Day - #6 Saying good bye for now...

On our last day in Ethiopia we spent the morning at the orphanage with our girls.  The office and visiting room was being rearranged so we were allowed to play in the toukoul which they use as a huge toy room.

       

 

 



      

 

As the girls left with their soccer balls, stuffed toy owls, and family photo albums I said to both of them, "Eh wäd eh shal ähu!"  I love you!  I didn't want them to go and they both fussed a little as they were lead away.  I watched them leave until they were out of my view and I wanted to cry.

 

After leaving the orphanage we had a light lunch at the Lime Tree restaurant and then went back to our guest house for a short nap before the long journey home.  We stayed at Addis Flower Guest House and really enjoyed the staff there.  It is located near friendship tower and was close to the airport and SOS EE Orphanage.  They were very hospitable and reasonably priced considering we were there for six nights.  During our stay at the guest house we met three other adoptive parents/families, the founder of an NGO - Eyes That See), and a couple on their honeymoon :)  We plan to stay there again on our next trip.  Here is a picture of the house and two of the murals on the inner wall:

 



After a short nap and a shower we said good bye to our hostess (who braided my hair once again) and driver/translator.  They were very good to us and made our stay wonderful!

I can hardly believe it has only been six weeks since I last saw our girls.  It seem much longer than 28 days ago.  I am not able to watch the videos my husband made because my heart hurts too much when I see them.  I blow two kisses to them every night and pray throughout the day for them to be home soon.  There are times when my heart feels so heavy, the lump in my throat so hard that breathing hurts.  I can only remember feeling this way a few times in my life and it has always been accompanied by separation from someone I love.  It is hard to understand why I am so heart sick, but my heart tells me they are my children (my head and body seem to tell me they are my children too) and being apart from them is starting to become unbearable.  I wake up every morning hoping to receive "the email" from our US Embassy. 

I am ready for sleepless nights,  dirty diapers, a messy(ier) kitchen, and toys scattered EVERYWHERE.  I am ready for more crumbs on the floor, more seat belts to buckle, and more laundry than I know what to do with!!  I am ready for loud chaos, spills, and a crazy amount of dishes!!!  Because I know it means more faces smiling at me, more hugs, more kisses, more books to read, and cuddles on the sofa, more cartoons to watch, more laughter, more joy...

The wait is difficult and I struggle at times, but I have faith.

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you!
John 14:18