Home Again, Home Again, Jigidy, Jig!!

We made it home right on track, amazingly enough!!  Our trip to Ethiopia far exceeded my expectations in every way, even by court!!  How is that?!  Well, because we found out AFTER sitting in court on Monday and AFTER we had a call by our in-staff representative (Tsedey) that our court date was NOT supposed to be the 6th, but the 16th!!!!!!  This was a HUGE error that has not ever happened before by our agency (according to our ET coordinator)!!  We were the unfortunate ones to get the news that they were really very, very sorry that there was a mistake and we were not supposed to appear in court until the 16th!!!  What could we do?  Yes, I supposed we could have cried and stomped our feet and carried on about how unfair it was, but that was not productive in any way, so we just stood with our jaws hanging for a couple of minutes and then asked, "What now?"  That is when Tsedey told us that she was headed to the court to talk to the judge on our behalf and plead and beg with her that we could be seen instead the next day (the morning before we were planned to get on the plane to go back home!!).  Thankfully, the judge agreed to see us and we were one of the first cases to be seen at court on Tuesday morning.  We were overly relieved to walk out of that court room that day and even though we have NOT officially passed court, we were happy, because that is expected anyway.  We are now waiting for the MOWA letter, which will seal the deal!!
Meeting the kiddos far exceeded my expectations in every way!!  It was truly an amazing experience, one that will forever be etched in our memories and I am so thankful it was recorded on our camcorder and by our driver (Solomon) who took pictures on my camera.  Bereket was taking a nap when we went to visit the orphanage on Sunday morning.  The nannies woke him up and got him ready as Cade and I waited at the door of the orphanage.  He was blinking his eyes sleepily when he saw us and just looked at Cade and I ( and the cameras) with such an expression of surprise and worry!  I talked to him softly and was amazed right away with how tiny he was!!  Then, I took him from the nanny (I just couldn't wait to get him in my arms!!!).  He did not cry, but just looked me over and then he looked to Cade.  The nannies ushered us outside to a bench where they started their welcome coffee ceremony.  Bereket did go to Cade with out crying as well.  Then, I took him back and he melted into me and put his tiny arms and hands around my neck!!  My heart melted, completely melted with love for him!!!!!  It was so amazing!  One of the nannies said in English, "The bond is being created!!"  Our mornings with Bereket only got better with each day of visiting.
The first moment we met Eden, she was waiting and ready for us.  The nannies told us later that when she was dressing, she told everyone, "My family is coming to see me today!!"  She is very matter-of-fact about everything, it seems!  She shyly came to meet us and kissed Dinkenish (another in-country rep.), who was recording on the camcorder and then came and hugged and kissed me, and then Cade.  She definetely was more reserved with Cade, but that first day she just was more reserved in general.  I dug in my backpack for the bouncy balls and she passed the ball back and forth to Cade and showed us where she sleeps and around the orphanage a bit!!  Her orphanage has so many children!!  Babies through the age of 15 yrs old!!!  Our afternoons were spent at her orphanage (KVI) where we enjoyed getting to know not only Eden, but all of the older kids especially!!  They are amazing children!!  The nannies at both orphanages are wonderful and their love for the children is very amazing!!
We are still processing so much of what we witnessed and were involved in while in Ethiopia!!  I knew that while leaving America we would never see things quite the same and that is so true!!!   The poverty, smells, people, city driving, etc. will be etched in my mind forever.
Leaving the children for the last time was horribly hard!!!  Bereket had bonded with me so much that he preferred me over the nannies by the last day.  I can't really explain how it happened but all I can say is Cade and I both were completely in amazement!!  When it was time to go, I put him on the floor with the other babies and stood up to leave and he started crying and then he stood up and started toddling towards me, crying!!!  By then, I had tears streaming down my face and I knew I just had to keep going and could NOT look back!!  It felt so unfair to Bereket.  I felt horrible leaving him, like I was such a bad guy!!  He would not go to Cade very easily by that last day even though he was fine with Cade playing with him and he laughed and laughed, but he just wanted me to hold him.  For instance, when we showed up at the orphanage on the last day, he was sitting on the potty chair by his buddy.  (I don't really think he is potty trained, but the nannies make them sit for quite a while and they know they are not to get up!)  I sat down on the floor a little ways from Bereket and he scooted his potty chair and himself right over to me so that he could put his feet right in my lap and he was as close as he could get to me without getting off his potty chair!!
On the last day that we visited Eden, we had a translator explain to her that we were going to be leaving and going back home but that we would come back to take her to America as soon as we could.  She is very smart and has seen the process with other children, so we could reason with her about it.  They asked if she had any questions and she shook her head "no."  She was a little subdued that day but we had the best time with her, jumping rope, playing hopscotch, and loved showing us the words she knows in English and learning more!  She can say her ABCs, count to 50, and say some colors in English too!  She is catching on very quickly.  She loves the album that we left with her of our family, home, and animals.  She was so proud to show the other children and the nannies!!  We went through the kids, Cade, & my pictures and said the names.  By the last day she would call out to me, "Mommy!"  and take my hand!  I really wasn't expecting this since I know that she calls her aunt Mommy and wasn't sure she would be comfortable with that, so you can imagine, once again, how my heart melted with love!!!  When our driver showed up to take us from the orphanage, I could tell the Eden became quiet and when Solomon talked to her about us leaving she had a hold of my skirt and kind of hid behind my skirt.  She handled us leaving better than me.  She hugged and kissed both of us and blew kisses and waved at us until we could see her no more.
Cade and I were so happy to be going back home, though!!  We were overjoyed to get back to good ol' USA where everyone speaks English and we aren't in the minority group.  I missed the kids so much!!  I have not ever been away from Bella for that long!!  We were so grateful that Dad was able to stay with the kids and that everything went very well!! 
I suppose in the next while I will be writing more about our trip.  We made it back in time to see Cyrus's graduation and I am so impressed with my boy!!  Today Dad left to go back to IA and the kids had their last day of school.  The kids and I gave a presentation about Ethiopia, our trip, and some statistics.  It is summer time and we are happy about that!!  The question?!!  When can we go back to Ethiopia to bring the children home?!!!  Well, first we have to officially pass court (approximately 10 days or more) and then only time will truly tell.  I have a feeling that the hardest part of waiting has just begun....... 

At the airport getting ready to leave for Ethiopia!!

                                         
 The view out or guesthouse blacony of Addis Ababa

 Enat Alem Orphanage where Berket is.

 Meeting Bereket (a little sneak peek!)  This is his first time going to Cade.

 This little girl was ready for her family to come pick her up and take her home.  We met this family for lunch after they took her from Enat Alem.

 Meeting Eden!

 KVI orphanage.

 The nurse at KVI (Eden took this picture).