It is now 5 days after we have returned home and things are finally getting back to our 'new' normal.
We left Salt Lake very early Sunday morning (June 8). We managed to fit 4 suitcases in the trunk of the car. Inside the car were our carry-on bags and the 2 strollers we were bringing. Inside the car were also some books that Matt needed to return to the University of Utah library (because they were going to be due while we're gone). So we had to make a stop at the library which took about 40 minutes total and we arrived at the airport at 6am for our international flight at 7:30am. Matt attempted to do online checking before we left home but it did not really go thru (probably because it is an international flight?). So we arrived at the airport with my Stress Level on HIGH.
But we made it and we were off to O'hare for our first stop. We had about 3 hours before our next flight. We were able to have a quick lunch and call Mama and Mom and Dad to say that we were on our way.
Next stop Frankfurt (June 9, 6:30am). We had to go thru several security checks and then we were ready to board the flight to Addis. The flight to Addis had a stopover (for refueling) at Kartoum, Sudan.
We finally made it to the Hotel de Leopol in Addis at about 10pm (June 9). We were all set to sleep when I asked Matt where the adoption agency's Addis Ababa lawyer's phone number is. He would be our first contact the following day because we needed to sign some US Embassy documents and he will contact the orphanage of our arrival.
Guess what! The list of contact numbers is in a blue folder sitting on the front passenger seat of our car parked in the Salt Lake City International Airport. Ha-ha-ha! (we had to keep our sense of humor or lose our sanity!)
PANIC emails were immediately sent to our Adoption coordinator in Oregon. We also sent an email to Mom and Dad in California so they could a follow-up phone call on our request. Addis is about 10 hours ahead so we had time. Internet connection in the hotel was spotty and slow so we were hoping that we'll get the response on time. Whew! What a day!
JUNE 10, 2008. GOTCHA DAY!
We called the lawyer after breakfast (the Adoption coordinator replied within a couple of hours of us sending the email) at the hotel and he sent his driver to pick us up and bring us to the Dove Adoptions International Office in Addis. We signed some documents that he will be bringing to the US Embassy prior to our embassy interview. Then our driver Wendi arrived and he brought us to the orphanage.
We met the administrative assistant of the adoption agency in Addis and within a few minutes, the nanny brought Angela into the room. She is so tiny and cuddly and so much prettier in person. She did cry a bit but eventually warmed up to all of us. We were ushered to the private living room where we had a chance to relax and bond with Angela more. We checked her out of the orphanage that morning.
We were in the orphanage for maybe a couple of hours that morning. At round 10am, the orphanage kids had their school recess and Ben was able to play with them. It was quite a sight seeing him play ball with kids bigger than him. The kids were very nice to him and kept touching and kissing him on the face.
We went back to the orphanage in the afternoon to bring in the suitcase of donations that we had prepared and also to meet with the orphanage doctor. We passed by the supermarket on the way back to the hotel to get some supplies (bottled water, powdered milk for Angela). We had dinner at the hotel and went to bed early. And that was how we spent our first day with Angela.
The slideshow below has pictures of us at the airport in Frankfurt, our first meeting with Angela, Ben playing with the kids from the orphanage and Ben and Angela in the hotel room.
I will post more pictures as soon as my schedule allows.
Enjoy the pictures (you can hover the cursor on the pictures and you'll see the comments I put in)!
