We're Finally Home

Janissa is napping and I finally have time to post some information and pictures. What a journey! It was amazing. I met my sister-in-law Kathy at LAX (she had flown there from Seattle) the evening of June 21. Our flight out was delayed, so we didn't leave until about midnight. We flew LAX to London and London to Dubai where we had a 12 hour layover. We hired a female, English speaking taxi driver to show us around and spent the afternoon in an air conditioned mall until we had to get back to the airport for our flight to Ethiopia.

DUBAI

By the end of the day we were exhausted and probably dehydrated. We boarded the flight to Ethiopia and we both fell right to sleep. That was a good thing because I was getting so nervous about meeting my baby girl for the first time that I think I might have gotten sick.

The lawyer was at the airport to meet us with a driver and took us directly to the hotel. We had a room on the top (5th) floor - no elevator. All our luggage and orphanage donations made it to our room, thanks to several kind young men. It was late. We said hello to Meg and peeked at Sammy, took our showers and went to bed. I didn't sleep much. Throughout the night I remember roosters crowing, dogs barking and birds singing.

After breakfast the next morning our driver, Kitama, came to pick us up to take us to the orphanage. Kathy, Meg and Sammy D. accompanied me and Aster said she would meet us there.

TOUKOUL

















This time I was in the car driving through the blue gates!

















Nervously waiting to meet my daughter.

















Gotcha!

















She's such a doll.

















I just love her.















Back at our room playing with Sammy D.

More about the trip to be posted at a later date. Stay tuned!