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Sunday, August 30, 2009

Summer Days!


Seriously, does it get any better than a hot summer day in Minnesota,swimming, laying in the sun and eating Cheetos?Week two has been easier!food thing still sucks(pardon my French)We have actually been busy, I have tried to NOT do too much running around but we just seem to have stuff to do everyday. Genet had a dermatologist appt this last week and all looks good. She saw no lice. YIPEE!!Mike has been waiting for our down comforter to be put back on our bed, but I had washed it once and put it in a bag and was waiting to get a clear ahead we had no lice!lol We are still having some serious jealousy issues with Ava, I guess it will just take some time. We reassure her everyday about how much we love her, but she just has a hard time when we are paying attention to Genet. On the other hand, Ava is so good with her, they play up in their rooms all the time. They change clothes constantly. Genet LOVES lip gloss, and is constantly putting it on(more around her lips than on them). She seems so well adjusted already. We have been bringing her with us to church and she is so wiley. I told Mike next Sunday she is going to Sunday school!I have been afraid to leave her at all. Ava has one more week before she goes back to school. Grandma got her heelys and if you know Ava it is funny, I told her she needs a helmet. Mike & I have always secretly called her Gilda(Gilda Radner from SNL)She has all this long wild curly hair, knobby knees and it a total clutz!so these shoes I can't figure out why she wanted them?oh well, at least the wheels are NOT allowed at school, so only need to worry at home.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Home for one week!




WE have now been home for a week!I am still doing loads and loads of laundry. We treated for lice and every little piece of lint in any one of our heads has me looking at it with a microscope. Genet got her teeth cleaned by Auntie Tammy on Monday(we got in on a cancelation)she did so good, we got great xrays and her teeth are in really good shape, no decay. The dentist estimated her to be about 3 1/2 so we are going to use our referral date of Feb 17th as her birthday. Her official date of birth will be February 17th, 2006! I also had a pediatrican appt for her on Wed that I made prior to traveling. I showed the Dr. some bumps on her wrists and palms and she said oh that is scabies!SUPER!so on Wednesday night; Genet, Ava, Mike and I all had to put on this cream after baths and leave on all night.In addition to getting stool samples for the parasites they think she has in her tummy.(poor thing)So yesterday(thursday) I washed all our bedding and clothes again.We finally got outside in the afternoon, it has been raining(pouring)since the beginning of the week. Other than those minor things, some things about Genet: she is a daredevil, this is God's sense of humor on an extremely cautious and doting mother who has always been afraid to have boys. She will climb the monkey bars and flip over and sometimes land on her feet. She thinks it is extremely funny when she lands on her head,back or shoulders.UGH!She goes down the slide head first,has already tackled a bike with training wheels, she gets stuck as yells, MOM until I come and turn her around and she has no fear of water. I have already signed her up for swimming this fall. She LOVES it when Mike throws and flips and wrestles her, I can hardly watch. She laughs so hard in this huge belly laugh that is just infectious. Ava and Genet fight like they have been sisters since the begining of time and Genet wants to be with her all the time, She yells Ava, Ava, Ava all day. Genet is a really good sleeper at night, naps are hit or miss. The only tough thing for me is the food. She is extremely picky and will not even try anything, she smells the box or carton and says no,no,no. Ava has always been such a good eater that this is definately out of my element.I am not pushing it yet but eventually she will be made to at least try it. She likes Dora and playing with Ava's barbies, mostly she like to play with the hair. She is particular about what she wears and she LOVES to wash her hands(like she is getting ready for surgery)I have to go in and shut the water off. She loves to brush her teeth that also takes about 15 minutes, I should not complain, I have to fight with Ava to do it and she takes about 30 seconds.lol other than that we are getting settled in. Mike has been working from dawn to dusk(literally)and he just left this morning(Sat)it is a mixed blessing. Can't complain about work.Soon he will be home all the time and driving me crazy.Ava starts school in a couple of weeks so we will be getting her ready in the next week for that. Grandma Heidi is taking her shoe shopping next week!anyway I hear little footsteps on the stairs..gotta go...

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Sunday, August 9th

We got to Ethiopia about 6:30am absolutely no sleep for me; I cannot sleep on a plane. Ava slept most of the way and missed both meals (not good anyway) so by the time we arrived she had an empty stomach and got sick in line waiting for our Visas. Good thing I grabbed the sick bag from the plane. We got thru customs, exchanged money, all our luggage arrived and we were met by our America World representative at the airport. On our way to the Guest Home, Ava got sick in the van. Quick prayers this was only from an empty stomach. When we got to the Guest Home we pretty much crashed and slept until about noon. Guest Home was really clean and our room was nice, we had a kitchen, living room and a bedroom. We even had electricity AND hot water. Wahoo!! We had dinner there and met another family who had a son about Ava’s age and for the rest of the week they got along like two peas in a pod.

Monday, August 10th






We met in the lobby and did our paperwork party, which was only a couple of forms and then when we were done they informed us Monday night was ladies night and we could all opt to go to the Spa tonight. What? How awesome! Of course Mike wanted a massage and after some razzing from the other guys (which didn’t bother him) we scheduled our appointments. Off to lunch at a pizza joint and it was really good. All thru this I was eerily calm knowing in a couple hours we were going to meet Genet for the first time. So after lunch we were off, after a short drive we came to the gate of the TH home and I was seriously NOT going to cry and then when I saw the America World sign I teared up. We only had a group of 4 families and we take turns alphabetical by last name and we were 3rd in line. So we took other families cameras until our turn. My hands were literally shaking and then it was finally our turn, they brought out our little Genet, she came out and was soooo much cuter than I ever imagined. Her hair was all done up and she had on a dress we sent and she was just smiling like, it is FINALLY my turn. She was really tiny and came right to us. She was and is a little afraid of Mike. I knew we were not supposed to have any expectations for this moment and I was ready for her not to like me, but I am telling you it was LOVE at first sight. A lot of people say it takes awhile because this child is new, it doesn’t smell familiar or their mannerisms are not like ours but I seriously didn’t feel that and she took to me right away. We spent 3 hours there and played with balloons, Ava and Genet ran around and around the TH home and I thought, WOW, how am I going to run after a toddler again. Then Genet started to braid and play with Ava’s hair and it was soo funny, I have it on video. Then it was time to leave and Genet did NOT want me to leave. I had to pull her hand out of mine and a nanny took it then I looked back and she had this serious pout going on and tears and that was really hard. Did she think I was coming back? I promised her I would be back and then I had to just turn away. It was gut wrenching.
Going to the spa on Monday night was conflicting, it was in a way a good way to distract from thinking about our children and Ava and I got to have a girl’s night together. We both had pedicures and Mike and I both had massages. ALL TOGETHER it was about $70. Complete change from Paris. The Boston Spa was just as nice if not nicer then some of the spas around home. We opted out of the Ethiopian Dinner on Monday night since it got so late and we knew that Tuesday was going to be another big and busy day.

Tuesday, August 11th





They took us shopping on Tuesday morning, and I really didn’t feel like shopping. My mind was just not in the mood to barter for prices and try and find things to buy, believe it or not I do not like that kind of shopping. After another lunch we got to go back to the TH home and I was just like so ready to go get Genet. Give me my daughter. Then we got there and she was just getting up from a nap, she went to Mike and then I wanted to see her room and where she slept. I went back and saw where she had spent the last 6 months of her short life and I just lost it. It was nothing wrong with the room or place; just that I was going to be ripping her away from all she knew AGAIN. She was happy here, who am I to take her away from that? Will she be happier with us? Or will we wreck her by all the stuff she will now have or get? I took some pics for her and there was a rainbow painted on the wall, Mike suggested maybe we have one painted in her room when we get home. We changed her clothes and I kissed the nannies, they were sad too. Then it was time to give out our care packages we brought for other families and take pictures for them. This gets really really crazy. But I was sooo happy to do this for other families, the pictures we received during our wait were just a precious lifeline to Genet and a real comfort. I had out packages and Mike took the photos. I thought how am I going to remember whose kids are whose? and after meeting them and hugging and taking pics you can easily remember. They are all so amazing and the families are going to be so blessed by them. When it was time to leave I thought we would have a little sadness from Genet but no, she just got right in the van got on the seat(legs swinging and dangling) and smiled like she was so ready for it to be her turn to have a family. It was so fun bringing her back to the Hotel everything was new; Ava wanted to show her everything. I had to explain that not too much it is overwhelming. Her shower was funny she is just game for everything, loved the warm shower, loved lotion, her jammies, blankie, all of it. We all went to bed and slept all night.

Wednesday, August 12th


We just hung out and played in our room today. We have our Embassy appt this afternoon. It took us over 3 hours. It was a long wait but the official that asked us the questions seemed to really know what she was doing and it took less than 5 minutes. She told us congratulations. FINALLY, the last step is done. We can go home. I am so ready to get home.

Thursday, August 13th



Ava and I visited the orphanage today. Ava was really great, she handed out fruit snacks and was mobbed by kids, you can tell in the pics she is kinda of nervous.lol One of the ladies there did a coffee ceremony for us and the coffee was FABULOUS! The orphanage was about what I expected and I was teary eyed more than once. These kids are just great and to think so many will not have homes. We brought donations and I stopped and bought a whole bunch of bananas. One of the older girls took my wrist and gave me a wrist band off of her hand, she patted my check and gave me a kiss. It was so sweet, I had to turn away for awhile, did she think I needed comforting, what was wrong with me? this sweet sweet girl was worried about someone else. I wish I would have thought of things to bring the older kids, they get left out with all the babies and little ones.

Mike and Genet stayed back at the Guest home and all was well until they lost power and Dora got shut off. He tried to get her to stop crying so he painted her fingers and toes, yes, Mike did that! and show her pics of mommy on his I-pod but she would have none of it. She was really upset. Poor Mike, he is trying but she is already a momma’s girl. When we got home my mom and dad asked him how the trip went and he said it was a long way to go to get hit and kicked.

We had dinner at the Guest house Thursday night and Genet does NOT like spaghetti, to bad, we eat spaghetti a lot. We are ready to go home and start the long flights. We are all sleeping okay, this was the first night I heard the Muslims praying. The dogs are usually barking. The funny thing is the Guest home is quieter during the day than at night. Go figure.

Friday August 14th



We did a little walking around this morning and packed! We met in the lobby at 5:30 pm for a prayer before we left for the airport. As we were driving to the airport in the van, Genet was looking out the window and for the first time she wasn’t holding my hand, she was just looking out the window and it looked to me that she was just taking in everything about her country she could at that age. She was just staring, I commented on it to another mom we were leaving with and we both just started to cry. The emotions of this week and everything we had experienced came to a head, we were so glad to be going home yet at the same time it was really sad. I just can’t explain it. We got to the airport and I was nervous again, just shakey going thru security like someone was going to stop us. Our flights were on time and extremely long about 16 hours on the plane from Addis to DC via a fuel up in Rome. Genet did not want the seat buckle on the plane but I just stuck to it and she has this serious pout but too bad, wait until she gets put in a car seat. The girls both slept most of the way, which was great, I was unsure how to entertain a toddler that does not speak English on a plane. We got into DC on Sat morning and we ate at a hamburger joint right away.lol Fries, Cokes WITH ice. Then I headed to starbucks for Ice Tea, I had been craving Ice Tea for almost 2 weeks! We had a 6 hour lay over in DC and then a 2 hour flight home. We were so happy to land in America in DC that I just wanted to kiss the ground. We had a nice size travel group and everyone seemed like they felt okay. Some had a cold etc. but over all Mike, Ava and I did not get sick. We were taking probotics and I think that helped tremendously. We had a water leak at home and thank goodness we had someone staying at our home so it was caught right away and my father in law took care of it right away, called our insurance and started all the bids and estimates. My folks picked us up from the airport and took care of stuff at our home too. We are soo blessed with our families and all the support we have. Thank you to all for prayers, support and the ones who sent donations for the TH and orphanages. They were so needed and appreciated.

Stay tuned… our adventure is just beginning!lol

Sunday, August 16, 2009

We are HOME!!!


We got home Saturday night about 5:30pm. I will post details in a couple of days. We are just trying to get unpack and settled in again. We treated just in case for lice, since that is going around, so I am washing EVERYTHING. spraying out suitcases. I don't think Genet has it but it was going around, so we are trying to be proactive. We took our first bath last night. Genet LOVES water, she is constantly washing her hands. After we got our jammies on, we showed her her room and she went over to the toy bins and found a pony like the one we sent her and then she found a barbie like the one we sent her and I think it hit her what she left. Everything she new, she started crying really softly and it just broke my heart she went downstairs and put on her shoes and was standing by the door with the pony and barbie just crying so soft with big tears.So Mike came in and we prayed over her and asked God to comfort her and within a few minutes she stopped, she was still really quiet and laid with all of us awhile and then I put her in her crib(she is still in a crib at the TH home, so we thought that would be most comforting)and we all slept until about 5 am.She is doing good and playing this am. She loves juice. Ava is really good with her and she calls Ava all the time.Please pray for Ava she is having a little adjusting going on. She has been really hit hard this last week, everyone is all interested in Genet and everything she is doing is so cool and Ava has really been put in the background. I am going to try and have a little Mom and Ava time this week.I will post more soon.Thank you for all the prayers. And thanks to Mom and Dad and my inlaws who took care of soooo much while we were gone.
love,
dawn

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Au revoir Paris!

Goodbye Paris, I LOVED Paris!!We toured all over. Saw the Eifel Tower, went through the Louvre and saw the Mona Lisa. I can't pronounce anything here. Paris is lovely!EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE!!Breakfast was like $70. INSANE!I don't think we will ever be able to come back here but we have really enjoyed it.I think when Ava is older she will appreciate it but for her all the walking has been hard,and food she is not used to but she says she liked it. We are heading to Ethiopia ToNIGHT!!YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I am going to try and post some pics but I am having to charge everything separate because my power strip doesn't work in our converter. So far we are all feeling well. Can't wait to meet our Genet!
Blessings,
dawn

Friday, August 7, 2009

Bonjour!!!

It is Friday morning and we just woke up. We got all confused last night, we got in around lunch time Paris time and our room was not ready so we changed clothes and did a little walking but we were sooo tired. way to hard to sleep on the plane. but we stayed up until about 8pm. We had dinner at the Hard Rock and have taken lots of Pictures already. We went to bed and when we woke up we thought we slept all morning and then after about 2 hours without the sun coming up we realized the clock in our room was totally wrong and it was only 3am. Greg, I tried to text you back!so we eventually fell back to sleep and now it is 9am. Mike thinks we overslept now.lol Well, we told Ava today we will go to the Eifel Tower today, I hope she doesn't think Fancy Nancy will be there, well until later. Au revoir.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Oh La La!!Paris here we come!

In 48 hours we will be on our way to Paris!we are spending about 3 full days there and then on to Ethiopia. One week from now Genet will be with us forever!We have everything confirmed!I want to make sure that I thank all our families and friends that have responded to our letter we mailed out the end of May for us to bring donations. We have filled 3!!!! suitcases of things to bring including formula, medications, toothbrushes, legos for the orphanages I plan on visiting while we are there. Thank you so much. I thank God that I have such an amazing family and friends who felt it in their hearts to give so generously to the Transition Home and orphanages. Your prayers are much appreciated!I am going to try and blog while we are there as long as we have internet!
God Bless,
Dawn

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Travel Buddies Blogs!

The following families are traveling with us!
you can follow their trip with us:

Shala Bartley shalabartleyethiopianadoption.blogspot.com
Pace Family pacefamilyjourney.blogspot.com
Andrews Family addingandrews.blogspot.com