He's Mine Again

I got Cullen from the orphanage today.  He remembered me and wanted me to feed him his food.  He is really clingy- he is on my lap as I type this right now and if I put him in another chair or even down to walk to starts screaming.  I managed to change his diaper without getting bit!

I gave out the lollipops to the kids but the director's wife asked me to hold off giving all the donations because she will gradually pass them out.  They were in school when I went there so I didn't want to distract them for that.  They were learning body parts and days of the week.  It is funny to hear them pronounce different body parts.  Cullen was walking around being the class clown the whole time.  They all started chanting his name and he had the biggest smile and kept clapping. 

Gina- I gave Mamo the card and he loved it.  He kept smiling and looking at the pictures. 

Becky- I saw both your little ones at Resurrection.  Ebenezer is HUGE- great personality and is crawling.  He is much bigger than Diborah and Cullen.  Both were getting fed while I was there and are definitely taken care of.  I gave her your pictures too. 

It's good to be back in Ethiopia.  I love the people here. 

Thursday is my Embassy date and I think I am going to stay at the guest house until then.  They are making me my favorite Ethiopian dish for dinner! 

I'm Here

That was a long flight.  I boarded at 7:30 last night and it didn't take off until 10:00.  Overall it was a good flight.  We did have a scary moment with a man but I will explain that more later.

I managed to do all the luggage myself (with the help of another CCI family) and didn't even have to pay the demanding men at the airport or for them to scan my bags.  If I can do this then the week should be pretty easy to handle (I hope!). 

It is 11:00 here so I am going to bed.  I get Cullen tomorrow morning and I get to deliver all the donations!

I will post more tomorrow as I am exhausted.

At DC

Am I gonna sound like a kid if I say "I'm bored!"? Sorry Grace!!

The flight here was great. I hope I won't have an issue with my extra bag at Ethiopian airlines. Thanks again for all those donations!

And I'm off...

I should be leaving in the next 30 minutes to head to the airport.  My first flight is to DC and then I take off at 8:30 tonight to Addis Ababa. 

I think Kaden knows I am leaving as he won't even sit and eat breakfast in his own chair- if you know Kaden he never has a problem eating! 

In less than a week we will have another Meiser. 

If anyone needs to talk to Doug just send him an email.  

THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL THE DONATIONS!!!  I AM TAKING OVER 34 DVDS, TONS OF DIAPERS & WIPES.  WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!

Love to all....

Embassy Date!!!

I heard yesterday that we got the December 2nd Embassy date!!!  I am leaving on Sunday morning and will arrive there Monday night.  I have a long layover in DC. 

Thursday is the Embassy appointment so hopefully that goes well. 

Cullen and I will travel back on Friday night and will arrive (if all goes well) at Cincinnati at 3:32 pm on Saturday afternoon.  I am so excited that other CCI families will be on the plane with me.  If anyone would like to meet us there that would be great!

What a wonderful Thanksgiving this has been already. 

Cullen- I will get you on Tuesday morning! 

Back to packing and making arrangements... 

Starting to go crazy....

I need more patience!  I just want an Embassy date!!!

I heard good news last night from our director.  So far 4 children have the Dec. 2nd Embassy date and another 6 children can fit into this date as well.  We are one of the families waiting at the Embassy and are hopeful Cullen will be one of the remaining 6. 

We've heard that he is really starting to walk around and he loves playing with a girl his age.  Hopefully he will like playing with a boy his age too.  : )  When a lady was there he ran up to her wanting to be held because the nannies said she looked like me.  I hope he will keep remembering me for the next few weeks. 

I'm trying to stay busy to keep my mind off him, but nothing is working.. 

Hope to hear something on Monday.     

Birth Certificate

We got his birth certificate on Monday.  His DOB matches what his birth mother told us- 8/21/2009.  The next step is to get his passport which we are hoping to get it by Monday and then the paperwork goes to the Embassy.  So far everything extra the Embassy has been requesting doesn't apply to our case so we are hopeful for the Dec. 16th date. 

The orphanage director's wife has been emailing me some pictures of him.  He looks like he is really walking and very happy there.  He is smiling in most pictures.  I sent over a picture of the two of us and they printed it and gave it to him.  I was the happiest mama when I saw these!!!! 

She also asked that I bring over children's DVDs, clothes, shoes and toys for the older kids.  If anyone has stuff they would like me to take over there I will gladly do so.