Monday, August 20

Today we were to be in the lobby of the hotel at 10am. Casahun was going to pick us up to take us to the CWAE care center to go over our paperwork for the embassy appt. and pay the rest of our fees.

While we were waiting I saw Laura and her family. I was so excited! I met Laura and Tony at the Kingdom Kids Older Child Adoption Training in April. Tony and Laura adopted three sisters that range in age from about four to eight.

Casahun arrived and all ten of us piled into the jeep. No car seats-no seat belts. Everyone just piles in and finds a spot to sit. We had three adult women in the back with four children on our laps. :-) As we drove to the care center we just soaked in all we were seeing and chatting away nonstop.

When we arrived at the care center two other families were there as well. Dustin and Heidi are first time parents that were with their little eleven month old guy and grandma, and Bob and Lisa were also there with there three older boys and their bio son, Josh. I hit it off with Lisa & Laura immediately!

We all went into an office and took out our paperwork. Chaka went over each families paperwork with them to make sure everything was in order and so they could turn it in ahead of time. Ours were fine and nothing had to be changed. I had brought multiple copies of each form needed, some filled out and some blank, all signed and notarized by Steve. I then went over to the accounting office and paid the embassy fee, fuel fee, passport photo fee, visa fee and I don't know what else. I was glad to get rid of the money that I had been carrying!

After all the paperwork and money was taken care of the staff prepared lunch for us and we all had injera. I was having a hard time because it was the baby's naptime and Mihret was not having any part of being good. She was tired and cranky. I got up with her and went outside and walked with her until she went to sleep.

We finally got to go back to the hotel for some rest. After a while I went down to the lobby to souvenir shop to look around and get some ideas. I found some cute Ethiopian dresses for the girls and bought those. They're a little big, but in about a year they'll probably fit. Later Sarah joined me and we shopped for some gifts for the family. We then went to eat at the Kaffa House in the Hilton.
Okay food, not the greatest.

We went back to the room and I had it out with Mihret. She's a screamer and was screaming because I wouldn't give her what she wanted. It's normal in Ethiopia for children to not be disciplined until they're five or six and for them to get what they want. Lots of appeasement. I wasn't having anything to do with that and when she was denied something the screaming started. I disciplined her and put her in her crib, a tad angry and having had enough. She slept pretty well until the next day with the exception of needing a bottle or two.

The thoughts that night were, "What have I gotten myself into?" "Lord, You called me to do this, You will have to lead me and give me the strength to mother these two girls. I can't do this on my own. You'll have to do it for me, and remind me daily that I'm doing this for You. Please help me see these girls as You see them." Then I layed awake all night either crying or watching tv.