Spent a few hours with Israel

Arrived in Addis early and without incident. So funny how the second time around it seems like old hat. The city is still as crazy, as foreign, as totally unreal, but not as overwhelming at all.

We went straight to the guest house, unpacked and sat in the warm sunshine--- 70 degrees and sunny here. Very nice breeze. We stared out across the ravine at Help for the Needy(Israel's orphanage). Cant wait to get over there to see him, i mean we know where he is, we can walk there, he's our son, but alas, it's Ethiopia....let's be patient, lets respect the process, let's be patient. So we take advantage of an hour's downtime to recover from the flight. Then a quick lunch in the guest house and off to CHS office for a presentation on their in-country efforts---- money from adoptions is going to build three schools, a health clinic for mothers and children, drinking water/wells and electricity to rural areas. It is pretty cool, we knew all this but the adoption process is so frustrating it easy to forget all the good things they are doing for Ethiopia.

Then we head over--- it's the moment we have been waiting for. We are so unprepared!!!! What do you say the the nannie who's been caring for him for 6 months? What do we say to him?! He doesn't know english, he doesn't know us. Will he cry if we try to hold him? Will WE cry? Is it bad if we don't?

Said a quick prayer for God's grace.

CHS sends in a social worker with a video camera first--- so that Israel can see this day from older eyes. He will remember it.(another thing CHS does well).

We walk into the sleeping room. 10 kids are sitting and laying on the floor quietly, some smiling, some not, but ALL watching what's going on. Israel is off to the side-- the Nannie is gently talking to him, encouraging him to smile and come see us, which he does. clearly they have been showing him the little phot book and preparing him for this day. He flashes a shy smile and come sovereign and sits right in allison's lap.

We spent two great hours with him. Mostly outside. He is very cute, very quiet, and very small. He really enjoyed kicking the soccer ball! We peeked over fences, followed the flight path of various birds, rolled trucks etc. We sat quietly for a spell. He showed a mischievous side too--- he would take the ball, scamper out of sight and wait for us to come around the corner. When we did he would laugh and throw the ball down the stairs!

We are working on a few words in amharic--- No, Good job, Okay, toilet, Come---

Tomorrow we have our big Emabssy appointment, his going away party at the orphanage -- this is our last night without a toddler!