Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Has the other shoe dropped?

Just so that everyone doesn't think everything around here is sunshine and lollipops ...

When Kali is happy and smiling, she is the sweetest thing in the world. She loves to give hugs and kisses and she and Carson continue to have a great time together. It's just so hard, though, trying to determine whether Kali's meltdowns are just part of normal two year old-dom or if they have quite a bit to do with her past. Having 3 older kids and a 4 year old, we do know what normal toddler life is like, and pushing the boundaries is right up that alley. But I wonder how much that little mind is working ... is she consciously thinking "I am going to be as bad as I can to see if you still love me or if you will put me in an orphanage too"? Honestly, she hasn't been bad. The normal tantrums of screaming and crying when she doesn't get her way are easily handled with a time-out. These tantrums are definitely normal toddler. But lately she has taken to swatting and hitting us, and yesterday she actually spit at me when she couldn't have any more juice (too close to bedtime). I have heard that the kids spit at each other in the orphanage as a way to express their anger ... maybe just something she learned there?

Yesterday was by far her worst day yet. She was extremely upset when I left the house for work (Landree is staying home with her this week) and threw her worst tantrum yet. She threw another one when it was naptime, which she has never done before. Normally, nap and bedtimes are pretty tame. She is normally very agreeable to going to sleep, but not yesterday. She continued to have tantrums through the afternoon and last night ... WHEW! She kept asking for juice too close to bedtime and I continued to tell her no. She took a swat at me, I took her hands, told her "no hitting" and she proceeded to scream. I put her in time-out and continued to read the bedtime story to Carson. 2 minutes later, she was over it and on my lap listening to the story. After the lights went out, she asked for juice several more times before I left the room, always pouting when I told her no. 30 minutes after being put down for bed, she came out of the bedroom. We walked her back in there and she began screaming. Her normal tantrums last anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes ... this one lasted 30 minutes! I went in to her several times over this time period to try to comfort her, but to no avail. Finally, after 30 minutes of screaming, I just crawled in bed with her and she immediately stopped crying, threw her arm over my neck, and fell asleep. This morning she woke up and remembered none of it, as children will do, and was our happy little Kalkidan.

Today had it's share of tantrums, but overall, much better than yesterday.

So where is that fine line between normal toddler behavior and exhibiting behavior related to being given up by your mother, living in an orphanage for 7 months, and then being taken to a foreign land by complete strangers?

One specific note about toddler transition ... it seems the majority of Kali's pouting sessions result directly from being told something is not hers. She has gone from an environment where nothing was truly hers, to a hotel with us where we brought everything for her alone, and now to a home where some is hers, some is her brother's, some is ours, etc. She gets so excited, jumping up and down and giggling, when you tell her something is hers, even food. When she asks if something is for her and you tell her no, the bottom lip comes out and she stands back and glares. If you try to touch her during one of her pouts, it quickly escalates into a full blown screaming tantrum. She is in a brand new world and hasn't yet been able to determine that not everything is for her.

Kali, we will ALWAYS love you and never put you back in an orphanage! I know you don't know that right now, but I know you will figure it out soon! I don't mean to make this sound as if she is always in the throws of tantrums, because she is not. Most of the time all is peaceful and happy in our home. This is mainly information and queries for others who may be adopting toddlers or who have already adopted toddlers.

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Brother & Sister


The sound of children's laughter in this house is so wonderful! It has certainly been good for Kali's transition having Carson here. They have the best time together, running through the house, dancing to music (THAT is the cutest thing ever! Finally got some video of them dancing!), attempting to play baseball, just sitting at the table eating. As long as we keep taking our vitamins, Rick and I should be able to keep up with them without trouble ... with the occasional afternoon nap to rejuvenate these old bones.
I think the Gladney pediatrician in Addis got it right with Kalkidan's age ... just watching her interact with her brother, she is every bit the two year old, soaking up everything she sees, wanting to do everything by herself, always wanting to help (why doesn't that helping stage continue into the teen years?). But sometimes you can look into her eyes and see that she is an old soul ... she has a wisdom about her that transcends her two years. And it isn't sadness ... haven't seen a trace of sadness in Kali since our time in the hotel in Addis. Of course she pouts sometimes, but that is not the same as true sadness. She is just wise ... feisty and wise! Add to that her beauty and laughter and watch out world for Kalkidan Page!!!

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Transition???

On the long plane ride home last Thursday, as I was trying to get over my anxiety about the possibility of hearing Kali scream bloody murder on a packed plane, I was formulating the title of my next blog entry. As I squirmed in my seat every time Kali looked ready to pout, watched one mom follow her 15 month old son up and down the aisle, watched another woman running back and forth to the bathroom with an 8 month old having a terrible bout of diarrhea, I couldn't help but think of our new friends from New Jersey, sitting toward the back of the plane, who were on their way home with their two daughters, ages 13 and 10 (the 10 year old being the newest arrival into their family). I saw the title of my blog so clearly ... "Infant vs. toddler ... go for the 10 year old!" I was jealous that they got to sleep and read and watch movies, and their daughters sat quietly behind them sleeping, reading, watching movies too. What a way to travel!


Well, we are home now. Travel is no longer the only issue at hand. All of my anxiety and questions about what we had gotten ourselves into from last week have vanished. I can't wait for Ryan and Abby to see Kali now! I wish Belay could see her too, but I think he will be in New York with some of the campers and not coming to Dallas/Fort Worth. There is nothing more precious than listening to this little girl giggle and laugh! She is a delight, even if she does insist upon waking up at 5 a.m.! Boy, had we gotten spoiled with Carson, who is quite the late sleeper and will sleep until 8 or 9, even on weekends. Oh well ... if I can just make her stay in bed until 6, we'll be ok.




Kali already adores her big brother, although it's pretty funny to hear her yell at him in her combination of Amharic and two year old babble! And Carson is starting to come around too. The newness of it all started to wear thin about 2 hours into Kali being here with us when he announced to me that he wished he had a baby brother instead. The other evening at dinner, Landree and I were sitting across the table from Carson and Kali. I mentioned (quietly, or so I thought) that Kali's head is bigger than Carson's. Carson looked at us both with hurt in his eyes and said "I want my head to be bigger," and promptly burst into tears. It broke my heart! But all was redeemed today when we took him to daycare. Some of the kids from Carson's class were gathered around the door to his room when we came in. One of them saw Kali and cooed "Hi, baby!" Carson puffed up and told him, "Her name isn't baby, it's Kali, and she is my baby sister. She isn't yours, she's mine!" Ahhh ... just what a mother wants to hear!!

Kali LOVES "Itsy Bitsy Spider". She will put her fingers together as a sign for me to do the hand movements and sing the song. You can hear her trying to sing the words with me as she too tries all the hand gestures. She is just too cute for words! Nothing warms my heart more than when I see my children smile and laugh, and both Kali and Carson are doing a whole bunch of that!

Maybe the other shoe hasn't fallen yet, but I am beginning to wonder "what transition?"

Monday, June 18, 2007

Life is good again!

Don't you think she bears a certain resemblance to that famous golfer? Must be the hat!

Yes, Kali is quite the Diva!

Sharing powdered sugar donuts for breakfast.


Grilled cheese and cheetos for lunch ... yum!





It really does feel so good to be home and back to normalcy! Kali is just the sweetest little doll. I think she knows this is her home now and that we are her family. She has no problem running from room to room to see what is going on ... unless the dogs are in that room! Need to find the words in Amharic to let her know that the dogs will not hurt her. We keep petting them and Carson gives them hugs to show her that they won't hurt us, but she is still very much afraid.
Carson and Kali are doing well together. Of course, we've experienced the sibling jealousy and rivalry already, but not too badly. As many toys as we have in this house, Carson only wants to play with Kali's toys when she is playing with them. He had no interest in them during her 6 hour nap on Saturday until she woke up and started playing with them herself. We fully expected this. But Carson is still a good big brother. He loves to act silly to make her laugh, and she does laugh all the time. He put his music on in their bedroom yesterday and they were both dancing and twirling around ... never a video camera around when you need one! It was so cute and they had such a good time. Kali likes to do whatever Carson is doing, so we had to talk to him already about being a good example. We both need to make sure that we set aside time to hang out with Carson one on one too. I feel that Carson may end up having the more difficult transition! But so far, so good.
What a love this little girl is! She loves to give and receive hugs, and now she likes to grab my face and give kisses. To say that she is comfortable with us is a major understatement. I am pretty sure she has decided that she loves us ... which works out perfectly, considering we love her too!

Sunday, June 17, 2007

So good to be home ... Part II

Cowgirl Kali ... she fits right in here in Texas!

Happy Father's Day. Daddy!

Ok, so more about the meltdowns. We're thinking that Ryan and Belay may have told us a little fib when they told us how quiet and shy Kali is. I am sure that I should feel good about her meltdowns, because this means she is comfortable with us. If she weren't comfortable, she would still be too frightened to show any spunk. I just forgot what having a two year old is like, that's all. She doesn't like to be told "no", like any normal two year old. She wants her way, like any normal two year old. I would have to say, she is definitely a normal two year old! She actually did ok on the long plane ride, with only a few minor crying bouts ... quickly resolved with a piece of candy. Now the airport in D.C., that's a different story. We actually had to go look for a terminal that had very few people so that we could let her cry it out. It's awfully difficult to entertain a rambunctious two year old when one has had only about 3 hours sleep in 24 hours. Somehow we managed to get through it all!
Yesterday was pretty much a catch up day, trying to get our sleep and our time schedule back together. Kali came in the house and had no trouble at all finding her way around. She and Carson are doing well together. The major problem for now is that she is deathly afraid of our two dogs. As long as they are outside, she has no problem going up to the glass door to see them. So, we are trying to keep them locked in our bedroom for now behind a baby gate. We take her over to the gate every now and then to see them from a safe vantage point. It will come with time.
Today has been a good day! We all seem to be back on a regular schedule, exhaustion is gone, I got to vacuum the house (with two indoor dogs, it is a never ending job!), and even went to the grocery store. I feel normal again! Kali was great today, playing with Carson, doing everything he did. Not one tantrum today, which is great! We are working on her English ... every time she says "ow", we correct her to "yes" and she repeats. She has taken to calling me "angie" (pronounce the "a" in "father") and we have no idea what that means. We keep trying to correct that to "mommy", so now she calls me "angie mommy". It's pretty cute, so we'll leave it at that for now.

I hope that all you daddys out there have a wonderful Father's Day!

So good to be home!

Our 7 days of computer use at the Hilton ended Wednesday evening, and since that day was so full, we did not have time to update the blog before all hell broke loose!

Kali is definitely comfortable with us and we were reminded that we do indeed have a 2 year old ... her first meltdown came Wednesday evening in the hotel room. Let me tell you, this little girl has some lungs on her!! It was so loud that one of the hotel housekeepers knocked on the door to ask if all was ok. She took Kali in her arms, and I don't know what sweet nothings she said to her, but it stopped the crying instantly. Then the bag of candy she gave Kali didn't hurt either.

On Thursday, she had at least 3 meltdowns before naptime, mainly because she does not like to hear us tell her "no". I hope the social workers aren't reading this, but I must admit that I too had a major meltdown after that, wondering what we had done! How did we get into this and why weren't we happy with just our current family of 4 kids? Honestly, though, I had those same questions right after Carson was born when I was getting up every 4 hours through the night with him. Must mean that I am human, right?

I was so anxious about the plane ride home ... 16 hours on one plane, 8 hour layover in D.C., and then another 3 hour plane ride to DFW. I couldn't eat, I was making myself sick with worry. It must have been an anxiety attack. What if she had more meltdowns on that plane? Her scream is so high and shrill, we couldn't just let her cry it out in such small quarters. We had the Bendryl ready (she really did have quite the runny nose the whole week too, so it was legitimate) and pockets full of candy for bribes.

Well, we made it home and were so relieved to get off that plane at DFW! Dorothy had it right with "there's no place like home".

More to come about the experience later ... she's awake now.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Tuesday in Addis ..

View from the Hilton ...

from our room ...

...from the other side of the hotel

Sometimes we feel so insulated here at the hotel. It is clear that the hotel caters to the Western World and the affluent and we forget what is right outside our little world here. But still, when you go out into the city, there is beauty everywhere. I know I've used the word "beautiful" a lot and maybe it's lost a little of its meaning through so much use, but these people truly are beautiful.

Lucy!!

Today we visited the National Museum. It was great! We had our own tour guide through the museum and he was so helpful. We pretty much got a history lesson of Ethiopia from its origin through today and it was inspiring. I think everyone would be amazed to find out that many events and people we have heard of throughout history are Ethiopian.

After that we had lunch at the best Italian restaurant in the world, according to NPR, Castelli's. It was indeed excellent. It was started and is still run by the same Italian family. Many a famous person has dined here, as evidenced by the photo gallery on the wall. By the way, pizza is BIG here. Even the German restaurant yesterday had pizza on the menu.

Tonight was the best! We got the Ethiopian experience dining at a restaurant called Fasika. They served the traditional Ethiopian food and the entertainment was awesome! You should see how these people can dance. I think I know where the "popping and locking" done in hip hop came from. And of course, I left the video camera in the room! It's just too hard to explain it through mere pictures. Maybe Bob and Arlene will make a copy of their video for us? And Belay ... that man can move!!!

Tip for the day ... 10%. The normal tipping amount here is about 10%. However, don't be confused at the hotels. They tack on a 10% service charge to every tab, but it is NOT the tip. Still a good idea to leave additional 10% for your server.

I think we will all be seeing these dances in our dreams tonight. Wish you all you could see them too!

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Monday morning in Addis...

I'll bet you're wondering what happened to Sunday morning in Addis. Well, the internet cable doesn't reach to the bed or the bathroom! Yes, I had to eat my words! I never have trouble with heartburn, indigestion, acid reflux like Rick does. His stomach is much more sensitive than mine so I just assumed that if anyone was going to get sick here it would be him. So sorry, my dear! He is such a good dad. He spent the whole day with Kali and let me rest! I feel much better today, thank goodness. It's still a few more days before we leave, but I can't imagine having to deal with that on the plane! The worst part was the terrible gas pains. I haven't had gas pains like that since my c-section with Carson 4 years ago! I think I'll take it slow today ...


What a pretty girl!

Kali and I bonded Saturday night over the simplest of girly things ... hair! One of my co-workers bought her a little clear plastic Dora purse with scrunchies, barrettes, and brush/mirror in it. I gave it to her and we had the best time! She actually talked to me the whole time. Of course, I have no idea what she was saying since it was all in Amharic, but I think we understood each other perfectly. It's a girl thing!

What a difference 4 days make. She runs around the hotel room now just picking up whichever toy she wants to play with. Yesterday she was turning in circles making herself dizzy. She likes to turn on and off the light switch for the bathroom and she wants to flush the toilet herself now too. We can get her to smile now without having to tickle her, which is a big plus. She did have a small crying bout yesterday, just quietly to herself. I'm sure she is still a bit unsure, she misses her friend from the orphanage, and I'm sure she still remembers some of her mother. It was sad, but we just held her and rocked her until she felt better.

She is beginning to understand a little English. I no longer have to ask her if she has to go potty in Amharic and she understands juice. I am sure it will be no time at all before she starts speaking to us in a few words of English, especially once we get her home to be with her chatterbox brother Carson.

Kali is still quite shy with other people, though, no matter if they are Ethiopian or white. Many people will come up to her and talk to her, especially in the restaurants, but she just stares straight ahead and won't make eye contact, but gives the occasional head bob saying "yes". We're just glad that she is opening up to us and feeling more comfortable.

Tip for the day ... photos of the palace and embassies are not allowed! Basically, if it has a wall around it and looks somewhat official, don't take a picture.

Second tip (since I missed yesterday) ... if Gladney is your adoption agency, be very happy! If you are still trying to decide on which one to choose, choose Gladney. They take such very good care of us. We've met several other Americans here adopting through other adoption agencies. One lady is here with her 19 year old daughter. They had to come for the court date, but the mother did not show up, so now it has been delayed and they have to stay here for 2-3 more weeks! She said that it was already delayed once, as they were supposed to come in April and had to make changes to their plane tickets when there was a delay. Another lady missed her appointment at the embassy (one of the photo taking problems) and has to stay an additional week for this Wednesday. Neither of these women have drivers, but have to rely on the taxis around here. I know how frustrating it is if your court date does not go as expected, but trust me when I say that it is much better for you to wait at home than to have to wait here for any length of time. And how nice that Gladney tells you NOT to make your travel arrangements until after you hear about the court date. The drivers too are the best! Gladney takes excellent care of the children here and the parents. Thank you Gladney!!!

We just watched the final quarter of game 2 of NBA finals (go Spurs!). Remember, 8 hours ahead here. We've found the BBC version of Sesame Street now too. I think TV will help her learn English too. I think that's what helped Dirk (Mavs).

It's off to do some souvenir shopping today!

Friday, June 8, 2007

Saturday morning in Addis ...

See, a laptop is good for something here ... Cinderella DVD watching!


It is a little past 6 a.m. Both Rick and I are awake. Can't seem to sleep past 6 lately. The sun comes up pretty early here. Morning Call to Prayer has begun outside our hotel window. It is a calming, peaceful sound. We originally thought it was the Muslim prayer, but Ryan told us it could be the Orthodox church as well, as they have a loudspeaker for doing the same thing.

Today we are on our own. It's Ryan and Abby's day off. We can't believe they have enough time to do all that they do ... hold the hands of all of us waiting parents-to-be back at home, tourist guide for those of us who have come for our children, child advocates for these children with both governments, teach English to the kids in the orphanages, AND they have 2 beautiful children to spend time with. I don't know how they do it all and stay sane! They are both incredible people with hearts of gold!

We have good news!!! We managed to fit 3 teenagers into our suitcases to bring home with us ... sort of. After discussing things with Ryan, turns out it was too late at the time of my plea for anyone to ask to host the kids for Bright Futures Camp due to the time it takes to do background checks, complete Gladney paperwork, etc. We asked Ryan if people who are already in the adoption program with completed paperwork would qualify. Well, you guessed it. Rick and I will be home to Aschalo and his two sisters for two weeks beginning July 1st! We visited the orphange yesterday where all three kids live. We met Yesalemu ... what a beautiful girl! She is the youngest of the 3 at age 14. Belay made the announcement yesterday at the orphanage telling them which kids are getting to come to America. Then he told them that we would be hosting Yesalemu and her siblings. She was one huge smile, jumped up and hugged us both multiple times, told us "I love you"!! Belay gave us a tour of the orphanage, and Yesalemu held one of each of our hands the whole time. She was so proud to show us where she slept. We are both thrilled to be doing this! After seeing these kids, how could we not do this? They are incredible! We were not able to meet Aschalo and Genet as they were taking exams for the end of the school year. We left the photo album we had made for Kali with Yesalemu so she could show her brother and sister.

Now, here is the most important part!!! We are hosting these kids in hopes of finding them forever homes. Please please PLEASE tell all of your friends and family about them, tell your church congregation, tell the check out lady and bag boy at the grocery store ... we need everyone's help in finding these kids a home.

We will be home with Kali for two weeks before these kids arrive. I plan on keeping up the blog with photos and info during their stay in hopes of letting everyone know about these kids.

To my wonderful co-workers in Granbury, bosses down in Austin, and agents all over Texas ... looks like I won't be returning to work until mid July. Hope you all can forgive me. I love the insurance business (yes, really!), but some things just have to take precedence. Rick will also take some vacation from work and we plan on doing a lot of things with these kids. Nothing too big ... don't want to overwhelm them.

It's off to the pool today and just relaxing at the Hilton. Thought about going to see Lucy, but we already gave our driver the day off. We'll see how Kali likes the pool. Her eating habits continue to be great ... last night she wolfed down fish and chips (french fries) and loved my creamy potato leek soup (it was VERY good, how could she not like it?). So far, we've had no problems with food at all. Everything has been very tasty and neither of us are having any stomach troubles. Oh sorry ... I was supposed to say how bad the food is so that everyone will bring lots of American food and snacks and then leave all the leftovers (and that would be most of it once they discover that the food is indeed edible and good) with Ryan. That's his devious plan, anyway!!

Still Friday ...

What a beautiful smile!
We found her tickle spot.
Playing soccer at the orphange.
Relaxing at the orphange.
Playing a singing & dancing game.
They all want their photo taken.
Abby, Kali, Rosa, Selam & Marta

This just couldn't wait until tomorrow. What a beautiful country! The first few days here, the poverty just presses in on you and can be so overwhelming, to the point of missing the beauty of the people and the land. This morning we visited a local coffee shop that had the most wonderful coffee and pastries. Rick tried the coffee ... big step for him! I finished his and mine. Then it was off to the first orphanage, the one that Kali was in. It was very small, in what would be a private home for someone if the orphanage was not in it. We interrupted school time when we arrived. The younger ones were learning their Amharic alphabet with one little boy pointing to the letters on a chart on the wall and the others repeating what he said. The older children were practicing writing in their notebooks in both Amharic and English and doing very well! The orphanage director showed us around the house, which was very small but surprisingly cool. We both assumed that the weather here would be pretty hot with it being so close to the equator. But it has been so pleasant, to the point of needing a sweater in the mornings and evenings. The houses are built with very thick walls so it keeps the interior very cool. We were a little worried that Kali might think we were taking her back there and leaving her. She was her stoic little self the whole time we were there, even when all of the other kids came up to her and gave her kisses on the cheek.

We then went to the next orphanage where most of the pics above were taken. These kids are adorable! They all want to have their pictures taken and then see them on the cameras. Oh what digital has done for the world. Ryan and Abby pointed out some of the kids who are coming to the Bright Futures camp this year and some who came last year. All of the kids are just so happy!! It is quite clear that they are loved and cared for very well. We then went inside to see the babies. Even though they were all in a room that was row after row of cribs, these babies are loved! They make good eye contact with you and smile so big. They are so beautiful! We went back outside and watched the kids play a game where they stand in a circle and sing a song. One child is in the middle skipping around the inside of the circle. Toward the end of the song, that child will stop, do a little dance where he or she wiggles the hips and each shoulder goes up and down alternately, then she places her hand over her eyes, turns around pointing. When the song stops, whoever she is pointing to is the next one in the circle. It was so much fun watching them. They smile and laugh and the little dance, it is too cute!!

After that, it was off to lunch. Just driving through the city is quite an experience. First of all, there are no rules to the driving. There are lines on the road, but they don't matter. Everyone drives where they want to on the road. There are pedestrians walking in the street and the cars come so close to them. I have seen only 2 traffic lights, but maybe red means go here?? We saw one stop sign that was completely ignored by Eyasu ... not even a rolling stop! Yet, despite all of this, we feel completely safe. We have not seen one car accident. Ryan said that in his time here, he's seen only one. Maybe our problem is that we have too many rules? For every car on the road (and there are many!!!) you will see 20 people walking. Even when we went to the foster home yesterday, which is further out of the city, there are lots of people walking along side and on the road. You see the boys herding their sheep (they look like goats to me, but Ryan corrected me) through the middle of the busy city, or the man with his team of mules carrying wood. At the coffee shop today, right outside was a man selling (I assume) chickens. They were still alive, but their feet were all bundled together so they couldn't move more than their heads. And the people ... you see men walking together all the time with their arms around each other's shoulders, or women walking holding hands. It doesn't mean anything other than friendship. It gives you such a warm feeling watching this and makes you wonder what happened to us in the good ol' US of A. How did we become so homophobic??

Today has been a really good day. It takes a few days being here before you can see past the poverty to the love and goodness of a country that holds its history with such pride. These are truly good people!!

And Kali finally came out of her shell!! After Rosa scooped her up for most of the morning (Rosa is a heart breaking story that I would love to share with all in hopes of finding her a good family, but I am not sure how much info I am at liberty to give) and took very good care of her, she began going to all the girls when they held out their arms to her. And then Rosa and Stephanie discovered the tickle spots at lunch!! What a moment!! Kali's smile just lights up her face and it was fantastic to finally see it! I felt like we've been in that Royal Caribbean commercial where the mother is trying to find the smile she knows exists on her daughter's face.

An interesting side note ... we came out of the foster home yesterday and Eyasu showed us the mirror from the drivers' side mirror. I mean he was holding the mirror itself. Ryan told us that it is quite common for someone to steal the mirror off of your car here and then sell it to some place for quick cash. There is only one place that buys these, so if you want your mirror back, you have to go there and buy it back for about 300 birr. What a racket! He told us a story of how one of their drivers came out from somewhere and noticed his missing. He drove straight to that place and saw the guy who took it walking up to the place! He stopped him and the guy just laughed, knowing that he'd been caught. He offered to sell it back to the driver for 100 birr. The driver offered him 30 birr to just put it back on the car for him, which was accepted!! 30 birr is around $3!

Tip of the day ... both the Sheraton and the Hilton have hair dryers mounted on the wall in the bathroom. One less thing that you can pack and more room for humanitarian aid!

And finally, a few things that Abby and Ryan miss from the states (don't forget that they are from Texas) ... salsa, taco seasoning, Krispy Kreme donuts, Dr. Pepper (that one may be too hard to get through security since it is a liquid after all ... unless you put 3 oz of it in a plastic bottle and then into a quart size zip lock baggie!)

Rest time now (Kali is taking her afternoon nap) and then on to another orphanage this afternoon.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Friday in Addis Ababa

I promise to have pictures tomorrow. We have been riding through the city a lot with our driver, Eyasu (I'm not sure how to spell his name, but I think this is close). He is very nice, but a bit on the shy side. It's kind of hard to take pictures with a little girl on your lap! But today we will be visiting the orphanages, so many photo opportunities. Not to mention, we let Ryan borrow our camera to take some pics of the kids for their parents and he took it home to upload them to his computer. So, for some of you with babies at the foster home, you may be getting some pics from Mary soon!!

Thursday was a good day for Kali. She is slowly coming out of her shell. She seems to have become quite attached to us. Yesterday we had lunch with Ryan, Marta, Bob & Arlene (from New Jersey) and their daughters, Stephanie and Selam. After we finished eating, Marta came over and tried to take Kali from me to play with her and the other girls. Kali would not let go of my chair! She wouldn't go with her and kept looking at me with those big brown eyes almost pleading for me to pick her back up again. I wish she understood that Marta was not really taking her from me. But then we did go outside the restaurant to takes some pictures and she let Stephanie hold her. Before lunch, we had the mandatory doctor's visit (no shots, just a check over) and then on to the embassy for the mandatory blood draw. I can't believe how Kali did with that. She sat on the tech's lap while the nurse prepared to draw her blood. The tech kept turning her head toward him so that she couldn't see what was about to happen, but she would have none of it! She wanted to see and she did. She watched the whole thing and never uttered a peep. She was most curious of the band-aid they put on afterward.

Kali has eaten everything we have offered her. We have to be careful though, because she will keep eating if we give it to her. She won't stop or let us know somehow that she is full. And she won't take the food off the plate yet, either. She won't take it until we offer it to her. She loves apple juice! Watch out Carson, she may give you a run for your money in the apple juice drinking department! We keep getting conflicting information on whether she will drink milk or not. We have had two different people tell us that not much milk is drunk after they finish taking formula (other than the milk put in coffee), and two other people tells us "Yes they do!". I suppose we'll just try it and see if it is something she can keep down.

Getting in and out of the car a lot yesterday must have worn Kali out. She fell asleep around 5:30 in the evening and wouldn't wake up when Rick tried to wake her at 7:30 to have dinner. It was room service last night! She woke up around 1:00, went potty, and then fell back asleep and woke at 6:00 this morning. I know this is all a little overwhelming for her!

The people here have been wonderful. Ryan told us that most people here are very happy that we come here to love their children and want to give them good homes. It makes us both feel so good about our decision. I can't imagine going somewhere where we are not wanted.

One more quick tip for the traveler ... call your credit card company to let them know you are here using your card. We are lucky and have Landree at home and she got the call from our credit card fraud department wanting to know if these Ethiopia charges were legitimate. Also, there is an ATM at both the Hilton and the Sheraton, just in case you bring old $100's like we did that can't be exchanged!

On to the orphanages today and more updates (with pics) tomorrow! I wonder how many of these kids will fit in our suitcase on the way home??

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Bright Futures Camp

This is a plea from Ethiopia to check out the kids still needing a host family for the Bright Futures Camp!! Go to the Gladney home page and click on the link for the camp to bring up the photos and information on the children still needing host families. We talked with Ryan yesterday about these kids. He now has the unpleasant task of telling these kids that they won't be coming to America this year. He said that they will be disappointed, but know that they can try again next year ... except for the 16 year old boy. He and his two sisters are the first picture shown. Ryan said that this boy is amazing, that he is so gentle and works so hard, just a great kid. Unfortunately, if he is not adopted this year, his time will run out as he soon turns 17. PLEASE if you know anyone who would be interested in hosting this sibling group of 3, please ask them to contact Gladney immediately. Gladney's hope is that the host family is also interested in adopting the children they are hosting, but if all you can do is host and help to find them a family, that works too!! Of course, all of these kids need host families, but this group especially.

We have both been up since about 4:00 a.m. unable to sleep. I am sure it will cacth up to us later today. Maybe it has something to do with a kig bed not being big enough for 2 adults and a small 2 year old? We have Carson all over again! I can tell she is more comfortable ... yesterday during nap time, Kali fell asleep and woke up in the exact same position ... face up, arms straight by her side, eyes on the ceiling. Through the night, I awoke several times with feet in my face, only later to wake up with her head in my chest and her feet in Rick's face! She too woke up around 5:30 am and was giggling and slapping at Rick's arm ... until she really woke up and remembered who we are and where she is. I cannot wait until we get our first smile out of her! She is so beautiful and I know that smile will just light up her face.

And finally, we can post to our blog from here, but we cannot view it. If anyone has any specific questions they need answers for, please send me an email through our profile. I cannot see the comments until we return home.

Off to breakfast!!

We are here!


Welcome to beautiful Ethiopia!

All that stuff Gladney tells you over and over about being patient and flexible? Remember it, although in our case, there was nobody to blame by Mother Nature. Our 4:30 flight from DFW to Dulles did not leave DFW until 9:30 pm due to two, TWO thunderstorms that passed right over DFW. So our well thought out plan to go straight to Ethiopian Air to check the bags through went right out the window. Nothing in the airport is open when you arrive at 12:45 am! And after just 4 hours of sleep in a hotel, we were off to Ethiopia. Ethiopian Airline was just fine, no problems at all. We did stop in Rome for about 45 minutes to refuel and get a new crew and then off again. We arrived around 8:30 am and met up with another couple from New Jersey, and then out to waiting Ryan and Marta. The visa line was not long at all, but they still write out everything by hand here, so it just takes a little bit to get processed.

We were at the hotel by 10:45 and we had Kalkidan by 12:30! She is so cute, but so unsure about what is happening and quiet. She wouldn't even respond to Belay, who seems to have such a rapport with these kids. But here we are at the end of the day, ready to go to sleep, and she has greatly relaxed. She took a nap with us, has eaten everything we have offered her, allowed us to bathe her and brush her teeth, and loves to wrap her arms around your neck and snuggle. She is one smart little girl too! All you have to do is show her once and she's got it. We've put together a puzzle, doodled and erased on the doodle pro, and she was throwing the ball back and forth with Rick and almost smiling! She sings quietly to her baby doll that we brought for her and likes to cover her up with the little blanket. Those girl genes ...

Two things of interest for those traveling here soon ...

1) There is internet connection in the hotel rooms at the Hilton if you want to bring your laptop. It runs $18 per day, or you can pay $12 per hour if you use the business center.

2) Gladney states that bringing $100 bills that are 2001 and newer is "preferrable" ... NOT. It is a MUST! We took the word "preferrable" for what it is and didn't think it would be that big of a deal. The bank here at the hotel won't take the 90's at all, and our driver took us to a different currency exchange that will take 1996 or newer, but the exchange rate is less for the 90's versus the 2000's.

It's off to the doctor tomorrow morning for Kali's last visit and then on to the Embassy to drop off the paperwork. Should be a busy day!

By the way, the total of our 4 pieces of checked luggage ... 200.5 pounds! Yes, we did it and got through!!

Monday, June 4, 2007

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Countdown!


Time for one last load of laundry before packing, one last trip to the grocery store for Landree and Carson, and tomorrow we're off!!

We finally told Carson a few days ago that he wasn't going with us. There were a few small protests, but he seems to be accepting it well now. I think what did it was when I told him that if he went with us, he'd have to get more shots ... the memory of five shots at his 4 year check-up was still front and foremost in his mind! We'll just have to wait and see what tomorrow is like too. He's only 4, so the concept of time is still being worked out in his ever expanding little brain. He probably thinks that we'll only be gone a day or so. I'll have to get him a calendar and have Landree help him mark off the days until we return with his baby sister.

It is going to be so hard leaving Carson behind for 12 days. He is such a sweetheart and just the light of our lives. There is nothing better in the world than when he cuddles up next to me and runs his hand down my cheek saying "You're pretty, mommy. I love you." Being a parent has its ups and downs, but the ups are so great so that you can throw all the downs you want at me and I'll still take parenthood!

I must admit that Carson is very much a mommy's boy ... he absolutely must sit next to me when we go out to eat; if Daddy tries to read him his book at night (normally my job), he won't have it; if I give him his bath (normally Rick's job), well that one is ok. So, as I was lying down next to him one night last week to read him his nightly 2 books, I asked him how we were going to do this when Kali comes. We have bunk beds for them and Carson sleeps on the top bunk. I normally lie down next to him to read him his books. I asked him if I was going to have to lie down with Kali on the bottom bunk to read her a book too. Oh, he has this all figured out! I will continue to read him his book, and Daddy gets to read Kali her book. I asked him about going out to dinner ... he will continue to sit next to me and Kali will sit next to Daddy. Basically, he's decided that he belongs to me and Kali is Daddy's! Not sure how this is going to work when we get home and I stay home with Kali while he goes to daycare!! Well, at least we have him calling her Kali now and not Katie, as he insisted on for so long!

And speaking of daycare, I have a plan and I hope it works. I want Carson and Kali to have time together to bond, but I don't want Carson to lose touch with his routine of going to school. And I definitely don't want Kali to think that I am not coming back for her when I leave her at daycare ... flashbacks to being relinquished at an orphanage. I will be taking a "maternity leave" when we return and I plan on continuing Carson in daycare at least 3 days a week. In addition to keeping somewhat of a schedule for Carson, my hope is that Kali will see that we bring him home each evening after dropping him off there, so that she will understand that we will do the same for her when the day comes that she starts daycare. All the experts seem to agree that daycare is actually good for the child who has been in an orphanage, but my heart would just break if she thought that Mommy leaving her was happening all over again!

So, how about all this rain!!! I can't believe that I am leaving my house for 2 weeks in June and I probably won't have to worry about someone watering my plants. Are we really still in Texas??

Saturday, June 2, 2007

Some travels stink!

Poor Channing ... he was sent back to India again. He really had a good experience with his first trip to India, even asking to stay longer and be transferred to a different job. I suppose it's true what they say ... be careful what you wish for! This time, not so good. He is in a different part of India this go round and communication seems to be a problem. He is working with some fellas from Russia and some from India. None of them speak English, and Channing doesn't speak Russian or Hindi. Guess sign language will be the order of the month! He seems to be in an area where getting out of the hotel and wandering about is not advisable for safety reasons, and the food ... well, not sure what he has been eating, but we do know that he dined on prawns almost every night during his first trip and couldn't understand why his buddy in another part of India kept complaining about the food. Maybe this is that "other part" of India?? But we really are so proud of him, opening up his world to all of these new experiences. He has become so independent and someday he will look back on all of these experiences and remember them fondly.

And Rick and I were just talking about how we never imagined that someday we would be traveling to Ethiopia!

I keep thinking about the clothes I want to take and trying to whittle the list down ... it looks like things will be cooler there than it is now in steamy Texas ... yea!!!

Day after tomorrow!!!

Day after tomorrow ...

Friday, June 1, 2007

Another suitcase?

Well, in our best efforts to get all things packed to take to Ethiopia, we completely forgot about the souvenirs we will be bringing home with us. Hmmm ... wondering if I should unpack one of the boxes and repack into a 3rd suitcase so that we have an empty souvenir suitcase ... something to ponder over the weekend.

If Gladney offers another Ethiopia training seminar anytime in the near future, GO TO IT! It was very informative and we met the nicest women who are both originally from Ethiopia. One of the pieces of information given was that most of the Christians in Ethiopia are Orthodox Christian. I must admit that I have never known what "orthodox" really meant when referring to the church, so it got me thinking and I looked it up on the web when we got home. I was raised in the Catholic church and Rick was raised in the Baptist church. Seems our little girl's faith will be closer to a Catholic upbringing than Baptist ... wonder if that means I will convince Rick to try a Catholic mass again??

Two more days ...