How Messy Could One Girl Be?

Special Gifts

Janissa has received so many gifts - all of them special. I am overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support she and I have received from so many wonderful family members and friends. There are, however, a couple of gifts that I wanted to share with you; and those are the hand-made items. I am not the least bit talented when it comes to sewing, knitting, crocheting, etc., so I am always in awe of those who can make such beautiful things with their hands.

The first item is a little yellow sweater made by my good friend Marcia. I can't wait until it fits Janissa!


My cousin Frances wove this darling blanket and also made the mama and baby hedge hogs. So cute!


My sister-in-law Kathy, who lives in the Seattle area and traveled with me to Ethiopia, told a woman at her church my story. The woman's name is Elaine and she crocheted this beautiful blanket that Kathy surprised Janissa and I with the first day we were together.


Finally, a friend told a friend about my adoption journey and this wonderful lady has been following along via my blog. At Janissa's welcome home party, my friend gave me this incredible scrapbook as a gift from her friend - the most amazing scrapbook I have ever seen! She (Marja - www.ppftreasures.com) even downloaded comments and photos off my blog and put them in the book. Janissa and I will add special photos and treasure this book forever.




Thank you to everyone who has welcomed my little Janissa home with open arms and loving hearts!

Home a Month

Janissa and I have been home for a month now. It was a month of many firsts for her. First time in the USA, first time in a swimming pool, an outlet mall, meeting family and friends, having her own room, tasting different foods (she loves pancakes and toast with peanut butter). Everything was new to her. She has adapted so well. At her doctor's appointment she was 18 lbs. 12 oz. and 27 inches tall. She will have her follow up visit soon. It's apparent she has grown!

Janissa is incredibly smart and has made such progress in only one month. She went from not being able to use her lower legs (muscles hadn't developed) and doing the army crawl to crawling on all fours and climbing to stand on her own. She now has 6 teeth and 2 more are breaking through. She imitates everything I do. She can say mama, outside, pancake and Janissa (sounds like A-Gee-Juh), and many other words.

One thing is for sure - this little girl is LOVED SO MUCH - and not just by me. She steals every one's heart. Okay, now for the moment you've all been waiting for - 11 minutes of Janissa (below) with a few friends and family thrown in. Enjoy!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Beautiful Ethiopia

I love Ethiopia; it is a beautiful country. But it isn't the scenery, weather or food that I love so much (although I did love the coffee, which they call buna) - it is the Ethiopian people. They are what make the country so beautiful, so rich in culture and tradition. It is the people that will bring me back there some day. Every person I encountered was kind and compassionate. We were treated as one of their own. It is a country where Jews, Muslims and Christians live together in peace. It is a country filled with respect for its past, present and future. I will never forget that they gave me my daughter and look forward to the time when I can bring Janissa back to visit her homeland.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Toukoul Orphanage

My favorite memories of the trip would have to be the times I was able to visit the orphanage and see the other children, where Janissa slept, and the nannies running around chasing the kids. I've put together a slideshow that I hope reflects the love that overflows from within its walls. Sorry for the irritating music, it just seemed to fit so well.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Guest House

Our first two nights in Ethiopia were spent at the new guest house, the third night in Lalibela and the remainder of our stay at the Villa where Mr. Ferez, the owner of the orphanage, lives. The accommodations were excellent, the food was great and the people were unforgettable. I loved Aster who took care of all our whims from site-seeing to our meals. She was there whenever we needed her. Our driver, Kitama, is someone who will remain in my heart forever. He recently married a young woman named Tigist and I wish them the best. The young girls who worked at the guest houses were awsome. They loved taking care of Janissa while I ate. Everyone who we came in contact with were friendly, loving, happy and helpful. I miss them very much because they were the ones who made the trip to Ethiopia so memorable.

Below is video montage of our stay at the guest houses. You will see my sister-in-law Kathy, Meg DeZutti and her adorable little boy, Sam, as well as my Janissa and me.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Lalibela

My sister-in-law Kathy celebrated her birthday while we were in Ethiopia. She is a geologist and really wanted to visit Lalibela where 11 Christian Orthodox churches have been carved out of the rock. It was amazing to take this trip and to see how people outside of Addis Ababa live. Aside from getting very sick from drinking unpasteurized milk and Tej, a local wine (not together of course), the side trip was absolutely amazing. Since there are so many photos of this amazing place, rather than post them individually, I've put them into a slide show. Enjoy!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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!

This is the blue gate that leads into Toukoul Orphanage. In a few short days I will driving through those gates to meet my daughter for the first time. I have been anticipating that moment for months. I started the adoption process 16 months ago. I switched agencies when God led me to adopt in Ethiopia 12 months ago. That is when I saw those blue gates for the first time. In 7 days I will board the first of many planes and in 9 days I will be going through those gates. Finally!

I have dreamed of this moment and anticipated meeting Janissa for a long time. But she knows absolutely nothing. Yet in a little over a week she will be handed to a total stranger - who will probably burst into tears if she isn't already crying. How do you tell a one-year old that this is her mommy and that she is going to take you on a 30+ hour journey to a strange place you've never heard of? How do you convince a one-year old that despite the fact that everyone and everything around her is new, that she doesn't need to be scared because she will be loved beyond measure?






This is where Janissa has lived most of her little life. She will soon leave through the blue gate in my arms, never to return - at least not for a long time. As time goes by, she will forget the sounds, the smells, the sites, the nannies who took care of her, her crib mates - but I won't.

As I count down these last few days I am feeling the nerves for the first time. I pray that the life that I will provide her will overshadow the losses she might one day feel as an adopted child in a country so far from her own. I pray that my love for her might come close to the love her birth mother had for her. A love so strong that she was willing to walk away from her so that she might have opportunities that she wouldn't have otherwise.

I'm coming to get you, Janissa. Next week you will be in your Mama's arms.

Look What I Got Today

An update from the orphanage. Janissa is now a whopping 18.7 pounds! She gained over a pound this month! However, she is still 27 inches long. Look how happy she is now that her Mama is coming to get her. I can't wait!