what i did last week.

Sept 1 : Doug & I left for Ethiopia.

(Thanks to Patrick & Kennerly for taking us to the airport!)

Here we are waiting to board.

And texting with my dad while I get fun alerts.

Sept. 2 : We arrived in Ethiopia. Our bags made it this time, to our joy & delight!

Sept. 3 : We go to pick up Bonsa.

To be reunited with our son forever.

Here's Doug, outside the Thomas Center, where Bonsa has lived for the past couple months.

And here, my friends, is our reunion.

The nannies gave me a bouquet and handed Bonsa to Doug.

He had been woken up from a nap again, but didn't cry this time.

AND. He was wearing BLUE!!

I didn't cry this time either. 

But I couldn't stop laughing and smiling.

On a very trivial note... why didn't I really do my hair?

Didn't I know it'd be the last day I had time to do my hair?

Bonsa's bed the past couple months.

And after a brief tour of the facilities and a little chit chat with the nurse and nanny, we were off.

Fun fact: no car seats in Ethiopia!

Thus began one of the most indescribable weeks of my life.

I've tried to tell people how AMAZING it was. Being with Bo 24-7.

The cuddles, the laughs, the bonding.

THE BATHS. 

Um, prepare your hearts.

SWEET MERCY. I can't even.

Bo loves his baths. Would you look at that sudsy little bean?! MY WORD.

Sept. 4 - Sept. 8 : Learning to be a family of three.

There were some difficulties.

First of all - I just don't know if anyone can be prepared for the poop. Oh, the poop.

(Sorry, Bo.)

Thankfully, his cuteness far outweighs the nastiness of those diapers.

It was a little stressful having a new baby in a guest house.

Not being able to just run to the store or call up a doctor or anything like that.

And we were tired too. 

And I was really emotional.

One night, we were going to go out to dinner, but Bonsa started spitting up repeatedly in the car.

I got scared and started crying.

Our driver, Solomon, was amazing. He told me, "Don't be scared! It's normal!"

He pulled over, ran into a shop and got us some Ethiopian Pedialyte.

He called the next day to see how Bo was doing.

(He was totally fine - don't worry, friends.)

One night, as I was holding my sleeping boy, I started sobbing,

because, as I hiccuped to Doug, 

"What about all the other babies?"

And sometimes I would just get teary watching my husband and my son.

So much happiness that my heart couldn't contain it.

Embassy was a breeze - we waited for 45 minutes and were interviewed for about 5 minutes.

The Thomas Center had a farewell ceremony for Bo,

and another family who was picking up their daughter.

They had our families cut the bread, and while we were cutting,

the children were chanting, "Bonsa! Bonsa! Bonsa!"

And once the cut was finished, they cheered.

And of course, they had a coffee ceremony for us.

And the children sang songs. And I wanted to bring them all home.

And the director and his wife gave Bonsa a farewell gift - a traditional Ethiopian outfit.

Bo was more interested in the wrapping paper.

Our days were filled with:

figuring out what Bonsa liked (being held)

and what he didn't like (being put down)

and what he did when he was angry (flailed backwards)

and what he did when he was happy (the most amazing, eyelid-fluttering giggle)

We took naps.

Or rather... I watched my baby nap.

And I could do that all day long.

Okay, and one time I accidentally woke him up because I couldn't NOT touch him.

And I just fell more in love with my boys than I ever dreamed possible.

So that's how I spent last week.

More coming soon about the flight home & our first few days at home.