Gotcha Day

We got up this morning, had breakfast and packed our bag with some toys to go see Yosef and meet with the nurse.  She went over his routine, medical history, etc.  The majority of the stuff we already knew but it was nice to have the opportunity to ask questions. He hung out with us while we did this and then we played later on.  Around lunch we ran out to the grocery store to get some food items for Yosef as well as lunch for us. (Random Josh tangent:  All wheels on the carts swiveled.  In the US on the front two move, it made the cart hard to move around.  Back to things that have a point)  All morning long my stomach hurt - it was just a big day with lots of anticipation...4 years to be exact!  I didn't sleep well last night either.

We got back to the orphanage at 3 after his rest time for the farewell coffee ceremony.  They had rose petals down in addition to the grasses.  They had a huge bread circle, roses, popcorn, spicy pound cake, cookies, sodas, and of course, coffee! Josh and I had seats of honor with Yosef in Josh's lap.  The director and many others came in to talk to us and wish us and Yosef well.  They gave us a book with all the pictures of him in it.  Similar to a scrapbook.  I got a little choked up but Josh told them all how much we appreciated them and how it was obvious they care so much for the children there.  (Huge bread circle is an understatement this thing was as round as a 55 gallon drum and about 4 inches thick.  Another understatement is "spicy" pound cake.  A better name is "Open mouth insert flame" cake.)  

Yosef, Josh and I were supposed to cut the round bread circle together symbolically as a family beginning.  I asked if the nanny could come down and say goodbye.  She was so, so sweet.  She's been there since Yosef got there and she was very emotional which made me emotional.  Her name is Genet.  We also recorded her saying something to Yosef for the future which the director translated for us into English. Whew...it was a good (another understatement) afternoon - but long, emotional, and exhausting.  Yosef just watched it all and took it in stride as long as he had a cookie in his hand.

After all that, we left the orphanage with Yosef in clothes that we had changed him into.  They gave us a set of traditional, handmade Ethiopian clothes for him to have which is beautiful.  He wanted Josh to carry him (YAY!- remember his phobia with men not so long ago?)  Josh held him in the van the whole way back to the guest house which is a bumpy, stop and go ride.  Poor Yosef got car sick all over Josh.  But he never cried.  He just looked at us and we reassured him it was all okay.  And the cookie was still in his hand!  I was very prepared that we'd carry him out of the orphanage screaming and crying, but it was quite the opposite.  Josh carried him and he was super chill.

We came into the guest house and he started playing right away and finding all the things that we needed to put up high.  (A lady at the guest house told us "How sweet he looks just like you, its the skin color.  Not sure if she meant except for the skin color, either way it was pretty funny and I will probably steal that line when some one ask me if he is adopted.)  We tried a variety of things for him for dinner but I think he was too overstimulated to eat.  We played awhile and then Josh got him to sleep. (Another Josh Tangent: this one has a point I think... The God that we serve is huge.  Think about this 4 years ago when we decided (probably should say we listened) to adopt a child.  God Made Yosef for us, 7400 miles away.  I just got the privilege of walking him to sleep.  He laid his head on my shoulder and I walked and told him about our house and his brothers.   Other than God making him for us, explain how the voice of a guy from Surry County can comfort a child who has never been out of Ethiopia. )     Right now he is sleeping like a baby :)  (Snoring like is Daddy actually) OUR BABY!!!  

We are sitting in our room in the dark while he sleeps typing this and eating a pizza that Yoftahe brought for us.  Yoftahe came into the coffee ceremony with us because we asked him to do so.  He feels like family and he also took a bunch of pictures/video for us.  Tonight as he left he said he thinks Yosef is so comfortable with us already that we shouldn't have any issues.  Obviously he cannot see the future, but that was nice to hear.

Since we have been at the guest house, Yosef has danced to the cds Yoftahe bought, jabbered quite a bit in Amharic and a few words in English.  And, of course, we've heard the word "tay" about 100 times.  Remember that means stop or leave it alone.  (when I try to take my phone away that he found or my makeup or all the other things...haha)

Thanks so much to all of you who prayed specifically today!

This is at the orphanage waiting for Yosef to get up from his nap for the coffee placement ceremony.

 We changed his clothes into ones we had been asked to bring.

 We were moved over to the party table.  You see the massive bread circle.

 Here the Executive director shared some kind words and showed us the scrapbook and other items they sent with us.

 His Ethiopian traditional wear

 Cutting together

 Genet - the nanny that has been there longer than him.

 Back at guest house almost ready for bed

 All the tons of stuff we brought for him

 Interesting rocks outside on our villa

 The flower Yosef gave me

 Those orange crocs run deep in our family!

 Riding back home from orphanage to guest house.  Sorry that some of these pics are out of order. We will NOT take him back to the orphanage in order to not confuse him.

 After Josh walked around whispering to Yosef this is how I found them on the bed.

 Selfie with Yoftahe, best driver and honorary family member.