Today Anna and I had lunch with a new friend (met her a year or so ago through a friend) who is adopting from Ethiopia. She just received her referral a couple weeks ago for a beautiful three-year-old girl. (Congrats, R.!) She lives just around the corner and a few blocks down from us.
Did you get that?
Someone else from our tiny little hick town is adopting from Ethiopia. And we are practically neighbors. What are the odds?
And so today I found myself again missing Ethiopia and unable to express why. Remembering the days of nervous waiting for court and travel dates, travel shots, packing lists, treasured photo updates.
I know we’ll go back to Ethiopia someday. But I don’t know when. I really want to sneak my jealous self into my neighbor’s suitcase. I want to smell the mercato on my clothes and hear dogs barking in the night. I want to sing with Kool and the Gang on the van radio and learn to say all of you ladies look lovely tonight. I want to see Solomon and Yezeshewai and the smiling nannies again. I want stand on that bridge in Harar where everything changed.
But it’s not my turn.
My part for now is to encourage and loan electrical converters and stand as evidence that one can indeed survive a 27-hour flight. This is my part, this is my place, for such a time as this. Until such time, perhaps, as another child is born at the right time but in need of a family, for such a time as that.
There’s not a word yet for old friends who’ve just met.
Part heaven, part space, or have I found my place?
You can just visit, but I plan to stay.
I’m going to go back there someday.
I’m going to go back there someday.
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3 comments:
How cool that your neighbors are headed to Ethiopia to get their girl soon and that the girls will live so close together!
Your post is ironic because I spent about and hour last night looking through all the paperwork, from beginning to end (well, the end so far!) just reminiscing. I know the feeling of wanting to be there.
Send some money with her and have her bring you back a nice shawl or dress! That way you can breathe deeply into it and smell Ethiopia once again.
Your part of being her person who has BTDT is so encouraging to her, I'm sure!
Cool beans!
Also, be sure to remind them about the 27-hour flight that they want to pack a giant ziploc bag and a change of clothes! :O
Rock on.
Speaking of /kinder/, we may give you a ring to chat about butt coverings pretty soon here...
Thanks for reminding me that other people feel about Ethiopia the way I do. P of Habesha Child brought back all sorts of clothing and things for EOR to sell, and I just want to bury my face in them--the clothes smell like Ethiopia to me.
You'll go again. I will too. It's our heartspace...
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