Pictures and Homecoming!

We made it back just fine.  Long, long flight.  Fortunately, Kidist slept for a large part of the flight.  Overall, she did great.

Pure Diva

How many bows and ribbons can I fit in my hair?

Daddy made some shiro (Ehtiopian Chickpeas) for me, yummy.

Let's tackle this HAIR!!

Mommy's 2nd attempt pretty good!

Let's bring in the expert!

Welcome Home Kidist!

I love my sister!

Tickle Tickle!

What's the deal with carseats? 

First Dress up Party

Flight home

Sometimes when things are new, you have to try them all on.

Update

Hi all.

Sorry about the lack of updates.  All is well in Ethiopia.  This trip is much different than the previous trips.  On all the other trips we have been out and about in the city visiting different historical, cultural and humanitarian sites.  Sometime in the past four years since we adopted Nevaeh, the government has generally frowned upon foreign families taking their children out around town.  If the children are over 4, then it is ok, so Kidist doesn't yet make the cutoff. So we have largely been holed up at the guesthouse.  Emily has been  more stir crazy than me since I have made a few excursions into town to see some old friends (from Kolfe) and a few of the orphanages.   

Since we got Kidist, she has been completely attached to Emily all day long.  Playing, dressing up, doing hair, going up and down the stairs, going up and down the stairs, going up and down the stairs.  Men in general still aren't her favorite but thanks to some of the training that we did prior to the adoption (Karen Purvis videos, Pathways Training at Gladney, books, etc), she is slowly allowing me to do more things with her.  I have even gotten several kisses out of her and a few hugs.  But at night, I think my ears get pointy and my fangs come out, because I am much scarier at night. 

Speaking of night, the power went out for several hours yesterday.  During the day, it isn't such a big deal, but at night it makes the city very dark.  You hear an occasional generator, but overall, there is no light and sound.  We were up by candelight last night before bed.  Nothing like camping in a city with millions of people. 

Today is our last day here before our long trip home.  We have some shopping left to do and we are going to learn how to make coffee using their brewers.  We will have a bunch of pictures when we get back but logistically it is difficult to post them here. 

Scott

Gotcha!

Today was a very good day.  I am finally able to post some pictures.   Emily said she wanted to post a few things later on.

As expected, Kidist was scared yesterday, but fortunately she latched on to Emily for comfort.  By the end of the day, she started coming out of her shell.  

Today was completely opposite, she woke up very happy and loud!  She was singing, talking, making jokes and at one point going into full diva mode (Emily's sunglasses finished the look).  We had and will continue to have a lot of downtime  at the guest house b/c we are not allowed to take Kidist out around town (Ethiopia rules and Gladney policy).  

She is such an amazing little girl.  You can see her mind churn.  Language has been ok, and we are learning some key phrases to help the next few months.  

This afternoon, we completed the official last step and had our embassy appointment.  We will pick up her passport and immigration paperwork on Thursday.  

We made it!

We just arrived at the Guest house.  A long but relatively uneventful trip. 

 

Kidist is suppose to arrive in about 10 min or so and we are on pins and needles.  

 

We will post later on.

 

-Scot 

Food

Two things that are hard to find in Ethiopia: a good burger and salad that won't make you sick.

Yeah, we choose a burger. (plus they have diet coke at five guys Instead of Pepsi)

Christmas Eve

We stayed the night at the Hampton Inn last night. US Airways only lost 1 of our bags. But they think that it with its 50 lb of formula and clothes for orphans, should be he this morning when we get to the airport.

Sleeping last night was tough. We are giddy with excitement. Less than 24 hours before we get to wrap our arms around Kidist.

Thanks again for http://www.brightontheirworld.org/donate/ethiopiakids.asp for all the formula and all our family and friends for the clothes and misc items we are bringing (we had leftover from last trip)

Am I cute or what?

The Rashomon effect

"The visa interview for Lydick family is scheduled on March 13,2012.
Regards
Adoption Unit"

Our Embassy Interview is set.  Spring break in Ethiopia!

-----------------------------------------------

The Rashomon effect is the effect of the subjectivity of perception on recollection, by which observers of an event are able to produce substantially different but equally plausible accounts of it.

I came across this word today at the office and feel that it is incredibly powerful as it relates to next week. 

One week from today, Kidist will be placed in our arms forever.  While our hearts have been linked to her since last June, the official "placement" day is Monday March 12th. 

My head hurts when trying to comprehend the different perspectives from which that day/week will be viewed and remembered. 

Emily & I
Kidist
The Caregivers who have raised our daughter for 2 years
Oscar, Bryce, Max, Nevaeh
Our family
Our friends

Update on timing

We have asked the embassy for appointments March 13-15 to give our final interview (more procedural than a stumbling block). Naturally, Ethiopia is on holiday today, and we won't find out until Monday if they have availability. But on pencil we are scheduled to leave next Sunday March 11th. Lots of logistics to figure out!

13 Thursdays

We've known this day was coming.  Every week we look forward to Thursdays because it seems to be that Thursdays are the magic days in Ethiopian adoption (at least for us).  Thursdays are the days for decision making in Ethiopia for us.  We have absolutely no control over anything except to watch Thursdays come and go.  We've had exactly 12 Thursdays come and go.  Now it's lucky number 13 Thursday.  We knew we had one last hurdle to jump over that was taking place at a 7 am meeting in Ethiopia.  That would be 10 pm Wednesday night for us.  We were hoping for some good news after this last meeting and knew we would hear sometime soon.  I didn't want to get my hopes up and kept thinking that we may not actually hear anything until Friday.  But Scott had different ideas.  He promptly started checking his phone for an e-mail from the US Embassy in Ethiopia at about 10:05 last night.  I kept telling him that even if the meeting were over, they weren't going to be e-mailing us right away.  The Embassy people couldn't be nearly as excited as we were and have no idea the wait that we all go through on this side.  Anyways, we didn't hear anything at 10:05, nor at 10:45, 11:00, 3:00am until 5:30.  We finally get to go!