Sorry for the lull in posts. We’ve been busy and, honestly, I’m lacking motivation to write. We’ve been through too much in the last few days to even try to explain what we’ve done, seen, heard, touched, and, well, smelled. It’s overwhelming. There are some things I may never be able to talk or write about, things that have to be seen to be believed. But I know you are all anxious to hear something from us, so I’ll try to get you caught up briefly on how things went on Monday and Tuesday…
After doing paperwork and having lunch at the Hilton Monday morning, we drove to the Transition Home (TH) in a bus with the other families. The “roads” (if you can even call them that) were tight, rocky, and, dusty leading to the large silver gates that enclosed the compound. We all felt sick (from the smog, unfamiliar smells, bumpy roads, and nerves) as the gates were opening, and then just about everyone started crying when we pulled into the compound. What struck me most was how beautiful one area of the compound was…grass, gorgeous flowers…it was an oasis among all the slums and poverty surrounding its walls.
We arrived about an hour earlier than we were supposed to and planned on going alphabetically to meet our children. We all decided who was going to take pictures and video of whom, etc. All of that got thrown out the window, though, after the first two families met their children because some of the other families’ kids weren’t back yet from getting their shots down the road a bit. So Duni told a few of the families that they were going to have to wait and then, all of the sudden, the kids came walking through the gates! It was total chaos as their parents recognized them and started hurling cameras at those of us without kids. At one point I think I had three different cameras in my hand, and I was just shooting away, trying to make sure I got everyone.
Selah was just as we imagined she’d be when Duni brought her out. She was all eyes, quieter than any baby I’ve ever met, and totally squeezable with the softest hair. She looks, feels, and moves more like a 6-month old than a 12-month old and, though her first birthday was apparently last Saturday, I do not believe for one second that she is a year old. It’s just not possible, even if you account for a few months of normal developmental delays that are normal for most orphans.
We spent the afternoon hanging out with Selah (who fell asleep on my lap in the grass around 3 p.m.) and our neighbors’ three children before getting back on the bus and heading to the best place ever: a spa! The women got manicures and massages while the guys hung out in a coffee shop nearby. I had one of the best massages of my life and walked out of there only paying around $30 for the 1-hour massage and manicure. I felt like I was stealing. I also felt relaxed and healthy, like my blood was actually circulating properly after all the traveling.
After the spa we had dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant where we ate with our hands and enjoyed the most incredible music and dancing. Ryan even played drums with the “band” and I actually ate lamb. I know, shocking, but true. And it actually tasted pretty good…