Monday, March 12, 2012

Ethiopia - The Journey

Thank you for walking with me over the last few weeks in the journey to meet my daughter.  In case you missed a post, here is a gathering of Ethiopia stories:


The Next Chapter
"...Now it is like looking in a looking-glass which does not make things clear. We cannot see and understand things plainly. But when things become perfect, then we shall fully know and understand everything, just as God knows..."

We Have Arrived
"...We have landed after a long day of travel, and tonight we are in our daughter's birth country.  Walking out of the airport a sprinkle of rain was falling and it brought out the dusty smell of the pavement.  There were tropical trees and shrubs and the temperature was wonderful..."

Bright and Early
"...It is now 5am and morning cannot come soon enough!  Zac and I have been awake since 3:45/4:00.  Our bodies, despite having been through nearly 32 hours without sleep, think they have just taken a long nap and should get up for supper back home..."

Meeting HER
"Zac and I spent a few minutes watching the other little ones and interacting with the nannies.  Soon our translator was back to retrieve us, but instead of telling us the Family Room was ready, she was lowering a baby into our arms.  She was saying as she did so, 'Here she is...'"

First Lunch 
"...This morning when our translator walked into the room near the end of our visit with you, she said it was going to be lunchtime soon and we could feed you if we wanted.  We of course said yes!  She brought a container of mashed-up potatoes and carrots in a broth with garlic and onions.  It smelled so good, and you were HUNGRY!"

Waiting and Watching
"...I am sitting in the alley, waiting for the van to come and pick us up to see Feven.  It is another beautiful day.  The people who pass by in the alley are friendly and if I wave they usually smile or wave too..."

Meeting My Daughter's Mother
"...I was mesmerized by her - I wanted to stare at her and see if I could see similarities in Feven's features and hers.  I wanted to ask her a million question and have her tell me all about her life.  I wanted to hold her hand and acknowledge the hurt and pain that she has seen in her life.  I wanted to express to her the deep gratitude I have for the opportunity to raise this child..."

The First Smile
"Dear Feven,
You laughed for us today!  We were hoping for one smile and we got so many smiles and a laugh!  It was more than we could imagine..."

Court
"...One by one, different families were called - both Ethiopian and American.  The place began to empty out, and soon it was just us and about 6 others.  Finally they called our orphanage's name and it was our turn!..."

What's In a Name?
"...Since Zac and I have been married, we have always had a running discussion on our children's names.  We've had a few favorites over the years that we've agreed on, but some have dropped off the favorites list as they become too popular with other parents.  Girl names are always easier for us to agree on than boy names.  As we began the adoption process, we discussed names for our child(ren), but determined to not decide on a name until we saw their picture or met them.  We wanted the name to fit them..."

Coffee Ceremony
"...Our host took fresh, green coffee beans and roasted them in a shallow pan over the fire until they were dark brown.  She then brought the pan around to each of us so we could smell the rich smell of freshly-roasted coffee beans..."

Cultural Food and Dance
"...As I watched and listened, my heart swelled with pride.  Ethiopia is such a wonderful place!  I am so proud that my daughter is from Ethiopia, and that I too have a connection to this great country..."

The Hard Goodbye
"...I have to keep telling myself that saying goodbye is a step in the process to get to saying hello.  And that next hello will be the forever hello.."



I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, and I look forward to sharing with you the stories that are yet to come!



1 comment:

  1. So many tears as I read your stories. What an incredible journey to parent that beautiful girl! What a blessing to have a glimpse into your world. Thank you. We look forward to having a play date with you and your precious daughter.

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