Progress...

Here are a few pictures to update you on Eli’s progress since returning home with us 7 weeks ago. As you can see, he is adjusting amazingly well! We couldn’t be more pleased with the way he has bonded with us and with his brother and sisters (and they with him!). He still becomes timid and a bit uneasy in new situations, but then again, who doesn’t?

Despite that, he eats and sleeps well, is learning English at lightening speed, sings “Dancing Queen” (complete with dance moves), participates in gymnastics class once a week, has snow skied (twice!), gone swimming, attended two birthday parties for friends, gone to his first Imax 3-D movie, started preschool and Sunday School, attended his first sleepover with his brother and friends (albeit, right next door) AND turned 4 years old! All in less than 2 months! He is amazing!

Eli Turns 4 (and Erin turns 29…again!)

Growing up, I had a tradition of celebrating my birthday with my Grandpa Ray (Edie Raye’s namesake). My grandpa passed away five years ago, but I fondly remember our celebrations together at Azteca fighting over who would get to wear the sombrero for our annual birthday picture together!

What could make my birthday better…how about now sharing it with my son! Yep. Eli and I have the same birthday!

I’ll never forget our initial referral conversation with our adoption coordinator as she explained to us what little information she had on “Eli”. She said, “He is three years old and does have a known birth date of February 22nd.” (Most children in Ethiopian adoption don’t have a “known” birth date.) Joel and I just looked at each other, tears in our eyes unable to speak. Finally, Joel, with a little laugh, managed to explain to her that that was also my birthday. Another sign. Yep. Eli was meant to be ours. I remember exactly what I was doing on 2/22/05, the day he was born. What a special gift.

We celebrated our birthdays with friends and family. We ordered Ethiopian food and dined on doro wat and injera and a car themed birthday cake, chosen by the birthday boy! It was a great celebration. Eli received wonderful gifts and had a great celebration. He sang, “Happy Birthday…” for about 10 days afterward. Now, every time he receives something new, he says, “Oh! Happy birthday!” I think he liked his birthday and I definitely enjoyed sharing the day with a loved one again. Grandpa Ray would like that too.

A shower for Eli

If I had a dime for each time I said the words, “It takes a village…” I would be one wealthy girl! My “village” of ladies surprised me (totally!) with a shower for Eli! What a GREAT surprise! We had a great time laughing and eating (and drinking) at Mazatlan, our favorite restaurant for ladies night out (or Sunday afternoon as was the case this time around).

Eli and I were spoiled and he will definitely be the best-dressed kid in the neighborhood this summer! OH MY! He got some really (I mean REALLY) cute stuff.

Mainly, it was a time to reconnect with friends and family, tell silly stories (I really did land in the stroller!), eat some good food and celebrate yet another “birth” to our family. I am so, so blessed to be surrounded by such good, quality people. Thank you to my ladies, (especially Hilary for hosting the shower and Sara for Eli’s first family vacation!) for making it a great day and for creating a story of Eli’s “baby” shower to tell him of someday. I love you guys!

Back to life

Welcome Home Eli!
A Perfect Homecoming!
Friday January 16th, 2009

Our family greeted us at the airport with colorful signs and balloons...Talk about a wonderful sight! I remember envisioning the moment we arrived home (longing for it at times) for months before we even left for Ethiopia. I just wanted us all to be together. And finally, after a really, really long plane ride, the dream became the reality. With tears of joy, we were greeted with hugs and familiar smiles. Much like the moments after the birth of a child, I'll never forget that moment. Thanks family (and Hilary!) for making that moment beautiful for all of us.


Family at the airport! Ben, Aunt Anne, Uncle Steve, Grammy Pammy, Uncle DJ, Auntie Sara, Grandma and Grandpa Markquart, Katie and Uncle Nathan. Zoe, Nate and Edie (in front). Hilary was the photographer! :)


Meet your sisters and brother, Eli!



Edie, chatting it up, with Eli!


Edie, making sure Eli knows everybody... Zoe, sizing him up!


Our first family picture!


Eli, flashing that smile...

Eli, once again, was a trooper! He slept about 80% of the flight home (with NO Benadryl!) and was calm and engaged for the other 20% of the time. Joel was thinking ahead and packed some balloons for the airport in DC to play with and burn off some energy. That proved to be a good thing. We found a good space in the airport (right near the newspaper stand telling of the plane in the Hudson...What was THAT!?!?) and Eli ran and jumped and giggled for about 45 minutes. People walking by smiled at his energy and a few people stopped to ask if we had just adopted him. They were surprised that he had only been with us for a few days. They commented that he seemed really bonded and happy. We agree. We were/are very surprised (and happy) with the way Eli was/is taking to us. He prefers to be carried, constantly wants to "go with" dad, and definitely has the word, "Mama" down perfectly. It was almost didn't seem possible that a week before we had never met.

Once at SeaTac, Eli took everything in. I can only imagine what he was thinking as we were hugging and crying in the middle of the airport! He met Nate, Edie and Zoe first. Nate was so excited to see his new brother, beaming his big semi-toothless grin! Edie, miss social, was introducing herself as her new sister in her normal "I'll take care of you" attitude. Zoe stood back and watched her older brother and sister with a little smile on her face. She finally looked at me and said, "He's cute." He made the rounds with the grandparents and aunt, uncles and cousins, giving an occasional smile that would be followed by a collective, "Awwwwww..." from the grown ups. It was the moment I had waited for and I remember trying to savor it, feel it, hear it, so that I would never forget it. I know, deep in my heart, I will always remember that as the moment we became a family.


So...the big question is, "How is Eli adjusting?" Well, this picture is a pretty good example! He is an amazing boy, so happy, so loving. He has learned (in the last 6 days he has been here) to love playing outside, especially swinging and riding the ride on toys. He is eating well and sleeping well. Each night the kids take turns laying with him until they both fall asleep. Sometime between us moving the kids back to their beds and us waking for the morning, Eli finds his way to our bed and snuggles in with us. It is a wonderful surprise to find him, sleeping soundly and calmly, in between us. He doesn't kick or sprawl like our other kids, so he manages not to be found until the morning! Nate, Edie and Zoe adore him and have each found special connections to him already. This was one of our biggest concerns, so we are beyond pleased that everyone is adjusting so well!

The one meltdown we encountered was our first morning getting everyone ready and off to school (Tuesday). Eli was getting dressed and started to whimper. During breakfast it turned into more of a cry. We were having trouble communicating with him to learn what was wrong. Finally, we figured out that he was unhappy with the flannel-lined cargo pants I had chosen for him that day (Darn. They are REALLY cute). Who would have thought? Apparently, our child has a preference for jeans. Once I pulled out the jeans, a huge smile pushed up the cheeks that still had traces of the wet tears. Go figure...

The sun was out on MLK day, which in our neighborhood means we're outside. Eli rode in the Barbie jeep for a couple hours, round and round the cal-du-sac, smiling and waving to us as he passed. I remember Joel and I waving and yelling, "HI ELI!" As he rounded the corner, Joel looked at me and pondered, "To think that a week ago he was in an orphanage in Africa..."

We know that we are providing a better life for Eli. He was an orphan in Ethiopia in every sense of the word. He literally had no one to raise him, to care for him, to love him. However, the blessing for us is Eli. Watching him with our other children, with our family, with our friends. He is making OUR life better. We are all better because of each other. And that is what a family is all about.

Welcome HOME Eli!

Thursday Afternoon

Another good day in Ethiopia! We began with breakfast the hotel restaurant, like we do every morning. After breakfast we went over to the Hilton hotel to confirm our flight reservations (YAY!). The Hilton was beautiful. Maybe too beautiful? It was constructed of stone columns and floors and lit with huge black iron lights hanging from the walls. The grounds were magnificent! The pools were gorgeous and the courtyards were lined with colorful flowers. It didn’t really feel like Ethiopia to us, but we could definitely appreciate why people stay there.

After the Hilton, we came back to the hotel where the artist was waiting with our paintings! I am so glad we decided to contact him. We first met him on the top of En Toto mountain and fell in love with his style. We purchased two paintings, one because we loved it (Tall Ladies) and the other because it reminded us good times celebrated here in Ethiopia (Coffee Ceremony). I know we will love looking at them for years to come.

Now, we have just finished a wonderful Italian (yes, Italian) lunch with our WACAP coordinator, his treat! He is such a wonderful man. The children adore him and all call him Papa. He has never been to Seattle before, so, of course, in true Markquart fashion, we encouraged him to come and stay with us someday. I hope he does.

As we were returning to the hotel for Eli’s nap and last minute packing, we got a twinge of sadness that this was our last day in Ethiopia. As I tried to soak in the images along the streets as we drove for the last time, it struck me hard…It is our last day, last day of nine days, that we are in Ethiopia. I looked at our son. It was also HIS last day here in Ethiopia. His last day in the only place his has ever known. I felt that lump in my throat grow bigger as he so unknowingly gazed sleepily out the window…

We will all miss Ethiopia. We will always speak fondly of our son’s birthplace and will forever share stories with him about our time here. He may not remember this part of his life, but we are so grateful that, here in Ethiopia, he was given life, raised through his toddler years, and then well cared for until we could come for him. We are grateful for his grandfather who made the heart-breaking sacrifice of giving Eli up for adoption. We will be forever connected to this wonderful country and we look forward to returning someday.

Thank you for sharing this journey with us. We look forward to creating many more memories with you, our family and friends and, of course, another Markquart!

Making a difference

While Erin and Eli took a rest, Ato Teklu and I traveled to the city to purchase "supplies." Two much needed lockers for the children and storage. Ato Teklu emphasized how important these lockers were for the children who will pass through WACAP house. After speaking with him a number of times, I have grown to learn that he (as the rest of the staff), is most concerned with the health and well being of the children - than say - teaching them english or making sure they have toys. Imagine feeding and caring for 28 mouths every single day. Luxuries go out the door. It is time for basic necessities. If Ato Teklu says lockers. He NEEDS lockers.

I know we have said it before, but it was amazing to visit WACAP house and see how clean, healthy and happy the children were. A testiment to Ato Teklu and his staff.

We arrived at the warehouse were we confirmed the price of the lockers. It seems like Ethiopians love to/need to argue. After 5 or so minutes of language I didn't understand (facial cues I did), the arguing stops and smiles and laughter return? A fun process to witness. If we argued like that in the U.S., we'd probably leave the store in bitter disgust. I love this culture!

We then traveled to a series of banks to try and get some cash. The store didn't take credit cards. Yikes. At one point we found an ATM machine that wasn't working. It was amusing to see a guard, Ato Teklu, two bystanders and myself - poking and prodding the machine to try and get it to work. Again, not something you would see in the U.S. I even gave it a kick for fun.

We finally had success at a different bank and was able to withdraw enough money. The largest denomination they have is $100 bir - roughly $10 dollars. I had to ask for a large envelope to carry the freshly counted stack of cash in. I felt like a rapper with wads of money in my hand (and a little bit nervous).

We left and headed back to the furniture store to purchase the lockers. After MUCH arguing with MANY people (over and hour (and you know how much I love shopping AND wasting time)), finally - success!

Ato Teklu wanted to make sure that it said "Donated by Joel Markquart" on the receipt. While this was true - not entirely. While we contributed, this was from Merkle and the many people at Grace and family and friends that made this happen (including and inspired Bobbie who was traveling with us (thank you Bobbie!)). When a small band of people get together - it blows me away how so much can be done!

As we chatted on the way home, Ato Teklu passionately said "thank you, thank you..." over and over again. He wanted to print up certificates of appreciation for us. I stopped him and said "no." It was US who needed to thank HIM. He cared for and BROUGHT us our son. Money comes and goes - but lives - especially these children's lives that he cares for and ultimately will bring to THEIR families, were so much more than any money we could ever donate.

He tells me how special WACAP house is and that it is the best in Ethiopia. How they know how to navigate the court system (I'm sure being a diplomat and on the supreme court helped), and most importantly how to take care of the children. When he speaks of the children - babies to teens - you can hear in his voice his passion. These are HIS children. They all call him "papa" for a reason. He loves them like his own.

He went on to explain how important ALL the donations were and how much they will affect the children. WACAP house is very new. They had nothing. He told me now, after this one trip - OUR one simple trip - they had what they needed (for NOW of course (remember the "basics")). We were lucky to bring over formula, medical supplies, clothes, underwear, toothbrushes, educational supplies, and on and on... I'm not sure how to explain this (tears in my eyes now), in a way easy to understand. It is beyond moving to know what we've been able to be a part of.

One simple story to try and explain... Remember the rising cost of formula? Remember how much formula we purchased from donations and brought over? WACAP house received a child whose weight was no more than 2.8 lbs. They brought her to the hospital, where they said she had no hope and there was nothing they could do. Just take her away. So, Ato Teklu did.

He gave her formula.

She gained 4 lbs.

He placed her with a family.She had been discarded. Written off. A simple act. A simple donation. Someone soon, much like us will have a beautiful child that they will love forever. A simple act of kindness - from really - strangers.

You meet certain people along your life that you know are special. Ato Teklu is one of those people. A saint. Erin and I have been blessed to get to know him. We have been so blessed to witness all of this. To be a part of this. It has changed our lives forever.

On the ride home, I ponder myself. Literally. What I have ON me. What I myself take for granted.

REI Watch: $65
Northface shoes: $100
Northface windbreaker: $90
Backpack: $55
Banana Republic t-shirt ($25), pants ($40) underwear ($20), socks ($5) and wallet ($30) and yes, I know I have a BR problem.

$430.

Literally, what I have on my back could do so much. I am humbled. Confused. There is so much more that I could do. Should do.

Earlier in the trip Ato Teklu told me that they would love to build a little playground on the compound for the children. A place for children to finally - or the first time - laugh with the pure joy that only PLAY can bring. If you know me - you know I get PLAY. Onto our next project!

Who knows what the future will bring for Erin and I. But, I think we have definitely found our passion.

Thank you all for your donations, prayers and support. I've said it before... there are no words for the gratitude we feel. This trip has and will continue to help many, many children. Thank you. Thank you.

As my dad would say... "TODAY, was the BEST DAY ever!"

Remembering Ethiopia

Obama, Obama, Obama! Ethiopians LOVE Obama. His image is everywhere: T.V., shirts, bumpers stickers, signs, etc! We are told that Ethiopians partied all night in the streets when he was elected and that they were following our election closely. Another big party is planned for Tuesday after he is sworn in as President. It is a powerful reminder of how the world watches the affairs of the US and how our leaders affect perceptions around the world.

Friendship is HUGE in Ethiopia. People here are very friendly and affectionate toward each other. It is not uncommon to see women (and men) walking down the street holding hands or arms around each other.

Driving in Ethiopia is an adventure in itself! It is a good thing we had a driver for the week we were here! There is no way we could have navigated the crowded roads (crowded with cars, people and goat herds!), numerous potholes, and major intersections with NO street lights or stop signs. It’s a free for all! I can’t tell you how many times I closed my eyes because I thought we were going to hit someone or something! We even drove up on a crowded sidewalk to get around some traffic. Did I mention that there are no seatbelts?

Mornings in Ethiopia begin by prayers announced over loud speakers throughout the city. As we open our blinds and look out of our fourth story window, the air is thick with smoke as people make outdoor fires to prepare their breakfasts. Even our hotel room is fill with the smell of wood burning.

The streets of Ethiopia are filled with people. Throughout the day the sidewalks are filled with people walking, talking, and begging. It is very common to see people just standing around chatting with each other. People on the streets range from those who are dressed in very Western clothing (upper class) to those in traditional garb (upper class and lower class).

Ethiopia is made up of compounds. All homes (tin shacks to stucco mansions) have “fences” around them which usually include a gate of some kind and tall walls made of tin, brick or stone. Many compounds have barbed wire or broken glass on top of the walls for added protection. The main streets are lined with tiny shops (no bigger than 10 x 10) selling spices, meat, clothes, shoes, fruits, etc. The allies are dirt roads that jet out from the main street and are home to numerous families in the city.

74 degrees. Everyday.

Injera (a flat spongy bread, like a pancake) is served at every meal and is used as the main “utensil.” Ethiopians eat with their hand (their right hand) and use the injera to scoop the meat, beans, and sauces like a fork or spoon. A small serving of meat, along with injera and sauces, can feed a group of people easily! It is very good.

There are guards everywhere. Our hotel has guards (inside and outside of the building), our adoption agency has a guard, even the mall had guards. We were “padded down” before entering the mall and when we checked in to our hotel. We have also noticed many police in the streets. That being said, we feel safe here and do not worry about our safety while out and about (especially since we have our driver and guide with us at all times).

Aljazeera TV has news that is very different than we are used to watching in the US. It provides a much more global and “raw” view of news in the world. On the few occasions I watched it, I was fascinated by the stories and coverage, especially about Gaza, Obama, Bush, and the world economy.

Ethiopian women are beautiful. We are both taken by the beauty of the women here. WOW! They are stunning.

Apparently they flush the sewers in our hotel, which means that at least once a day our bathroom is very, very stinky.

There is a holiday coming up in Ethiopia (TImkat, a celebration of the Epiphany) and therefore no one is working to help us get online to “chat” with our family. When people take time off here, what we think of as “basic systems,” break down.

Ethiopia sits at 8000 feet above sea level, which meant that for the first few days we were really dizzy and had a hard time climbing four flights of stairs to our hotel room. Our hearts would pound and we’d try to catch our breath once inside our room. It was really a weird feeling.

Ethiopian dance is amazing! The dancers move and contort their bodies in fast jerking movements of their shoulders while their heads keep totally still. It is one of those things you have to “see to believe!”

Taxis are either private small cars (more expensive) or a camper style on the bed of a small truck. The truck slows down to barely a stop and people hop in and out of the back. Usually other cars are driving on both sides of the taxis as they stop!

There are no lines in Ethiopia. If it weren’t for our guide and driver, I’d still be standing “in line” waiting my turn at the grocery mart. You have to be assertive (not impolite) when waiting your turn for something.

There is English everywhere. Most signs and public writing is in English. English is taught here beginning in grade 7 ( I think).