Embassy successful - sort of

We're at the Hilton and the internet is a fortune and Mark is carrying two tired boys so that I can type.

I got to quickly skim all your emails. We can't use gmail on many computers here and so I have not been able to read them - but in looking them over, tears were in my eyes from all of the love and prayers we have recieved from the USA!

We got the boys at 9:00 and we have had them all day. We went to the embassy but since we did not have the specific court documents saying that the children could actually be adopted from a parent or the police report we couldn't get our visa. She thought Friday- so its good we are not leaving Friday. She was very nice though and frankly - I too would want to be sure our embassy was making sure these documents exist. We found out a little more about the boys but really not much to tell. We know what we know and that is that they seem pretty darn smart. Maren is already speaking some English - he is currently trilingual. He is like our chinese speaking Phoebe and our multilingual nana veet. He is saying more and more every minute - its really amazing actually. He speaks Wolitan, Amharic and now English but still grunts when he wants stuff. He learned "up" pretty fast when he wants Mark to hold him. Yabsera loves looking at himself in the mirror and laughs when he does this and good baby is not even enough to descibe how sweet he is.

We are in love with these guys and just can't wait for you all to meet them. If you could hear Maren's laugh - its like a cartoon character who is getting away with murder. His favorite thing to do is steal the many keys from around the guest house and pretend to lock people in their rooms. He is most definitely following in Helen Keller' footsteps...he also says wa wa for water! :)

Pray they sleep well tonight- it will be our first night with them and Mark and I will need some rest as well.

We are having fun with our guest house staff who treat our children like they were their own. I can't recommend enough the guest house as a place to stay for folks who want to save money - or give away money they would have spent on a more expensive place to the folks here who need it desperately. Sally you were right - this is a bit diiferent when it comes to the level of poverty than I have seen else where and I have been to many many places. This is different in many ways - its beautiful and the poeple are wonderful. We will have dinner tonight with CWA staff and the other family traveling with us.

Must go-- lots of money to send email.

We love you all - please read this to Cal and Maddie and Phoebe who we may not be able to call. The boys are hilarious and you will love them so very very much. We can't wait for them to meet their crazy siblings - you all go together so very very well.

LOVE LOVE LOVE
Em, Mark, Maren and Yabsera
ps I cannpot reply to separate emails now - but will - keep them coming. I love the verses and encouraging words many of you sent. The most disturbing email though was form Cal about his sunburn. Cal - I have been there - too many times to count. I hope it is better today. No worries about the shirt we can get you another one. I am glad you had Luana there to help you!!! I love you!
XXXOOO

Meeting the boys

We are here in downtown Abbis with Abebe, Getu's brother. We are going out to eat soon. We do not have internet at the guest house right now, so we have to stop at internet cafes to communicate.

We are good. We have seen the boys two times already. Three hours today. Maren is a real joker, and we slept for four hours after being with him. Sure, it could be the jet lag, but part of it was certainly trying to keep up with the VERY energetic, and funny boy.

Yabsera is very quiet, but inquisitive. He looks around a lot - seems to know his name - watches with great interest when Maren plays with interesting toys. Maren so far has said - Beep Beep - Bye Bye - Mommy - Water (or Wa, as Maddy would like to know) - smoke - and plane. I'm sure he has heard some of these words before, but we think he is a genius. He made Emily and I drink his milk - and he can't be fooled - you can't put the cup close to your lips and say yum yum, or something like that - in order to satisfy him, the cup must be lifted and touching your lips. Emily and I pretty much drank all of his milk today. Maren also ate a PBJ. So at least we have one thing to feed him at home.

Tomorrow is the embassy appointment in the afternoon. At that point they will be ours, although they might stay at the foster home in the evening so we can go to dinner with the foster care director and another family picking up their child. We have had a lovely time at the guest house. The man in charge there, Ray Lindstrom, has many fascinating stories to tell about his time in Africa, and he has made us feel very welcome. The Ethiopian staff at the guest house has also been very sweet to our children, tickling them and talking to them. I think it has helped meeting Maren and Yabsera in an environment probably very similar to their own home.

Hope to call or write or something soon - but no guarantees with the communication services here. We are well and miss you all very much.
Mark and Emily

PS - To Maddy, Cal and Phoebe
Phoebe - you need to learn this word - Amma (like momma without the first M). It is a word Maren and his orphan friends made up - it means (we're pretty sure)GIMME!. I think he may say it a lot when he sees you and wants a bite of your candy, or wants to play with your toy. We're betting that all of our kids will start saying this as well. Maddy, when 16, and asking for the car keys - AMMA! AMMA! You get the picture.
You are going to love these little guys!

A Man with one shoe walked into a bar in london

HI ALL
We are in London for the day - we did figure out how to have them keep our bags at the airport so we could walk around - but where is Jessica when you need her? Its been nice but started to rain and so we bought an expensive umbrella! Is it only in London a guy will wear a shirt that says, "I do all my own nude scenes"? Ok Mark thinks that guy was in Houston - but I am certain it was here. Anyway - we were in a pub having some chips and a man walked into the bar from the pouring rain asking if he by chance left his shoe there the day before - he had a shoe on one foot and a sock on the other - a wet sock....
Would be better if I wasn't so very sleepy. We stopped for a quick bite and I fell asleep in the restaurant. We realized we are arriving in the morning in Addis not at night like I thought- not sure why I thought that. So we may meet the boys as early as tomorrow though I will not keep up my hopes of that since things don't always go as planned I have learned. We are getting more and more nervous about it...but excited just the same -no names yet. Any suggestions? Please send them along....we would love to hear your ideas.
Hugs to our children please- we miss them and have thought of them while here many times. I have taken a few pictures of daddy - in red phone booths and other places. We were wishing we had gotten tickets to one of the great shows they have here...but I surely would have fallen asleep. We don't fly out until 10:30 pm and its about 3:00pm and I can't wait to sleep- I hope I can.
Thanks for all of your prayers and well wishes.

To think- in less than 24 hours we may be snuggling with our little boys- I know we will miss Maddie, Cal and Phoebe then more than ever...
Love Em and Mark

The countdown

If you have one kind of browser- my blog looks normal- and just to the left is a countdown to our Embassy appointment...if you have another kind of browser- the right side links and profile and clock are all way way down at the bottom. I went to a blogger fix it blog and its very time consuming to fix- basically one of my posts or links or something was too big and makes it look funny in certain browsers...but the important thing is to see that my countdown is down to 4 days and 2 hours- that is when we should have the embassy appointment- rough guess. We should actually meet them in less time than that. About 3 days until we meet our baby boys.

Mark and I have been working all night to get ready- lists, list and more lists. Mark doesn't like the idea of carrying a moneybelt. I told him he didn't really have a choice. Our Dog alone costs about the same at the kids to be cared for while we are gone.

I just wanted to write a quick "America's Amazing New Grads" post. We had this new grad, who is visiting our Pastor's family, come today and clean-and clean and clean. I was actually crying telling someone about this wonderful woman. And is she ever meticulous! She spent over an hour in our tiny powder room...I just am so thankful and so grateful and it makes leaving easier and coming home to a clean house will be so nice too.

Another friend came by with tons of Tylenol and Motrin and band-aids and then ran an errand for me. And people have been so generous with giving us money here and there and we need it so much and it’s so great and so helpful and so wonderful.

I have a friend who will blog for me in my absence- but I have warned her that this is an Ethiopian Adoption Blog and not a LOST forum where she can discuss the nuances of the Henry Gale character...though at times that is probably much more entertaining.

Just wanted to send one last post from the US. I am ready to sleep on that plane tomorrow.
Check the countdown when you read this- you too will get pangs of excitement...I wanted it to look like the clock in the bunker- but couldn't get that on my blog.

Intermission aka 6 - 7 centimeters

I have been really struggling with the change my agency has imposed. I am prayerful that no matter how this works out- It will be ok and how its meant to be at this time. I have a lot still to do to prepare- and not much time left to do it in- but at this point it feels doable- I always feel like before a big trip- that at some point- what I get done- I get done and what I don't I don’t- I always review- now what is the most important stuff I really need- a plane ticket, a passport, gobs of cash, and the paperwork- that 171h...to be able to get my boys- the rest is icing on the cake.

I plan on visiting several other orphanages as I have been asked to do so for others. If I never see the inside of my boys home- that will be one someone else shoulders. And I will make a point of gathering video footage from others who have traveled before me and those who travel after me whom I believe will be allowed in.

Today we got very complete and reassuring medical reports from CWA. With all of the appropriate testing and the various types of tests listed. They still called Yabsera a girl- but you know you can't have everything! (for those of you who have followed our referrals this has happened a few times! :) and since my kids think Yabsera sounds like a girls name- and in fact in Ethiopia, it commonly is used for a girls name- we will be adding another name- but we can't decide yet.)

I want to share a funny thing my 7 year old said last night. We were talking about how she was born with these little ear nubs and we were comparing it to Yabsera's extra little finger and I told her how this women came up to me in a store and looked at Phoebe as when she was a newborn and said, "Can she hear?" I just didn't understand why on earth she would ask me that- later I realized she probably saw the ear thingys- we had them removed when she was 10 months old. Phoebe said, "Wow! That was kind of rude wasn't it?...I mean I hope people wouldn't come up to us and see Yabsera's extra finger and say, 'can he count?'"

I loved that- ears are for hearing and fingers are for counting to a 1st grader!

I say 6-7 cms because- there is that point in labor when you are in so much pain- when pretty much no one else can do a lot to help you- at that point you turn to Jesus to hold you hand- its a precious time in labor- and you don't get to experience it if you get an epidural- its worth it to me to have seen that. At that point- you hear you are 6 - 7 cms- not quite in transition yet- and you know that you can hang out at 6 cms for a long time...it can be the most excruciating part of the labor. Its when most women ask for pain medication- this point and onward. Feels like I am there. Hard to describe- I asked a few people today if its normal to feel so crummy just a few days before you got to meet your children- the reply was "yes."

And this weekend will be long...leaving Denver by 7:30 Am and not arriving in Addis until Sunday evening. Three days of travel and one sleepy night and then I will hold my babies. That is a moment I long for at this point.

Last Weekend as a Family of 5

Today is our last Saturday together before we jump from 3 kids to 5 kids. We have been at a block party and there were so many many tiny kids- out numbering the adults and on one hand I thought- its nice my kids are all big enough to get their own hamburgers and take walks with their friends- but on the other hand I was longer for my own two babies who are not here with me. People are less and less astounded by what we are doing and much more accepting and so supportive- which is really really good- I need that now just days before I travel. I have been feeling really blue today (you know like the girl in "The Year Without a Santa Clause") and have even shed some of those big claymation tears over the fact that what I have been looking forward to for so many months- the day I meet my sons- will not be at all what I had imagined. Our agency has decided to not allow families into the orphanage to meet their children. Are you shocked? You should be- no other agency in Ethiopia does this. And its happening right before I go. So instead of little Maren- and precious Yabsera, who know nothing but these nannies and this house and these beds- will be brought to our hotel for our first meeting- a place so foreign, to meet people so foreign. We won't meet the nannies who have loved on them or get pictures of them with their nannies- Maren will not be able to show us where he sleeps. I feel so discouraged. Its like I have had this birth plan and someone has said I will have to deliver at the hospital instead of at home like I planned. I remember when that happened with Cal- I was devastated and it took time to recover. I was emailing my good friend today- she has been my lifeline through this whole experience and it occurred to me that we will have to make our own experience and make it memorable and special and we cannot rely on CWA to do this for us- we will have to have our own coffee ceremony for our boys and buy them Ethiopian clothes and just pray that God works on their little hearts so they are not afraid of us- but happy to finally be in our arms. I am so glad to be getting them soon- to be bringing them home- they need us and we need them. Still thinking of names! and packing....

Ok I tried to find a picture of the girl with the big claymation tears- but I could only find Heat Miser and Cold Miser- we often called my brother "miser" because of this character due to his red hair- and that cheered me up. The claymation red hair.

Beautiful Boys on Birth certificates

I was not feeling well this morning and managed after everyone left the house to go back to sleep- My very close friend, Molly was in labor last night and I was woken by a tearful friend who announced, "My Baby's Breech" through tears...It took me a second to realize what she had said- and to process that she wasn't saying something 100,000 times worse than that. But at that moment- it was the saddest thing for her- she did not want or plan to have a C-section- but all went well and Piper Rose was born this morning. So, I am asleep having fever dreams and night sweats and Mark calls and tells me about the email that came with the bys birth certificates. He told me all the little details- like Yabsera's name being spelled "Yebsera". The Names are Yebsera Mark Barr and Maren Mark Barr - there are birth dates and it says "Mother" "Emily Barr". I liked that.

The birthdates are usually random. The baby turns out to be 7 months old. Maren turns out to be 3 years and 4 months old. I find it hard to believe he is that old- he would be just so tiny based on heights and weights we got recently. But we will see when we meet him...Oh and I can't wait. Mark is growing his beard. For each baby Mark had a beard - he always thought that it was the baby's only way to know that this was Daddy and not Mommy- Daddy is the one with the scratchy face when you reach up with your tiny hand. But he said he is a bit worried that it might scare the boys- are there many men with beards there? And the photos we have sent- He does not have a beard. But I think they will know- I always say- Kids know when someone likes them- I have seen it with my own kids- they can tell when someone really digs them- my patients know when I really adore them - they can tell - and they respond differently when they feel that. I make a point of falling for all of my patients- some are easier to fall for than others- but in the end- they know when that has happened- when they have me wrapped around their finger.

So I know that Maren and Yabsera will know quickly that their Daddy with the scratchy face is their Daddy and loves them immensely.

I will try and put the photos from the birth certificates on the "Maureen Blog" as it has been come to be known..because those two pictures are so incredible.

Today we got a package from a good friend- she ordered me a lact-aid system so I could breast feed Yabsera- it is so great and what a great gift- to get something that you, frankly, couldn't ask that many people to get for you. And another friend left me a check- I can't tell you all how great it is- another friend will be giving us their crib mattress- we have countless people praying for us- and I have this group of families who have agreed to keep the Barr kids busy while we are gone- its truly like everyone has come together to bring these kids home. And the more I am learning about their lives - I realize- if they stayed in Ethiopia- they would not likely be alive- the baby might not be alive today and Maren might be alive- but he might very well be starving, without a home, without clothes, without a family- and would not live. So thank you Thank you Thank you to all of you for the prayer and support!

Main Street Sodo


This picture came from when you google Sodo Ethiopia- where the boys are from- this is the picture that comes up- I was looking at it with my Ethiopian Friend and I said, "Is that really Sodo?" and he said, "Yes Emily- you will see- you will see how the people live- they have nothing- you will see how bad it is- you will see how lucky these two boys are." We feel like the lucky ones.

11 fingers and 10 toes

Here we are all acting like we are "expecting"- while visiting a freind who was very pregnant- and still is -but her water JUST BROKE!!

You know how when you have a baby- they say that you count all of their fingers and toes? How people say, "He has 10 fingers and 10 toes!" Well, even though I have scrutinized my photos and I mean scrutinized them...I know that Maren is wearing the pink happy suit in some pictures and later his little brother is wearing it! So even though I thought I had seen everything- I saw that Yabsera has an extra pinky on his left hand. Its not like you are thinking- I think people call it a "phantom digit". It is something that can easily be removed and in the US would have been done at birth. Once I saw it yesterday- I went back and sure enough - its in every picture- not sure how I missed it. All of our birth kids have had some kind of birth anomaly- so we thought that it was fitting that Yabsera does too...I wonder what we might find in all of Maren's nooks and crannies...and speaking of Maren- I got an email yesterday that he "destroyed" his toys. I just can't wait to bring him home and give him some toys that are his to keep and that no one is going to take away- I think in the care setting like that with lots of kids they are always grabbing toys away from each other. So I look forward to letting him know that he can have stuff that is all his! Until Yabsera learns to crawl and starts the stealing! But hopefully by then he will get it that it’s just the 7 of us- and most of us don't want his toys and books! I also made a new photo album to bring with me because I am not sure his is still there= so we can look at it on the way home- its has pictures of grandparents and cousins and Max- our beagle and the kids and I put in several photos of he and Yabsera - I thought he would like that! I have a little Curious George back pack to put some fun stuff in for the plane ride home.

Work is busy- I am trying to get everything settled by Friday- I told them I would come in Tuesday to put someone on a study - but that I plan to be out next week. Pray we get on the flight on the 24th!

Happy Mother's Day

It was a good day. It was Phoebe's birthday and we went to visit a close friend who is due to have her first baby any day now. We were able to do some much needed shopping for the trip and pick up some things like formula and wipes and duffle bags to carry the donations in. My good friend who brought her babies home last week has been on my mind a lot and I ask you to pray for them. The twins they brought home are doing well but they have encountered some medical issues and I would like you all to pray for them. I wish I could post pictures of these two babies- they are so incredibly beautiful0 her daughter- who is supposed to be about 6 months only weighed 8 pounds when she got home- but she is growing and gaining and smiling and cooing now. Keep them in your prayers. And while you pray for them- please pray for Maren and Yabsera- they are doing well - we have heard- but each day that passes- I worry a little bit more about them and how they are- pray they are healthy and well and thriving. Mark surprised me today with a wonderful mother's day card and in it he said I was an awesome mother of 5 and on July 17th will get to be a fan of four...and I knew immediately that he ad gotten me tickets to go see Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young at Red Rocks! I was so happy- we haven't gone to a concert in years - before we had kids we went to a lot of shows. We saw CSNY in San Francisco in 1991 in a great small theatre- and the set was like a living room and that was how it felt- like you were sitting in their living room listening to them play "Guinevere". I was worried who would want to watch 5 kids and he said- we will figure that out. It was one of the nicest and best surprises since he got me TIVO ;).

Happy Mother's Day!

Act 1 Scene 3: Where the Barr's have an Embassy date AND plane tickets

For anyone who does not believe in the power of prayer...I can't even begin to tell you how God has just walked us through every bit of this. Do you believe me that there were no flights? Or I should say most flights were booked and the only flights we could get were extremely costly- I am not exaggerating when I say they cost more than the international fees for our adoption. One airline quoted me at 8,000.00 a ticket! I called my CWA case manager and even though I said I wouldn't cry...I did...ok not surprising - but still, I was prepared to give up and move the date further out, which made me really upset- those of you who have been to our photo blog AKA "The Maureen Blog"- have seen these little faces and know that they are adorable and I just can't wait to hold them and kiss them and play with them and hear them laugh and hear them cry and respond to their cries..so waiting even one more week was heartbreaking. Tracy prayed with me on the phone. I had really just given this one to God. And the travel agent. :) Our travel agent is Susan Parr.

Susan Parr Travel

We have been working with her for a few weeks now, back when we first thought we were traveling this week. She did not give up and while looking at flights for the following week she somehow got us on that Ethiopian Air Flight we had been trying to get on for over a day and a half. And we paid for it today! Its the least expensive and the nice thing about Ethiopian Air is that the kids will have many Ethiopians and people who speak their language during a time of great stress. British Air is nice for Denver because you can fly directly in to Denver- but it is more money- we wanted to pay less if possible.

We are on a wait list for the earlier flight out and hope to get that.

Please keep my good friend who brought her babies home in your prayers. They are doing so much better now that they are with their mom and dad- but it has just been a difficult experience for them since the beginning and I have grown to love them dearly and they need prayer to get through all of the hurdles that lie ahead. They sent me a photo of the babies with outfits I had bought them before they left- and they already look so different from the photos taken just two weeks ago!

Please also pray for safety as there was some violence and terrorism in Addis today. I believe 9 people died and many were injured. I would post a link to the news article- but it’s just too sad to have it on the blog- so if you want to read more you can google it. The good news it was not near the CWA foster home and everyone connected with CWA is safe including the children. But be praying that we can travel safely to bring our boys home.

Its summer here in Denver- today it was in the 80s and it was a beautiful day for the Shakespeare Festival. Madeline was awesome in her scene from "As You Like It" and Phoebe turns 7 this weekend...its good I am getting new babies because my baby is no longer a baby!!!

What others are saying about the new Barr boys

From the mom who waits at home for her husband to bring home their new son Max:

"Brian just called -- he returned to the orphanage and met your children. He said they both look very healthy. His comments:

Maren: Maren has the prettiest eyes and the longest eyelashes he has ever seen. He said that they are very big and long. Maren was very sweet and was playing with other kids and their toys the entire time he was there. Brian said that he seemed to be enjoying himself and was very happy.

Yabsera also seemed very healthy and is big. He was in his crib while he was there but said that he was awake and happy - the baby was not crying at all."

and this from CWA taken on May 2nd:

Yaebser (if he is 6 months he is decent sized- if he is 9 months he is smallish)

Height 64cm

Weight 7.5kg

Maren (if he is 3 he is itty bitty- if he is 2 he is really big- if he is 2 1/2 he is a good sized kid)

Height 89cm

Weight 12kg


I got donations at an Academy Award party I had, and raised enough to buy a scale to bring to Ethiopia- I also purchased a special tool used to measure length on infants and I am bringing a foot measurer a good friend finagled from Payless Shoes- they just plain gave it to her when she told them why she wanted it.

If you noticed I have not posted about my travel - that is purposeful. Keep us in your prayers and I hope to have good word tomorrow. I was blessed today by a friend who sent us a check out of the blue and another friend, whom I adore, who was visiting and just handed me some money when she left- not a huge amount or anything- but as you know - at this point every bit counts- she said, "Here- take this- I will tell you later why- just take it." So there is a mysterious reason- but it was still affirming to get these notes of encouragement during times of great stress. An email came from a friend who brought home infant twins a year ago from Ethiopia and an email from a long lost friend from high school found its way to me- this was written back in February! And finally my good friend who is bringing home three kids from Ethiopia very soon (they will also have 5 kids) called just to check on me- it was very sweet and meant a lot to me- so thanks out there to all of you who have heard my cries of stress and anxiety over the last 24 hours. It’s so good to know you care and get it.

And I can't believe what happend on LOST tonight! That is a whole 'nuther blog!

Act 1 Scene 2: How the war and rising gas prices affects when I get my children

I feel I have to blame somebody for the sadness and frustration I feel today and I was thinking it is so much easier to blame George Bush than anyone else...We got the long awaited email from our case manager that we have an embassy Date- but its not what we had been thinking and planning for- we thought we would be leaving next wed for an Embassy date on the 23rd of May. But the email went something like this: "Congratulations you have an embassy date of May 30th!" It looked like the type of email that would cause all sorts of celebrating and joy...but I just plummeted into sadness- for many reasons- one being its one more week before I get to be with my two boys- I just can't wait to see these guys- hold them- kiss them- watch them sleep- play with them- feed them- care for them- bring them home to meet their sisters and brother...etc etc. I also knew that plane tickets would be hard to come by. I was busy all day and so it wasn't until the very end when I got the email from our travel agent who wrote to say she could get us on a Lufthansa flight for a ton of money and we would have to get German tourist visas for the kids...and that...point blank...there were no other flights- no wait listing- no flights. Nothing. At this point- I knew the next step was to ask for a new embassy date of one week later...yes...LATER....I can't even begin to describe the kind of tailspin this sent me into- because it means so many things as far as the plans for childcare- I now not only need to see if someone can watch my kids while we are gone and they are out of school- before they would have been in school all day- but I need to find someone to watch them the first week of summer when I would still be working. And work???? I am so ready to be gone from work its not even funny. I planned it all around being GONE BY NEXT WEEK. (Sorry Chipees who may be reading this...its not you...its work) Anyway...I am still in limbo...tomorrow - I call and ask to move my embassy date and get new tickets and hopefully save money.

What’s one more week? Well its a lot when you are just a baby and a little boy - now granted - they don't know that they aren't with me- which is good- its just me who knows and feels their loss at this point (and Phoebe who asked every day when they will be home- today she said, will they be home for my birthday? Which is this weekend- so "No, Phoebe they will be home a month after your birthday!" Bummer. I think that sadness I feel is somewhat accumulative...this whole process is just so incredibly stressful and it does tend to build up quite a bit. And when I am sad I miss my family a lot. They are all very far away- and there are no plans for any Colorado visits in the near future. But I have some wonderful friends- and I am glad they are here. (I have to say that in case you are reading and think I have forgotten how wonderful you all are!)

Why blame Bush? War equals rising gas prices and rising gas prices translates into less airplanes flying and higher prices…which means I don't get to smooch my babies for another month.

Act I Scene I: I still know nothing

I am almost a week away from our expected travel date (May 17th) and still do not know when we travel. I am hoping to hear something tomorrow- but I am starting to worry it will be yet another week of waiting after that. Everyone asks all the time if I know anything...I don't blame them- they all want to know just as much as I do. And we have this whole cast of characters in the wings waiting to "perform" child care for us and yet I can't give them their cue until I know when opening night is....it's tricky. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we pack our bags and prepare to take the show on the road.

John 14

Jesus Comforts His Disciples
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have
told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go
and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with
me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place
where I am going."

Jesus the Way to the Father
5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so
how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you
would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have
seen him."

News from Addis and Notes on Boycotts and Breastfeeding

One of the friends I have made through this process is in Addis right now picking up her children. They are adorable and she is very happy to finally be with them. She is hoping to get an earlier embassy appointment so they can leave as soon as possible. They are both tiny babies and need lots of love and attention right now...so its good their mom and dad are there to give them that. Anyway, she wrote me today to let me know how my boys were. As you know, we have not heard much about Yabsera and even today- I was happy to get new measurements on the boys- but they said his weight was 4 kg which is about 8 pounds...well that along with his height and someone else saying he is a "good sized 7-8 month old” made me think it had to be wrong. It’s been a challenge to get good accurate information from Ethiopia to North Carolina to the families. I am sure it will get better as this agency processes more and more families- we are like family number 10, I think, to go and pick up kids. WE did request that our embassy date be the 23rd of May- its a week later - but for many reasons it made sense to do that. We will not know for sure until...well...until we know. If it is then we may leave May 17th. This would be good because I have loaded up my clinic on May 16th, I will be here for Shakespeare festival, Maddie's theatre banquet, and of course our dear Phoebe Darling's 7th birthday. So the news...here is what she wrote:

"Em-
Yes, it was a good day!!! :-)

First - your boys are awesome!!!! I have held them, kissed them, played with them. I will attach photos, but they don't do them justice. Yabsera looks very healthy. He has been to two doctors for his skin, one today. They are treating it as if it is scabies, but it is not bad at all and I know you will be able to get it healed quickly at home. He smiles, laughs, is very responsive. He can hold his own weight if I hold him by the hands. Child of laughter!!!

Maren will be somewhat of handful on the plane ride home, so you may want to try that benedryl!!! He is just a doll. Not naughty, but full of life. He loves to laugh. We played tickle games. He would not take off his shoes for me, but Sharon said she thinks he is 5 1/2 or 6 (she measured).

All of the children except our baby girl are in very good health. I learned to day that we have our baby girl to thank for that! When she came she was so bad they took her to a dr here who ordered her formula with iron. Dagne just ordered the same thing for all of the babies! So they have all been on Nestle Infant Formula with Iron, I think it is called Nans (?). They are also fed rice cereal with fruit; I think also a Nestle product. I am really happy! They look great! They said Yabsera, and the other babies were somewhat malnourished when they arrived, but a month on formula has done wonders!!!!"

So, those of you who know me, know that I sometimes take a stand against stuff...I have become much more complacent in my old age...right now my only boycott is Tommy Hilfiger...but there was a time I would not buy NESTLE products. Yup. And that is hard to do...because they make a ton of things.

Historical Timeline on Nestle Boycott

If you look at this time line- and you look at 1988...that is right around when I probably joined the fight against Nestle. It was also the time you found me marching on Tiananmen Square with the Chinese Students, joining the fight against Racism at Cornell University, and shortly before I moved to Northern California to take care of children with HIV. My bumper sticker read "Fight AIDS not people with AIDS" Anyway, I am still all about fighting racism, I still feel the Chinese have suffered oppression, and I still think we have a long way to go to get rid of the stigma that goes along with having HIV....but admittedly I am ready to go out and buy a case of Nestle chocolate bars...for two reasons...one- I could really use the chocolate to help with my stress and two because after reading that it was Nestle formula with Iron that has made Yabsera healthier- it would be hard for me to personally knock it.

And you all know what a huge proponent of breastfeeding I am...if you see my links you can find a link for mothers wishing to breastfeed their adopted child. I think it’s great if you can do it. Here is a link to more information:

Great Site on Adoptive Breastfeeding

So, still waiting on an embassy date and therefore a travel date...feeling better tonight after hearing Yabsera is weight bearing and that Maren is being a huge pain in everyone's butt...I take that as a good sign.

Good News on Maren and Yabsera

This is from an email that a friend who is there picking up her two children sent to me today:

Em,
I would say he (Yabsera) looks great for 7-8 months.... I didn't want to disturb him while he was sleeping. Maren is very funny. He loves books and we actually left one of the books we took to the home with him because he loved it so much. He loves to be held and enjoys playing. Bethlehem and he battle for attention a lot. You are going to love his personality and his energy!

Under the Mercy,
Sharon

So, my concern for Yabsera is probably without merit- I hope. I was getting together 6 month clothes thinking he looked small- we will see what Maureen - who arrives tomorrow and will see them on Wednesday thinks. Today someone mentioned bottles...need that still. We were not thinking baby since the beginning of this process so its hard to try and think of everything we will need to bring...formula...diapers...bottles...Maren is potty trained - how about that- he likes to read, he is sweet and he can pee on a potty! That is so great!

Waiting on hold with British Airways

Don't you just love when an agency or group does something special so that you can get some great deal on something...but the only way you can get that deal is either by jumping through so many hoops that is becomes unreasonable or you need money to get the deal...so the deal is worthless to you anyway? British Airways as this adoption deal but to even ask what the rate is I have to fax them a bunch of stuff and give them a dna sample before they will even give me a quote. I am not kidding - its like preparing a dossier just to fly- I have now been on hold with them for over half an hour- because she said I would not get my quote until 48 hours after I send them all of this paperwork. I said, "but I am leaving next week- I don't have 48 hours to see if you can give me the best deal." So she said she would get me her supervisor and now I am on hold. For the record, KLM/Northwest was able to give me a quote right away- however- it was about 3,000.00 per adult and then another 1500.00 for the kids. That brings us to....(drum roll please) 7500.00. Its great that the plane fair costs more than the international adoption fees. British Airways will be about the same...so back to the travel agent and see what she can scrounge up. Man if I end up on the Dutch airline again (I have not had pleasant experiences with KLM) that will almost be funny...not funny- just almost funny. But I would fly them again- even next to the miserable Dutch family I flew with from Johannesburg to Amsterdam and - yes- dare I say- even with the insanely inebriated woman who kept reaching over her head and giving me the finger all the way from Amsterdam to Capetown. Gee, I wonder if they will have the same two sitcoms playing the whole way that I had to watch 6 or 7 times when I last flew them? here is a photo of Phlat Phoebe who travels with me- she is in the Amsterdam airport with the dutch kissing ceramics in the background.

So, I am griping, but I got wonderful news on the boys today. I think I need to put it in a separate post...don't want to mix travel angst with baby joy.