I am bucking adoption blogging tradition and lumping my entire trip into one post.  I am pressed for time (with two active kids and all) and the trip was much more uneventful than our first adoption trip.  Just let me say that the plane ride to Ethiopia was absolutely awful–last row, seats so old their was no cushion left–long and no sleep was to be had. 

Monday June 23
I was jolted out of a dead sleep by the phone.  It was Gail calling to tell us she’d be picking us up at 9:45 am to go to Wanna and get Peepers.  It was an awesome phone call and I couldn’t wait.  We didn’t get this phone call the last time.  We tagged along with the other family who was getting their baby and in hindsight I wish I would have waited for the call so that we didn’t have the turmoil and pain of waiting.  Anyway, this is Peepers adoption story not Minnows.  I looked at the clock and we had a little over an hour to get ready before Gail would be picking us up…Waiting in the lobby was hard, I just couldn’t wait to go and hold Peepers.  It seemed I had been waiting so long to hold her–but in reality it was just about 4 months since we had received our referral. Gail met us and took us on the long drive to the AAI compound.  It really should have been a short drive, but there is a lot of construction happening on the route to AAI’s compound and the drive took a little longer than usual.  I was so happy to see all of the construction and development happening.  I know that it only means those with money have more, but it does provided for lots of jobs and more opportunity. 

Arriving at Wanna was surreal and really did feel like it had been just yesterday that I was there.  I was exactly the same and the faces were the same as well.  It was nice to know that those who had loved Minnow were now loving Peepers.  I was the only family there to pick up kids the week we were there…this was great as we got lots of personalized attention this trip.  We walked in to the baby room and Peepers was being help by one of the nannies.  Gail went over and took her and brought her over to me.  It was an awesome moment. 
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjrZF1Kbxng%5D 
I was so happy at the instant and holding her felt so natural as though she had always been my daughter.  It was a great moment.  The nurse came in to give Peepers her medicine (for the ear infection) and to tell me how to administer it.  They went over her schedule with me and told me a few things about her–she doesn’t like a wet diaper and her bottom is rather sensitive she gets diaper rash really really easily and that she doesn’t like to be warm when she sleeps–no pants, etc.  She is quite a little furnace and puts off a lot of body heat. 

We hung out at Wanna a little bit more and then we arranged to come back to Wanna the following day to take a tour (we hadn’t done this with Minnow) and arranged to go to Nazret on Thursday with an AAI social worker to see the hospital where Peepers was taken when she was found.  All in all it was awesome.  We went back to the hotel and hung out with Peepers there and just got to know each other a little.  It was so low-key and completely stress-free aside from the fact that I had a new little human whom I knew nothing about. 

Tuesday June 24
AAI’s driver Dawit picked us up and took us to Wanna so I could get pics of the babies and we could take a tour.  Dawit was then going to pick us up a few hours later to take us shopping.  Wanna/Layla is really an amazing place.  It is so much bigger than I had pictured.  It was amazing to see all of the kids.  I was so overwhelmed by the whole experience that I didn’t take any pictures on the tour and I feel really bad as it would be nice to have those pics.  Two of the volunteers currently working at AAI were actually adopted from Layla and have come back to give back.  That to me speaks volumes to the work that AAI does and the family atmosphere created at Layla.  It was great to meet them. 

Shopping was awesome and I wish I hadn’t been so tired and that I had known what I wanted to buy for myself.  There was so much, but I got a few things.  I have to say that I am absolutely the worst shopper ever, because I don’t bargain all that well.  Especially when it all boils down to a dollar or two.  I know I should and that I am being taken advantage of by the locals because I am a foreigner.  But it is hard when again it boils down to a dollar or two.  I got some great stuff for the kids–some t-shirts and a few traditional outfits.  We then headed on back to the hotel and hung out more with Peepers. 

Wednesday June 25
The embassy.  It was so simple and so easy.  It took about 3 minutes for our appointment.  We were in and out in under 15 minutes.  We did more hanging out at the hotel with Peepers.  We didn’t do anything around the city as I had done it all before and my dad was happy to hang out with his granddaughter.  It was really great to get to hang out in the room–eat room service, etc and get to know Peepers a little better and for her to get comfortable with me.  By this day it was obvious she understood that I was her mommy and would be the one to take care of her.  If she couldn’t see me she would cry and she would reach out for me and would instantly stop crying when I would hold her.  It amazes me how aware these babies are and how quicklly they learn and understand that their new mommy and daddy love them and are there to take care of them. 

Thursday June 26
This was by far the most emotional day of our trip.  Going to Nazret was a real treat.  We know where Minnow is from and even had an address of where he was left and the name of the woman who cared for him and brought him in.  But we didn’t go and looking back I regret that so very much as it would have been a priceless experience.  Our trip was so emotional with Minnow that I understand why we didn’t try to go and see but I do deeply regret it. 

The drive was really really long–about an hour and a half through the urban countryside.  The amount of traffic amazes me and gives me hope that there really is some good development happening.  We did see a couple of accidents on the road to Nazret and we did have a donkey walk right out in front of us as we were doing 60 mph–Dawit did an awesome job of missing the donkey.  It was a harrowing effort.  We arrived in Nazret and it is a nice size city for a developing nation.  There isn’t the stark contrast between rich and poor in Nazret.  There are houses and strips of shopping stalls, etc. There were people milling about everywhere as if they were waiting for something to happen. 

We drove to the hospital and entered.  It was so weird and sad, as it is nothing like any hospital you have seen if you haven’t been to one in a developing nation.  We pulled up to the child/infant ward and there is a sign (I didn’t get a picture of it) that describes the ward as the child ward–where they take place of those who have no parents to take care of and nurture them.  It hurt every ounce of my being to see that sign an to think about the sheer numbers of children who have been found and brought to these small rooms to be cared for in a room that is just that a concrete room.  It is dark and depressing, isolated and lonely.  I think of her time here and am happy that they were able to nurse her to health (she was very sick when she was brought to them) but I am sad that that hospital is in such a state.  I know that my standards are western and first world standards but there could be something done to make the orphan’s ward a much more welcoming place. 

 
her bed for the week she was in the hospital

the nurse who loved and named her

The first photo of her at the hospital

We had lunch in Nazret and had to wait around for hours to bring a new child back to AAI’s compound.  Everything in Ethiopia happens on Ethiopia time–which means when I get there.  It was a long day and again made me appreciate everything that our agencies go through to make our adoptions happen.  I am forever grateful to the work of those who have made it possible for us to be a family. 

Friday June 27
We picked up Peepers passports and said good-bye.  We arrived at the airport early and still didn’t get a bassinet seat, but we were able to get an extra seat between us on the flight home and that made it all the more bearable.  Peepers did awesome on the flight and it was great to arrive home.  Home forever…June 28, 2008.