"G drive makina"

 

One of "G" favorite activities is to drive the makinas (cars).  This boy LOVES cars, and thanks to Nanny, we have several garage sale makinas.  We can literally spend several hours outside playing with them - doesn't matter if we are driving them or washing them.  If we are inside, and he wants to go outside, he will just point outside to the garage and say "G drive makina".

We've made this scoop his, but what he really loves to drive is....

Yes - pink and with baby in tow.  He actually loves this baby.  I see glimpses of the Ethiopian culture in his interactions with this baby.  In Ethiopia, they touch a baby's cheek as a sign of affection.  When we were there, over half of the men that passed us would stop and stroke "G" cheek and then kiss his hand.  He will carry this baby around and just softly stroke it's cheek and kiss it's hand.  It is so precious!  (Of course, until "B" sees him and wants her special B-day doll back.)

He has almost gotten the hang of it, but I still have to run along side to make sure he doesn't crash into the side of the van or go out into the road.  I'm getting quite the little workout and wishing we had a longer driveway or a flat yard.

  

Now..."G" driving the Barbie jeep with the baby is only reserved for when the girls are at school.  When they are home, it is more like...

He has to take the passenger seat and let Big Sis drive him around.  I believe this is some of the first times that I have seen "B" driving.  She is usually the passenger when "A" is around.

 

It is really interesting to watch the progression of the Big Sis.

 

ET - Day 7 & 8 - Headed Home

 

We're packed and ready to go.

There are 4 other families with us on the same flight out of Addis.  It is such a blessing to have them with us.  We'll need all hands on deck to help in case G plays "chase me".

We leave at 6:00 p.m.  All of the other couples have babies, except for us and Markos (22 months), so they need to get there early in hopes of securing a bassinet on the flight.  Even though I am not looking forward to the 17 hour plane ride, I'm even more dreading the 4 hour wait at the airport.

We make it to the airport and through all the security and checks pretty easily.  As we check in, the man at the desk hands us our "Cloud Nine Lounge" card.  I had totally forgotten about this little perk of business class.  It proved to be a God send.  We hated to leave the group, but it was a necessity.  The lounge was very nice and more importantly very empty.  It was the perfect spot to contain G for 3 1/2 hours. 

 

Right before we were set to get on the plane, G was rubbing his eyes.  He was soooo tired.  This was going to be perfect.  He's tired, we'll give him some Benedryl, the plane will lull him to sleep, and he'll sleep for the 1st leg of the trip.  Right?!?!

We get on the plane, and all is good.

 

G has his very own seat in business class where he can stretch out and go to sleep.

 

The LeFebers and Kristen are just several rows back.  I'm not sure where the other 2 families ended up sitting.

Well...I think the Benedryl must have had an opposite effect, because he was WIRED.  He wasn't mad or sad - just absolutely bouncing off the walls - for HOURS!!!  It took everything I had to keep him from breaking his neck, because he would just jump in all directions without any thought to where he was going.  (S got a little snipit of this on his phone, but I cannot figure out how to download it here.)  And, I am pulling out everything from my bag of tricks.  Now, during all of this, S was having a 4 course meal across the aisle and chatting with his seat neighbor. 

During this time, I just kept thinking...well...at least he isn't screaming and crying.  After about 5ish hours (not typo) of bouncing off the walls, then comes the crying.  LOUD crying.  One of the flight attendants brings over a coloring book suggesting that maybe he would like to color.  It's about 4 am.  I'm telling you the Holy Spirit was in me, because I really wanted to say Coloring?  Really?  The child has just had his world turned upside down; he's scared; and he is exhausted; and you think coloring is going to help.  But, I just smiled and let her try.  Then, several others "help out".  It actually is very nice, but all I wanted to do was to let him cry and get it all out.  Not being mean...my thoughts were that it was like a pressure valve, and he just needed to get out those emotions. 

Finally, after about 2 hours or so (not typo), he stops and falls asleep.  Thank you Sweet Jesus!  I hurry up and take an Ambien.  I need to get some rest too.  I am emotionally exhausted.  I'm up after about 4 hours, and G is up right after me.  He has slept right around 5 hours.  He has recharged his battery and is back bouncing off the walls.  Only about 5 more hours to go!  And, I look over at S, and he is asleep.

When we land in DC, I am BEYOND ready to get OFF that plane.  Our group is still together, and we are all glad to check off that leg of the trip. 

We get through the million security checks.  Then, I can finally go to the bathroom and freshen up.  I at least feel human again.  We all eat at Five Guys.  It is soooo good.  G eats some fries, 2 bananas and some gold fish.  He is still going full steam.

We make it to our next flight and get a spot by the window.  YEAH!!!  We can sit and watch the airplanes take off and land.

 

We also got bumped up to first class, but the seats aren't together.  That's fine, because it is S's turn to manage G on the airplane.

G did much better on this leg - no crying but still somewhat energized and hard to contain in a seat.  I had given him the last toy from my bag of tricks prior to boarding the plane - a play cell phone.  Up until this point, I hadn't given him anything electronic.  He was all into the sounds.  I was a couple of seats over, and we were just starting our flight, when I heard the flight attendant ask, "Does that thing have a battery?"  S's reply, "Do you have a screwdriver?"  I could have busted out laughing. 

Later, when S was up with G for a potty break.  The flight attendant told S, "You really shouldn't be up."  S's response, "Do you want to clean it up?"

We finally landed in Atlanta.  The flight was only an hour or so, but I am sure the flight attendant was ready for us to leave.

We're killing a little time before our NEXT flight takes off, when they come over the loud speaker and say that the plane is delayed, because the flight crew hasn't arrived yet.  NO!!  Not delayed!  We ended up only being delayed about 20 minutes.

This flight is only 45 minutes long, and G is just awesome.  He is finally starting to run out of steam.  I mean the poor boy has only slept a total of 7 hours over the last 40ish hours.  Given that, he has done awesome!

When the plane lands, I think I am the first person up with bags in hand.  I am so ready to see my girls and get G home.

  

ET - Day 7 - Part I

 
(Thursday, August 26)

This is our last day in Ethiopia.  On one hand, I am sad to see it all come to an end, but on the other hand, I can't wait to be home.  We've been on the mountain top and down in the valley.

I'm excited about this morning.  Us and the LeFebers get to visit the Bethzatha Children's Home and love on some orphans.  (The rest of the group is going to Entoto Mountain.)  Many of the children that HH receives come from Bethzatha.  (Bethzatha has several branches, but the one in Addis is the main one.)  Children cannot leave Bethzatha to come to HH until all of their relinquishment paperwork is complete. Depending upon how much is completed before the child arrives, a child might be there for a couple of days or a couple months.

Danny and Seegay pick us up around 9.  It is fun just to get out of the hotel and go for a ride.  We turn off a main road, and it is bumpy - like I can't believe we don't need 4 wheel drive.  It's hard to believe that we are even on a road.  Most of the side roads are like this.  

 

When we get there, the director gives us a tour of the place.  We start in the room where all the toddlers are.  They are all sitting down coloring.  They are all so sweet, and one little girl just grabs my hand.  I get several pictures of her.  She loves seeing her picture as do all of the children.  I'm just hanging out when Seegay comes and gets me.  Everyone else has left the room, and the director wants me to come so he can give us all a tour. 

 

We start in the baby/toddler house.  Just like at HH, you have to take off your shoes when you enter.  They have these croc-like shoes to put on to walk through the house.  There are several rooms for the babies and younger toddlers.  (An AGCI mission team painted murals on all of the walls.)  Some babies are in their cribs, and some are sunning out on the balcony.   Another room is called the isolation room.  When babies first arrive, they stay in this room until the staff can evaulate their health.  There is another room for 2 special needs children.  One was sleeping, and the other one was just lying there.  I'm told that she is deaf and blind, but I think there's more due to the way she was just lying there.  I just stroke her cheeks.  She has been there since she was a baby, and I'm guessing she is at least 6ish.  Even though it is so sad, I know that one day, she will be in heaven dancing and singing and just having the best time ever.

 

Then, we head to see the older children. 

 

  

They are in the middle of their studies.  I am stuck by their gentle spirits.  I kinda squeeze into the room.  There are about 10 of them each at their own desk surrounded by bunk beds.  The room doubles as school room and their bedroom.  And, it is a tight squeeze.  I so want to acknowledge each one of them and shake their hand.  They are working on multiplication.  I tell them what a great job they are doing.  They are just so grateful and hungry for acknowledgement.

Next, we hit the laundry area and kitchen area. 

G is doing so well on the tour.  Of course, one of us is holding him the whole time.

After the tour, I asked the director if I could give the kids a snack - granola bars.  He says yes.  S heads to the older children, and I take the toddlers.  They are all still sitting around the tables quietly coloring.  The TV is on, but none of them are watching it.  I can tell it is about Jesus, and just about that time, I see Jesus being nailed to the cross - pretty heavy for toddlers.  Julie and I start openning up granola bars.  We make sure that everyone gets one including the staff.

Once they are done eating, I'm ready to hand out the bouncy balls that I brought.  I ask the director if it is okay.  He says yes.  The children were so excited to get the balls.  They all patiently sit and wait their turn.   And within mere minutes, the children go from calmly sitting to going crazy with balls bouncing every direction.  It was awesome!

Of course, G got several balls.  He was having fun bouncing them back and forth with Danny.  He didn't seem the least little bit interested in the other children and stayed outside the toddler room.

 

Now, that there was fun chaos with the toddlers, it was time to give balls to the older children.  I didn't want to distrub them again, but I know that they don't get visitors everyday.   They were actually in the middle of a test.  I handed a ball to each one, and they all just grinned from ear to ear and said the sincerest thank you ever.  I just wanted to love on them all. 

  

We went back to the toddler room, and they were still having a blast. I gave the remainder of the granola bars and balls to the director.  He was so appreciative.  I just wish I had more to give them.

 

Even though Bethzatha is a far cry from Hannah's Hope, it is still pretty clean and organized, and you can tell that the staff truly care about the children.  They are doing the best they can with what they have. 

I went there thinking I was going to bless the children, but THEY were the ones who BLESSED me!  They are all so precious and full of potential.  I pray that they all are placed in loving homes where they can experience healing and live out their God-given potential.  It was awesome being there!

After a couple hours there, it was time to leave.  Since we had a little extra time, we decided to go shopping.  Julie had a couple of things she still wanted to get, and I just wanted to look around.  I quickly got an appreciation of how hard it was for S to get all the items he had bought earlier.  I am not used to barginning.  I am glad Seegay was there to hold my hand.  We didn't have too much time.  G was quickly getting tired of hanging out in the van.  I did get a couple more things checked off the list.  It was fun!

We head back.  We need to give G a bath since he didn't get one last night.  It is at this point that you start to celebrate the small steps.  On the first night, he wasn't having anything to do with the bath; on the second try, he was reluctant, and now, it is hard to get him out of the bath.  Baby steps!!  We're feeling pretty good, and we're going to try to get G down for a nap too.  We've got a late night.  Our plane doesn't leave until 10:15 p.m.  It is important that he get one.

As luck would have it, I need to go check on Henry and see what he found for us :), so I can't stay and help S.  Henry is walking into the lobby right as I get there.  Jackpot.  He found most of everything on my list.  It was awesome!

When I get back to the room, S is all smiles.  G went down without too much trouble.  Now, it is time to pack up.

 

ET - Day 6 - Cultural Dinner

(Wednesday, August 25)

Today our plan was to hang out at the hotel and then go to the cultural dinner.  I'm glad that we didn't have anything during the day, because I only slept about 2 hours the night before.

It was great having S there to entertain G.  It was a much easier day where we could take turns coming up with ways to entertain G.  We did a lot of playing in the parking lot.  G really enjoyed a helicopter toy that I had gotten at the $1 Store.  We brought 2 - they break easily.  (We used one for our initial meeting.  It was a big hit!)

At lunch time, we met some other families at the restaurant.  G got the pasta again.  Luckily, Kristen has an extra bib that she let us have.  We didn't think to bring one, but the children are used to wearing one, and it helps with the clothes.  We are just making it with clothes.  The laundry service is key.  We use it everyday.

   

G ate the entire bowl of pasta.  At HH, they feed the children all the time and huge portions.  I'm sure they start doing it, because most of the children come very under weight.  Then, it just becomes comfort.  We'll have to slowly start working on correct portions once we are home, and the trust is well-established.  In the meantime, I am just glad he is eating.

After lunch, it was time to meet with Almaz to get all of our U.S. Embassy paperwork.  We all headed to the meeting room.  G did okay, but he was not going to be still or quite - typically 3 year old.  S decided to take him to go play.  I hated that it didn't work out for him to listen to what all Almaz had to say.  Her little speech was awesome! 

She did a wonderful job speaking on the whole adoption process, and saying how it is truly a miracle that these children ever make it to the adoptive family.  She went on to say that we are now the diplomats for adoption, not just for Ethiopian adoptions, but for all of the orphaned children of the world.  (Whoa!)  By this time, I was just trying to hold it together.  It's so hard to hear and really take in what the lives of so many children are like - what they have had to endure.  What the children in that room have gone through - where they come from - the sacrafices made - the pain.  It is overwhelming, especially when you are sitting there, and you NOW KNOW it to be true.  You've seen it, you've felt it, you've even smelled it. 

 

She reminds us that all of these children have holes in their story.  If they didn't have holes, they wouldn't need us.  Our job is to help them piece together the parts that we do know and to help them understand and manage.  It is hard stuff!  She is an amazing woman doing amazing stuff all for the glory of God.  I can't tell you how thankful I am for Hannah's Hope and All God's Children.  They ARE living out the gospel.  They ARE being the hands and feet of Jesus.

I head back to the room to find S & G.  The door is locked.  I look all over and I can't find them.  I end up sitting in the restaurant talking with another family about what all Almaz said.  After trying the room several more times and looking around, I decide to get another key from the front desk.  I didn't think they were sleeping, but I didn't want to take a chance by calling the room.  I get the key, and they are in the room.  Since it was going to be a late night, S was determined to get G down for a nap.  I am shocked that G really is down for a nap.  I congratulate S on a job-well done.  I am thoroughly impressed!

We finally have a chance to talk and look through all of S finds from yesterday.  It is nice to hear about the shopping experience.  Seegay from HH helped S out tremendously.  She was like his personal shopper.  Since everyone else went shopping on their first trip, S was really the only one with a big list.  He and Seegay were trying to do their best knocking out our list.  We didn't know if that would be our only opportunity to shop.  We had several items that we wanted for G.

Finally, it was time to wake G up.  I hated waking him.  But, he woke up happy and ready to go.  This boy doesn't need a moment to "wake up".  He wakes up full steam.  We get dressed and head down to the lobby to meet the rest of the families in order to leave at 7 pm.  We were extremely glad that the other families decided to join us.  They all had already gone.

  

G and I waiting outside for our bus.  We had to be able to see the makinas :)

  

We make it to the restaurant.  It's interesting because as we enter, there are guards with their metal detector wands.  The weather is perfect.

 

Everyone sits very closely around a common table.

S decides to try the honey wine.  I give it a taste, and quickly decide that I will just have a coke.  (Coke comes in a bottle there.  When you buy a coke, you are only buying the liquid itself not the bottle.)

 

Before they bring out the dinner, they come around so everyone can wash their hands.  They bring warm washclothes around at the end of the meal.

  

 

This is a picture of our "common plate".  It is custom to eat from the same plate.  You tear off a piece of injera (bread), and then scoop some food on it.  You do this ONLY with your right hand.  It takes a little practice.  The dark injera is called red injera.  It is higher in iron and is made with red teff.  The white injera is made with white teff.  The food was wonderful!!  I love Ethiopian food!!!  G was loving it too.  Of course, he had slept through his regular dinner time.

Not only was the food wonderful, but the dancing was amazing.  There are 9 different regions/states in Ethiopia with each one having it's own sound.  The dancers danced almost nonstop through all the different regions.  And, they would change costumes for each region.

 

 

 

 

What these men and women can do with their bodies is amazing.  It was so awesome to watch.  I just loved it!

G with Danny.  Danny is one of HH drivers.  He is amazing.  He knows each one of the children and has a genuine concern and love for them.

 

G with Seegay

She was so wonderful.  She sat by me the entire night explaining all of the music and what region it represented.  She also helped me with G alot.  She would help me feed him, so I could get a bite or two in.  At one point, she fed me.  It was kinda weird, but I just love that custom of feeding one another.

After several hours, the children were starting to fade.  They all did wonderful, but it was getting late.  We decided it was time to go.  We got back to the hotel about 10:30 or so.  We decided that S would put G down, so I could do some shopping in the lobby.

Now, there is a man that works in the lobby named Henry that can do your shopping for you.  He charges you what you would typically expect to pay out in the shops.  He was wonderful.  Stacy had used him on her last visit.  She was wonderful to show me the ropes and help me to finish off my list.  Helen joined us too for some last minute items.  We basically gave him the general idea of what we wanted, and we wrote it down.  The plan was that he would go out tomorrow and get a variety of what we wanted in order for us to choose.  (He has his own store front.)  The following day, we would meet him in the lobby and choose our stuff and then pay for it.  It was totally the way to do it, especially when you are short on time like us. 

When I got to the room, S openned the door happy.  G had easily went down.

We sat and talked for a little while.  We were both exhausted.  I took some Ambien in order to sleep.  I learned my lesson from the night before.  Even though I was completely exhausted, it was like I couldn't get my body to relax.  The Ambien was a "must-have" for me on the trip.

We all had a good day!  Thanks be to God!

 

ET - Day 5 - Just Hanging..

 
(Tuesday, August 24)

Today was just hard.  I miss my girls!  I miss having some space.  The tiny room is closing in on me, and G needs some space to move. 

  

Since we had a long list of items we want to purchase, and we didn't have a chance on our 2 days before we got G, we decided that S will go with the group shopping.  Some of the folks were going shopping, and some were going to HH.  Given G's age, we thought that it would be best not to go to HH.  We didn't want to confuse the situation further.

I tried to spend most of the day entertaining G outside.  (I am so grateful that it wasn't raining.  In fact, the weather was beautiful.)  There's not much space within our hotel compound, but there is a little parking lot between the main building and our building.

(Our room was the 2nd floor.  The laundry was right below.  The door is by the potted plant by the car.)

When we left HH, Almaz handed us a soccer ball to use.  Even though it did come in handy, it was kinda hard to use it.  The ground was slanted just enough that each kick usually resulted in me crawling under a car to retrieve the ball. 

 

 

We tried the blow-up beach ball I bought, but it was a little too windy for that.  Both of these would have been perfect to use in the open ballroom, but the ballroom was in use.  It was in use for basically the entire time we were there.

Luckily, one other moms decided to stay behind with her 22 month old, Markos.  G and Markos were great friends at HH.  We ended up blowing LOTS of bubbles.  It was so fun to see his excitement when he blew the bubbles, and then caught one back on his wand.

 

 

He is just too cute!!

 

 

  

I was so thankful that Kristen was there.  It was so nice to have someone to talk with, and she has 3 girls at home. 

 

G and Markos were so cute together.  We will definitely keep in touch.

After Kristen took Markos for a nap, and the bubbles were all gone, it was time for lunch.  On the way to the restaurant, I asked one of the staff to ask G what he would like to eat.  (The staff were awesome.  They all were eager to help.  They all knew G's name and would talk with him.)   Pasta it was.  It was fairly quick as the meeting downstairs was breaking for lunch, and G was starting to get a little antsy.  He ate every meal in either my or S's lap and with us feeding him about 80% of the time.  That was very important for bonding.

After pasta, it was back out to the parking lot.  We played alittle more.  One thing about this boy is that he doesn't want to walk.  Good for bonding, and I am thankful for that, but hard on the ol' back.  He is heavy, and he is complete dead weight.  As soon as I would put him down, he would say "up".  And, of course, like any good momma I would pick him "up". 

After the parking lot, I tired the room.  The room wasn't going to work.  How about a movie?  He was so not interested in a movie.  I thought that would for sure be a hit.  We ended up sitting on the front steps of the hotel.  The hotel security staff got me a chair, and we sat there watching makinas.  When a big bus would go by, he would yell makina.  He was content, and it was so neat seeing the excitement in his eyes with every passing big bus.

 

Seesay, our taxi driver, is out front and chats with us for a while.  I tell him how beautiful I think everything is as we look across at the green field with mountains in the background.  He proceeds to tell me that it is only beautiful if your life is beautiful.  He has been trying to get to the U.S. for years.  His brother is a professor in D.C.  He says that getting to the U.S. means that his family can have a better life.

These two pictures are from the front of the hotel. There are 2 busy roads in front of the hotel. The first one is about 20 yards from the front steps, so I have to hold on to G and be "on". He has no concept of the car danger and is known to play "chase me".

Also, we could people watch out in front.  People are constantly just walking by.  If they lingered too long, then the security staff would shoo them along.  For two days, I watched a man plowing the field walking behind an ox.

 

After about an hour or so, we headed back to the room.  As soon as we got to the room, S shows up with all of his finds.  He is excited to show me all of his finds, but it will have to wait - no room and G is ready to go back outside.  After being by myself with G for 5+ hours, I happily hand S the soccer ball; stretch my back; and sit in silence for a moment.  After about 10 minutes, they return.  Then, S and G head down to the restaurant for dinner.  I join them after about 10 more minutes of much needed quite time.  There are several families eating, so we have a good time catching up on everyone's progress.

Bedtime comes, and it is still HARD.  We're making progress though.  There's still crying, but it isn't ALL tears.  He will also pat the pillow for me to lay down with him on the same pillow.  Then, he will cover us up with the same blanket and put his arm around my neck.  It is really sweet and progress!  Of course, after a few minutes, he is back jumping around and crying.  The JOY of the LORD is my strength.  And I keep telling myself, that just because it is normal, that doesn't mean that it is easy.  I pray for G's peace and his trust.  He is doing so well, but we have a long ways to go.

We make it through another day!  Thanks be to God!