LOVE IT.
As we drove through the streets of Addis Ababa last night, I was overcome by a feeling I can hardly explain. There is something about returning to Ethiopia that fills my heart with joy. Yes, the poverty and need we see along the streets can be overwhelming and difficult to comprehend, but there is so much more to this beautiful country.
The love. The community. The PEOPLE.
They are BEAUTIFUL. The way people interact with one another, care for one another, and share their lives is something I will never forget. I find myself falling more and more in love with Ethiopia every time we visit.
This morning, we were picked up early to head over to the orphanage before our embassy appointment. As we drove through the city, I found myself taking in the familiar sights. The same streets, the same shops, and the same potholes—well, perhaps a few new ones! But most importantly, the same beautiful people who had made such an impression on us during our first visit.
Just a few minutes into our drive, we noticed something different. When we were here in July, the children were enjoying their school break, so we hadn't experienced the morning rush of students heading to class.
But this morning? OH MY!
There were HUNDREDS of children walking hand in hand along the streets, dressed in their school uniforms and making their way to school. Street after street, alley after alley, they seemed to be everywhere! Watching them walk together, talking and enjoying one another's company, brought me so much joy. It was such a beautiful glimpse of everyday life in Addis Ababa, and I couldn't stop smiling.
But that joy was nothing compared with what awaited us when we pulled through the orphanage gates.
Detcho and Nahagi were READY and waiting for us, and the joy on their faces was absolutely unmistakable!
After all the months of waiting, all the uncertainty, and all the time we'd spent longing to be together, the moment we'd dreamed about was FINALLY here. We wrapped our arms around one another and hugged for what seemed like forever before climbing into the car for our embassy appointment.
I can hardly describe the emotions of that morning. There was so much excitement and relief, but more than anything, there was an overwhelming sense of JOY.
Our boys were ready. They were SO ready.
After spending nearly four years living in an orphanage, they knew that their time there was finally coming to an end. Their family was here, and they were getting ready to come HOME.
FOREVER!
If only you could see the love these boys have for us and the love we have for them. It's almost impossible to believe that we haven't been together for years. Our relationship has grown in ways I never could have anticipated, and being together already feels so natural.
I can't even begin to count how many times one of the boys caught me grinning today. I simply couldn't help myself! But they knew exactly why their momma was smiling and giggling. They could see the joy written all over my face, and their own excitement was just as impossible to hide.
We spent so much of the day exchanging smiles, laughing together, and enjoying the simple happiness of finally being together.
Their joy was unhidden.
And so was mine.
We're back at the guesthouse for the evening now, and the boys have just finished showering and getting into their adorable new pajamas. Thank you, M and K! They look SO cute!
We have an early morning ahead of us. We need to be in the lobby by 5:30 a.m. for our flight to Harar, the boys' birth town. We'll spend Thursday and Friday visiting and exploring before returning to Addis Ababa late Friday afternoon.
I'm looking forward to learning more about the place our boys come from and spending this special time with them.
For tonight, though, I'm simply enjoying the overwhelming blessing of having my boys here with us.
After all the waiting, our family is finally one step closer to being HOME TOGETHER!
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