As 2012 comes to an end I wish I had some poignant words of wisdom or earth shattering advice but I don't.
Instead I will post what I wrote on May 30, 2011 the day my Sons left life at the orphanage behind them forever. After reading this I have to say to anyone out there considering adoption, but who are afraid of older child adoption; DON'T BE!!!! Older children are such a blessing, I will have to write a post about how amazing they are. I could not imagine life being any more beautiful, fulfilling, and filled with fun and love than what we have now. Seriously, I can't say it enough OLDER CHILD ADOPTION IS AWESOME!!!!
I can't think of a better way to set the tone for 2013.
Happy New Year!!!!!!
When I got to the orphanage, it wasn't a run to your arms
kind of greeting. They were in class sitting at the table with
about 8 other kids. All of the kids came to me so it was more of a hug all of
them until you get to the boys. They were both smiling but Asrat seemed reserved, which is what I had emotionally prepared myself for. What I wasn't prepared for was how short
lived his reservation would be. After 5 minutes in the classroom I took the
boys outside where it was just us. We hugged again, I told them I loved them
and missed them and I was so happy to be back here with them.
The three of us went to their room where they changed
into the outfits I brought for them. Asrat was so happy about his clothes, he said "thank you
Mommy" several times, totally unsolicited. Once in their new clothes we
went back to the classroom for lunch. Asrat motioned for me to pull up a chair
between him and Ahbie and then offered me some of his food. I took a little bit
and he was happy. After eating, Oz said "Taxi"? and ran to the door,
it wasn't there and he was disappointed.
Bete who is one of the staff at Sele Enat, Oz, Ahbie and I stood on the
porch outside the classroom and talked. After 15 minutes and still no taxi Oz
said "Mommy come" and motioned to follow him to the boys room. It was raining
outside and he wanted to play. Once in the room he started to play
karate with me, I couldn't believe it. Karate was an activity reserved for Daddy, and I was delighted he felt comfortable enough with me to have this fun. We did that for a bit and then he
started taking pictures with our camera. I did not give them their camera until
we got to the hotel. He had fun posing with the other boys he had spent the past year with, and was so happy...I had
never seen him this happy.
After pictures they all watched the videos we had recorded before
I left home, and of Ryan dancing, airport footage I took of the airplanes when I was in Frankfurt.
When the cab finally arrived and Oz and Ahbie said goodbye,
gave hugs to friends, staff, and nannies and we climbed in the cab. It was not the hotel van I was used to, instead one of the small blue car cabs. There was another family there too so
the seating went like this - Driver - Dad from other family in front passenger
seat - Mom from other family holding 10 mo. old baby boy in backseat by the
window behind passenger seat - Asrat in the middle in the back - Ahbie on my
lap in the back by the window behind the driver. Ahbie spent the entire ride
staring out the window, fascinated. Asrat was watching both out the window
and straight ahead, he looked happy but also uncertain.
We arrived at The Addis View Hotel and everyone got out on the
passenger side. I was the last one out and Oz and Ahbie waited for me. Standing
on either side of me they each took a hand and we walked up the stairs into the
hotel. The staff greeted them and the shy Oz was back. We got our key and went
upstairs to our room. Once onside they saw their toys and spent a couple hours
examining each of them. Oz was also taking a lot of pictures and we spent a lot
of time at the window watching traffic. Asrat would count the buses, taxis,
cars etc. that would go by. He would say "Big Red Bus" or "Small
White Car". That's where he taught me the days of the week. He laughs
at me because I have a hard time with some of the sounds, like rolling r's and
that crazy "k" sound which I still can’t do. But he taught me and I
wrote them down. Then we went for the walk to the soccer field. I slipped on
the hill and my pants were covered in mud along with my feet and hands. Oz and
Ahbie didn't know what to do so they stood there and then I started laughing.
Once I did that they started laughing too. Then I look around and people
everywhere were looking at me and laughing. I looked at them and shrugged my
shoulders as if to say "yes I'm a crazy American Lady" it really was
funny. Oz got a picture of my muddied pants. As we were walking back to the
hotel people were looking at me, so I said to Oz, "you're mommy is
crazy" he laughed. Ahbie was a good boy, holding my hand the entire time,
fascinated with all that was around him. We got back to the hotel and I cleaned
off in the tub. I used wet wipes to clean Ahbie and Oz feet and I asked if they
were hungry. They were and so I grabbed my trusty Amharic book and told them "after
eat Ahbie Oz bath”, they understood and I was so thankful.
We went up to the restaurant and it was just the three of
us. The wait staff were very nice and the boys polite. I ordered for them beef
and injera with water to drink. I had beef kabobs with rice and orange Fanta.
While waiting for dinner to arrive we were looking out the window and again Oz
was counting the buses etc. Ahbie and Oz were talking back and forth, pointing
at things for one another to look at, and then Ahbie asked Oz a question and Oz
asked me "Is that America?" and pointed to some buildings in the
distance. I said no, it is Ethiopia. Ahbie understood what I said and got that
silly look on his face like whatchu talkin bout Willis? It was hilarious!!!!! I
tried my best to explain America after Airplane.
Dinner arrived and I served their plates. I also shared my
rice with them, it wasn’t plain white rice it had corn and beans mixed in,
really good. I also shared my Fanta with them and they liked it so I will let
them share one each day as a treat. I am sticking to water for now as they need
it. They never drank at the orphanage. Always bottled too, I don’t want them
drinking from the tap.
Dinner was about an hour, it was FUN!!!! We laughed and had
our version of conversation; they both ate all of their food and were happily
satisfied.
We came back to the room and I ran the bath with bubbles. I
put Ahbie in first and slowly poured water over his arms, chest and back. Asrat
was kneeling next to me, still dressed, playing with the bubbles. I motioned
for him to get undressed and hop in and then left the bathroom so he could have
privacy getting undressed. I think he was a little unsure with my being in the
room, once I left he hopped right in. The light went out (not the power just
the bulb) so I brought in the candle. I showed them how to play with the bath
toys and said I would be right back. When I was in the other room I could hear
them both laughing and talking, splashing and laughing some more. I could hear
water hit the floor and more laughing. It was awesome. I took the camcorder and
placed it outside the bathroom so I could get their voices on tape.....I hope
it came out.......I went in and washed their hair, I asked if they were ready
to get out and they weren't they still wanted to play. Another 20 minutes or so
went by and Ahbie was cold and ready to get out. I washed his body and got him
out, wrapped him in a big yellow towel and took him to the bed. He was
trembling. I dried him and put his pjs and some socks on then I wrapped him in
a big blanket like a burrito pulled the covers down and tucked him in to warm
up. Then Asrat was ready to get out. He let me wrap him in the towel and dry
him off. He was cold too so we dried and got into pjs and a pair of socks and
he went around to his side of the bed and crawled under the covers. Ahbie had
warmed up and I unwrapped him from the blanket. He went potty and then climbed
back into bed. I tucked them in, we said our traditional Mommy goodnights and
Asrat was asleep in no time. I laid in my bed and started to read, looking over
at Ahbie every few minutes as he drifted off to sleep.
That was our first day. It could not have gone better. I
love these boys, they are angels.
