Monday in Ethiopia

Dear Tayech and Jemila,

Someday you will read this and know how much you impacted our lives and had our hearts, even before you came home. Right now I am here in the U.S. dying to get you in my arms. Grandma and her siblings are in Ethiopia loving on you for me and trying to give back to the beautiful country that brought us the most precious gifts we could ever receive, two of our amazing daughters!

Love, Mommy

So, Monday I tried to focus on my work, but called my Dad frequently asking if he had talked to Mom and her siblings yet. I knew my Mom would likely meet the girls between 2:00am & 11:00am our time, so I was dying to know if it worked out. Just as I left work I called my Dad and he had the most thrilled sound in his voice. He told me the orphanage had brought Tay to the Care Center where Jemila is so my Mom was able to meet them both at the same time!!!!!!!! I BURST into tears. My Dad said hurry home because your Mom is staying awake until you get there to call her (it was 12:30am there at this point). When I called the hubby I scared him because he could just hear me crying saying something about my Mom. When we got all that sorted out, he was excited. (Poor guy.)

When I FINALLY got my Mom on the phone, she did not sound tired, but rather elated. She told me she came in and saw Tayech and Jemila. She said Tay was glued to her and SO loving and sweet. She described her as BEAUTIFUL, soft spoken, but very communicative with her body language, and that word loving must have been said 20 times. She said Jemila was cute as could be and just smiley smiley smiley. My Mom said when she picked her up, she put her cheek right on my Mom’s cheek and just snuggled in forever. My Mom was in HEAVEN! My Mom and Tay played ball together. At one point my Mom said, “Where did the ball go?” Tay was laughing and laughing. It was under my Mom’s arm. Tay thought her Grandma was being clever, but my Mom said she is really just that out of it. My Mom was impressed by Tayech’s athletic abilities and they just laughed and played and laughed and played. When my Mom gave Tayech the photo album I made her, Tay just BEAMED. My Mom said she said “Mama” and “Papa” when they showed her Mommy & Daddy. She beamed the whole time but looked extra happy whenever she saw “Mama” (YES, I am PROUD if you can’t tell)! :) They also gave her a purse we bought her and a bracelet with her name on it that I made for her. She loved them! At one point, my Mom had her arm around Tay, and Tay started playing with my Mom’s bracelet (the bracelet my sisters and I bought my Mom for Christmas). She wanted to see how it worked and then my Mom said, “Do you want to wear it?” And she got that contagious Tayech smile. My Mom never had the heart to take it back, so now my daughter is wearing a $50 leather bracelet that says “Our lives are what our thoughts create.” My Mom gave Tay a bag of Starbursts. She immediately opened the bag and brought one to every child in the Center. SO SWEET!

My Mom and her siblings could not say enough about all the children there! It was a blast to hear about children that I have been hearing about for so long from their proud Mamas, and now MY Mom is there with them. I can’t describe what that’s like. My Aunts and Uncle and Mom came bearing duffle bags full of gifts (clothes, shoes, DVDs, DVD player, the list goes on). All of the children, even little little children, had to shake the hands of all my family and then sit on my Uncle’s lap for a picture. Then they all had to look at the picture of them sitting on his lap. It was just what they wanted to do. I had to laugh at this image, as the last time I saw my uncle he had a long beard. Now, if you knew this man, you would understand why they all gravitated towards him. He is Grandpa extraordinaire and a very loving, gentle man. My Mom is going shopping with someone from the orphanage/Care Center this week to purchase things they need with donations she got from so many friends and family (THANK YOU!). She told me how difficult it is to drive on the streets. Their driver (Eyob – some of you know him) brought them shopping and children were coming up to the Taxi asking for food. Two little boys sang them a song and said “please, please.” Eyob said they couldn’t give them anything from the car due to law. My Mom said it was devastating.

If your child is with either of my children at the orphanage or Care Center, my Mom can’t say enough positive things about the people caring for our children. So hang tight. They are OK until we get there. Also, she got pictures of all the babies at the Care Center and of the famous W twins, but hopefully she will get more soon! I will send pics to our agency as soon as they get back next week. Whew, I still have Tuesday and Wednesday to update you on, but I will have to do that when I get up more energy.

Thank you God for all of these blessings!