The Earley Journey

Happy Belated New Year!

2012-02-17T19:46:00.005-05:00

My sweet kiddos are growing up so fast! Addi is a kindergartner and Soli is now in Pre-K. Addi is such a good big sister, but Soli has found his own voice, independence, and interests. They are both as sweet as pie, but certainly have different personalities. Addi is the "teacher's pet" type of student, while Soli can make a teacher smile and frustrated at the same time. He asks "WHY?" a hundred times a day and continues to need to work on impulse control. However, he is clearly loved by his peers, has a smile that can melt your heart, and is very intelligent.

As you know, keeping up this blog is not my forte, so who knows when I'll post again. I can't even keep up with Facebook! Anyway, here is a recent picture of my two favorite children in the whole world!

No Words...Just Cute Photos

2011-04-17T18:03:00.014-05:00

It's Been Sooooooooo Long!

2011-03-12T22:01:00.004-05:00

Hello my blogging friends. I know it's been since last Spring since I've posted, and this will likely be one of the few posts before I officially say goodbye to this blog. I've pretty much given up trying to keep this blog going while raising two young active kids. However, since I'm thinking about turning this blog into a keepsake book for my little ones, I wanted to make a few more post to share some of my favorite 2010 photos.

All is well with our family. Addison and Solomon are such a cute little pair. They love and argue with each other as if they have been together forever. It's hard to believe that Addison has been with our family for over four years now, while Solomon has been with us for a little over a year and a half. Addison is quite the big sister with sage advice, but Solomon certainly has his own opinions and ideas. Together, they make quite the team. When they're not bickering or telling on each other, they're taking up and looking out for the other. It's heart warming seeing the sweet connection between them and knowing they'll have each other throughout the years. As I write these words, I'm hoping that someone who is considering adopting will stumble across this blog, be led to other adoption blogs, and ultimately make a firm decision to build their family through adopting. I will forever be grateful for the courage, emotional energy, and support I sustained from adoption blogs during our journey to parenthood.

Enjoy the photos!

Summer 2010, Destin, FL / Solomon's first trip to the beach

Solomon's sweet smile when seeing the beach for the first time.

Addison was saying, "C'mon buddy, we won't let the waves get us!"

Following are some of my favorite Miss Addison picstures. Here are Addison and Ceci at an Ethiopian cultural dance class:

Addison's 4th birthday party. Nothing could hold this little princess on a mission back...not even while dressed in her royal attire. Solomon, on the other hand was slowed down at the party by a badly injured tongue which resulted in a trip to the ER. While Aaron handled that emergency, I served up pizza and cupcakes without Addison and her friends missing a beat. Fortunately, they didn't know Solomon had injured himself. Hours later, Solomon returned home with a deep gash in his tongue, in pain, and refusing to eat or take in liquids. The next morning, we took him to an ER specializing in children's medical services and were given different meds to ease his pain. It took about three days for him to resume eating and drinking normally. What a day!

Fall 2010 Favorite Photos

Don't overlook Solomon in the lower right corner offering up some of his water on this warm October day.

Aaron, the best father in the world, was determined to dress up as Woody since Solomon's favorite character is Buzz Lightyear. How cool is that?!!

Well that's it for now. I'll try to post more photos tomorrow in an attempt to catch you up on the growth and happenings of our little family.

Pat

Easter 2010

2010-04-10T15:43:00.007-05:00

Last Saturday, Solomon enjoyed his first Easter Egg Hunt. Miss Addison racked up many eggs as usual. These two are such a sweet pair most of the time, but of course like all siblings they sometimes annoy each other. Here are a few pics to hold you over until I post again... months from now :-)

Overdue Update!

2009-11-01T21:34:00.012-05:00

O. K. I know it's been a minute since my last post. Needless to say, parenting two toddlers is both joyous and demanding. Addison and her little brother Solomon are true siblings. One minute, they're loving up on each other big time, and the next minute they're fighting over a toy, book, or our attention. Solomon and Addison now attend the same child development center and their rooms are located on the same hall. During Solomon's first few weeks, Addison would run up to him, give him a hug, and reassure him that everything would be alright. Yes, she takes her big sister role seriously! Solomon is such a sweetie! He's crazy about Miss Addison. If he sees her water bottle empty, he fills it up, takes it to her, and says, "Here you go Addison". I've even caught him washing Addison's back during bath time. His frequent nurturing of Addison is going to make her believe she really is a princess!!! Solomon's good receptive language skills have always surprised me, and his expressive language skills are really starting to kick in. I think the next big hurdle is potty training. He has shown signs of interest, so we'll probably start that in the next month or so. We are feeling quite like the settled family of four. It takes longer to get out the house with two kids and we stay home and eat in more so now than in the past. It's just easier. On the other hand, Addison and Solomon often entertain each other which gives mom and dad a break. It's so rewarding hearing them laugh and play with each other.

What else is happening? Addison had her first dance recital at school. She was so excited and adorable. During her performance, she yelled out several times, "Mommy, my hat's coming off!" I just yelled back, "That's O.K. baby, keep dancing!" And that she did. She danced, tripped, laughed it off and got back up immediately. I love that girl! Aaron took Solomon to get his first American haircut. Aaron said he was a perfect toddler during that process. He sat in that huge barber chair like a champ and didn't shed one tear. That's my boy. I love my Soli!

For Addison's school Fall Festival, she dressed as Princess Tiana, Disney's first African American princess. Solomon just couldn't get with the whole dress up thing. He frowned and quickly removed his fireman jacket. During the festival, Solomon decided he'd be happier on the school's playground. As a person who just doesn't get the who Halloween craze, that was fine with me! On Halloween, Addison lookes very pretty dressed as a "generic" princess. Solomon stayed home with his Daddy and watched Diego. Maybe next year!

On a sad note, my brother died suddenly October 20. He was 48, very physically fit (an avid cyclist), and had the biggest smile and engaging personality. As we continue to wrap out heads around our sudden loss, we find comfort in knowing that Lonnie was loved by so many people. His home going service was unbelievably inspiring, uplifting, and representative of the kind of person he was. We are still amazed at the number of people that showed up to support us and pay their last respects. Although we already miss him. I'm very happy that he got a chance to share his huge heart and smile with Addison and Solomon.

At last, here are some recent photos. Enjoy.

2009-09-01T00:12:00.004-05:00

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Scroll down to end of page to view Addison's 2007 homecoming video!

Everything is Official! Re-adoption in Georgia is done!

2009-08-25T22:58:00.013-05:00

We have reached yet another milestone in the international adoption process. I think we must have broken a re-adoption record. We've been home a little over a month and have already taken the huge step of re-adopting Solomon in the state of Georgia. Although the Ethiopian courts recognized our adoption of Solomon as final mid June, the law required us to readopt him here in the states in order for him to have full citizenship. This final step involved more detailed paperwork, which is why many people choose to pay big bucks to adoption attorneys to complete the confusing forms. Most families put this off for months or even years, but not my hubby. Once again, Aaron was so on top of this final procedure. I also need to give thanks and a huge hug to my friend Laura who has assisted us and other GA families by providing an online file with the required paperwork for this procedure. XOXO Laura!

Solomon was well behaved at the court house even though we had to wait an additional 30 minutes until the judge could hear our case. Once we were called to his chambers and our paperwork was looked over, the process was over in about four minutes. We were congratulated, a picture was taken, and we were on our way with our new son. Immediately after our court appointment, we applied for Solomon's social security card. So let's see...Solomon has his Green card, full citizenship, a social security card on the way, and tomorrow we'll take his American passport photo. Soli baby, Welcome to America!

Our Time in Ethiopia

2009-08-25T16:25:00.055-05:00

After a year of paperwork, interviews, and more paperwork, my niece Ashli and I traveled to meet our Solomon, while Aaron remained home with Addison. We thought long and hard about our travel plans and decided it was the best decision for our family for Aaron to care for Addison while I traveled to bring home our son. Ashli was so thrilled to visit the continent of Africa and to experience everything Ethiopian. I felt elated to be going back to Ethiopia again to bring home our second child. Here's an overview of our time in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Days 1 & 2 - Saturday/Sunday
Saturday and Sunday were travel days. It was difficult leaving Aaron and Addison to travel to Ethiopia. I knew they would both be fine, but being away from your loved ones for an entire week is tough. The flight from Atlanta to DC (Dulles)was BUMPY! We flew United Airlines and had to be on the smallest plane I've ever flown. Not fun at all. The flight from DC to Ethiopia on Ethiopia Airlines (EA) was sooooo smooth. Lately, I've read many negative postings on blogs about EA, but I've had great experiences both times I've flown them. Our luggage arrived with us and the overall service was good. We arrived at the Bejoe Guest House around 8:30 PM and met the awesome ladies who work there. These ladies are incredibly kind, helpful and were great company during our stay there.

Ashli and I headed to bed in anticipation of meeting Solomon early the next morning.

Day 3- Monday
I woke with such excitement Monday morning. Travis, who is an in- country representative for Gladney had told me that he would be our "stork" and to expect delivery of Solomon very early that morning. So I was up by 7, ate breakfast at 8:30, and grabbed my camera every time I heard the compound's gate open. Despite Travis' happy warning the night before to expect an early delivery, there was no Solomon to be seen or heard. Travis had told me to call him if I hadn't heard from him by 9:30. When I phoned him I was informed that the other couple scheduled to receive their child would be arriving a few hours later because of flight delays. Therefore, in order to make only one long trip from the Gladney Foster Center to our guest house, I had to wait an additional five hours before meeting our son. On top of that, there was a terrible traffic backup which further delayed Solomon's arrival. Of course I was disappointed, but when I put things in perspective, I had started this process a year earlier, so waiting a few more hours would not put a damper on meeting Solomon.

Here's our stork!

Even though this was our second adoption, I still don't have the words to describe the feeling an adoptive parent has when the child you have loved for months through pictures and descriptions is finally placed in your arms. When Travis drove through those gates and I saw our son sitting calmly in the front seat, my first thought was wishing Aaron was there. My second thought centered around preparing myself not to be disappointed if Solomon became upset when handed to me. I was relieved that although he was quite reserved, Solomon did not cry when I took him in my arms, but was obviously trying to wrap his brain around yet another huge transition in his short life. He carefully checked out his surroundings while accepting my bear hugs and cheek kisses.

No matter how many blogs, books or conversations you have with other adoptive parents, nothing can fully prepare you for the flood of emotions that run through you when you and your child first meet. It's not always a storybook meeting and sometimes it's awkward. For me, meeting Solomon fell somewhere in the middle. Not magical, not awkward, just right. I'm sure I'm not doing a good job explaining our initial moments together, but perhaps some things don't need to be explained. Those emotions and Solomon are in my heart and that's what counts. We spent the remainder of the day checking each other out. A few hours later, Solomon and I were running around and playing in the front court yard. I didn't sleep well our first evening together because I was mentally on alert for Solomon to display some sign of distress. It didn't happen. Solomon slept very peacefully throughout the night.

Day 4 - Tuesday
Solomon and I woke early and spent the day getting to know each other. I could tell early on that the foundation for a close bond between us was certainly there. I also felt that he and Aaron would also develop a special bond. Later that day, Solomon began to call me mama and appeared very comfortable with me. The feeling was mutual. Solomon's active behaviors that I had been told about began to surface and I spent much of my days running after him. It was Day 3 that I realized that we had been matched with a very sweet, intelligent, and athletic child. Solomon's other passion is cars. He loved sitting in the drivers' cars and pushes every botton he can get his hands on. Now I know all parents think their kids are "all that", but other Bejoe house guests and his cousin Ashli often commented on his sharp skills. Solomon quickly struck me as one of those children who possess charm, intelligence, AND athletic skills. It doesn't hurt that he's also a cutie pie! Now the flip side of my wonderful son is the evidence that he certainly likes control. I was reminded of this whenever I tried to remove his shoes, change his diaper, or stop him from doing something before he was ready to stop. Solomon can let out the loudest scream and cry I think I've ever heard. His tantrums are short lived, but they are loud! I know that much of his control issues and possessiveness are typical orphanage type behaviors, but it's tough when he's in the middle of an emotional outburst. I deal with these outbursts by reminding myself what this little soul has been through in 30 months. This sweet boy has lost loved ones, familiar environments and faces, and has moved clear across the globe to join a world he knows nothing about. With that in mind, the least I can do is try to remain patient and empathetic as I allow him to grieve for his loses.

Our driver Tafese

I'm so happy Ashli traveled with me. She was a huge help throughout our time in Ethiopia.

Day 5 Wednesday
This was a loooooooong day for Solomon and me. We started off the morning with the daily yummy breakfast prepared by Marta at the Bejoe House, and headed over to participate in the celebratory events at the Gladney Foster Care Center. Our children's special caregivers dressed our babes in traditional Ethiopian attire,
we visited all of the baby and toddler rooms, had the opportunity to take photos for waiting families, and participated in a traditional coffee ceremony. Solomon's special caregiver (sometimes known as Special Moms) appeared very kind but quiet until she non verbally scolded me for giving Solomon a bite of cake! These caregivers really love on and care for these children as their own, so it's understanding that they may feel the urge to tell you how to care for the little person they've watched over the last few months or longer. I must admit that I discretely gave him another bite of cake when she wasn't looking.
Solomon's Special Caregiver

I enjoyed being able to see Solomon's crib and was surprised to find the photo album we had sent shortly after being matched with him still placed in the crib.

The highlight of my visit to the Care Centers occurred when I walked into one of the baby rooms and a familiar face smiled and shouted out, "Biftu! Biftu's mom!" One of Addison's former care givers immediately recognized me as the woman who adopted their sweet baby known as Biftu two years earlier. I was so touched that not only did she remember me, she was obviously thrilled to see me again and to hear that I was there to adopt a brother for one of the babies she had cared for. This caregiver assisted me in tracking down the whereabouts of Addison's Special Caregiver, who just happened to be scheduled to baby sit at the Bejoe house later that evening.
Addison's Special Caregiver

We then left for the Top View Restaurant. This is known as one of the best restaurants in Addis Ababa with awesome views of the city. After Solomon threw filled up on a delicious spicy appetizer, all he wanted next was the freedom to run around and play. I took the advice of another parent and allowed a couple of the drivers to entertain Solomon while I enjoyed my lunch and adult conversations.

The third and most important activity of the day was the Embassy Appointment. The Embassy appointment is an important step in the adoption process that must be completed prior to the Ethiopian government issuing a visa for an adopted child. Solomon waited for a couple of hours before it was our turn. By this time, Solomon was running out of stream and patience and just wanted to get out of the building. To add a huge dose of stress to our waiting, Belay (our adoption agency in-country representative) warned me that an important and necessary document might be missing from our file. Since Aaron did not travel with me, a power of attorney form had to be notarized stating that he had authorized me to transport Solomon from Ethiopia to America. As organized as Aaron and I were with these forms, I'm still trying to understand how this particular document was missing. I was still able to go through the 5 second interview once called up to the window, but Aaron had to fax the missing document later that evening. It all turned out well, but for a few minutes there, my head felt like it was spinning. Just another example of how adoption is far from being the easy route to parenthood.

Day 6 - Thursday
What a relaxing day! A little gift shopping, good food, and lots of play and bonding time with Solomon. The bonding between Solomon and me continued to solidify. By this day, I was certain that Solomon and I would have that special mother-son connection my friends had told me about. I kept looking at him and thinking, "There's just something about this little boy that touches my heart." That evening, the parents went out for the traditional Ethiopian dinner and entertainment, while the children remained home with baby sitters. I had thought about passing on this event since I had gone there with Aaron and Addison two years earlier. However, I decided that I wanted to see Ashli experience Ethiopian culture so I got my tired body up and ready for an evening of good food and entertainment. I'm so happy I went because had I remained home, I would have missed Ashli's stellar 1st attempt at Ethiopian dancing. She was fantastic!

Day 7 - Friday
I knew that this last day in Ethiopia would be very emotional. Gladney had arranged for all of the Gladney families to meet their child's birth family. I was honored to be able to meet with Solomon's grandfather. Solomon's grandfather had cared for him prior to making the painful decision to place him for adoption. As with details surrounding how/why Addison became available for adoption, we will withhold specific details about how/why Solomon become available for us to adopt. His history is not shameful, but it is his personal story to share when he is able and with whom he wants. It would take me a year to adequately describe my meeting with Solomon's grandfather, so I won't attempt to. I can however state that if Solomon inherits just a fraction of his grandfather's dignity and grace, he will become an exceptional man. I left our meeting feeling full of joy and relief knowing that my son's life prior to meeting me was filled with much love, nurturance and guidance. Perhaps more importantly, Solomon's grandfather left our meeting knowing that his grandson would always be safe and cherished. How do I know this? Through translations and with raised hands, Solomon's grandfather told the interpreter, " I feel like this is a miracle...this is a perfect match. I'm very happy". Just when I thought our meeting could not have gone any better, he pulls out a photo album filled with pictures of Solomon's birth family! What a wonderful surprise and treasure for our little Soli! Needless to say, this meeting could not have gone any better.

Next, we visited the orphanage occupied by teen boys. These young men do not have the greatest future, but they have such a winning spirit about their circumstances. Ashli and I really enjoyed talking with these young men. I left thinking if only some of the young males I work with could visit with these guys, perhaps they gain a new perspective on life.

Later that day, we visited the orphanage where Addison lived for a short time before she was moved to the Gladney Care Center. I surprised myself by becoming an emotional wreck when I recognized one of Addison's former nannies at the orphanage where she had a short stay. She remembered Addison and beamed when I showed her a recent photo. Belay told me that Addison's Ethiopian name, Biftu, was so uncommon that many remembered her. In addition to that explanation, I'm sure I was remembered because Aaron and I were the first African American family using Gladney to complete an adoption from Ethiopia. We stood out and therefore we were remembered. There have been at least a dozen or more African American families who have since used Gladney to adopt from Ethiopia.

After we visited several orphanages, we grabbed dinner and headed back to the guest house to finish packing. Before I knew it, we were headed to the airport. After a five hour wait at the airport, we were boarding a plane and headed home. Solomon was such a champ during our long journey home. He slept, ate, and played during that 17 hour flight, all while tightening his grip around my heart. Our journey continues.

Our Birthday Girl!

2009-08-16T22:19:00.010-05:00

Last week, we celebrated Miss Addison's third birthday. I cannot believe she's three already! Addison has grown so much in every aspect over the past year. She's still the spunky, sweet, strong-willed toddler that never ceases to amaze me. Addison has survived the last three weeks as big sister to Solomon. When she's in the mood to be a good big sister, she's awesome! When she doesn't feel like being bothered or sharing her parents or toys, she's a little stinker!

I was warned by several mothers at Addison's school that a child's third year is more challenging than their second. Well, while most of her classmates celebrated their 3rd birthdays back in the Spring, I think Addison decided then that she would get a head start on proving her classmates' parents right. She has decided that having selective hearing, constantly changing her mind about her desires, showing her disapproval by frowning and crying and in general, going against whatever her parents want her to do...is fun! Well maybe it is fun for her, but it can drive a parent crazy! It's amazing how at the moment when I'm thinking, "What happened to my fairly easy child?", she will say or do the sweetest thing that makes up (well almost makes up) for the crazy behavior just witnessed. So I guess that's why people often say that parenting is the hardest but most rewarding responsibility a person can have. Obviously the rewarding part outweighs the difficult part sense we decided to do it all over again with our adoption of toddler Solomon!

Here are my favorite recent pictures of our birthday girl:

This photo is of her birthday celebration with family. Note the unattractive cake. Addison saw this ice-cream cake in Trader Joes and just had to have it. She had a Dora themed birthday celebration at school that included a cool looking Dora "cupcake cake". I don't feel like downloading a picture of that cake but trust me...much prettier than the scary looking ice-cream cake.

We're Home!

2009-07-29T22:33:00.011-05:00

There's No Place Like Home! We made it home safe and sound from Ethiopia.
Here's an overview of how things went in Ethiopia and how things are now that we're the proud parents of two.

Solomon gets an A for his behavior on the plane! My niece Ashli and I had him trapped between us so he couldn't run up and down the aisle. He whined a little but I had plenty of new toys and snacks for him whenever he became too restless. I've read so many horror stories about traveling with toddlers so I was quite impressed with his behavior. By the time we took the flight from DC to Atlanta, Solomon acted as if he was a frequent flyer! My friend Lisa gave me the idea about taking injera on the plane. This was a brilliant idea because Solomon would not eat any of that airplane food! I even put some berbere (traditional Ethiopian spice). The flight attendants said it was against regulations to heat his food up so I was forced to gave it to him cold. That didn't make him a bit of difference because he ate it all up. I also had a snack cup of apple sauce which was a big hit. I was however, able to get him to eat the yogurt served with his meal.

For the most part, our transition is going smoothly although there were many tears from both Solomon and Addison the first 48 hours home. Most of these tears resulted around Addison getting used to sharing her mommy, daddy, and toys. She goes from smiling and giggling at him to crying if he touches one of her toys when she's not in a sharing mood. I can tell that Solomon likes Addison. She can make him smile when Aaron and I can't. Of course we're using that to our advantage to make Addison feel like she has an important role in his adjustment. Solomon is generally a sweetheart of a boy but he won't let you forget he's a toddler. I'm amazed at how laid back he has been since coming home. While in Ethiopia, he was very active as he wanted to run, jump, and play constantly. He has a future in professional sports for sure. This boy is coordinated beyond his years and seems to be a quick study with learning new skills. He's very neat as he likes to wipe off the crumbs from his clothing and wipe his hands after eating. He sleeps through the night from around 9 to 6 and upon waking immediately wants to roam around the house to check EVERYTHING out. I'm working on teaching him to say Addison and he sometimes smiles and gets out the "Addis" part. He doesn't like to take off his shoes and totally over-stuffs food in his mouth which I think are both orphanage -type behaviors. We continue to have a difficult time getting him to eat anything besides fruit or bread dipped in a condiment (olive oil, syrup) so we'll be eating Ethiopian food quite a bit in the weeks to come.

The day before I traveled, I exchange his new 2Ts for 3Ts based on all the reports about his "huge/solid" size. Bad decision. His clothes are so large on him he looks like a hip/hop rapper. I'll be buying him more 2T clothing and will save the 3T ones for next year. He's solid but much shorter than Addison.

That's it for now. I'll post more as soon as I get a chance. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from our journey:

Solomon LOVES to play ball. This is what we spent most of our time doing in Ethiopia.

Solomon's second passion is riding in cars. It's even more fun for him while holding a car!

Solomon on the plane ride home. He was such a good little traveler! Stickers are my new best friend!

Here are Addison and Solomon preparing to leave the airport. How sweet is this?!!

Solomon entering our house for the 1st time:

Addison's thought: So is he really staying and do I HAVE to share my things?!!

More to come soon!

I'm on my way!

2009-07-11T21:19:00.003-05:00

This time next week, I will be on a plane to Ethiopia. I finally get to meet my sweetie-pie son. Over the last six weeks, I've gotten wonderful updates and precious pictures of Solomon. He's been described by those who've meet him as ENERGETIC, sweet, intelligent, fun, and did I mention ENERGETIC! I think I need to upgrade my vitamins.

My travels will take me away from Addison for an extended period of time for the first time ever. I'm really struggling with being away from her for a week although I know she'll have a great time with her dad. I've arranged several play/dinner dates for them while I'm away so Aaron won't have to bother too much with cooking. I'm hoping that having several play dates will minimize our time away from each other. I'm also leaving her small presents and notes for each day I'm away. As much as I'm looking forward to returning to Ethiopia, I'll be so happy to be back home with all of us under one roof.

As usual, I leave you with a recent picture of our Solomon. I hope he doesn't tire of me kissing those cheeks!

Introducing... Solomon Alemu

2009-06-19T11:52:00.008-05:00

Here's our first image of Solomon. It was love at first sight!

We love you Solomon and can't wait to bring you home!!!

We Passed Court!!!

2009-06-18T15:52:00.002-05:00

I am thrilled to announce that Aaron and I are the proud parents of a son. As we slept last night, the Ethiopian courts were busy reviewing our files to determine if all documents were complete and clear enough to legally and officially declare us the parents of a beautiful boy named Solomon. Solomon is his birth name and we will keep it as his name. The biblical King Solomon was known for his wisdom, his wealth and his writings. Solomon was the son of King David. Wouldn't you know that Aaron's middle name is David! It was soooo meant to be!!!

We feel incredibly blessed and humbled that once again God has given us the honor and privilege to parent one of His precious children. As we make travel plans,we continue to keep in our thoughts and prayers the other families that are waiting to have their adoptions finalized by the Ethiopian courts. We didn't pass court the first time around with Addison's adoption, so I know how difficult the wait can be. If someone who's reading is still waiting to pass court, please know that it will happen!!! Once you meet and hold your child for the first time, the delays and disappointments will soon become a distant memory.

I'll post a picture later. This such an amazing feeling!!!

Court Date!

2009-06-02T21:11:00.004-05:00

What a day it's been! No only did we celebrated a birthday, we received our court date which means we're one step closer to bringing home our son. We also received an update on his personality AND the most adorable picture a waiting parent could hope for. A June 18th courtdate is awesome since Ethiopian courts will close for two months starting in August. Please pray that everything will be in order so we pass court the first time around. Now that I've been "introduced" to this sweet child, I can't imagine waiting until the Fall to see his face in person. Here's the update (minus his name and picture) I received:

"xxxx is such an adventurous little boy! Today, he enjoyed playing with his blocks and attempting at every opportunity to steal my pen when I set it down. We may have a future architect or artist in the making! He seems to be very inquisitive and intellectual. He even tried to make a break for outside when a caretaker opened the door. He was so curious and sneaky today! His curious nature makes him very exciting and fun to play with!"

Not only do I think he looks like Addison, his "inquisitive and intellectual" personality description sounds a lot like his big sister. I'm so excited to be one step closer to him and I just can't wait for him to come home!

I'll keep you posted!

Can you say....REFERRAL!!!

2009-05-13T21:51:00.010-05:00

I received the best belated Mother's Day gift. Yep! We got our referral for a precious 28 month old boy. Over the weekend, I had mentioned to Aaron that I was so ready to get our referral and how nice it would be to know who our son was. I had a feeling that our son was at the care center and that Gladney was finalizing his medical/personal information in preparation of matching us as a family.

Those in the international adoption club love hear about the referral call so here are the details: I was trying to complete a report for work but couldn't concentrate. In fact, I kept thinking about the infamous Gladney FBI List when I should have been focusing on work. Gee, I love the smart ladies who created this FBI List to enable Gladney families in the adoption process to compulsively study the list to predict when a referral and/or court date should come their way. Anyway, I had a feeling that I would probably get a call this week and for sure by next week. I was surprised to find myself disappointed each time my phone rang and our caseworker Abbey's number didn't pop up. Anyway, I sensed Abbey's call coming on Tuesday and sure enough the phone rang at 2:48 showing her number. For some reason, I played it cool and answered in a very professional tone instead of shouting, “Hey Abbey! Bring it on girlfriend...Give me the details!” Abbey's happy sounding voice brought a sense of peace over me. She started out with, Well Pat, I have wonderful news for you and Aaron. Should we see if Aaron is available? Now I know most women refuse to get any of the details about their referral before hubby is on the line or sitting by their side, but my sweet husband had given me permission to go ahead and get the basic details about our child before trying to track him down at work. Why is that? Because he knows that I would jump out of my skin if I had to wait until he was able to talk privately at work about our referral. What a sweet guy! So as Abbey proceeded to give me general details about our referral, a beautiful little boy appears on my computer screen. I immediately connected with his image and told Abbey that I knew without a doubt that this was our son. We quickly tracked down Aaron and he was able to talk privately with us. After hearing all of the detailed information about our son and how he came to be available for adoption, we told Abbey that we would discuss the referral with each other and that she would be hearing from us shortly. After hanging up with Abbey, I immediately called Aaron back and we quickly decided we would accept the referral without having the medical information and photos reviewed by a specialist. We took this extra step when we received Addison's referral and didn't learn anything more about her that wasn't explained in the referral documents. I called Abbey back within a few minutes and told her that we would be honored to parent and love this child. I feel very much at peace now that I've "met" our son. Since this is our second adoption my level of excitement, wonder, and glee has come as a surprise. I am so totally smitten with this little guy. Now the really hard part begins. We must wait to be assigned a court date, be approved by the Ethiopian courts, and then and only then can we officially claim to be this sweet boy's parents. Let the journey continue!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T16:55:00.005-05:00

Addison participated in her 2nd Easter Egg Hunt. She collected many candy filled eggs and had her picture taken with the Easter Bunny. She was initially frightened and didn't want me to leave her alone with Mr. Bunny, but she soon changed her mind and whispered that she wanted to sit with the Easter Bunny by herself. She's such a big girl. My sister and I never did like those big furry talking "animals" that seem to show up at children events!

Here is Addison posing for the 100th time following the Easter Egg Hunt and photo shoot with the Easter Bunny.

My Favorite Ant Eater

2009-03-08T22:12:00.008-05:00

Aaron and I celebrated our 5th year wedding anniversary this past February. We had initially planned to have a nice date night. Aaron had been out of town for several days prior to our anniversary so Addison was not wanting to let him out of her sight. We decided to have a family date celebrating at a new, chic (but not too plush) New Orleans style restaurant. Aaron ordered a fancy shrimp appetizer dish served with headed shrimp covered in barbeque sauce. As Aaron was enjoying this expensive delicacy, Addison yells out, "Mommy, Daddy is eating ants! Yucky!!!" I thought the comparison was funny and I was impressed with her ability to notice the similarities between shrimp and ants. Aaron, being the doting, proud, and brilliant father that he is, took it to another level and pointed out that ants and shrimp are both types of arthropods. (smile). Well I must admit that I wasn't exactly sure what an arthropod was, but what I know for sure is that I married THE most wonderful man. Happy Anniversary Aaron!

Partners in Crime

2009-03-08T20:54:00.007-05:00

At the age of 2 1/2(can't forget the half), my Addison has "best" girlfriends. I didn't expect her to form such "meaningful and deep" bonds with other girls until grade school. Miss Addison is already asking me to call Ceci's and Sophie's mom to "tell them to come over." The other night, Addison was pushing her doll pram around packed with stuff animals and dolls. As she raced around the house I noticed that she was carrying her toddler purse over her shoulders and saying, "Come on Ceci and Sophie, let's go to the mall!" Gee, I thought I would have to deal with the mall thing 12 years from now! I haven't been a frequent shopper in years, so she certainly didn't get the idea of going to the mall just for fun from me. Could it be her girl genes guiding her pretend play to spend the day shopping with friends?

Addison had an evening play date last month with her buddy Ceci. They had a blast making pizza. Notice in the photos below how they seem to go beyond the parallel play typical of their age. These girls seem to have a special connection even though they get possessive with their toys and parents. The first couple of pictures are of Addison and Ceci at a jumping gym. The ones taken of them at the table show their successful teamwork to ignore my request not to throw the table covering on the floor. The last picture is of the two of them enjoying and "discussing" a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVD. Perhaps they already know the importance of having good girlfriends to share life's little and big moments. Or could these Ethiopian born beauties have a special bond because of their shared history? I don't know, but for a woman who truly values her friendships, seeing Addison develop her own special connections brings me great joy.

Two Years Ago...

2009-01-29T21:47:00.006-05:00

Tomorrow we will celebrate our second anniversary as a family of three. It's hard to believe that it's been two years since Addison was first placed in our arms. What a ride this has been! Addison is quite the toddler. She's full of life, curiosity, intelligence, excitement, love, and yes -- tantrums. She has had her share of "Time Outs" and yes indeed my typically calm parenting style has been challenged. In many ways Addison acts older than her age. Her independence, awareness, and verbal expressions used in the right context surprises us quite often. My sister is convinced that she's been on this earth before. However, in other ways she's such a typical young toddler struggling to find that balance and comfort level between autonomy and wanting/needing to be babied. Over the past year, Addison reluctantly gave her pacifier to Santa (only to beg us to get it back from him), decided that she needs privacy in the bathroom, became better at sharing (most days), has formed opinions about clothes, hair styles, the music she listens to, what books are read to her, and of course which DVD she wants to watch. This year became even more special because in late December Addison began to occasionally say, "I love you Mommy" and "I love you Daddy" without prompting. It doesn't matter that these verbal expressions of love may occur 30 minutes after a temper tantrum. They occur and it's music to our ears. Happy Family Anniversary Addison. WE LOVE YOU BACK!

President Barack Obama January 20, 2009

2009-01-20T21:49:00.007-05:00

What a moment in history. Amazing. Simply Amazing.

What a time in history! January 19th, 2009

2009-01-19T23:17:00.011-05:00

Happy New Year!

2009-01-17T15:26:00.000-05:00

Is mid January too late for a Happy New Year post? Well, better late than never! I hope everyone's year is off to a great start. Just within the last three weeks, Miss Addison has been to three great birthday parties for neighborhood buddies and a fun celebration with her Ethiopian born friends. My girl's social schedule keeps her parents super busy. Something tells me this is just the beginning of many good times to come in 2009.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-28T01:06:00.004-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I wanted to take a moment to give you an update on my almost 29 months old (going on 6 years old) daughter. Miss Addison has always been super independent for her age but she reached a new level a few days ago. After announcing that she needed to go to the potty, I began to follow her to the bathroom. My little girl turned around, looked at me, and with authority said, "NO MOMMY, BY MYSELF. "I'll BE RIGHT BACK. YOU STAY RIGHT HERE, O.K! She even had her hand out motioning me to stop! Stunned, I responded "O.K." Making sure I stayed a couple of steps behind, I continued to follow her. When she discovered my failure to follow her orders, she repeated them in a firm and clear voice, "NO MOMMY, GO BACK! I WANT TO DO IT BY MYSELF!!!" After a few moments, I tip-toed to the bathroom door and hopefully whispered, Do you need any help honey? She initially responded, NO! However, after about two minutes she called out, "Mommy, I need help washing my hands." So over the last 72 hours, Addison has reduced my role in assisting with her pottying ritual to that of the hand washing helper. If her step stool had been in that particular bathroom, she wouldn't have needed me at all. Of course Aaron and I are thrilled that she has done so well in the potty training area, but I must admit that we are a little sad that she is growing up so fast and is already telling us to get lost. This parenting thing never ceases to amaze me!

Of course you want a few pictures, so I try not to disappoint. Why lose my HUGE blog reader base?:-) The first picture is one of my favorites taken around Thanksgiving. The second one is her school picture. The last two pictures were attempts to get a cute Christmas card picture. That didn't work out so I'm now shooting for New Years cards! I improved my posting frequency a little bit in 2008, so I'll try to do even better in 2009. Laura (one of my dedicated and patient readers), please teach me how to blog more often!

Halloween 2008

2008-11-01T14:50:00.013-05:00

OUR LITTLE LADYBUG!

I'm not that into Halloween. I dressed up as a child and went trick-or-teating, but I never understood why so many adults go nuts over Halloween. One very grown up neighbor told me it was his favorite holiday. Well OK! I must admit that last year I was slack in participating in the neighborhood Halloween hoopla. All the neigborhood kids were dressed in adorable costumes, and all I had for Addison was some cute pumpkin pajamas. One sweet neighbor gently scolded me for "robbing Addison of her 1st halloween. This year, I decided that I needed to at least get Addison a cute costume so she could participate in her school and neighborhood Halloween activities. I'm so glad I did because Addison (and her mom and dad) had a blast at several Fall/Halloween parties and she looked so stinkin' cute dressed up as a ladybug. Once during the festivities I made the mistake of calling her a bumblebee. I couldn't believe how she quickly corrected me with attitude, "Mommy, I'm a ladybug!" So there you go. Addison has fully been introduced to Halloween. Her parents have been reintroduced to costume hunting and having an excuse to have tons of candy in the house. I guess it's true that having a child allows one to relive some of the fun times experienced during childhood.

Here's Miss Addison. Just don't call her a bumblebee.

I've Been Tagged!

2008-10-17T12:33:00.013-05:00

Wow! I’ve been tagged by Laura (who’s doubtful that I still blog) Gracie’s mom - Send me your Blog address so I can answer your tag questions.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:30

2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Sex and the City: The Movie

4. What is your favorite TV show? Grey’s Anatomy

5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Coffee and toast or English Muffin

6. What is your middle name? Once married, I changed it from Anne to my maiden name.

7. What food do you dislike? A three-way tie between Beets, Liver, and Chitterlings

8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Gee, I’m having a middle- age- moment. It’s really good but I can’t think of the singer’s name or name of the CD! She’s one of those Alicia Key’s/Nora Jones type singers. I think she was raised in England and performed on Oprah last season. Cherita, (one of my four blog readers) please let me know who I’m talking about!!!

9. What kind of car do you drive? A mid sized SUV that prefers premium fuel.I’m looking forward to trading it in for a car with a less sophisticated palate for gas.

10. Favorite sandwich? Chick-fil-A

11. What characteristic do you despise? Condescending and/or arrogant remarks

12. Favorite of clothing? A-line dresses and skirts (I totally agree with Laura…so comfy and forgiving)

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? I would love to visit Ethiopia again as well as other African countries. Traveling throughout the UK and seeing more of Europe would be great.

14. Favorite brand of clothing? Banana Republic is my reality but I crave clothing by Tory Burch and Theory.

15. Where would you retire to? Maybe Charleston or a Caribbean island. But hanging around the ATL with the freedom to travel anywhere at anytime ain’t a bad deal either.

16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? Two years ago because I got my travel call to head to Ethiopia!

17. Favorite sport to watch? Not a big sports fan, but I will watch post regular season baseball if the Braves or Yankies are playing.

18. When is your birthday? January

19. Are you a morning person or a night person? I’m an AFTERNOON person!

20. What is your shoe size? 9

21. Pets? Nope, but thanks to Addison’s fascination with animals, we visit the dogs and cats in the neighborhood quite frequently.

22. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share with us? We’re adopting from Ethiopia again!

23. What did you want to be when you were little? Can’t remember what I wanted to be in grade school, but I've known since high school that I would be a psychologist. Weird, I know.

24. How are you today? Delighted. We’re just one document (CIS clearance) shy of a completed dossier!

25. What is your favorite candy(lollie/chocolate)? Lindt Milk and Dark Chocolates.

26. What is your favorite flower? Bright Pink Tulips

27. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? Two dates: November
4th (VOTE VOTE VOTE) and November 10th (TINA TURNER concert)

28. What is your full name? I'm too sick of writing it. After working on that dossier requiring me to write my FULL name over and over, I'm thinking I need a name change!

29. What are you listening to right now? My brain telling me to return back to work instead or working on this list!

30. What was the last thing you ate? An Egg McMuffin.

31. Do you wish on stars? Are you kidding??? But I do like the old R&B classic, I’m Wishing on a Star” by Rose Royce. (Cherita, I couldn’t think of the group that performed this, but instead of relying on you, I goggled it!)

32. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Fuschia

33. How is the weather right now? Rainy and cool.

34. The first person you spoke to on the phone today? My office assistant.

35. Favorite soft drink? Coke…not diet, the sugary stuff

36. Favorite restaurant? Most Thai and Ethiopian restaurants

37. Real hair colour? Dark Brown

38. What was your favorite toy as a child? Light Bright (until I stepped on one of those pegs), Easy Bake Oven

39. Summer or winter? Niether! FALL, FALL, FALL

40. Hugs or kisses? Hugs Rule!

41. Chocolate or Vanilla? Can I have a little of both? If not, Vanilla.

42. Coffee or tea? Coffee in the morning, Green Tea at night

43. When was the last time you cried? Before I answer, let me tell you that I am a cry baby. I cry a lot but it’s usually when I’m overcome with joy. (I’ve been hanging around Laura too much). I cry during great campaign speeches or rallies. It doesn’t even have to be the actual candidate making the speech. It could be the candidate’s wife, husband, former baby sitter, or milkman. Heck, it could be Joe the Plummer---well maybe that’s taking it a little too far! It doesn’t matter. If I think the message is sincere and I can relate…I cry. But back to the question: The last time I cried was a few nights ago when Addison was suffering with a bad cold and I couldn’t do enough to make her feel better. The next day I cried (just a few tears of joy) when I looked in the rear view mirror and saw her happily munching on her crackers and dancing in her car seat while singing some cute new song she had learned at school.

44. What is under your bed? One of Aaron’s neat boxes of things.

45. What did you do last night? Organized adoption documents and surfed the internet for that gas friendly car.

46. What are you afraid of? I’m very afraid of Addison or Aaron being injured in some way. I admit that I probably say “Be Careful” more than the average mom or wife.

47. Salty or sweet? It’s perfect when you have a little bit of both.

48. How many keys on your key ring? Six

49. How many years at your current job? Let's just say I've been here long enough for my God daughter to get her driving permit.

50. Favorite day of the week? Friday

51. How many places have you lived in? One state, 12 residences

I tagg anyone who has a blog and would love to play this game.

Here's a little Fall cuteness:

Look Who's Two!

2008-08-10T21:51:00.026-05:00

Yep, Miss Addison is now two. Although I've been warned about the difficulties of raising a two year old, I think I'll refer to the next twelve months as the
"Trying Twos". If you've read this post before, you may notice that I've changed my tone from "Terrific Twos" to "Trying Twos". Although I've previously pondered why our society embraces the negative title, "Terrible Twos", the reality is that raising a two year old really can be trying. Although I might as well view Miss Addison's mixture of sweet and spunky behaviors as normal developmental behaviors, these behaviors require serious patience, nurturing, guidance, more patience, and love. Did I mention the need for patience?!! So in honor of Addison's presence on earth for twenty-four months, here are 24 things (in no particular order) about her that add much joy and energy to our lives and make us proud to be her parents. And yes, I've included some of Addison's characteristics that require a lot of the Big P...Patience!

1. Addison greets us most mornings with a big smile and jumps of joy. I must admit there have been a few times lately when she woke up on the wrong side of the crib!
2. The empathy she shows for others when she senses they are upset or uncomfortable
3. Her willingness to share even when she clearly doesn't want to
4. Her relatively strong verbal communication skills
5. Hearing her say "Thank You" without prompting or proudly saying, "Excuse me!" after a cough (even if the cough was fake :-).
6. Her great independence (which makes us proud and crazy at the same time - especially in the morning when we're trying to leave the house)
7. Addison's amazing memory of people, places, routines, and details
8. Her love of animals, both stuffed and real
9. Her efforts to assist me when doing her hair. You should see those little fingers move while trying to work those rubber bands!
10. Her attempts to style my hair followed with a, "There you go!"
11. Addison's love of books and music
12. Her show of love and affection for her mommy, daddy, and extended family members
13. Her intelligence
14. Her expressive eyes and overall outer beauty
15. Her generosity with hugs and kisses
16. Her excitement when it's time to bless the food and making sure everyone says "Amen".
17. Her appreciation of variety of foods: chicken nuggets, pizza, avocado (she actually asked her daycare provider for avocado), yogurt, cheese, plums, mangoes, apple juice, cheerios, ice cream, and her latest crave...quesadillas.
18. Her playfulness and sense of humor
19. Her attempts to write numbers and the alphabets
20.Her expressed opinions about her clothing and shoes ("It's too tight", "It's too big", "It's just right!"
21. Her indecisiveness about her desires: I want it/ I don't want it, I wanna/I don't wanna, I need to potty/I don't wanna potty, I had fun/I don't wanna have fun...Talk about the need for big time patience! What's a parent to do?!!
22. The fact that her temper tantrums are typically over within a minute or less
23. Her sense of confidence and ability to hang with older toddlers and children, and perhaps most of all,
24. Addison's great balance between gentleness and strength
Needless to say, this list could have been a lot longer!

In an effort to please the three people that still follow this blog, I've posted a few recent pictures.

Up Close and (too) Personal

2008-07-15T21:50:00.048-05:00

A few weeks ago, we met up with some friends to visit The Yellow River Game Ranch.This interesting place has a mile-long trail where you come quite close to people friendly birds and animals. We encountered white-tailed deer, bunnies, buffalo, sheep, goats, and even black bears (which were kept in large cages). For reasons I won't go into, I felt sorry for those bears. Anyway, I was a little caught off guard by the overly friendly deer and other animals. I think Addison was over it after a few minutes of feeding the deer. Funny, Addison is always running after and chanting, "Come back!" to the birds, squirrels and dogs in our neighborhood, but this level of closeness between man and animal seemed a little too much for her! Here are a few pictures from that day:

Hi Bambi!

Gee, what big eyes you have!

Dad, I think he wants more.

Hurry Dad! He's getting a little too cozy.

That's right, go to Ceci. She has lots of carrots!

Addison's First Job

2008-06-18T21:32:00.006-05:00

We have decided that Addison will be our subdivision's first official dog walker. She loves trying to walk dogs but most are too large and strong for her to control. Well, Addison has recently met several yorkies in our neighborhood that have enabled her to hone her dog-walking skills. She can really handle yorkies because they're so small and light. A young couple was with their yorkie "Polo" in our neighborhood park and Addison insisted on walking him. It's gotten to the point that if anyone with a dog stops and talks with us, Addison will reach for the dog's leash as if it's her job to walk it. Polo’s owners took these pictures with their cell phone and sent them to us. We just happen to live in a subdivision where dogs are plentiful and very pampered. In fact, the dogs in our neighborhood have their own doggie park! So forget the lemon-aide stand, Miss Addison has found her toddler - age calling. We're pretty impressed with her finesse and think she’s just the cutest little dog walker we’ve ever seen :-)

A Day at the Zoo

2008-06-09T22:23:00.008-05:00

Gee, I haven't posted in months. I started out the year with such determination to post at least monthly. What can I say? Trying to keep a blog going while parenting has been a challenge for me. I'm surprise that anyone still checks in from time to time to see if I've posted anything. Well I thought I could at least post some pics from Addison's recent trip to Zoo Atlanta. As you will see in the 1st photo, Addison was less than thrilled to be there. Just look at her expression in the 1st photo when she realized that she wouldn't be allowed to run freely through the zoo for the next couple of hours. Or maybe she was thinking, "Mommy thinks I look adorable in this get-up but I think I look ridiculous!" Although the pictures don't show it, Addison soon realized that spending the day at the zoo was actually fun. Now if I can just get her to smile for the camera:-) Enjoy the pictures!

Celebrating Fasika

2008-04-27T19:46:00.023-05:00

Orthodox Christians around the world celebrated Easter today (Sunday, April 27th) worshipping at candlelit services from Russia to Ethiopia before gathering their families for feasts. Orthodox Christians use a different calendar from Roman Catholics and Protestants, so their celebration of Easter usually falls on a different date from the rest of Christianity and always after the Jewish festival of Passover.

Last month at Keller's birthday party, Aaron, Addison and I met a sweet lady named Aster and her two beautiful children. Aster invited us over for dinner to celebrate Fasika. Aaron and I LOVE Ethiopian food and enjoyed it even before we started our adoption process. So needless to say, I quickly accepted the invitation and felt honored that she included my family in one of the most sacred holidays celebrated by Ethiopians.

Here are some photos of our special afternoon spent with the Gessesse family and friends (Aster is featured in the 6th picture), as well as our buddies Laura, Brian and Addison's pal...cutie-pie Max.

Ear Tubes and Red Shoes

2008-03-30T11:37:00.005-05:00

After numerous ear infections, chronic congestion, night time coughs, and observed balancing/stability problems, we took Addison to a pediatric ENT and audiologist and discovered she had significant amounts of fluid in both ears. Last Thursday, she had outpatient surgery which included suctioning out some of the fluid and implanting ear tubes. We arrived at the childrens' hospital at 6:30 am thinking Addison would be the first patient of the day. How wrong we were! The waiting room was full of sleepy, crying, and hungry babies. Many were still in their cuddly PJ onesies with feet. Seems like ear tube placements and tear duct surgeries were the procedures for the day. After completing some paperwork, Addison's procedure started at 8:00 and was over by 8:15. We were back at home before 9:30. I'm happy to report that Addison is doing great.

So back to the title of this post...Ear Tubes and Red Shoes. Miss Addison got a new pair of sweet red Mary Janes by the trendy baby/toddler shoe company Preschoolians (FYI: You can find a new pair of these shoes for a fraction of the retail price on Ebay:-). Well Miss Addison LOVES these shoes! She actually goes around saying, "I like these shoes". When it was time to undress her to put on that sad little hospital gown, she protested when it came to taking off her shoes. The nurse said it was O.K for her to leave them on so Miss Addison went right into the operating room wearing her shiny red shoes. What can I say? Maybe she wanted to retain just a little bit of dignity. I think she got the shoe thing from her aunt Marilyn. Or maybe she got a little bit of it from
me:-) She is truly our child. Now presenting Addison's favorite shoes of the month:

The Easter Egg Hunt

2008-03-24T21:08:00.006-05:00

Miss Addison had her first Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday morning. The event was held in the neighborhood park in front of our home. Aaron arrived an hour prior to the hunt to help other parents pick up dog poop and hide the eggs. I elected to be the parent that remained inside with Addison to prepare breakfast and dress her for the big event :-) I must say that Addison caught on to the concept of collecting eggs very quickly. Aaron proudly told people that Addison collected so many eggs in spite of starting with a big handicap (she arrived three minutes after the official starting time).

Sunday morning didn't go as smoothly but that's another story. I didn't even get a good picture of Addison in her Easter dress. However, we enjoyed a great brunch with my mom. It was a great weekend. A good time was had by all.

The Welcoming Committee

2008-03-12T22:05:00.002-05:00

I love to see Addison interact with other children. Today she decided to be a member of the Welcoming Committee for our March EthiopiaAdopt GA gathering. She met a couple of beautiful toddler girls in a group that tends to be dominated by handsome toddler boys. One of the sweeties arrived home from Ethiopia a month ago, while the other cutie pie will soon be relocating to Atlanta from the D.C. area (along with her parents of course :-) It turns out that the family who is relocating here are friends with a woman with whom I've communicated via adoption blogs and forums for the last two years. It really is a small world.

Our EthiopiaAdoptGA Family

2008-02-18T21:16:00.008-05:00

Those of us in the Atlanta area with Ethiopian born children are incredibly blessed. We have such a loving and supportive group in the greater Atlanta area for families who have, or are in the process of adopting from Ethiopia. I can sincerely say that I LOVE interacting with these incredible people with whom I share the experience of adopting from Ethiopia. When this group was formed in January 2007, we had approximately ten families (and that's a generous count). Fast forward to February 2008, and this group has exploded with kids who have been adopted within the last few years and adults who have returned with children from Ethiopia, or are somewhere in the long process of waiting to parent an Ethiopian born child.

The people that I've met in our group hold such a special place in my heart. It's sort of weird how I often feel closer to some of these great individuals in our group than I do to friends I've known for many years. In many ways, I consider members of this group as my extended family. I know it's because we share a common bond of adopting from Ethiopia, but I believe it's also because of unspoken similar core values that just seem to bring people together in unexpected ways. Whatever it is, it works for me. It is my hope that Addison and all of "our" children will grow up together and find value in our little EthiopiaAdoptGA community. Here are a few pictures taken from our last event which took place in a play equipment showroom owned by members Stephanie and Jason. It's obvious from the photos that we had a blast!

Addison and her Wheels!

2008-02-06T23:32:00.002-05:00

Wow, two posts in one night. For those of you who follow my blog (and I love you for being so patient with my lack of productivity in the blogging world), you know that my average rate of posting is one...maybe one post per month. Looks like I'm on a roll in 2008! ANYWAY---I wanted to share these photos. Addison received her first car for Christmas. Actually, she got two cars. The first one was a Flintstone type car requiring her to move her legs in order to go forward. However, my tall girl would hit her knees against the handle bars so we traded it in for a slightly larger one with power. I don't know if Addison was ready to handle the responsibility of driving. As some of you know, she loves the phone and I'm already warning her about the dangers of talking on a cell phone while driving. She's not listening. The first photo shows the too small non-powered car. Fast forward to car number two. Oh she's liking the power in her Barbie car. Maybe she likes it a little too much as the last photo shows her right before she bumped into the wall. Thank God we have another 15 years to work on her driving habits and skills!

Caught In The Act!

2008-02-06T23:05:00.000-05:00

As a mom, I've learned to always have my camera handy. Just look at Addison's expression when I caught her enjoying a brand new box of tissue that I foolishly left on top of her crib. Maybe someone shoud have captured my expression when I entered the room and realized why my angel had been so quiet for too long!

African Children's Choir - A Must See!

2008-02-06T19:02:00.001-05:00

Last night, I had the fortunate opportunity to witness a live performance by the African Children's Choir. I'm a little lost for words to describe how moving this performance was. The African Children's Choir is composed of children between seven and twelve years of age who come from five countries in Africa - Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria and Ghana. Annual auditions are held to select these little stars who travel throughout America. Many of the choir's members are from very poor backgrounds or are orphans. Now just in case the thought has crossed your mind (as it did mine)a sweet little choir member announced that they were NOT available for adoption! However, you can assist them by attending their concerts and purchasing their CDs, tee-shirts, calenders, etc.

At the end of the concert, each child introduced him/herself and told the audiance what profession they wanted to pursue after completing college (which is paid for because of their participation in the choir). While some wanted to become teachers, lawyers, doctors, pasters, and singers, the most memorable desired profession was Vice President. Of course that stated career choice was met with smiles and laughter! More then twenty-four hours after the concert, I'm still smiling just thinking about how these precious souls now have the freedom to not just dream about a promising future, but actually achieve their goals. Please go to www.africanchildrenschoir.com to see if these amazing performancers will be in your area this year. If so, I can promise you that it's a concert so worth your time, effort, and money. Some of you may have seen this performance on last season's American Idol. I never get tired of watching it. Anyway, here's a sample of what I experienced (minus Josh Groban of course)!

One Year Ago Today...

2008-01-30T21:06:00.000-05:00

One year ago today, a beautiful baby girl was placed in our arms. One year ago today, our lives were forever changed when we accepted the amazing honor and responsibilities of becoming parents. Here's to you Miss Addison! Thanks for filling our hearts and lives with more love and joy than I could have ever imagined.

What a Merry Christmas!

2007-12-23T17:18:00.000-05:00

This time last year, I was waiting on pins and needles for that call telling me to pack my bags for Ethiopia. Christmas came and left and I was still waiting. New Years Day came and left and still no word. For those of you not in the adoption world, waiting on that travel call is excruciatingly difficult. Once you are matched with a child you begin to bond and fall in love with that little face on the referral picture and you savor any small personality description that comes along during your wait. Then comes the worry. You worry about the health of your child, you worry that your child may be hungry (even if you know the orphanage caregivers are well trained and love on the babies), you worry about your baby being scared or cold, you worry about EVERYTHING! You just want to be there with your child...the child that has completely taken over your heart.

That's where I was this time last year. But on January 12th, the day before my birthday, I finally got the call telling me to pack my bags. What a wonderful birthday gift. Fast forward almost a year later. I went to the mall today to pick out my gift from Aaron. Addison was getting a little cranky which makes it a challenge to enjoy my shopping experience. As I was about to try on a coat, I heard Addison start to cry a little. In an instant, I flashed back to my trying Christmas of 2006, remembering just how sad and anxious I was to travel to Ethiopia to pick up Addison. At that moment, I put the coat back on the rack, headed for Addison, and told Aaron that we should head home so Addison could take her nap. Now I still want a new coat (and a new purse as well:-)), but shopping malls, coats, and handbags will always be available. It was just something about that moment that reminded me that my best gift of 2007 would not be wrapped in a pretty box and placed under the Christmas tree. She was right in front of me reaching out to be picked up. What a difference a year makes.

What's Up With Addison?

2007-12-02T22:55:00.000-05:00

O.K. I know I haven’t posted in quite some time. It’s been at least two months since I put my private thoughts out there for fellow blog lovers. So let catch you up on what’s happening with the star of our family…Little Miss Addison.

She’s a walking machine! Addison started walking at 14 months. So that means she has approximately 50 days of walking experience. But you can’t tell Addison that she’s a novice walker. This babe will break out in a sprint toward the steep steps inside our home, or exhibit fancy footwork to get around her 40 - something- year -old parents when she’s being naughty.

Just look at her running into her room!

Not only is Addison walking, she’s become quite the dancer/bouncer/grooving to the beat girl. Yep, my girl has rhythm. Although she is usually the youngest in her music class, she leads the way when it comes to smiling when she hears her favorite song, as well as swaying, bouncing, rocking, and rolling. Addison has already figured out how to turn on the CD player in her bedroom. Now we placed this CD player in her room so that she could fall asleep listening to classical music and lullabies, but Addison’s curiosity lead to her discovering that pressing the button to the left results in music that is much louder and upbeat. She actually kept pushing the buttons until she landed on a top 40s station (that happened to be playing hip hop music at the time). Yes, Addison is in the house!!!

She’s into books! Addison is an avid reader. Or will be. She loves books and working with flashcards. She actually prefers these over toys. YES!!! I swear Addison has already figured out that she can delay bedtime if she continues to point to yet another book after being read to. I must admit, sometimes it works.

She’s a shoe girl! It seems that Addison’s walking skills brought upon this new interest in shoes. Her favorite are a cute pair of metallic pink sneakers. She loves these things so much that several times a day, she will go into her closet, ramble in her shoe basket, and retrieve the matching left and right shoe. Yes, she’s already appreciating the wonder of shoes. MY GIRL indeed!!! The 2nd runner-up shoe favorite is a pair of bright pink faux Uggs boots. For some reason, she only grabs these at night. Maybe that’s because they look so comfortable, warm and toasty.

Addison has telephone-itis! Could somebody please explain to me why toddlers love telephones so much? We’ve tried giving her play phones, but NO! It must be a real working phone. It’s gotten to the point that when the phone rings, Addison stops whatever she’s doing as if the call might be for her! What is this? When I allow her to “talk” on the phone (BTW, only grandparents and aunts think this is cute), she’ll say “Hi” a couple of times, press any and all buttons repeatedly, and wait to say “Bye-Bye” only AFTER the call has ended and the person on the opposite end has hung up. The cell phone is her favorite. Addison tilts her head and cradles the phone between her head and ear as though she’s engaged in a very private conversation or conducting business. Aaron just shakes his head and says, “I’m going to have to get her a head set.”

Even while trying on a new hat and mittens set, Addison holds on to her phone!

Addison is in Control! I guess I should have posted months ago of how/why Aaron put in a bid on Ebay for Addison’s very own remote control. In a nutshell, Addison’s first obsession was with remote controls. We gave her several old remotes we had lying around the house, but Addison didn’t like these. We did a little consumer choice test and found that she clearly preferred the peanut! No old outdated square remote controls for her. Aaron thought it would be a good idea for her to have her own remote (without batteries) so he ordered one on Ebay. She continues to think that she’s changing the channels with her remote control. She hasn’t figured out that I’m actually standing behind her controlling the television with MY remote. Score one for the mom! Or maybe two for the toddler who has her parents so smitten that we would even go to these lengths just to see her smile.

Addison the Social Butterfly (or Biker Chick?) Addison’s day care provider has told me that Addison seems to attract the attention of the other five children she watches. She added that all the little toddler boys seem to like her. However, Miss Addison clearly prefers one boy over the other two (and he happens to be the cutest and sweetest of the three J). One of these boys is a little on the chubby side and has a rugged look for a toddler. I jokingly commented to Addison’s babysitter that I didn’t want Addison sneaking out to ride on the back of his motorcycle. Her sitter responded, “You don’t have to worry about that, he’ll be riding on the back of Addison’s motorcycle!”

Addison’s Favorite Word? APPLE. Show her a picture of an apple, and she will proudly say APPLE! Show her a picture of a pumpkin and she will proudly say APPLE! Show her a picture of anything else that she doesn’t know the word for and she will say…you guessed it APPLE. Other favorite words besides momma and daddy are doggie, woof, owl, bottle, hi, bye, baby, thank-you, and ice cream.

Is One the New Two? I posed this question on one of the yahoo groups because I’m seeing some behaviors I didn’t expect to see until Addison turned two. She’s doing some hitting, having short temper tantrums when she doesn’t get her way, has been unfastening her diaper for months now, is very independent, is beginning to show preference for clothes and shoes, and handles herself very well in social situations. Maybe I didn’t realize just how quickly babies begin to act like toddlers. Sometimes I watch Addison moving around the house and wonder, “Where is that little baby we brought home almost a year ago?”

So that’s what Miss Addison has been up to lately. I will try to post more often. Needless to say, we’re busy being parents and having fun watching Addison blossom.

Pat

She's a Beach Girl!

2007-09-22T15:35:00.000-05:00

After a night of driving six hours, checking into our hotel, getting a young toddler settled into an unfamiliar crib, and sneaking out the hotel's pool towels (of course we didn't think to pack our own), we were ready to head to the beach. Armed with oh so cute swim attire, Miss Addison finally had her beach debut.

The verdict...She loved it and took 1st prize in the swimsuit competition. This babe wasted no time digging her beach ready feet deep into the sand

and had a blast building sandcastles with us.

Yes, we have discovered that our sweetie is a beach girl. After awhile, she tried out her beginning walking skills. That didn't work in the thick sand so she did what she does best when the walking thing gets too complicated --- crawl!

Miss Addison was a little more reserved with her excitement about chillin' on a float navigated by her daddy. She was somewhat unsure about being in what must have felt like a giant bathtub without bounderies. After a couple of minutes of taking in the sights, smells, and sounds, our beach babe relaxed, smiled, and allowed her hands to glide through the salty water. Of course she took this opportunity to sample the water by licking her hands. I guess she was thirsty from the free sand samples! After about fifteen minutes of floating, our beach babe almost dozed off! I think this girl understands what vacations are all about! Watching Addison perched upon that bright pink float in that beautiful blue-green water was such a Kodak moment.

By the second day, Addison had to admit to herself that sand isn't so palatable so instead she devoted her time to sifting, pouring and rubbing sand over her skin. Well it's never too soon to learn the benefits of exfoliating!

During those two days at the beach, I couldn't help but think about how far we've come as a family. My thoughts bounced between wondering what Addison would be doing if she were still in Ethiopia, to wondering what Aaron and I would be doing if we didn't have this darling girl in our life. But there's one thing I know for sure. Florida's beaches are wonderful, but watching Addison discover new things brings pure sunshine into our lives regardless of where we are.

Ethiopia Celebrates their Millennium!

2007-09-20T21:14:00.000-05:00

Miss Addison took part in a very important celebration last week. She was in the mix celebrating Ethiopia’s Millennium. O.K., so I’m about a week late with this post, but I wanted to share a report from the BBC News in Addis Ababa explaining why Ethiopia is just now celebrating their millennium. People in Ethiopia celebrated the New Year on September 12th. It was the start of the year 2000 and the beginning of millennium celebrations. The reason why they are celebrating more than seven years after the rest of the world is rooted in Ethiopian history and in the beliefs of its own Christian Orthodox Church. Educated Ethiopians live comfortably in two calendars. Prior to September 12, it was still 1999. However, there is the complication caused by the leap years in the two calendars being out of sync. But even if they are quite at home with the Western calendar, Ethiopians show no sign of wanting to abandon their own. Thirteen months is part of their national identity, not to mention allowing their tourist industry to boast that they can offer visitors 13 months of sunshine.
The short 13th month is just one of the tell-tale signs that Ethiopians took their calendar from ancient Egypt. Another is the date of New Year, originally linked to the annual flood which brought new life to the Nile Valley. But none of this explains why the millennium is seven years late; why Ethiopians think that it is 2000 and not 2007 years since the birth of Christ. Conservative culture Ahmed Zakaria, professor of history at Addis Ababa University says the reason is that the Roman Church amended their calculation in 500 AD - adjusting it by seven or eight years. The Patriarch says Ethiopia became isolated from Europe"So we are seven or eight years later than the Roman calculation, so that's the difference that came in." The recalculation of the birth of Christ was just the first of a number of changes in the rest of the world which the Ethiopian church ignored. It is partly because the country was so remote and isolated, but also, says the current patriarch, Abuna Paulos I, because Ethiopian Christians are intensely conservative. "People are not inclined for any reformations, especially when it comes to religion. "They are very much loyal - to change one sentence is a betrayal as far as they are concerned."So because of this, they have been isolated. They have been loyal to their faith and they have maintained their own traditions." So there you have it. Happy Millennium Ethiopia!

Above are photos of Addison celebrating the Millennium at Meskerem - a great Ethiopian restaurant. In the first photo, she's enjoying the attention of two waitresses. In the next one, she's doing what she does best...striking a pose for the camera.

Look Who's One!

2007-08-15T16:20:00.000-05:00

Yep, our sweetie is now entering the world of toddler hood. She's trying to walk, eats big girl foods, and is quite chatty when she wants to express her thoughts. Until I became a mother, I never understood why watching your precious baby mature is an odd mixture of excitement and sadness. It's exciting that she's blossoming into this little person and absorbing all that life has to teach her, but it's a little sad when my chubby little bundle wiggles out of my arms to head across the room for the new man in her life...a stuffed Micky Mouse. My little sweetie pie has made it perfectly clear that she never wants to see another jar of level 3 baby food, not when her parents are eating things that smell and look much tastier. I'm quickly reminded that I'm the mother of a one- year- old whenever something is taken from her. Yeah, those 60 second meltdowns are quick reminders that there's a little person in your life who's demanding that her wants and disappointments be known. I grabbed a baby reference book the other day to see if Addison was exhibiting the habits and behaviors expected of a one year old. My girl is the poster child for the typical one-year-old crew. At this stage, it's all about Addison and it's our job (and honor) to provide all the love, security, and nurturing that every child needs and deserves. So off we go into the land of toddler hood! Wish us well.

Aaron's First Father's Day

2007-06-17T17:06:00.000-05:00

A proud father holding his happy daughter is such a joyous sight. The highlight of my day is watching the huge sweet smile on Addison's face while saying "Da-da" (or something of a similar tone :-) as Aaron walks through the door in the evening. Addison is usually eating her dinner during Aaron's grand entrance, but always stops just long enough to receive a kiss from her favorite guy before turning her attention back to one of her favorite activities...eating. I always knew Aaron would be a wonderful father, but seeing him in action far outweighs my predictions of his capabilities in what I believe is his best role yet - FATHERHOOD. He is Addison's consummate teacher, protector, and co-biggest fan (yeah, mommy and daddy share that position). Oh yeah, he's also Addison's favorite mode of transportation. When Addison sees Aaron putting on that Bjorn carrier---those plump little legs start moving and those arms start waving like she's trying flag down a cab!

The other day, Addison and I were headed out for a stroll around the neighborhood when it started to rain. I casually mentioned that I should push Addison around the house in her stroller since she was already strapped in and eagerly holding on like she was ready for some heavy duty riding. Without missing a beat, Aaron grabbed a towel and started cleaning her dirt packed stroller wheels so that she could enjoy her anticipated stroller ride indoors. By the sounds of her giggles and the size of her smile, Addison loved speeding around the house in her stroller. I don't think she cared that we didn't pass any trees, flowers, or barking dogs. The rain was not interfering with her daily stroller ride. I can only smile when he offers his physical and verbal assistance to our 10- month-old to help her stand, roll a ball, or chew. Yes, Aaron actually demonstrates chewing to our toothless Addison when he feels that she is swallowing her food without gumming it. I love how excited Aaron gets when Addison masters a new skill--ANY skill, rather big or small. Moments like these remind me of why I so wanted Aaron to experience fatherhood. I'm forever grateful to Addison for giving Aaron the honor of receiving these special blessings that come along with the role of "Da-da".

On Being a Mother

2007-05-17T22:49:00.001-05:00

Last Sunday, I celebrated my first Mother’s Day. It was indeed a glorious day. Aaron and I attended church, had brunch, visited with my mom and sister, received numerous happy mother day calls and cards, and had dinner with other families who have or are in the process of adopting from Ethiopia. Although I was beaming all day long, I felt deep sadness for Addison’s birth mother and family. I pray that they have peace in knowing just how much she is loved. I thank Addison’s birth mother from the bottom of my heart. I will forever be grateful to her for giving life to the child that has given our lives new meaning.

I had planned on writing an entry expressing what joy Addison has brought to my life and what motherhood means to me. Simply stated, the joy I’ve experienced being a mother has far exceeded my expectations. It’s now days past Mother’s Day and after 11:00 PM. I’m just too sleepy to put my own thoughts into words…so I’ll borrow someone else’s. Below is a poem that succinctly expresses how being a new mother changes your life.

Becoming a Mother Changes You

Motherhood is an experience
that opens your eyes and your heart
to exactly how magnificent and amazing the gift of life is.

When you become a mother,
it is amazing how your feelings,
viewpoints, goals, and priorities change.
With one look into your little baby’s eyes,
you understand what things
are truly important in this life.

Author ~ Donna Newman

Another Milestone in our Adoption Process

2007-04-10T00:37:00.000-05:00

March 26, 2007 was an incredible day. This is the day that Addison’s adoption was finalized in the USA. Although the Ethiopian courts recognized our adoption of Addison as final on January 9th of this year, the law required us to readopt her here in America in order for her to have full citizenship. This final step involved more frustration and detailed paperwork, which is why most people sometimes pay thousands of dollars to adoption attorneys to complete the essential forms. Furthermore, the forms for re-adoption are not readily available to the general public which leaves us non-attorney people scrambling around in preparation for finalizing an adoption that we’ve already worked so hard for. However, we decided that Aaron (the most organized person I know) could handle the paperwork without the assistance of an adoption lawyer.

I should add that in the middle of compiling these forms, I had to make a decision about Addison's middle name. I had been waivering between several beautiful Ethiopian names for months! One afternoon of serious and tiring paperchasing, Aaron came home to get my signature on a document. It occurred to me that if I wanted my child to have a middle name, I had to make a decision quickly to avoid having to fill out more paperwork to add a middle name later. No more procrastinating! I pulled out my little worn sheet of paper with about twelve of my favorite Ethiopian names, and read each name on the list to Aaron. Actually, I didn't even get through the entire list because Aaron stopped me when I read my top pick --- MERON. The Amharic meaning for Meron is "Gift from God." A perfect name for a little girl who is such a blessing to our family. And so it is --- Addison Meron.

On the morning of our court date, the judge scheduled to hear our case was absent from court. On top of that, we were told that a necessary form was missing from our case file. Aaron then calmly stated that he was going to a different government office to see if he could resolve the matter of the “missing form.” The re-adoption forms seem to vary from county to county and getting someone to tell us with certainty which forms were needed for our county proved next to impossible. For the most part, a good combination of research and guess work went into the preparation for this court date.

Aaron had to do some quick research in legal reference books to “create” this required form. Within the hour, he had done his legal research, created the template for the needed form on an old and slow government computer, and returned to the court room at a good time for the judge to hear our case. The kind judge quickly reviewed our forms, asked us questions to ensure that we had not been caught up in a black market baby ring, and signed off on forms stating that Addison’s adoption was final in the USA. So March 26, 2007 was a special day. We officially became Addison’s parents in the eyes of the US Courts. We are done! No more court dates to claim Addison as our daughter. Intellectually, I understand the importance of these court dates... but in my heart, Addison has been our child from the moment her sweet referral photo appeared on our computer screen. We can now relax from the great paper chase and get on with the pleasures of being a family. What a great feeling!

Reflections of Our Days in Ethiopia

2007-03-27T23:19:00.000-05:00

A letter to my daughter

Dear Addison (Biftu),

We just took off on the last leg of our flight to Addis Ababa. I am calm and exited at the same time. I’m looking around at the beautiful Ethiopia Airlines flight crew trying to imagine how you will look in twenty years. Based on what Ryan and Abby have written about your emerging personality, I feel certain that you are a bright, inquisitive, and sweet little girl. As usual, your dad Aaron is as cool as a cucumber, but I can tell that he is so ready to be the very best daddy imaginable.

Your Ethiopian name, Biftu, means "The Dawn" in Amharic. When we return to America, I will name you Addison. I chose the name Addison to honor your birth city (Addis Ababa). Your father and I think it is a strong, but pretty name that sounds nice with Earley. Also, Addis in Amharic means "New," and I think of you as our new beginning. We are considering keeping Biftu as your middle name, or we might select another Ethiopian middle name that holds special meaning for us. We will make that decison after we meet you and get to know your personality. It took us a long time to reach an agreement on what your first name would be. I have been carrying around a list of Ethiopian girl names for months! We think the name Addison is a winner and hope you will like it as well.

Addison, I’m overjoyed because I no longer have to settle for loving the promise of you. I will soon be able to love you live and in person! In less than twelve hours, you’ll be in our arms. I’m so full of joy!

With Infinite Hugs and Kisses,
Pat (Your Mommy)

Day 1/ January 30th
Pat:
Addison, when your dad and I arrived in Ethiopia, we were driven directly to Gladney’s Care Center where you have been staying for the last several months. I was pleasantly surprised by the nice building and grounds of the Gladney care center. Abby and Ryan agreed to video tape our initial meeting. I must say that pictures of you don’t do you justice. You are such a doll! I just love your large expressive eyes, chubby rosy cheeks, and little dimpled legs. Your eyes squint when you smile. I almost melted when I saw you sitting so high up in Aaron’s arms. You looked up at him as if you had seen him before. You can really look people over. You seemed to be comfortable with both of us right from the start.

What a relief to finally see and hold you. I wasn’t as emotional as I thought I would be. I was thrilled, but not tearful. I think we are both so tired from the long trip that it hasn’t really hit us yet. You will join us for good tomorrow. Since you’re not here with us tonight, I feel kind of weird…like I almost have a daughter, but not quite. I’m looking forward to getting some rest and seeing you first thing in the morning.

Aaron:
We were tired coming off the plane. The airport and baggage area were a little strange. There were plenty of visa stations so no problem there. Gladney representatives Abby and Ryan met us in the post security area. They seem nice and friendly. Tafesse, our driver, is with them and seems to be a cool, nice, young guy. They take us through the streets and city to the care center. Roads are being built and goats and people are walking on the road side. It’s a third world country. At the care center, we met Addison (Biftu). She is so cute and dynamic. She is always looking around and watching people and things. She hears everything too. I held her for the first time and she and I were very comfortable with each other. Afterwards, we had a coffee ceremony with the Tongs, Ryan, Abby, and Belay.

We checked into the Hilton. It was a challenge because the African Union Conference was going on, so there were many dignitaries from other countries in Addis Ababa. The Central African Republic Prime Minister and his entourage nearly ran us over in the Hilton. We had a late lunch at Blue Tops restaurant at 3 PM. When we went back to our room, we unpacked. We decided to leave Addison at the care center so we could set up the hotel room for her. After resting in the hotel room for a few hours, we got up later to eat at the hotel’s pizzeria. Very good pizza! I slept soundly but Pat was in distress all night. Something in the pizza disturbed her stomach. She continued to have major stomach problems the next morning.

Day 2 / January 31st
Pat:
Addison, when you were delivered to us this morning, you were wearing a traditional Ethiopian outfit. You looked adorable! As one of your caregivers lovingly handed you over to me, I simply could not take my eyes off of your sweet little face. It finally hit me. You were my daughter. I was much more emotional today than yesterday. Maybe it was the way your father said, “There she is!” as your caregiver got out of the van with you. I wasn’t expecting to see you until later. I had no idea that I was getting a “special delivery” so early in the day. I was thinking that we had to go back to the care center to pick you up. What a sweet surprise. It is so obvious how well you have been taken care of. All of the caregivers at the center seem to love you. How could they not? I’m sure you’ll be missed. I learned that the caregivers have nicknamed you, "Beefy" and "Beef Mama." I'm sure your given name "Biftu" and perfectly chubby body made you an easy target for that one!

As we visited one of the orphanages, I couldn’t help but feel sad for the children who are still waiting for forever homes. I met two little girls (ages 2 and 4 ) there who I just wanted to bring home. For a few minutes, I envisioned all “three” of my girls running around the house and park laughing and having fun like all kids should. I must admit that as I sat in the car feeding you, I felt very sad knowing that many of these children will live in an orphanage until they are young adults. I am still amazed by the spirit of many of these children. They were running around playing, singing, and socializing with their peers like they are the happiest kids in the world. I am also touched how the older children wanted to impress us with their ability to speak English and knowledge of Christian songs. I think these children were as curious about me as I was about them. They were all over your father and me, vying for our attention. A couple of the older girls pointed out that we had the same skin. I smiled at them, gave them generous and sincere compliments, and hoped that they understood my admiration of them. I just wish I wasn’t feeling so poorly so I could have interacted more with them. I want to go back to see those kids again. I need to go back.

Well, Miss Addison, You had your first crying spell with us this evening. Around 7:00, you started crying your head off. We were about to call Ryan and Abby for help because we were beginning to think you weren’t well. You were crying so loudly, I just knew that at any moment, someone from the hotel was going to knock on the door, ask for the child, and report us to the Ethiopian authorities as unfit American parents. It hit me during your crying storm that I really didn’t know what I was doing! Yep, I had done my parenting research, spent countless hours on adoption discussion forums, and concluded that I would rely on my instincts and intelligence, but all of this knowledge seemed futile during this time. As soon as your “bright” parents figured out that all you wanted was your next bottle, we breathed a sigh of relief and got back to the business of being happy new parents.

Aaron:
Belay and another caregiver brought Addison to the Hilton. We will take care of her from now on. The Baby Bjorn carrier works great and our diaper bag with supplies was handy. Pat still has traveler’s sickness. She took a couple doses of ciproflaxin that seemed to help. Our first stop was the Kechene Children’s Home. This home had extensive grounds and was fairly nice. The children there were dynamic and lively. They wanted pictures taken and hands held. Some of the older ones spoke good English. A boy named Dawit gave me a gift of a bracelet in the Ethiopian flag colors (read, yellow, and green). The education center had many books on history, math, and physics. Good!

It’s a little sad to see orphan children; some bright eyed and hopeful, some reserved and quiet, and some sullen. Ryan and I left and ate at Rico restaurant. Pat was still weak so she and Addison went back to the hotel. While Tafesse and I waited for my phone to be unlocked (in order to use it in Addis Ababa), we went to Parisienne Café to sample the local beer, St. George. There were many pretty, well dressed, middle- upper class people there.

Day 3 / February 1st
Pat:
Dear Addison, today was a sight seeing day. We went to the main museum here in Ethiopia and saw the historical Lucy’s bones. The museum was interesting and informative, but I missed much of the lecture because I had to attend to your needs. Bottle feedings, diaper changes, cuddles, and kisses. What’s a new mother to do? Besides, you are heavy so carrying you around requires a lot of breaks. The Baby Bjorn is so useful, but it is tough on my back. Maybe I’ll try to adjust the straps.

Addison, you are soooo sweet and you attract a lot of attention. Quite a few school aged Ethiopian girls came over to smile at you. These girls look so precious in their school uniforms and seem so well behaved. It’s interesting how being able to attend school is seen as a privilege here. Americans could learn some lessons from the people of this beautiful third world country.

Tafesse is our great driver. What a nice guy he is. The driving here is crazy, crazy, crazy! I’m so glad that Aaron didn’t want to rent a car. I can’t figure out the driving patterns and rules of the road. What’s worst is the lack of seatbelts in most of the cars we have ridden in. I haven’t seen one car seat since I’ve been here. I’m holding onto you so tightly while we ride, I’m afraid I’m going to break your ribs! However, you seem to be taking it all in stride. You’re either bouncing up and down on my lap or leaning to the right or left, depending on how fast we’re traveling and/or how bumpy the road. You are so laid back…unless you’re hungry.

Aaron:
Tafesse took Pat and I to the Milk House restaurant. This is a restaurant with a great view of the city. The meal was good and the best so far. I had beef tips with mild injera and Pat had the chicken and rice. The girls there were cooing at Addison. Everybody says she looks like me. Today was sightseeing day. We went to the Ethiopia National History Museum. Our guide was very loquacious and informative about archeological and political history. We saw Lucy or Dinkinesh, the 3.2 million year bones of early man Australopeticus Africanus. Haile Selasse’s throne was on display.

We then went to the Holy Trinity church where there was a funeral going on. We removed our shoes before entering the church. We were told about the history of the Orthodox Christian church. Haile Selasse, the empress, holy men, and visitors prayed there. Haile Selasse and the empress’ remains were in two huge sarcophaguses in the back of the church. The Old Testament was depicted on the left stained glass, while the New Testament was depicted on the right. The patriots’ burial places were on the church grounds. Belays’ father’s was part of the secret service under Selasse when they were killed. He is buried on the church grounds.

Tafesse then drove us to Eutoto, a high mountain area outside the city.

We passed many streets, neighborhoods, and people on the way. Going up the hill, we saw mostly ladies of all ages carrying eucalyptus tree sood on their backs for firewood. This looked like back breaking work for the ladies. At the mountain top, we had great views of the city below. Later that evening, Tafesse took me to the Beer Garden restaurant which was truly a paradise for a beer aficionado.

Day Four/February 2nd
Pat:
Well Addison, I’ve passed a mommy test today. I had to change you in the smallest public bathroom I’ve ever seen. I could barely turn around in the tiny stall, but had to whip out the changing pad, hold you still so you wouldn’t hit your head against the hard tiled floor, and keep you from rubbing your little hands and feet against the toilet base. Not to mention how hot it was in that tiny space. And of course, I could not quickly find what I needed in the diaper bag, which I thought I had organized last night. But…I did it! You were smiling again and not giving me that look as if you were thinking, “Don’t you think you need to change me?”

After lunch, we went to visit your orphanage, the Kebebe Tsehay Children’s Home. Now talk about emotional, this is where you spent the first few months of your life. I was able to meet your caregivers, see your crib, and listen to stories about how small you were when you arrived at the orphanage. Aaron and I are so fortunate that we were able to travel here. We actually experienced first hand were you started your journey to be matched with us. This visit to your former orphanage was priceless.

Aaron:
Pat and I were driven to the Cottage restaurant where we had a great meal. We were then taken to the Kebebe Tsehay Children's Home. This is where Addison was first brought to. This home is not as elaborate as Kechene, but the caregivers seem very kind and loving. We saw her crib for the first month of her life. There were approximately 30 children there of various ages. Some were shy and others more interactive. The kids (mostly boys) were playing on a broken merry go round so I went over to help. One of the legs was broken and there were a couple of missing hinges on the seats. Therefore, when the children are sitting on it and it spins at a certain point in the rotation, the heavier section drops to the ground to prevent the spinning. I helped by putting my heavy foot on the base leg to stabilize and allow the merry go around to spin freely. The boys loved it. A caregiver put a girl on one seat to experience it.

We saw the toddlers’ quarters. The boys and girls are in different rooms. They seemed very subdued and quiet. This orphanage seemed like a nurturing place although it was just a little depressing to see so many children in need. There was one bad bully boy who was hitting, and pushing the other kids. The boy was only nine perhaps. The adults didn’t seem to check this. The manager of the home, Sophie, seemed nice. We had room service for dinner: a great Ethiopian meal.

Day Five/ February 3rd
Pat:
Addison, today we had a wild and exciting day at the Merkato Market. We met up with some fellow Gladney families and made our way through the dusty, busy streets of Addis Ababa. I felt like I was in East India because of the images I’ve seen of the crowded streets and vendors there. The vendors here were kind and friendly. Of course they wanted to impress us with their goods, but they seemed intrigued or at least interested in your father and me. I think that’s because they see so few Black Americans. I know they see even fewer Black Americans with babies strapped to their bodies. A few of the Ethiopian men asked in perfect English, “Are you from America? Which state?” One man smiled when we responded, “Atlanta.” He said, “Oh yes, nice city.” One handsome vendor quickly pulled out a photo album and said proudly, “You know Oprah was here last year. The dress she's wearing in the picture - she bought it from me.”

After we purchased a few items, we lunched at a Chinese restaurant. Chinese food in Ethiopia – interesting. Addison, you are such a good baby. The other Gladney parents frequently commented on your good demeanor and on how comfortable we appear to be with each other. I felt like such a proud mother! You and I were really tired by the end of the day. We had a quiet evening while your dad went to an Ethiopian wedding.

Aaron:
Addison has a healthy appetite. She drinks 8 oz. of formula in the morning, which usually holds her during morning excursions. We always carry an 8 oz and a 4 oz bottle when we are going out for the morning. Today, Josef was our driver who took us, the Busschers (Doug and Shannan) to the Merkato Market. The Tongs were there also. Pat brought a little dress for Addison and a scarf for a colleague. There was much motion and bustling in the market. This reminds me of the Thai markets with many vendors in long rows. Afterwards, we went to a Chinese restaurant. The food was just O.K. I got a chance to talk with Joseph Tong (the Tong’s 9-year-old). He’s a very intelligent and inquisitive boy. Pat and Addison decided to relax in the hotel room that night. Later at 5:30, Tafesse invited/took me to the wedding of his cousin. They had all kinds of foods, meats, etc. There was dancing, chanting, singing, etc. There were crazy uncles yelling things out and the crowd responding which resulted in much laughter and fun. Josef drove me to the groom’s house, which was a beautiful, stylish, concrete house. The house had high ceilings, hardwood floors, two satellite dishes, big screen TVs, nice couches, bidets and special shower facilities. The DJ was playing oldies and whatever you would hear at a Black American affair. I noticed that all upper class Ethiopians speak good English.

Pat:
Today was a great day. We visited the Dreamland Resort. Absolutely beautiful! We had a wonderful dinner, saw a beautiful crater lake, and watched young Ethiopian couples impress their dates. You and Nicholas (Doug and Shannon’s son) were such good troopers. Cutie pie Nicholas has the prettiest eyes with the longest lashes I’ve ever seen on a boy!

It is really beginning to sink in that we are now a family of three. It feels so natural being your mother. I often catch myself just smiling at you for no particular reason. I hope you’re not getting tired of me kissing you. Aaron is going to be a doting father. He is becoming more comfortable with you everyday. I like the way your eyes follow him around the hotel room. Something tells me that you’re going to have him so wrapped around your cute little fingers.

Aaron:
We think we are in a groove with Addison’s eating habits. We just have to keep the bottles ready to go. She has a certain cry when she is hungry. She gives a huff and a puff and a cry explosion. Sounds like the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz. Pat and I ate in the Koffa Restaurant at the hotel. The servers dote on Addison. They take and carry her, show her to the other servers, and coo to her. She is a charmer.

Our only event today was the sunset excursion out of town to a crater lake at the Dreamland resort. The road was a bit daunting, mostly highway with two lanes. People walk and park in one of the lanes from time to time. This is a bit dangerous. People are used to close calls here. The Dreamland place has an excellent view on the hillside of a crater lake. It is greater than 200 feet deep at the center.

The food was good but something bothered my stomach. When we returned to Addis Ababa, it was dark. There was a huge traffic jam because of the custom stops. The truck drivers are in all lanes and have to shift over to the right to be inspected. This causes the traffic jams. I took ciproflaxin to handle my upset stomach.

Day7/February 5th
Pat:
Although I’m enjoying your birth country, I am so ready to go home. I just want to get my “real” life started with you. We purchased a few more souvenirs, had lunch with the entire group (didn’t enjoy this lunch), and then had a quick dinner at Kaldis (Ethiopia’s Starbucks). I like the fact that Kaldis is the great coffee house here, since Starbucks does not pay the Ethiopian coffee farmers a fair amount for their coffee beans. Go Kaldis! But I wonder if the owner of Kaldis is any kinder to the Ethiopian coffee farmers. Hum…I need to research this.

Aaron:
We woke up, had a meager banana bread breakfast, and were driven to the souvenir shops in the Post Office area or Ras Desta Damteur Street. These shops are not as crowded as the other market, although there is still plenty to choose from. We bought some silver, necklaces, axum crosses, and a wooden stool. We then had lunch with the whole group (Ryan, Abby, Belay, Doug, Shannon, their son Nico, Pat, Addison, myself, and another driver whose name I still don’t know. It was nice meal. The discussion turned to the Fistule Hospital. Most of the group had never heard of it. Pat told the group about the hospital and its services to help women whose internal organs have been damaged during childbirth. She is hoping to visit it while we are here. Later that evening, Pat, Addison and I went to Kaldis. Kaldis is a Starbucks clone chain store here. It has a symbol, color scheme, and coffee drinks similar to Starbucks. The place was packed with young, well dressed people eating, drinking coffee, eating desserts, and just hanging. We particularly enjoyed the avocado, strawberry, layered smoothie, although it was a bit warm (not cold).

Day 8/February 6th
Pat:
Addison, it was great going back to Gladney’s care center, your previous home. We were able to deliver the humanitarian gifts which we were so happy to do. The young girls at the carecenter are young, but very poised and nurturing. I hope they enjoy the small tokens I left for them. I enjoyed talking with the caregivers. I find comfort in knowing that you were so well cared for there. One of the caregivers was deaf. I was especially drawn to her gentleness and grateful for her attentiveness to you. This caretaker knitted you a hat, which I will save in your keepsake box.

While we were at the care center, I held and played with another beautiful baby girl named Helen. I don't think you liked that. You looked a little sad after I picked her up and held her for a second time. You gave me a look as though you were wondering, “You’re my mommy, why are you giving her so much attention?” You don’t have to worry sweetheart, there’s no other baby in the whole world that I would prefer over you. I think it’s interesting that the caregivers like to point out that the babies, “look like us.” It’s a great feeling adopting from an African country. It’s probably a great feeling adopting from anywhere.

Aaron:
We went back to the care center for the first time since picking up Addison. We brought gifts for the caregivers and humanitarian aid in a big luggage. Four of the caregivers were there. They are always so nice. They brightened when they saw “Biftu” again. Someone had already taken Addison’s bed. There were cute babies there. Helen was a darling, dark-haired, dimpled girl baby. There was a handsome boy there as well. We had another coffee ceremony, talked more, and left. Afterwards, we went to a new restaurant with the best view of the city so far and ate great food. While there, we met another couple who were there to adopt their 9 or 10-year old daughter. They live in New York. Once we got back to the hotel, we walked the Hilton grounds. There were souvenir shops, a miniature golf course, volley ball court, tennis court, work-out room, and indoor squash. I wore the Baby Bjorn for the first time. Addison really enjoyed riding up high and looking out. For dinner, we went to the traditional Ethiopian restaurant Fasika. The place was constructed and decorated like a traditional Ethiopian cottage. There were murals on the ceilings and paintings on the walls. We sat on wood traditional chairs around the basket food tray. We sampled many traditional Ethiopian dishes and the Tej honeywine. It was all delicious. While we ate, the performers executed their routine. They danced with styles from various Ethiopian tribes. The singer and band played with much gusto. The dancers were amazing with their quick head movements. The female dancer went into the crowd to engage the patrons to dance. Each on in our party did a little neck and shoulder movement dance. The place was full of mostly Europeans, Nigerians, and some Ethiopians.

Day 9/ February 7th
Pat:
Today was Embassy Day! I felt a little nervous this morning and was not in the best mood. We went to the American Embassy, answered a couple of questions regarding our knowledge of your past, and were congratulated on our adoption of you. It was over just like that. After months of filling out applications, gathering documents, waiting for a referral, waiting for a travel date, making travel arrangements, having our faith tested, etc., the final adoption step before leaving Ethiopia was over in just a matter of minutes. Ethiopia was entrusting us with one of their cherished babies. We feel honored. You were right there with us, witnessing everything. As usual, you were well behaved and just went with the flow. You’re such a sweetheart.

Aaron:
Today was embassy day. We were anxious, but relaxed. We leisurely got dressed in time for lunch at the Cottage Restaurant. I had an exaggerated impression of the quality and variety of the food there. It was not as good as I remembered.
The American Embassy was heavily fortified. There where two stages of searches and bag checks. No cell phones or palm pilots were allowed inside. We waited in the room below, while Belay went upstairs to do the final paperwork. Upstairs was hot, while downstairs was nice and cool with a TV and many chairs. After approximately 30 minutes, they called for us to go upstairs. The American woman asked about our correct signatures, asked us to raise our hand and confirm that we would tell the truth, and then asked us about our knowledge of the circumstances regarding Addison’s orphan status. Within five minutes, we were done. Pat and I kissed and then left with Belay. We had our celebratory dinner at the Milk House on the 10th floor of this building. Once again, my memory of the greatness of this food was exaggerated. We won’t be going there again. Thursday and Friday should be nice days. Pat and I are ready to go home. We want to get normalcy and our life started with Addison. Pat and I joke that we are no longer the darling new couple and child in Ethiopia. A new family arrived Tuesday from New York so we are getting less time with our favorite driver Tafasse. Ces’t la Vie!

Day 10/ February 8th
Pat:
Addison, I slept late this morning because you woke up in the wee hours of the morning and had difficulty going back to sleep. The Muslim call to prayer (and the loud dog barking that accompanies the chant) tends to wake you and me around 5:30AM, while your dad sleeps right through it. I don’t think he has ever been awakened by this daily occurrence, which I find amazing! Why? Because it’s loud and continuous for at least 30 minutes! Anyway, I was able to catch up on some much needed sleep after your dad woke up and kept you occupied for a couple of hours. We had a good lunch, visited an interesting museum, and relaxed the rest of the evening. Ethiopia is great, but I’m so ready to get back to Atlanta with hubby and baby in tow.

Aaron:
Pat was up early with the baby, I was still asleep. When I got up we cuddled with the baby and I played with her for a couple of hours while pat caught up with sleep. We started our day late at 11:00AM after we dressed and got Addison ready. We went to Ricos. My second visit, Pat’s first. The food was good. I had lamb and Pat had a huge calzone. Afterwards, we went to the Ansi gallery. This is a contemporary art gallery near the French Embassy. This gallery is on nice property and belonged to the teacher of Emperor Meleniks’ son. It was built in the 18th century. There were abstract works here, sculptures, clay figures, etc. We met the artist who was preparing for a big show tomorrow. Later that evening, we dined at the Makush Gallery, which had contemporary but less abstract art.

Day 11/February 9th
Pat:
We’re going home today! We got your Ethiopian passport and Visa. You look like such a world traveler with your cute little round head starring out of the passport book. Your father’s smile was huge when he saw your passport. He was so proud that his little girl has a document that he holds near and dear to his heart…a passport! Have passport, will travel!

The Ethiopian airport was crowded! At first I though that all of these people were there for departing flights, but it was explained to us that the majority of the crowd was there to send off love ones leaving for international flights. We quickly said our goodbyes to our driver and new friend Tafesse, and we were on our way. Well…not so fast. Your father and I were “randomly” selected for a security check, and then had to stand in line for what seemed like an hour before we even reached the ticket agent. Normally, this would have really annoyed me. Now, although it wasn’t pleasant, I had my precious cargo-YOU- which made minor inconveniences seem just that…MINOR!

Aaron:
We got up at the normal time and felt a little giddy. This was our last day in Ethiopia. We got to go back home with little Addison and get our life started. Tafesse took us on a little excursion to the neighborhood where he grew up. His mother owned successful doughnut shops before the Communist Durge took them away. Under the communist rule, people were only allowed one means of income.

We drove and saw the local “Home Depot” hardware store. At 12:30 PM, we had the final farewell lunch with the whole group at Costellis, a fine, classic Italian restaurant. Afterwards, we said our final goodbyes to Abby, Ryan, and Belay. I was a little annoyed because we had thank you tokens and cards for both, but we left them at the hotel because we thought we would see everyone later. Belay said he doesn’t like to go the airport anymore because the goodbyes are hard there.

We got to go back to the hotel to relax and pack for our 6:30 exit. Fortunately, the Hilton allowed us late checkout. They should have because we never did get the suite they had promised us when we made the reservations. As we were sitting in the lobby, we saw a guy who looked very similar to me. We had a similar gait were close in height, skin color, etc. Pat went over to him and remarked upon our similarities. He was pleasant and agreed about the similarities. We took a picture of us together. It’s funny because this guy actually lives in Atlanta!

The Hilton is very strict. When they see someone leaving with luggage they get worried and stop you demanding a “check out ticket”? So I had to leave my luggage with the concierge and go to the counter to check out. I had wanted to go to the curb where Pat was waiting. Fortunately, my Hilton points covered the room, so we just had to pay for meals which came to approximately 900 birr over the two weeks. We left along with the Busschers for the airport. We traveled in a convoy - people in one car, luggage in the other Toyota Landcruiser. The airport was a bit busy with many people trying to leave. The parking lot was not well lit. We felt a bit rushed but we said our goodbyes to our drivers Tafesse, Eyasuf, and Josef who had helped us with our luggage to a certain point. The line to Ethiopian Air was not too long-maybe 40 people, but it moved slowly. When to got the front of the line, we checked our four pieces of luggage. What a relief! Now we just had our carry-ons and Addison. The form at the immigration exit took a bit to fill out. Pat had to change Addison while I was in line. Finally we got through and into the terminal. We waited near our gates with the Busschers. At some point, we left to go to the Ethiopian Air first class/business class lounge. This was nice. Free food, drinks, TV, chairs/couches. This lounge was very comfortable. We stayed there and relaxed until it was almost time to board. After we boarded, we saw that our seats where on the first rows of the plane (seat 1D and 1F). Business class is the way to go. We kept Addison in her carrier until after the take off. Hurrah! We were on our way home. The flight was very pleasant. Addison was very composed. We gave her a bottle on take off and landing to depressurize her ears. The bassinet fastened to three holes in the bulkhead in front of our sears. She seemed to enjoy the bassinet. Pat and I had meals mostly in peace. The business class meals were food, and we had plenty of beverages and snacks. I can see why people pay extra. When we were in Rome for refueling, there seemed to be a disagreement/disturbance with the Roman cleanup workers, refuel staff, and Ethiopian Air attendants. They seemed tensed. After awhile, they resolved the issue and we took off again. We mostly read and watched movies. Addison remained composed, only needing diaper changes and bottles. Our idea of keeping bottle inserts pre-filled with formula was great. It was very convenient to make a bottle. Addison is not picky. Room temperature formula is fine with her. Our landing in Dulles was fine. It was a clear, cold morning. Getting trough customs was no problem. They seem to give a family with adopted babies a smooth passage.

Day 12, February 10th
Pat:
Addison, I am so impressed with you. We flew for over twenty hours and you cried only once (and just for a couple of minutes). Sweet girl, you rested peacefully in the bassinet, looked around curiously when awake, and proved to be a superb infant traveler. A woman, who was seated behind me, asked if you were always that good. I was so happy to be able to truthfully respond, “Yes she is!” Oh yeah, in one of my earlier diary entries, I wrote about changing a diaper in a tiny public bathroom. That was before I was forced to change a diaper in an airplane’s lavatory…with a line of people waiting to use the facilities. Now that takes skills! I'm an official member of the “Moms Do What They Have to do Club.”

When we landed in Washington D.C. for our three hour layover, you were able to meet your paternal grandparents. Of course you smiled and charmed them and of course they loved you. It was a great moment. We had to rush to make the last leg of out flight to Atlanta. We were pratically running through the airport in order not to miss our flight. Once we were in our seats, you suddenly began to cry for a few minutes. There was a big, rough-looking redneck guy sitting in front of us. He turned around and rolled his eyes while you were crying. He probably thought you would cry throughout the flight. He didn't know my Addison. We got your bottle ready, you took a couple of sips, and quickly fell asleep. You slept throughout the short flight home. After we landed, that big, rough-looking guy gave you a slight smile. I smiled back at him because I do understand that a crying baby on an airplane is not that pleasant. By 3:00PM, we were driving up our driveway and entering our house as a family of three for the first time. We were home. I showed you your room and let you test out your new crib. You like to run your hand across the various fabrics in your bedding. I think you appreciate nice bedding…yep, you’re my daughter.

Aunt Marilyn and Grandma Birdie came by to meet you within a few hours of our arrival home. They just couldn’t wait until the next day to meet this baby whom they had waited so anxiously for. To be honest with you, I couldn’t wait for them to meet you! Your Aunt Marilyn could barely contain her excitement. She even refers to you as her child -:) After your aunt and grandma left, your Uncle Lonnie came by to catch a glimpse of you. You had already fallen asleep so he didn’t get a chance to experience your charming ways. Your dad was so tired he fell asleep within a few hours after our arrival home. Although we have a bassinet next to our bed, you fell asleep in your new crib in your own room. You look so peaceful and comfortable in your crib. You look like you belong here. Welcome home Addison. Our journey to and from Ethiopia has ended, but our journey as your parents is just beginning. I’m so looking forward to it.

Aaron:
Our layover in Dulles was approx. three hours until we were scheduled for the Delta flight to Atlanta. We called Mom and dad at home and they rushed right to the Dulles terminal to see us and meet Addison. It was great! Addison took right to mom, but Dad was getting over the flu so he did not want to hold her. They seemed enthralled with Addison. We sat, talked, and took some pictures until we had to leave for the flight to Atlanta.

The Delta flight was cramped and the plane was small. We were one of the last people to board and our seats were in the back. Addison was cranky and cried a bit initially. I was slow with the bottle. After a few minutes, she settled in. It was a short hour and forty-five minute flight. After we landed, Pat and I kissed. It was good to be home. We got our luggage-first class luggage comes out first! They put it in a special area too. Nice! We paid for the luggage carrier ($3) and wheel our stuff to the lower level. I left Pat and Addison at the lower level to run to Marta to go get the truck at the College Park
Bell South Parking Lot. I headed back to the airport to pick them up. The whole detour took about 20 minutes. We put Addison in her car seat for the first time. She fits well. We drove home, got out, and opened the house up. Everything was fine and as it should be. Congratulations to us! This journey is finished.

VIDEO: BRINGING HOME BABY

2007-03-17T18:05:00.000-05:00

Make video montages at onetruemedia.com

Your Questions...Our Answers

2007-03-17T17:38:00.000-05:00

Why did we adopt?
The concept of adoption has always appealed to me. As a single woman, I often told friends that I would adopt if I remained single. Once Aaron and I married,having a biological child proved difficult, so I decided that it was far more important for me to become a mother than to become pregnant. I have never thought my DNA was so superior that I could not love a child who was not genetically related to me. After many conversations and prayers, Aaron and I said “No Thank You!” to further promising high tech fertility treatments and began focusing our attention on adopting. We were on our way to becoming a family of three!

Why Go to Africa? / Why not Domestic Adoption?
Learning about the current procedures and trends in private domestic adoptions left us feeling uncomfortable and ambivalent. We learned that in the foster care system’s adoption program, there is a 50% chance that the child could be returned to their mother or another relative, even if we had served as their foster parents. We didn’t like those odds. I’ve read and re-read the rationale behind procedures in both private and public domestic adoptions and know that they are suitable for many people. However, these procedures and arrangements were not a good fit for us. It should be emphasized that no method of adoption is risk free. I think that most people who have adopted a child would agree that adoption is not for the faint hearted!

There are those who feel that Americans should adopt “from their own back yard” while others hold a more global view that there are needy kids all over the world. In my opinion, a child born in the United States is no more deserving of a loving home than a child born in a third world country and vise versa. However, the poor living conditions in much of Africa (that some Americans can not even begin to adequately envision), severe limited government resources, poor health care, and the lack of accessible education to millions of children, played a major role in our decision to adopt from Africa. Most importantly, the notion of adopting an orphan took hold of my heart and would not let go. I have learned that when I follow my heart (with a sprinkle of good reasoning) and pay attention to “that inner voice” which I believe is God’s guidance, I will make the right decision. I just knew that all of my life experiences had led us to this specific adoption journey. Thank God we like to travel!

Why Ethiopia?
I hesitated to include this next section in my blog because it is quite personal. But aren’t most blogs personal? Well this blog is all about my thoughts and experiences, so here goes. (Besides, I can delete it at any time…even if countless people have already read it!)

During the time when our hearts began leaning toward adoption, my fertility specialist wanted to discuss “her plans” for my next treatment. During one of her medical explanations as to why my previous treatments had not been successful, I remember asking myself, “Do I interrupt her now or tell her later that Aaron and I have decided to adopt?” When I realized that I couldn’t get a word in edgewise, I heard her say, “I’d like you to consider using donor eggs. Although it usually takes longer to find a Black American donor, we could extend our search to an East African donor. Yes! Looking at Aaron’s and your physical features, extending our egg donor search to an East African donor would be a great option.” I immediately thought to myself, “Honey,I’ll go to East Africa and adopt a child before I put Aaron and me through more of this emotional turmoil!” Little did I know at the time that this flippant thought of mine would soon become our reality. Around this same time, I had numerous “chance” meetings with children and adults of East African descent.

Leave it to Oprah to air a show that would water a seed that had already been planted in my head! I happened to see an episode where Oprah featured remarkable children. There was a young school-aged girl who had been hit by a train in her Ethiopian village. A missionary worker had learned of this accident and arranged for her to come to America and live with a couple in an Atlanta suburb. As this couple accepted responsibility for the medical treatment for this beautiful, wounded girl, over the next few months they grew to love her. When the child’s elderly grandmother asked the couple to consider adopting her, they didn’t hesitate to start the procedures to raise this child as their own. Although this child had literally lost an arm and a leg in that tragic accident, she had a spirit and enthusiasm that warmed my soul. She joined her school’s swim team, was on the student council, and quickly mastered the English language. I couldn’t stop thinking about this little girl and the Atlanta family that adopted her. I actually tried to contact this family to tell them how moved I was by their story. I never caught up with them (which is probably a good thing because I might have come across as kind of strange), but I still have that Oprah episode saved on a dusty VCR tape. All of these direct and indirect encounters happened during the time when I was leaning in the direction of adopting from Ethiopia. Call it serendipity, call it a coincidence, or call it fate. I’m just glad I was present and tuned in!

We learned that Ethiopia has the most stable adoption program in Africa and that several agencies in the United States have been approved to facilitate adoptions from there. When I read about Ethiopia’s rich culture and history, and discovered that there are an estimated 4.5 million orphans, I became even more engrossed. The fact that Ethiopia is often called the Cradle of Humanity made me feel like I was going “home” to receive my child. The people of Ethiopia possess great pride in their country as well as both an inner and outer beauty. The more I read about how Ethiopians cherish their children and the relatively smooth and fast moving Ethiopian adoption program, I knew without a doubt that the child I had prayed for was there…halfway around the world. Ironically, I had often told Aaron that I thought he looked Ethiopian. Knowing that our future child would likely bear physical resemblance to one or both of us was simply icing on the cake. Wouldn’t you know that many have commented that our little Ethiopian princess resembles Aaron!

Why are there so many orphans in Ethiopia?
Ethiopia is a country that has been challenged by political turmoil, civil wars, diseases, droughts. As a result, there is great poverty there. Birth mothers or surviving relatives often make the difficult decision to relinquish their children because they simply can no longer provide basic needs such as food and clean water. Babies are sometimes found wrapped in warm blankets and abandoned near safe public spots like police posts, churches, or government buildings.

What happened to your child’s mother?
Aaron and I are aware and are comfortable with the details of our daughter being orphaned; however, we will be discreet about her history. Although our daughter’s past is not shameful, it is her story to know and understand. When she is older, she can determine if and with whom she wants to share her story.

Are the children available for adoption healthy? /Are you concerned about your child having HIV/AIDS?
The vast majority of Ethiopian children available for adoption are healthy. Common minor conditions include parasites or minor skin conditions that are easily treated in America. Some of the babies/children are malnourished when they enter the orphanages, but usually fully recover prior to being placed for adoption. There are other children with special needs that are available for adoption. Once again, many of these children need minor surgeries that are routinely done in America. Parents determine if they want a healthy child or what illnesses they are open to. Our child was considered healthy at time of referral and continues to get glowing medical reports.

Until recently, the Ethiopian government did not allow children with HIV/AIDS to be adopted. However, adoptive parents can now request a child with HIV/AIDS and other chronic conditions (and many have). There are orphanages that specifically house children who have tested positive for HIV/AIDS. The children are tested several times for infectious diseases before being allowed to leave Ethiopia. Although AIDS has resulted in many orphans in Ethiopia, it may be surprising to learn that when compared to other African countries, the number of HIV/AIDS cases in Ethiopia is significantly lower.

How are you matched with a child?
After one’s dossier and other paper work is completed and accepted, you are presented with information on a child and the child’s picture (a referral). In most cases, a staff member of your adoption agency matches you with a child based on your pre-determined criteria such as age, gender, number of children, and medical conditions you are open to. However, one can select a specific child from an agency’s “Waiting Children’s List”. Waiting children are often older children, children with special needs, or sibling groups. It is typical to hear adoptive parents comment that they were matched with “the perfect” child for their family. We know that Addison’s placement with our family was God’s perfect planning!

Will you tell your daughter that she was adopted?
ABSOLUTELY!!! (In 2007, I still can’t believe I’ve been asked this) There is no shame in being adopted. My child will know from a very early age the story of how she became an Earley!

What is the process to adopt from Ethiopia?
Please refer to Our Adoption Timeline for a look at all of the necessary steps to adopt from Ethiopia.

Will you and Aaron adopt again?
TBD! For right now, we are happy and busy caring for our daughter. We will let you know if we decide to go down this road (or another adoption road) again. No pressure please!

Our Adoption Timeline

2007-03-12T23:35:00.000-05:00

April 2006
Applied to Gladney Center for Adoption
Mailed CIS application (Advance Processing of Orphan Petition)
CIS Fingerprint Appointment
Completed medical exams
May 2006
Mailed homestudy application to Families First, our homestudy agency
(Our homestudy included an autobiography for each of us; personal recommendations; background checks; self statements on marriage and family life, parenting philosophies, child rearing expectations, child cared plans, financial status, religion, health, home and neighborhood, references, and completion of a 10 hour on-line parenting course)
1st Home Visit: Initial joint interview with social worker; Home inspection completed
Began gathering documents for homestudy and dossier
June 2006
2nd Home Visit: Aaron and I met individually with social worker
Continued to gather documents for homestudy and dossier
July 2006
3rd Home Visit: Second joint interview with social worker
Approval of international adoption homestudy
Completed parenting course “With Eyes Wide Open” through Adoption Learning Partners
August 2006
Homestudy mailed to Gladney and CIS
September 2006
Formally Accepted by Gladney into their Ethiopian adoption program
Authenticate dossier documents (several documents had to be redone and resubmitted)
Dossier completed and sent to Gladney
Dossier mailed to Ethiopia
October 2006
October 9th - RECEIVED REFERRAL FOR BEAUTIFUL INFANT GIRL!
October 31st - Received CIS approval
Final documents submitted to Gladney
November /December 2006
Waited to receive word on Ethiopian court date which would determine our travel date
Submitted final adoption fees
Read and re-read Gladney’s guarantee and encouraging statements to get me through this difficult waiting period.
Communicated with other adopting parents for support
Decorated Nursery
January 2007
January 12th! Received travel call
January 29th Left for Ethiopia
January 30th Met our daughter!
February 2007
February 7th – Embassy Court date
February 9th and 10th- Traveled home as parents!