Is it really over...

Well folks it has been a long journey, but it is officially over.  I think my last post was right before I went to embassy.  Well that was a day.  The lady that I went to embassy with was adopting a little girl that is 16 months.  Embassy day is the first real day that you have with  your child.  No nanny looking over your shoulder telling you what to do, no other families entertaining your child so you can go to the bathroom, it is only you and the child that you so desperately want and don't even know.  Lennox did great, he was just sitting on my lap looking around.  About 5 minutes into being there he had explosive diarrhea, which was no biggie.  I took him to the bathroom and changed his clothes.  I got back to my seat and the women I was there with, Julie, asked if I could watch her daughter Hiwot.  I said sure and off Julie went to the restroom.  20 minutes later and 2 screaming kids later I asked an American lady sitting next to me if she could go check on Julie.  Well Julie was sick and could not get out of the bathroom.  My already semi-stressful day just went through the roof.  I know had to watch 2 children that I did not really know.  Julie's name got called my the embassy and I grabbed both kids, Lennox know in a carrier on my hip, up to the window to notify them that I would go get Julie from the bathroom.  My name was called about 20 minutes later to which I had to answer a few simple questions.  "Did you meet the child before court?" "Did you know the mother was raped?" "Do you know this is final?" and "Do not open the immigration packet, give it to immigration in Washington".  That was it, the adoption was finally done, we just needed US soil for him to be declared a US citizen!!

That evening I caught the bug that Julie had and it continued into Wednesday and Thursday.  We boarded the plane Thursday The plane ride was very eventful.  Lennox explosive diarrhea continued onto the 17 hour plane ride.  He screamed out of frustration and being overly tired the entire time.  I was the crazy lady on the plane that could not get control over her child.  By the time the flight was over, I had been up over 30 hours and still had a 4 hour layover and another flight.  The layover was quick because of immigration and finally feeling good enough to get something to eat.  I also accidentally checked the bottles for Lennox and had to hunt the airport to find a bottle.  He was so hungry and frustrated with me that he slept on the 2 hour plane ride home. 

We were met by my mother, sister Angie, and Kadin at the hospital.  Kadin had the biggest grin on his face and he finally said Lennox's name.  He has been insisting his name is Clinton and it was nice to hear that he said "My Lennox home". 

It has been three days and Lennox and I are very sleep still.  We have been going to bed at 8pm and waking up at 3am.  Lennox is up from 3-5am and then goes down for  nap from 5-8am.  He then takes another nap at noon.  His poor little body is still on Ethiopian time so he thinks that noon his 9pm and is ready for bed.  I wake him up anywhere from 3-4 which does not make for a happy baby. 

Well that is it for now, but I will leave you with some pictures.....

 first cookie

 embassy day (Julie, Hiwot, Me, Lennox)

 first car ride!

 all the families at the guest house

 first night together

 religious holiday parade in the street the day we leave for airport

 waiting at airport for dinner

Back in St. Louis!!!!

more later
jessica

Oh Ethiopia

I so wish that I could say that I love being here, but I can't.  Don't get me wrong I love being here with Lennox and am excited to get him home where I can keep him warm and get good food in  his belly.  The people and the staff here at the transition home are amazing.  The staff here are not the same as last time, but they all seem to love their jobs and the children. 

Yesterday I was playing with Lennox and he was starting to get a little fussy.  This is not like Lennox at all, he is the most laid back 1 year old I have ever met.  I stood him up so that I could hug on him and he had explosive diarrhea.  It went down his legs and up his back.  I took him up to the room to change him and he through a fit.  He was screaming his head off and had the biggest tears rolling down his face.  I cleaned him up and picked him up to comfort him and he gave me the biggest hug to date.  His little arms squeezed my neck and he stopped crying immediately.  It was a very sweet mommy moment. 

Everyday morning when I go back to his room to pick him up he stares at me like he is mad at me.  The nannies hand him to me and we go back into the guest house to play.  Throughout the day random people that work here will walk by him and try to take him from me and he turns his head from them.  By the end of the night when he goes back to his room, he cries when the nannies take him from my arms.  He doesn't cry long, but it is a good sign that he is bonding to me while here. 

I have to take him out to the Embassy today, so that should be an adventure.  I just hope that we don't have an explosive diarrhea episode while out and about today.  I won't post again until home in the states.  Sorry for no pictures, but my camera and computer are not working.


more later
jessica

I'm here

Well everyone I left on Thursday to head to the airport at noon bc my flight left at 2pm.  Well I got on the plane at 2:15pm, we pulled away from the gate and began the de-icing, and anti-ice process.  The pilot did his final check and realized that while we were waiting to be de/anti-iced the cable on the plane froze.  We sat out on the tarmac for 2 hours when the pilot decided that we needed to head back to the gate.  Nice idea except their were no gate available for another 45 minutes.  The pilot got us back to the gate at 4:45 and on a new plane at 5:15.  It has been smooth sailing from there. 

I arrived in Ethiopia Saturday Morning at 8:00am and found the director.  He said that we would be waiting for other couple that were here for their first trip.  There is a couple here meeting their daughter for the first time (15 months), this will be their 5th daughter.  Another couple is here meeting their son (4 months) and daughter (11 months) for the first time, this make their 4/5 child.  There is another couple here with their already 4 children meeting their son (5 years) for the first time.  There are also 2 couple leaving with their children.  One couple taking home a 13 month old little boy and another couple take home 11 month old twin boy and girl.  It is a great day in the transition home.

After I meet everyone, I went to get Lennox from the nannies.  He whimpered at first, but as soon as I walked away from the nanny he was fine.  He is so attached to the nannies, it is sad to think that he is going to lose the only "family" that he knows.  I played with Lennox and the other babies all afternoon until it was time for dinner.  I let the nanny take Lennox for dinner and for the night.  I figure why break the nannies heart again by taking Lennox away from them when they already lost 3 babies today.  The nannies were so upset when the babies left today and I can see it in their faces every time I see them with Lennox.  They know that they will only have this precious little boy in their arms for a couple for day. 

Not sure what the plan is for tomorrow or Monday, but I do know that I will be spending plenty of time with my little man. 

more later
jessica

Soon!!!

Soon I will be boarding a plane to go pick up Lennox!!!  The birth mother went to her appointment January 4th and confirmed all the data that the US Embassy needed.  I got word that same day that my case had passed the US Embassy and that I needed to give word when I could come out for my US Embassy appointment.  I told them that I could board a plane immediately.  The US Embassy stated that their first available appointment was January 17th.  I booked my flight and hotel today and I have Lennox's bag all packed and ready to go.

I talked in my last post about a women named Nicole that I meet in Ethiopia on my first trip.  She had her Embassy date this past Tuesday and she said it was super easy.  She only had to answer a couple of basic questions and was told by the Embassy that her daughter's paperwork would be ready the next day.  She has been sending me pics and video of Lennox.  She has given me the best gift ever by getting Lennox everyday while she is there.  Her and her mother Dee have been playing with Lennox daily, talking photos, and loving on him.  She had been giving me the heads up on what to expect next week. 

more later
jessica