WELCOME!

We are so excited to share our Ethiopian adoption adventure, and our CRAZY lives with all of you! Our hope is that it will encourage you to step out in faith to do what God has called you to do! There are FIELDS of fatherless children waiting for someone to care for them, to love them, to tell them of JESUS' love for them...will YOU be the one??







Friday, January 22, 2010

Farewell!

We said goodbye to our little girl yesterday morning around 11:10am to catch a bus back to Sofia, which wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be...although they keep every building, car, bus, etc....HOT inside! They showed us her room where she sleeps and plays with the children in her group. There were about 14 children in there including our daughter. Most were boys, a couple were "rocking"...they were all around 2 years old. There were no toys hardly..in fact they were playing with empty dishsoap bottles..and there were two caregivers there that we had never met..hmmmm... They were dressed well and looked clean(the children)...they were very interested in who we were. One little girl who was rocking when we came in got up, and I waved to her, she smiled back with this huge smile and we waved and blew kisses to each other. She walked over to me and I reached out my hand which she took right away...it was heart breaking...I was holding Ava the whole time because she didn't want to get down(love it!). The sleeping area was drab and dreary..although they did hang pictures of the adopting families over their child's crib. There was one Italian family and one Canadian family's picture on the wall. I'm sure they do their best, but I'll bringing toys for the orphanage with me on the pick-up trip! They do have play "rooms" though...so maybe that's why there weren't so many in this room..... I kept thinking, does my daughter rock like that when I'm not around...when she's bored...when she's tired...when she wants to be held? They only time I saw her do a rocking motion was when she sat down to put her shoes on...it was an "I'm anxious", "let's get on with eating" rock:). They said she does suck her fingers to go to sleep, although I didn't see that either. They did let me leave all the toys I brought to use during our visits, with her...plus some clothes for her(they will be just for her..although I don't care if they share them), and some candy for the kids..so hopefully she'll remember us a little...Oh, and we did leave a photo album with pictures of our kids back home and some of our visit with her as well... They know we are changing her name, so they will prepare her for that as well.

We were told by the director that they did contact the hospital where she was born, and they spoke to the birthmother and asked about alcohol use during pregnancy...she said( and apparently the hospital knows her) she did not use alcohol or cigarretes during the pregnancy...I appreciate their contacting her! Take everything with a grain of salt though!

We didn't cry when we left...just want to get home, get the paperwork started and get BACK to get her!!! Of course, I wish she were with us now...and I wonder if she will begin to exhibit some of those "institutional" behaviors in the meantime...but Jesus is watching over her, and now I just have this urgent determination to get all the paperwork completed as fast as possible!:)

Back in our apartment in Sofia now, and I thought we would do a lot of "sightseeing"....too TIRED! We slept 12 HOURS last night! Plus, it's COLD! We have a wonderful apartment downtown and ate at KFC today! We have eaten other more traditional places too, though....just needed a little reminder of home...what is Coca-Cola LIGHT anyway??? Need DIET Coke!!

Leaving EARLY tomorrow(4:30am) to get to the airport, so I'll say "Good-Bye" from Sofia and see you all back home!:) Thank you all for your prayers....well, don't stop because I still have two plane rides, and a two hour drive to get home:)!

7 comments:

  1. Coke light IS diet Coke. LOL :)

    Yes, 3 months will be great! I wish it could be sooner, I just pray it isn't later!

    We must be close to you... we are close to KFC :). We have eaten so many meals in the hotel restaurant, it is starting to make us dread meal time! LOL It is good though.

    Both the girls rock, but Tavi does very little... her rocking is more of a dancing which I think is common in children who are blind whether they are in an institution or not.

    Good luck on your flight! We will "see" you in the states! :)

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  2. Oh, no, my friend..there IS a difference between the two "cokes"...TASTE!LOL!

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  3. So what's next, what paperwork do you have to do before you travel to pick up Ava? Thanks for sharing your journey.

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  4. Celeste, now we do the I800 and I864W, and send that to USCIS(should take 4 weeks or so), then that is sent to Bulgaria, then after they review it, they(hopefully) will release it for court, then after court, she'll be ours(officially, that is:))...YAY!

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  5. I thought they tasted pretty much the same! LOL

    I can NOT wait to be done with paperwork! I really, truly HATE IT!

    But we are to close to quit now! :) How are you feelign today?

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  6. Thanks renea. Another question what airflights did you fly? Was it British airways, can you tell me how much you spent on the apartment, curious how much we need to plan on for in country expenses. Thanks. So are you thinking 4 months until you return to get her? Such a relief to know that the in country team is good. Praying for our children daily.

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