After One Week

I am sorry I have not been blogging. For some reason time seems to be taking a different pace . . .

We have been home a week and a day. Anna has been doing wonderfully overall. She loves to eat and I swear she's chubbying up before my eyes. She's 14 pounds already! The first few days she was up in the night and early in the morning, but we have tried keeping her up later and she has made it through the night a couple times, like 10:00 pm to 7:00 am last night. We had some visitors during the week and Friday took Anna for her doctor's appointment in Portland. She did well performing her tricks for the doctor, such as showing how well she can pee on a table. Twice. The cough she had when we met her is all but gone; her cradle cap is much better; we think she had scabies which we killed, but that has made her itchy and rashy. I hope it clears up soon although I think it's now bothering me more than her. The blood draw was rough, though, especially since they had to try twice to get it. Why, Mommy and Daddy, WHY?!?!

Friday night traffic from Portland was horrible, but we still beat the bus of Young Life kids coming home from camp so we could be there to meet them. I expected certain girls to come running at me and Anna . . . I did not expect ALL OF THEM to swarm and to make such an ear-piercing high-pitched SQUEEEEEEEEAL. Whoa, chicas, back off a little! She lasted a bit but then we had to retreat to the van. Long day for a little girl.

Today she made her debut at church and was so quiet some people didn't even realize we were back there. She chewed her Detroit Lions teether and then fell asleep on Aaron for a while.


But she barely napped the rest of the day and this evening was not a happy camper. I don't know if it was the failed new bottle experiment or what, but I'm sure the neighbors thought we were torturing her. All the bodily functions seem to have returned to normal, though, and hopefully tonight she will be doing a lot of this:

I will start posting on our Ethiopia trip as soon as I finish journaling it, and I'll have more pictures. It's just that a certain girl and Harry Potter have been fighting for my attention!

July 24

July 24, 2006: My 30th birthday. After my parents headed home from their visit, I drove to the post office and mailed our application to the adoption agency. It felt good to do something official after all the talk and research and decisions. I had dinner with friends and barely refrained from telling them what I'd done.

July 24, 2007: My 31st birthday. Woke up early to the fussing of my baby girl, home three days. Spent the day dressing her in pretty dresses, feeding her, cleaning her, showing her off to visitors, comforting her, and making her scream with glee at funny faces.

What a difference a year makes.

We Are Home

We are home. Anna is wonderful. We had a wonderful trip and will write more as soon as we can.



Amesegenallo, Ethiopia.

Ready(?)

Ready.

Ready.



Ready.



Ready?

In two days we walk under African skies. In three we meet our dream made flesh.

Commence Paul Simon soundtrack of my life.

No I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
When the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away . . .

Joseph's face was black as night
The pale yellow moon shone in his eyes
His path was marked
By the stars in the Southern Hemisphere
And he walked his days
Under African skies
This is the story of how we begin to remember
This is the powerful pulsing of love in the vein
After the dream of falling and calling your name out
These are the roots of rhythm
And the roots of rhythm remain . . .

Too many people on the bus from the airport
Too many holes in the crust of the earth
The planet groans
Every time it registers another birth

But down among the reeds and rushes
A baby girl was found
Her eyes as clear as centuries
Her silky hair was brown

Never been lonely
Never been lied to
Never had to scuffle in fear
Nothing denied to
Born at the instant
The church bells chime
And the whole world whispering
Born at the right time
Born at the right time

T-Minus 5 Days and Counting

So, we leave for Ethiopia next Friday this Friday. WE LEAVE ON FRIDAY!

Are we all ready? Ha ha ha. That would be a big fat no. We do have almost everything we need, but until yesterday it was all dumped in a pile in the middle of Anna's room. I removed packaging from new items and reduced the pile to 45% of its previous size. Good grief, no wonder our Earth is in trouble.

Thursday night we went up to Portland since Aaron had to have an x-ray and doctor's visit early Friday. We stopped at Target and bought some gifts for our Compassion girl who we will get to meet! Hoo boy, that shopping was fun. I can't imagine the fun those adopting older kids have picking out everything for them.

The doctor said Aaron's recovery is right on track and the weird symptoms he is still having, like coughing and night sweats, are not unusual. That means they can't do anything for you; you just have to wait it out. He is getting stronger all the time, though. We got out and about for the fireworks on the 3rd and 4th, and he got to see a lot of people. Is there anything better in summer than fireworks where the river meets the sea? I think not.

We are now in the period of Lasts and Nexts. Last time going to church just the two of us. Next time we go out to eat, we'll need a high chair. Last time I use or wear or wash things before I put them in the suitcase. Next time I want to zip into the store I'll have to unbuckle and rebuckle a car seat. Last time grilling steak on a Saturday night without a side of baby food. Next time you see us, we'll have our baby with us. (Last time you'll pay any attention to us.)

It is strange and surreal to think that the next time we do a lot of things, we'll have to do them completely differently. People keep saying, sometimes in a cryptic warning whisper, "Your lives are about to completely change." I say I know, yet I have no idea. But really, isn't that the point? We're doing this so that our life together, as wonderful as it has been thus far, does change and grow and expand. That doesn't mean I know what it will feel like to be in the next phase, but I think it's like marriage--you can only be so ready, and then you just do it, a day at a time.

I don't know how to get any more ready.

Except packing...
And laundry...
And cleaning up...
And finishing work...
And running errands...
I gotta go.

Let Freedom Ring