We’re Here in the Year 2000!

We are in Ethiopia, people!!! I'm so excited to be in the city where my children are. As I write this, if we can leave right after lunch (please, please, please), we will be holding our children in fourteen hours! Tomorrow, these two little faces that have been in my thoughts and prayers for so long, will be looking at me!

I'm so excited that I forgot to tell you about our day. The plane ride from Rome to Addis Ababa takes about five and a half hours. We were late boarding, but I still didn't sleep much on the plane, only for about an hour or so. Once I finally fell asleep, I was awoken by a kind, but persistent voice telling me to take the hot wash cloth that she was holding with the tongs. Ethiopian Airlines has very courteous stewardesses, but Gabe and I did not like getting woken up two and a half hours before we landed to get a hot wash cloth. Slowly we received juice, then breakfast, and then there was no going back to sleep. We watched the monitor with our progress on it and cheered when we passed into Ethiopia.

Once the plane was low enough, I began taking pictures of the country-side, only stopping long enough to fill out the entry form that we tracked down from the stewardess. The land looks beautiful and rugged, valleys and mountains all around the north. As we got closer, I took a few pictures of the city too, but I have no idea what parts of the city they are.

At touch down, we were not greeted by the modern, 21st century, major city airport that I expected. It was a nice airport, but not very large or modern. The computers in the visa room stood untouched as the official moved the carbon copy paper from one sheet to the next. We paid our $20 fee for our visa, then stood in line to have our passport stamped and then onto the next great adventure, luggage.

Our luggage came out quite quickly, except one was missing. We waited and waited and searched and searched. Finally Gabe peeked behind the rubber flap to see our bag looking very dejected on its head having toppled off the belt just after the turn back under the rubber point-of-no-return. After considering and rejecting, the idea to jump onto the belt and grab the bag, Gabe went to find someone to help. As he was waiting, I, keeping an eye on the bag, saw two hands reach down and rescue our little lost bag and place it on the belt. I raced down to the other end to grab it from the clutches of the evil belt before the rubber monster could get it again.

We made our way through customs where Bebi was waiting for us. When I can get his picture, I will post it because at that point he (holding the AWAA sign) was a welcome sight. I'm afraid that we didn't make wonderful company in the huge bus (which Bebi broke the curtains in) on the short ride to the Hilton Hotel.

I had plans to go sightseeing this afternoon, but could not get a hold of any agencies. Later, it dawned on me that today is Epiphany or TimKat. Of course no one would be working today, a holiday, so we spent a wonderfully lazy afternoon at the Hilton. Gabe took a nap while I updated our blog. He helped me unpack our bags and get the donations set for the orphanage.

On that side note, we were able to get all of our personal items into our carry-ons, the two babies' things in one suitcase, and have three full suitcases left for donations for the orphanage and transition home. The itinerary has some down time on Thursday afternoon so we'll probably go to AHOPE orphanage then to bring those supplies.

Before unpacking completely, we had lunch on the Hilton and on the way back up to our room, we thankfully ran into the David's. They also arrived early because they spent five days in Dubai before continuing on to Addis Ababa. We arranged to meet them for dinner at the Pizzaria in the Hilton at 6:30pm.

Dinner was very good, the food, but especially the company. The Davids are such a beautiful couple and we had a wonderful conversation. We shared stories and pictures of our trip thus far while waiting in the lobby of the hotel for the other two families to arrive. I say two (there are three more to arrive) because one family, the Stums, had their flight from Atlanta to DC canceled.

After waiting for about an hour longer than we expected them, we returned to our room to call Bebi to see where the other families were. Not getting an answer, we headed for bed. Before turning in for the night, Gabe (at my behest) called Bebi again. This time he answered and said that the other families had just arrived (at 11pm). We bid him a good night and look forward to meeting the other two families tomorrow at breakfast. The Stums were finally able to manage a flight to DC and will be arrive in Addis on tomorrow morning at about 9:30, probably getting to the hotel just before going to see their son.

Talking about seeing their son, or grandson as it were, my father-in-law just emailed me to say that he found the blog and has it bookmarked to see the pictures tomorrow. I'll get them to you as soon as I can GranPa!

And although I'm not very sleepy - I'm too excited - it is now time to try to get some sleep. Good night.