Adoption Update

Adoption update finally!! I wish I could post the pictures we got of our sweet little girl on Thursday but I can't do that until she is home. But she had a very fun "field trip" the other day. I will write off the email our case manager Micheal Arrowood sent to us. He is there in Addis taking care of some things.
" Thursday was a really big day for the older children at Acacia Village. Who knew it is so exhausting to take a bunch of kids to an amusement park and zoo? It was a glorious day here because of an unexpected heavy rain. The air is clean and cool again tonight. We got off to a bit of a late start, owing to the need to bring in a second hired van. We took a total of 23 kids--9 boys and 14 girls. Unfortunately we distributed the new tennis shoes, khakis and jeans before the trip (the girls also got their hair done for the outing). (One girl) didn't get a new pair of jeans and had a bit of a meltdown about it. So we went through the older kids clothes...I don't know how the nannies or Helen did it but eventually we got her on the bus wearing red checked pants, and her happiness returned. The tennis shoes look great and were a big hit.
They totally enjoyed even the drive, just any chance to get out of there and see a bigger world. We went to Bora Amusement Park where I kept busy buying tickets for rides and trying to keep some semblance of order. We had six adults including the driver-it wasn't really enough. But the little things make them happy. We tried to get pizzas there but the service was terribly slow. So only half fed we headed over to Friendship Mall on Bole Rd. where they have MUCH better pizza. But at that point the kids turned it down and opted for various injera-based dishes. I was very amused when one of the littler girls asked for raw meat...there Ethiopian through and through! (Note: raw meat is for adults only) They were very well behaved all around...no tantrums just alot of high energy. And I wish they would eat there food at Acacia Village half as calmly as they do out in public.
Then Helen took the kids to the "lion zoo"up by Sidist Kilo Square, where they saw lions and monkeys. I reconnected with them at a cafe where Helen had gotten them all ice cream and we stopped for gum on the way back. It was pretty much a perfect kid day all around. I have some video of the kids singing on the way home as we pulled into the compound. They were very happy this evening and I reaped lots of hugs."

Isn't that so neat? We got 22 pictures of this special day in her life and I am going to do a page in her scrapbook on it. She looked so very happy in all the pictures just beaming! And the amusement park looks like a very old run down one here in America. Oh I am hoping she was not the one little girl that asked for raw meat! ewww!
As far as where were at with paperwork...ALL of our papers are at the Ethiopian office. My other case manager said the next email we get should be to notify us that our papers were submitted to court. And since that was at least a month ago I am hoping any day now. And then we will wait for a court date. Its all in God's timing

Here is a poem I found on a blog. It didn't have who the author was so I am not sure but I didn't write it :) And its going to be a great poem for Gracie and I.

A Tale of Two Women

Once there were two women who never knew each other
One you do not remember and one you call Mother

Two different lives shaped to make yours
One became your guiding star the other became your sun

The first gave you life. The other taught you how to live it.
The first gave you a need for love and the second was there to live it

One gave you a nationality the other gave you a name
One gave you the seed for talent and the other gave you aim

One gave you emotions the other calmed your fears
One saw your first smile and the other dried your tears

One gave you up for it was all that she could do
The other prayed for a child and was led strait to you

Now you ask me through your tears the age old question through the years
Heredity or environment, which am I a product of? Neither my darling

Just two different kinds of love.