Meeting Micah Yabsira

Okay, here we go... We arrived in Addis around 7 p.m. last Sunday (right on time) and were both very excited and nervous. First we got in the wrong line for a visa, but we ended up okay. Tsegay (our awesome in-country rep) and his wife Almas, along with Sharon (the CHI Ethiopia program director) met us at the airport. Almas was wearing a traditional dress and had flowers for me - so sweet. Sharon asked us if we would like to meet Yabsira that night - OF COURSE!!!

We pulled up to the House of Hope- put our luggage in our room and then walked down the outdoor hall to the baby & toddler room. I walked in first and saw these huge brown eyes looking right at me. I grabbed Kevin's arm. Micah Yabsira came right to me and just kept looking around with those big eyes. I handed him to Kevin and we were laughing and crying all together. We took him to our room and suddenly there were people rolling a crib into the bedroom and someone handed me a bottle and I fed him. He was so sweet. We also took some pictures and video (which we can't upload yet - still working on that). It was a surreal moment - especially after such a long flight, but I remember feeling such peace looking in those eyes. Everyone else seemed to disappear but the three of us.


He slept in our room that night and woke up twice for a bottle then woke up for the day at a bright and early 5:30 a.m. I had no idea what I was doing - but I just went on instinct and it seemed to work out.

Monday was pretty chilly and the women all kept insisting that I keep him bundled up with his head covered. I learned that he does not like the blanket on his head so I put him in the only hat I had brought (it didn't match at all, but I quickly learned to not worry about him being in the perfect outfit all the time - it just wasn't going to happen in Ethiopia!) and wrapped him in two quilts. He also does not like his arms to be wrapped up - as you can see.

I'll post more about the trip later - I don't have a day-by-day account, but there are a few highlights.

And, a note from the homefront- lately he has been wanting to go to bed at 5 pm and then wake up for the day at 4 am. Last night he tried to go to sleep again, but we woke him up for a bath and then put him down for the night at 8:45 p.m. He slept until 1:30 a.m. - had a bottle, went back to sleep and then woke up at 4:21 a.m. I thought for sure he was up, but I tried to lay him back down anyway. Guess what? It worked!! He slept until 6:45 a.m!!! Big deal around here.

Grandma D. is also in town to help - and she has done all of our laundry, made us dinner and gone shopping. Aren't Grandmas great? His other G'mas are out in Oregon for my sister's wedding, which, so sadly, I am missing. I really wish I was there for her (my sister) today - it's hard not to be, but I know Micah (and Kevin & I) really needed to stay home and adjust. (Not to mention Kevin and I would have lied on the floor and cried if we had to get on another long flight with the baby - the flight home was not so much fun... more on that later!)