Two Years!!!!!!!

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Crazy Brynly, could that tiny thing really be you? I can still see that little baby in your sweet face. Everytime you stick your two fingers in your mouth, I see her.

Two years ago today, November 19, 2007, we met for the very first time. That day was the start of so much. The most important, of course, was the start of our life together. I can't say I was the most competent of parents that day. I am probably not even now. But, we learned together, you and I. You had not had a mommy for at least five months and I was happy to to do my best to be the mommy you deserved. I am still working on that.

I know little of the months of your life before you came to Enat Alem. I do know that the time you spent there was spent being loved by your nannies. They were so very sad to see you go on this day two years ago. It was hard for them to let go. They just passed you back and forth kissing you. I was happy and sad at the same time. For the first time, I realized how much loss was involved in this whole thing. You were losing all you had known-the sights and smells and people who were your world. And, they were losing you.

And then there is your Ethiopian family. How they must wonder about you. About what kind of little girl you are becoming. About where you are and if you are happy. I wish I could tell them that you are an awesome, fiesty, smart and funny little girl. I wish they could feel you put your little arms around them and give them a big Brynly hug. I wish they could hear your little voice yell, "Mommy." I wish they could watch you sleep. Most of all I wish they knew how very thankful I am for you. And that my happiness at having you will always be tempered with more than a little sadness and a lot of respect for them, whoever they are.

In some ways it is hard ot believe it has been two years and in others it seems like just yesterday. I thank you for bringing Ethiopia into my life along with you. I thank you for being the reason I have met so many great people. I thank you for every lesson learned through being your amaye.

I love you, Birhan.
Happy Gotcha Day!!!!!!!!!!!

Travel Day on the Way to Gotcha Day

November 17, 2007. Travel day. It was along, weird day. My flight did not leave until that evening at 8pm. But, we had to check out of the hotel and my parents were heading on to visit some other family and Diann had an obligation back in Fredrick, so I headed to the airport really early. My plan was that I would get checked in, dump the luggage and then hang out in the gate area until my travel mates arrived from Atlanta for the leg to Addis Ababa. Ah, yes, the best laid plans...Well, the Ethiopian Airlines ticket counter did not open until hours after I got to the airport. Hours. So, I sat and I wandered around (with all my luggage). Then I sat again. I weighed my bags and rearranged and weighed them again. I was a little freaked. I was about to go to Ethiopia, for crying out loud...to pick up a baby, for crying out loud...MY baby, for crying out loud. After a while other people started to arrive and wait too. Among them was a large Ethiopian family. They were returning home after visiting their daughter who was going to school in the DC area. They were so nice and kind. We talked about Ethiopia, about Birhan, about lots of things. I felt much better after that. If all the Ethiopian people were that nice, I would be just fine. BTW-they are and I was.

Anyhoo, I finally got to the gate and after just a bit, Dedra and Tia arrived and we sat again, waiting for the flight. The flight is freaking long. As many times as I have been or will go to Ethiopia, I will never really get used to that flight. Ugh. So that was today, two years ago. It was the day the most exciting part of the journey began. I was on my way.

Just Two More

EAFS's newly established Educational Program is moving along nicely. We have taken on an initial ten children. These children's sponsors donate $32 a month whcih provides them with tutition and supplies.

Adoption is not the answer to the problem of poverty and vulnerable children in Ethiopia. There are over 4 million orphans there. The vast majority will never, ever be adopted-here or there. To give you a little of the picture, about 1800 oprhans were adopted to the USA last year. Subtract that from 4 million, and that leaves a lot of children. They will grow up in Ethiopia. Will they become street beggars? Will they end up as prostitutes? Will they survive at all? That depends, in large part, on whether or not they are educated. Education is not mandatory as it is here. If they can pay, they go to school. If not, they don't.

For these ten kids, we want to literally change the direction of their lives.

We have 8 mathced with sponsors. But, two remain. Two sweet little girls who just want to go to school.

Come on, somebody out there has $32 bucks a month, right?

If you are interested in sponsoring Yodit or Zewiditu, please visit the EAFS website.

Ameseganalu (thank you)

Countin' Down to Gotcha Day

November 14, 2007 was the day I FINALLY received my embassy date...of November 18. Yea, nothing like getting a lot of notice. Luckily, I had already done a guestimation and booked the flight, etc. But it was all an "if" until November 14. On that day, it was for real. I was leaving three days later to go get baby Birhan.

Birhan means "light" in Amharic. That she is. She is a bright and shining little light. It may sound totally corny but she is my light. Even on THOSE days, when she is the most trying, the most frenetic, even on those days...I can't imagine not having her in my life. There have been dark times since November of 2007. But even the darkest of days is made brighter by my Birhan.

A Week in the Life of Sporty Spice

Some Kids Need to Go To School

Hey all. I interrupt Birkely and Brynly happenings to bring this bulletin from Ethio-American Family Services. We are in great need of Educational Sponsors for 5 children. School is well underway in Ethiopia and we want to get them sponsored so they can go or continue going to school. Part of EAFS' mission has to do with education. Many, many of the orphaned and vulnerable children in Ethiopia will never be adopted. They will spend their lives in Ethiopia. tTe trajectory of their lives will take one of two courses. 1) They will be unable to afford an education and will continue a vicous cycle of poverty, most likely ending up as street beggars or worse or 2) They will be sponosred and will get an education. Their minds and bodies will be fed and they will go on to live a successful, productive life. YOU could make the difference in which course a child's life will take.

I sponsor a child. her name is Mentawab and she is 10. Both her parents are HIV+ and her father has left the family. She lives with her mom who has no income. None. When I look at Birkely reading or doing math problems, I think of this little girl. No child should have unrealized potential.

Could ya? Would ya? It is 32 bucks a month-25 goes to tuition for the child, 5 employs and Ethiopian administrator, and 2 goes to money wiring fees to get the dough to Ethiopia.

For more info, head over to the www.ethioamericanfamily.org

Boo!

I love Halloween, always have. It's the theatre person in me. This Halloweenseason was a little hairy but cameout great in the end. It started several weeks ago when I took Birkely and my nephew Kaden to a Halloween store. Of course there were mummies and bloody robot things that moved and scary noises and smoke...Well, both of them were traumatized. So,after that,every time we saw Halloween decorations of any kind, Birkely wouldsay, "oh,Halloween,I don't know." At that point,I had to break out the big gun by explaining to her the trick or treat process. Being that candy was involved, she decided she could handle the blood and scary noises. Okay,so Birkely decided (after walking back and forth in a Halloween store,avoiding all scary stuff for 45 minutes) that she will be Cinderella. Everyday for weeks she wanted to wear the Cinderella dress to school.

So,this week, we finally get to the point that they understand that their parties were on Friday. All week, Brynly felt pretty crappy and had flitting fevers and cold symptom stuff. On Thursday,I was assigned a huge project which was due Saturday night. Anyhoo, Friday comes and I go to Brynly's party in the morning. She looked adorable as Michael Jackson and had fun on a walk around her daycare neighborhood and stuffing a scarecrow. Then, in the afternoon I was off to Birkely's school party. I am the head homeroom parent for Birkely's class. Don't laugh. It is my duty to staff teh class parties. Three parents per party. Halloween was my party.I was notified on Wednesday that one of the other twoparents couldn't make it due to a court appearance.Okay. When I get to the school, that parent actually made it, but the other one who was in charge of cookies and juice was ano show. Great. We made it through the party and we headed home for me to spend the evening and half the night on my project.

Saturday, the plan was to go to Pittsburgh for our ET family gathering. Well,Brynly pulled the fever thing again and was hacking up a lung. So,we stayed home. Probably wise becasue I never would have finished my project on time if we hadn't. After a three and half hour nap,Brynly rebounded enough for Trick or Treat. A fun time was had by all. Birkely thought trick or treat is about the best idea anyone ever had.:)