Day #2

Day 2: Waking up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia after a difficult night of sleep due to excitement and anxiety (could also have something to do with the bed that consisted of a box spring!), we wake to a bustling city. The air is cool, sky is clear and there is a thin layer of dust covering the city. Even from our hotel room you can hear people talking in the streets and the horns of the cars of drivers who put "California Drivers" to shame! Last night driving from the airport to the hotel we saw a car with an Obama sticker on it! :) Pretty cool. We are tired, of course, and a bit dizzy because of the high altitude here in the city, but that was all to be expected. We are thankful that we are healthy and arrived safely.It’s 7:30am here in Addis (8:30pm your time) and we are anxiously watching the clock. Our agency will be picking us up at 10:30 for the much anticipated meeting between us and Eli Habib.

Joel and I looked at each other this morning teary-eyed. This is the DAY, the Friday, we’ve been waiting for for a year! We can’t believe it is here. Finally. We have played out the various scenarios of this meeting countless number of times, just as we did when we were pregnant and anticipating the birth of each of our children. Nothing compares to reality, so we are looking forward to THIS experience becoming a reality for us, for our family. It is getting lighter outside, another sign that the the clock is moving closer to 10am. The car horns are increasing and more people are taking to the streets. We feel so fortunate to, not only be able to bring Eli into our family, but to experience the Ethiopian culture. This is an awesome journey and we are so lucky to be on it with you.

Thanks for sharing it with us! Our lives our richer because of the quality and strength of family and friends who share our life. Have a wonderful day (or night’s sleep!). Our next blog should include our son, Eli Habib...