It was purely a miracle and God's grace that I did not get car sick (I can't even go to the mountains without getting sick). Honestly, I expected to not feel well, but the Lord kept me safe and healthy. Aside from lack of sleep and emotional exhaustion, both Carlos and I felt really good. The dry air definitely does a number on your sinues and skin though.
When we arrive at the care center all of the other families are with their children. We slipped off our shoes and sat down. A few minutes later, they came out with baby W. She had a hat on her head and was so tiny. Those huge big eyes - I knew it was her! The head nurse explained that she had the hat because they shaved part of her head (since she had been hospitalized). What a shock - we had no idea. As it turns out, it was 10 days prior and she spent 4 days in the hospital. So much to take in. Even though we were exhausted and still trying to process this foreign land - we now had Evy in our arms after all these long awaited months. It was surreal.
I would describe Evy as:
- smiley - the report was very accurate
- outgoing
- very verbal
- well developed in terms of skills for her age
- petite
- very aware of her surroundings
- intentional - she studied our faces
- affable
- seemed to love music and dancing
Sadly, she also showed signs of self soothing tendencies - but a really special little girl.
They brought solid food for me to feed her - she didn't want very much. We were surprised when they told us she eats every 3 hours - crazy for 9 months old. I'm guessing they do what is easier for them to manage schedule-wise. After only 50 minutes (we missed the first part), we departed for lunch.
They drove us to a privat golf club for lunch
. Hard to believe Carlos and I both ate for $10.00. It was a pretty outdoor space nestled among all of the dirt roads. A woman passed by
with a large load on her back - a reminder that few actually afford the golf club compared to millions struggling on the outside. When I went to the restroom, a woman poured water from a bucket to wash my hands - her job was tending the bathroom. I've seen this often in Europe - people demand money for their service BEFORE you ever enter the restroon. This was different. She was gracious and unassuming. When I came back a second time and tipped her, she softly said "God bless you" with a warm smile. What I gave her equaled less than 1 American dollar.
It's really crazy if you think about it - $1 USD = 16 Birr. We could buy things so inexpensively yet I thought how just a little from our family could go such a long way - but how?
Next we drove all the way across town admist more honking, dodging cars and an occasional donkey or sheep to the Holt office to meet with the legal advisor in preparation for our court appearance. We reviewed a few questions then went back to the care center to see our children again before bedtime. Remember, at this point we've been up since Tuesday morning and it's now Thursday evening in Addis.
When we arrived at the care center, Evy was in her jammies. It was sweet to see her again, to play and pray over her. We also met with the pediatrician to ask questions. Naturally, we wanted to know about the hospitalization and other growth milestones. After saying goodbye, we headed back to the guesthouse and ordered dinner - it's now about 8pm Ethiopia time. We are beyond exhausted.
The staff at the guesthouse are amazing. They offered us their cell phone and even purchased a calling card for us to call home. I couldn't go to sleep before talking to Ean. That was definitely harder than I thought it would be. After I told him I loved him, he said "you always come back." (Something I always remind him of when I leave him for preschool) I couldn't hold back the tears. Then his dad said hello and he asked "where's daddy?" over and over. Service was intermittent and it died on us several times. Afterwards, Carlos and I just sat there and cried.
Eventually, we grabbed a quick bit of food and took my first shower in 3 days in ice cold water! I couldn't have cared lesss - I just wanted to be clean. As it turns out, there was a mistake with our room so they gave us the master suite. It was huge - much more than we needed, but God was gracious in providing. That night was so restless...and possibly the hardest bet I've ever slept on. It felt in essence like sleeping on wood...thus the end of Day 1 in Addis Ababa.
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