We woke up around 8:30. We took showers and got ready for the day. We thought maybe we would see Gracie today but we weren't sure. While the staff was making breakfast Yonatan took us down to the bank and helped us exchange some money. 100 bir = 6 American dollars. We counted money in 100 bir...so like I bought Gracie a dress for 350 bir so that was like 21 dollars.
We ate our breakfast of eggs, rolls and coffee. Around 9:30 we called our CWA driver and he said that he would be there soon! We thought maybe he was coming to give us our itinerary of times we would see Gracie so we still weren't for sure if we were going to see her or not.
Finally around 10 am he pulled up in a red van. Britton went out to check and make sure we were going and YES we were!! So we loaded our donations into the van. There were two other CWA families that were going to meet their children also for the first time. We bonded right away. We acted like we had known each other forever. We all had the same case manager :) One couple had two bio children and they were adopting a 17 mo old girl. The other couple had six children, five bio and one from Kazakhstan and they were adopting a 10 yr old boy and a 1 yr old girl. We talked and talked the whole way. We had a special connection. The drive from our guest house to the foster home was 45 min. Besides just out of our guest house this was the first time we saw the city. We realized we were staying in a very nice part of town. The farther and farther we went the poorer and sadder it became. So hard to describe what we saw...interstates like 75 but instead of cars driving fast it was people everywhere sleeping and going to the bathroom, some just laying in the dirt. We saw dirty poor children, donkeys with huge piles of straw on their backs, lots of cars that would honk very loudly and we would swerve out of the way. Trash everywhere and so much pollution, the smells made you feel sick.
I felt so nervous when we pulled up to the gate. It was SO weird...the moment had finally come. I was excited and trying not to cry. Once the gate opened we pulled up to a big beautiful several story building. When we got out of the van we met the nannies, and the staff. We told them who we were and who we were here to see. We walked through big glass doors. In front of me were stairs and on the left was a big playroom and on my right was a huge kitchen and eating area. I spotted her right away. {{Oh be still my beating heart!!}} She saw us to and she waved and smiled! She started running to us but they stopped her because they only wanted one family to go in at a time. By then the tears were coming...I just couldn't help it.
Finally the little girl we had been dreaming about for at least 18 months was in our arms. She was hugging us and we were giving her sweet little brown cheeks kisses. She gave Britton the biggest hug. It was by far one of the best moments EVER! She just belongs...we kept saying, "We love you so much!" She was smiling so big and you could tell she was very happy.
They took us to a little playroom upstairs where we could sit down and be with her. They told us, "NO PICTURES!" But we got LOTS ;) and we took lots of video. We gave her a candy necklace, sunglasses, animal crackers and some juice. She was so pleased with all of it. I kept saying I will hold some of it for you but you could tell she wanted to hold them
For at least a hour we just read books and colored. She wrote her name for us and counted to 20 in English. She knows some words like dog and snake and elephant :)
Then she took us to her bedroom and we saw her little bed and where she sleeps. She had a little purple dog blanket that she had won as an award for learning the most about America. She was so cute talking to all her friends. They were looking at all her food she was eating :) Then her and all her friends sang several African songs for us. It was SO neat! They sang "If your happy and you know it"
Then we went back downstairs to the big toy room and she showed us some of the toys. The nurse told me she likes to play like she is a Mother and make tea and cakes. She wanted to show me a little Ronald Mcdonald toy and she put a babys dolls bib on it and it made me excited to show her all the little dolls and toys we have for her. Britton started playing soccer with a little boy while I held her on my lap. She loved watching and she laughed when Britton messed up or kicked the ball wrong. They told me she wants to play soccer when she comes home.
Then it was time for her to eat lunch. She sat down by all her little friends and it was so cute seeing them all chat away. We of course had no idea what they were saying but by the way she kept looking at us and smiling I think they were talking about us :) They all stood up and said a prayer and then they served injera. (I will explain what injera is in the coming posts) She scooped it up and wanted Britton and I to eat some. What we didn't know but soon learned is that it is a honor for the host to feed the guest out of their hands. It was so gross! :/ I tried to act like I liked it. They were all stuffing their faces using their hands. Britton kneeled down beside her while she was eating and and was talking to her and rubbing her back. I got tears in my eyes seeing how happy she was and one of the little girls noticed my tears and told Gracie. She kept looking at me to make sure I was ok and she kept smiling at me. {so sweet}
Then when she was done eating she went and got a drink and then we went outside where they wash their face and hands. Then we went back to the playroom. Her nanny answered some of the questions I had while Gracie played soccer with Britton. I asked the nanny if she was happy to see us, if she was sad to see her mom go, and if she is excited to come to America. She told me she was so happy to finally meet us and she was not sad at all to see her mom go. She did tell me that it was really hard for her mother to say goodbye. (Of course! I can't imagine the sacrifice) She told me she is excited to come to America and they are teaching her about America. Then she interpeded to Gracie some of the things I was wanting to tell her. I told her about our kitties, ducks and chickens, our trampoline and our garden, her new room and all her clothes. I told her that her new brothers love her and pray for her every day and are so excited for her to come home and play with them. I told her about Grandma Kay and the Nanny asked if she would like to play with her Grandma and she said, "I would love to." I told her that her Grandpa is silly and I held up her arm and tickled her like my dad is known to do :) She laughed :)
Then the Nurse came in to talk with us about her health. They told us that her hair has some sort of fungus in it that they are treating ( this is totally normal in a orphanage situation) and also she has a skin infection on her face that they are treating but we will be taking her to a dermatologist right away when she comes home. Besides that they said she hardly ever comes to the Nurse. Then it was time to say goodbye for the day. :( We took her upstairs to her bed and said goodbye...she gave us lots of hugs and kisses. She crawled into her bed (it was naptime for all the children) and we blew kisses.
The way back to the guest house was so weird. Everyone was chatting about seeing their children and we all agreed {We wished EVERYONE could have this experience!} When we got back we went upstairs to take a nap. Neither of us slept we just kept thinking about our morning. Then we checked email and updated facebook.
Then we loaded our backpacks with crackers, candy and a soccer ball and headed out on the streets. Yonatan told us that we were not supposed to hand out money to the beggars. Right away we saw our little shoe shine friends and they smiled and laughed when they saw us. They came running to give us high fives :) We saw some of the young girls again. They told me they were 13 years old.
One of them was pregnant and the other had a little baby. They kept saying to me, "Hungry! Give me new clothes!" I just stood there and looked at them and a sadness came over me like never before. Why have I been so blessed? It seems so not fair. I thought 20 was so young to have a baby but 13? I wish I could be there Mother. They need someone to just rock them and hold them close. It haunts me every day.
Then we went shopping. (I had big plans to buy all this stuff to bring home but God showed us that we didn't really need any of it when our friends were starving) But I did get Gracie some dresses...one for now and then one for when she is 16 or so. They are the cultural dresses so she will think that is neat someday.
Then we came back to the guest house and had a cheeseburger, fries and a cokes (YUM)
Then we talked with Ashley ( the other guest at the house ), Leah and Yonatan about our days. Then we watched a movie and went to bed. We were so emotionally tired. We missed the boys alot!
SCHOOL SHOPPING??? I can't believe I am writing this! He seems way to young to be thinking about school! But nevertheless he is going to Pre-school this coming August. We really think it will be the best thing for him. He will only be going two mornings a week so its not to sad....but still :(
So we made our school shopping day a date :) Grandma Kay kept Brysen and Carter and I had the whole day to ourselves! We sure had alot to talk about! We went to Taco Bell for lunch and he says the coolest thing was we got a BIG pop that was blue! ;)
We went to Wally World to get all the supplies...boy was he a big help...pulling things right and left off the shelves that he thought he needed and helping put ALL our stuff on the belt at the cash register :/
Then we went to Fulton Farms and picked up our 10 dozen ears of corn to freeze the next day. And we both got our OWN blizzards at Dairy Queen to top it all off.
All his treasures :)
This is after nap so no shorts on :) But don't he look to little to start Pre-school?
