'll be referred soon if not already. She is about 18 mos old?

I then went to Wanna/Layla to see Gezehegn. They shaved his head! Just recently too. I knew that they certainly would have too as his hair was really long in recent photos of him. His hair is very straight for Ethiopian but that is normal for Down Syndrome people. Seeing him bald was a little shocking but of course he is still as cute as ever. Looks a little like a chemo boy though. It is very crowded at Wanna. LOTS of toddlers. I don't think Gezehegn recognised me...but he warmed back up to me after awhile. I saw a group of kids at Wanna that were there from KM that we had gotten to know in October. There were there for medicals. It was really fun to see the two teen girls we had met at KM who came into care while we were there. They are both LOVELY if anyone is looking for an older girl. Mike and I spent a lot of time with them in October.

I went to the Hilton to confirm my flights and change money....there was 70 people in Ethiopian airline office to confirm flights. "bag this" I said. I will go tomorrow with my friend who is coming in tonight.

Ketema is free to drive me my time here. He is Endala's (the driver we used in October) brother that usually drives for a Canadian agency. He is free for another month. What a great guy and I am thrilled to have him taxi me around my trip here. He knows all the places adoptive parents like to go. Gas has gone up and so has the price of taxis. It is cheaper to pay for a day than by the hour now.

Best news!! I found out this morning we have a court date for our Group D. We are January 21. Please keep praying for our boys and especially pray that they pass court the first time. They need to be home!

Love, Julee

Missing my baby boys....

....and I get to go visit them again! I have the world's best husband. Thanks be to Mike and God for making the way for me to go visit our little lambs in Ethiopia again. It has been as hard as we imagined to be away from our little guys. It is always a loooong hard wait to bring home an adopted child. Meeting them face to face and then leaving them indefinitely is just plain agony. The good news on the adoption front is that Gezehegn has been moved to Wanna and into AAI's care. As long as Gezehegn's paperwork is in order then his case can be added without delay to Assefa's and both of them submitted to court soon. We are praying to be in "Group D" and our cases submitted to court in January. That means they may be home by early spring.....like in March. There are just too many variables to guess with any certainty when they will home for sure. Because we are concerned about Assefa's health and mostly because we MISS them so much and want one of us at least to go hold and love on them....I get to go visit for two weeks. I leave December 2 and get back home the 19th. God bless Kayla our adult daughter staying here to help with the kids when I am gone. There is no way this could happen without her. Please pray for Assefa's continued health improvement, we are mostly concerned about the lung issues. Praises that his CD4 count was excellent! Very, very impressive for an HIV+ infant. This is the most excellent kind of news. Please remember to pray for Gezehegn as he adjusts to a new environment at Wanna house. He was doing so well at the Gladney home and I just know he must be missing his former caregivers and friends and wondering just where he is now.

It may seem like a lot of money to spend just to go visit the babies and hang out in the orphanages. Mike and I know we would do the same for any one of our children....and these two guys are already our children even if not so on paper yet.

Julee
thankfully counting the days till I snuggle my new baby boys again

Bittersweet Birthday Photos

October 23rd was Jonathan's birthday. Here I am with tiny newborn Jonathan the day I met him three years ago. What a glorious day. Even looking at this photo three years later I can hardly believe what our great God did when He gave us Jonathan as a son. Here is Jonathan two years ago with his creme puff 1st Birthday Cake. What a grin he had! He was doing so well at one year old. He was almost all weaned off of oxygen support and close to finished wearing the helmet to reshape his skull. One of the cool things for moms about having a child with Down Syndrome is they stay a "baby" a bit longer. You can see here in the photo that he was being propped up a bit with towels in the highchair...he wasn't quite able to sit up perfectly yet.

Here is our boy last year on his 2nd birthday. He had become ill the previous January and was diagnosed with aplastic anemia. Jonathan and I had spent most of the previous ten months in and out of the hospital. He had gone through so much suffering by the time his birthday rolled around. We were waiting for his bone marrow transplant at this point. I wept with joy and worry this day. I hadn't realized that a big part of me doubted he would survive to make it to his 2nd birthday. It was a wonderful celebration. We went all out on presents for him. I searched and shopped online for every sort of wham-a-dine top rated musical toy ever made. Those toys sure came in handy the next six months. He loved those toys so much. This year the end of October we went to Goldendale again just like we did last year with Jonathan. Last year we were trying to make some good family memories before Jonnie and I left for Seattle for the long haul of the transplant. This year without Jonathan we went because it is our "happy place". We have such a great time up in the woods. It is nice to remember being there with Jonathan. This photo is taken the first time he pulled himself up to standing....one day after his 2nd birthday in Goldendale. We all were so excited and clapping and whooping for joy for his accomplishment. He was pretty thrilled too!

It doesn't seem like enough to just ever have two birthdays does it? I am thankful for the two we had with him though. Our new son Gezehegn's birthday was two days after Jonathan's. Next year when he turns four he will have his first ever birthday cake with us. Our adopted children who came home at all ages had their first ever birthday cake and party after they joined our family. I know that in most parts of the world birthdays aren't celebrated the way we do here in the U.S. I do imagine that the birth mother's of our adopted children that are still living remember those special days as they pass each year. I think of them on our kid's birthdays and say a prayer for them....hoping they know the gift we have been given with their child. Do they know how thankful we are?! I imagine that Jonathan's birth mother remembered his day this year with sadness and some regrets too. I hope somehow she knows how amazingly wonderful he was. How happy he made us and everyone who met him. He may have only had two birthdays, but those two years were full up to the brim with fun and joy. If lives are measured with the love created and shared in them...Jonathan's life was a full one.

Top Ten Predictions

I have always been too self absorbed or just too plain busy to be involved much in politics. I think maybe I am not alone in being a closet lackadaisical citizen? This year, these elections were different for me. I think it was different for many of us for all sorts of reasons. I read something on another blog that was a great comfort to me. It is from a website I have never visited before but I give credit to the author posted below. In a week where over half our nation is rejoicing and the rest of us grieving, it is a good reminder that God is in charge. Let us join together to commit to pray for our president-to-be and his family.

Top Ten Predictions No Matter Who Wins the Election

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessing upon His people.
8. There will still be room at The Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.


*Courtesy of David Virtue at www.Virtueonline.org