The Adkins Family

Everything is normal!  Praise the Lord!  Kai had his ultrasound of his abdomen today and the doctor called to tell me everything is normal.  Ahhhhhhh what a great feeling!  He is over the hump and on the road to recovery.  We are still doing breathing treatments twice a day, and although his lungs are still congested and he is coughing, he is getting better.  His nose and eyes are clear, and his ears seem okay!  He finally started eating food yesterday.  No baby fruit at all!  He is a veggie guy :)  He is happy as can be and smiles constantly.  Just talking to the little man puts a smile on his sweet little face.  I am so happy to be a mommy of the two greatest kids God ever created.  Soooooo glad all the worry about illnesses is over and now we can move on with the fun.  I have 6 weeks of leave from work left and I intend to spend it loving on those two babies of mine.  I am having so much fun.

We had an appt. today for his heart and I am so happy to report that everything is 100% normal.  Normal heart, no holes, normal function, no defects.  God is so good!  I am praising him today, and also praising him for a good report on Monday at the abdominal ultrasound.  Whew!!

The first couple weeks have definately been harder than I expected.  We came home with a really sick little guy.  That first weekend was tough, almost taking him to the ER a couple times.  We stuck it out until Monday and then took him right into the doctor.  Double ear infections, sinus infection and bronchiolitis.  He got started on a strong antibiotic right away, along with breathing treatments 3-4 times a day.  He then was started on inhaled steroids, which his doctor said he will probably need for about a month.  He had a chest xray, which showed a pretty enlarged heart, and he has a murmur.  So tomorrow we are going to see a pediatric cardiologist to get an echocardiogram of his heart to see what is going on.   Worst case scenario is that he has a congenital heart defect.  But God has a plan and he made our family the way it is from the beginning of time.  If it is something, thank God he is mine and he is here to get treatment.  He wouldn't have been healthy had he stayed in Ethiopia.  He has been so sick for so long, and I just wonder if his heart is enlarged from having to push blood through is constantly infected lungs.  Who knows, but we will find out tomorrow.  He also has a low set belly button, which sometimes can be associated with kidney problems, so we are going to get an abdominal ultrasound on Monday.  More fun at the farm.
Regardless of him being sick, he is the smiliest, happiest, talkative baby ever.  He has such a little personality already, and is really just as happy as can be.  He FINALLY slept through the night on Monday night.  YAY!  I was about ready to freak out one day because he was up screaming all night, and then would sleep about a half hour during the day.  I got really sick, then Lilia got sick.  I almost keeled over!  But God gave me grace to keep going, and we are all getting healthier by the day.
Lilia is doing pretty well with him.  She got a little sad for a few days feeling left out, like no one cared about her anymore.  But she is better now, and is really liking to make him laugh and smile.  She is also liking to show him off to her friends.
My dear, sweet grandma passed away Friday after a battle with cancer.  She wanted to make it to see her new great grandson, which she did and I am so proud of her.  I love her and miss her so much!  Thank you grandma for all your love.  I will miss you!!

Breathing treatments

Lilia came home sick from school today

After being sick for a lot of days!



His first bath at home




Kaiser and Papa




One if his happy moments




You can always count on grandma to make life fun

 We made it safe and sound.  He was an angel on the plane and slept a lot of the time.  He only fussed a few times, but calmed down very easily.  We had a great homecoming at the airport with my whole family there to greet us.  It was great!  My niece got a cousin for her birthday that day.  I won't forget that day!
Since we have been home, things have been a little crazy!  Kaiser has been pretty sick, and was up crying a lot during the first night.  He has a nasty cough, runny/stuffy nose, eyes glued shut and he is pulling on both his ears.  We are going to try to take him in first thing Monday.  During the next day he still slept a lot but seemed a little happier during his awake times.  Grandma and Papa came over to visit him.
Lilia is liking having a baby brother, but plugs her ears when he cries.  She cried the first time he cried.  It is sweet to see her try to make him laugh.  I think the newness has worn off a little and she just wants a lot of attention from us.  It is hard because I am exhausted, trying to take care of him and her.  Lee has been great getting up with him, but sometimes, he just wants me.
Another day today and hopefully he will feel better!

It is my final day, my final e-mail. Trying to get this written before the power goes out!


The buddy is better today. He woke up at 4 am with his nose completely blocked and his eyes glued shut but went back to sleep when I got him all fixed up. We got up and ate, now he is back for a nap. All he has done is sleep, it feels like. Probably because he doesn't feel too good.

We have had a great time, have met some really wonderful people here. I would not change this experience for anything!

We will be on our way to the airport in 9 hours, and on our way HOME! Can't wait to get there. I am not looking forward to the plane ride.

My stupid bottle leaks out tons. It is a piece of junk. One of those ones with the plastic inserts. One of the ladies I met is going to the store and is going to pick me up some bottles so I can get through the plane ride. He only likes the infant ones that come out really slow. He chokes otherwise. It will be an interesting 24 hours of travel.

I love you all, thank you all for your prayers and support. The wait is finally over, and now the journey really begins. To the best family ever, I LOVE YOU!! God has blessed me with all of you! See you on the other side!

It has been quite an interesting day today. Kaiser woke up pretty sick today. His nose was completely clogged, and he has been coughing up a lot of junk today and he sounds terrible. He has been pretty irritable and lethargic, and he has spent a good part of the day sleeping. Poor fella.


He has diarrhea today, which I didn't think would happen because I didn't switch formula. I fed him some cereal last night thinking it was rice, and found out today when I read the fine print that it is wheat cereal, so maybe that is the problem. I was suctioning out his nose which he screamed about, and then he threw up all over himself and me. Off to the bathtub we went, which he seemed to really like again. I layed him on a blanket on the floor with some toys, and before I knew it, he was asleep again.

The smog here is the worst I have ever been in. Deisel fuel, and the smell of burning coal all the time. I think maybe that made his illness worse, especially since yesterday was the worst it has been since we have been here, and he was outside a lot when I took him out of the TH yesterday. My throat is hurting a lot also, and my sinuses are a little clogged. Not that Denver is the cleanest air, but I will be looking forward to air a little cleaner than this!

This afternoon he seems to be a bit more smiley and chipper. He wants to try to stand up a lot, and decided he hates the bumbo chair. He has cried every time I have put him in it today. I think maybe he just wants to either sleep, or be held. Not a problem!

Well, it is my last night here tonight. I am gonna miss the sound of the dogs and that lovely rooster (NOT!!!) I really am going to miss the people. I have really gotten to know my coordinators over here, who are wonderful. All the Ethiopian people have been nothing but nice, helpful and friendly. Every time you smile, the people always smile back. It is a great group of people. I am going to miss seeing the kids at the transition home and playing with them. I am so glad that most of them have families, and are waiting to go home.

I am so happy this journey is almost over, but part of me feels a little sad, too. It is hard to explain, though. It has been a long ride, and I am so ready to start our lives as a family of 4!!

I will post one more time tomorrow before I leave. My plane leaves at noon Denver time so say a prayer for me and Kaiser. Love to you all.

GOTCHA DAY- Feb. 8, 2011


What a whirlwind the last 24 hours have been. I got woke up last night at 11 pm with a call from the agency that the Embassy had cleared Kaiser’s file and they were ready for our appointment! I was so amazed that it was that quick. We were told not to expect to hear anything until Wed. at the earliest. Such a surprise. The best part about it is that his visa will be ready Thursday morning and we will fly out Thursday night, landing in the USA on February 11, my favorite niece’s 10th birthday. That is the date I asked the Lord for. Never have missed her b-day and I am not about to start now!

I went to the transition home to pick him up and it almost didn’t feel real. They had him ready and dressed in one of the outfits we brought him in December, and they also had the photo book we sent him in October. I cried when we said goodbye to the nannies. What an amazing job they do, and he is so attached to them. When I left his room and shut the door, I could hardly keep from just bawling my eyes out. But I made it with just a streak of tears. We said goodbye to the other kids, and then got in the car and left. At that point, I had no tears at all. I was relieved, excited, happy. It was a different feeling than I had with Lilia. I felt such a sense of loss for her when we pulled away, but maybe because he is a lot younger, I didn’t feel that way. He was not scared either like Lilia was. He just took in the sights and looked around everywhere at the people and the happenings on the street. The smog and the burning smell is the worst today. My throat is dry and sore, and I was sad for the buddy to have to breathe it in.

We got back to the guest house and waited in the lobby for our coordinator to come and take us to the US Embassy. We waited about an hour before they called my name to the window. It was quick and painless. Maybe a total of 3 questions and signed, sealed, delivered, he is yours. We will get his visa at 10 am Thursday and then we will be on a plane to home. HOME. I cannot wait. I have dreamed of this day for 18 months. I have dreamed of walking in to the airport and seeing my family there waiting for him. I can’t believe that I will be landing in Colorado in 81 hours.

We came back to the guest house and the first thing I did was put him in the bath and scrub him down. His hair is so long when it is wet! He actually laughed through the whole thing. Curly head of hair! He got so angry after the bath because he has only slept 30 minutes all day. He would not stop screaming. I broke down…………gave him a binkie. What a loser I am. But, he took it right away, stopped crying and fell asleep in 3 minutes. As I am writing this, he is in his crib sleeping and I can hear him smacking on that binkie. His crib is so cute. It is more like a pram-like thing on wheels that looks like a stroller. I like it!

We get to spend the next 2 days together just hanging out and playing. I think it will be a lot of fun just spending every minute with him. As I am typing, I can smell his baby lotion and I love it! Ahhhhhhhh.

The power is out, with no internet access right now. Who knows when I will be able to send this! More tomorrow!

WE'RE COMING HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE"RE COMING HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE"RE COMING HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

to the place where we belong.


I got a SURPRIZE phone call at 10:30 tonight from our agency in the USA. She
said the embassy cleared us today. Which is wierd, because I was here in ET
today and no one heard anything as of 3:30 pm. They must have cleared us late
or something. Anyhow, they are trying to get me an appt. with the embassy
Tuesday at 1pm. I will be getting his visa Thursday morning, and will be
leaving this beloved country Thursday night and arriving home on one of the most
important days of the year. My Noney's birthday, Friday, Feb. 11th. Y'all
better be at the airport or I am turning right around and coming back to ET.

I sat on the rooftop and prayed this morning. I told the Lord that I trusted in
his will and that whatever his timeline was, I would be okay with. I also made
my request known to leave by Thursday night so I could get home for Noney. God
answers prayer. For all you doubters out there, He answers prayer. No one can
ever tell me differently. I saw His hand move upon me this week in a way that I
just can't explain. My life will forever be changed tomorrow when I drive one
last time to my baby's home and make him mine forever. As you sleep, I will be
taking my baby boy in my arms and bringing him with me to my hotel before our
embassy appt. Wahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Say a little prayer that I get that appt. tomorrow. God is so good!

Love you all and I can't wait to see you!

Lee, call the travel agent if you would and just reconfirm our flights for
Thursday and let me know the times, etc. I will let you know if something changes.

Someone call Christa with the details of the time.

See you all on the other side of the world!

Today I woke up feeling just fine. I went down and ate breakfast and ran into the couple I talked with yesterday. The lady is so, so sick. She is on her way to the hospital, and her husband is going to get a power of attorney so he can go to court without her and so she can go home tonight. Immediately after breakfast I started to feel a little nauseous, but I am hoping it is either psychological knowing she is sick, or it is because I ate too much breakfast. I do not want to deal with illness while I am here. Got a baby to take care of! Just keep praying for me, not only for embassy stuff, but just for my health. I have a darn good immune system anyway, so I am hoping it does me good.


After I went and saw Kaiser my stomach is fine. I feel better and no more fun with the toilet. Now just a small sore throat and earache, but I am hoping it is just from the pollution and dryness. The smell of burning coal is strong, and I could see a brown cloud over the city today when I was on the rooftop.

I got to skype my mom and little girl tonight. It makes my heart a little sad that she is home and I am here. I keep telling myself it is just a season of life that will be over soon. I miss my husband and my daughter, along with my parents, siblings and niece and nephews.

The power was out for a while today. I have to write my emails on Word and then copy them over. My visit with the little buddy was wonderful today. He was sleeping when I first got there and I let him be. He woke up after almost an hour. We played a little and I fed him his bottle. He gets fussy each day at about 2:45 and feeding time is 3pm. I put him in the pouch again today and he really loved it. He stayed in there for an hour and a half. The other kids were over there today so we just walked around and played with the kids. He just looked around smiling at them all and taking in the sights. I played soccer with a boy today and Kaiser loved to look back and forth at the ball. Maybe he will be a soccer player or marathon runner one day. After the kids went back to their transition home, we laid on a blanket on the grass. He is trying so hard to crawl, but can’t quite get it. He gets up on his feet with his head on the ground so he looks like an upside down “V” and tries to rock back and forth. He is trying so hard! He giggled a lot today and I found out he is ticklish on the sides of his ribcage and on the back of his neck. I love to hear him laugh. I think maybe he likes me more and more each day, although I don’t compare to his favorite nanny quite yet. Baby steps. At least he doesn’t cry and push me away.

I found out today that he really likes it when I sing to him. He stares and smiles at me. And today I was singing in his ear and he put his cheek next to mine and held it there until I was done with the song. So cute. He is teething I think, and keeps trying to chew on things. My finger, his hands. He has a toy that both my niece and nephew had that has teething things on all the hands and feet and he really likes to chew on that. I can’t quite see the teeth coming in yet, but it has to be soon.

I got to stay a long time today and I loved it. I kind of like it when the other kids are there because it gives Kaiser someone to look at besides me! He seems to really like being outside.

I am off to eat Chicken and rice tonight. I had only a granola bar at lunch because I was worried about my stomach, but I think it is okay now.

No news today from the Embassy. Our coordinator said she thought Wednesday at the earliest that we would hear something. I knew it, just thought maybe they would be fast. I know they are bogged down with a lot of cases and I don’t know why I feel like I am more important! Just want to get my son home to see his great grandma before she goes to heaven. Pray, pray pray for me!

This morning I met a couple of people from the states in the guest house that were very nice. We talked for quite a bit, which was good for me so it isn’t so lonely. One had their son and has an embassy appt. on Monday and the other was here for court on Wednesday. Nice people and it made the morning go by faster than yesterday.


I learned a lot about Kaiser today. He was sitting in a walker play thing when I got there and he saw me and just smiled. He got really fussy when I got down by him, and I couldn’t tell if he was unhappy to see me or if he wanted out of his thing. I always seem to get there at naptime and the nannies said he was tired. The first thing I learned is that he sleeps on his stomach. Every time I have seen him sleeping he has been on his tummy and again today, I laid down on the couch with him and he fell right asleep on my chest. The second thing is that he falls asleep sucking on the palm of his hand. He did it yesterday and today. He will wake up and turn his head and then his other hand goes right up in his mouth. Not his fingers, just his palm. Today he was falling asleep again in the carrier and he was fussy because he couldn’t get to his hands. As soon as I put his hands inside the carrier, he put them up to his mouth and fell asleep. We walked around for about an hour just outside the transition home with him in the carrier. He really seemed to like it. He just looked around at everything. I wanted to try it out before I put him in it at the airport.

I talked to his favorite nanny and she told me he likes to drink from the slow flow bottles. She said he doesn’t like it when it is the fast flow. Which makes sense because I fed him Thursday and Friday with a faster flow and he really didn’t eat much. Today he ate the whole thing even though it took a while.

I feel like I am learning about him more and more every day. What he likes and smiles at, what he hates. Like holding him in your arms laying down, he hates, wiping his nose he hates. It feels good to get to know him. I hope he is getting to know me, too. He probably thinks I am a big dork because I am always making crazy faces and noises to try to get him to smile.

Tonight I am having penne pasta and meat sauce at the guest house. I have been craving certain foods today like Mexican food, and steak which I never crave. Salad, Dr. Pepper, pickles. I could stand to skip a few anyhow.

More tomorrow. Hopefully I will get news. I don’t expect to hear anything until late next week, but you never know! The embassy may look through his stuff quicker. Let’s hope and pray!

Today was honestly, a great day. I spent the first part of it just relaxing at the guest house. I took a hot shower, blow dried and straightened my hair, put some good make-up on, made myself look presentable. Then I read a little, drank some tea and waited for my ride.


I went to the transition home and it felt deserted a little bit! No staff are there except for the nannies, and on the weekend, they don’t bring the older kids over to the baby house for school. So I had the place to myself! I spent the first half hour in his room with the nannies and the other babies. I took this toy that rolls if you push down the top and all the kids were so excited and interested in it. It was one of my toys for Kaiser to play with when I get him with me, but honestly, I couldn’t bear to take it away from the kids so I left it there. He started to get really crabby for a while and his nannies said it was nap time for him. I took him out on the porch and tried to rock him to sleep. I put him on his back on the couch and sang to him and he just looked up at me and smiled. He started to get really fussy and I remembered he sleeps on his tummy. I laid down and put him on my chest and he went “waaaaa!” laid his head down

and went to sleep in 15 seconds. It was truly the best bonding time we have had thus far. We just laid there together and then he woke up when I tried to put the blanket up on him further. I think he was asleep for a half hour.

Then all of a sudden, he got really fussy and started screaming crying. Actual crocodile tears, which I haven’t seen yet. I went to talk to the nannies because I thought he was hungry and after he ate, he was happy little Kai again. We played for a while with the other babies in his room, then went outside on the grass. He really has not been outside a lot, so he spent a lot of time just looking around at the sights. His favorite toy today was a package of antibacterial wipes. It must have been crunchy or something because he couldn’t put it down! He is still sick, coughing quite a bit and his nose is really runny. Even so, he smiled and laughed. It was weird being there alone, but really wonderful, too. I miss my family terribly, but I am taking this time to really get to know his personality, and to let him know I am not going anywhere.

I am so tired and am thinking of going to bed early. Tomorrow will be a repeat of today. Can’t wait to see him again. Can’t wait to see if Monday brings any news. It is a little early, but I am hoping anyway. Just skyped with my dad and found out my family is safe on the ground in Washington, DC. Can’t wait to talk to them to see how the flight was.

Love to all!

I can't get my computer to send an e-mail. Hope it isn't broken. I am sending this from the guest house.


Glad to hear the kids are doing well. Tell them I miss them terribly!

Mom cried her eyes out when the van pulled away last night. Lee wasn't too happy to leave me either. The reality set in for me last night. The dark, etc. I am in AFRICA alone! Arggg! I cried myself to sleep last night, but woke up okay and happy today. It will all be okay. I can do anything right?

This morning I fell in the shower. I was trying to drown a mosquito with the shower head and slipped and fell. Almost completely out of the tub! I am okay but my lower back is sooooo sore! I will be okay!

Just left my hotel and am settled in at the Yebsabi guest house. It feels like home and everyone welcomed me when I came here. They remember me from last time and are so nice. I got my suitcase unpacked and my room organized. It feels good to finally unpack. I am on my last clean shirt so I have my laundry down to the ladies to wash. got a cup of coffee when I got here. Got a banana and some bread for a PB&J for lunch. I am trying to conserve my cash! Don't know how long I will be here. It is pretty cheap to hire a driver each day to take me to and from the Transition home to see the buddy.

I am off to see Kaiser at 1. They said since there are no staff from the agency there onthe weekend, it is better to just go after lunch. So from 1-4 today and tomorrow and then I will do 10-4 the rest of the week. I am going to try to put him in the pouch to get him used to it before I take him in it at the airport. He is so cute, and everyone calls him "Yosie." All the nannies love him, and he really loves them, too. Just smiles and laughs when they talk to him.

Tell grandma I love her. Tell her I will be home with her new grandson, soon, and try to hang on till I get there. I want to hug and love her in person.

Love you and tell everyone hi for me.
Hugs, kisses, love and smiles!

It is official. I am in Africa alone! It feels so strange to say that. My family left about 15 minutes ago for the airport and I am sitting here feeling a little scared, but excited about the coming weeks. I know I am going to be okay, and I trust that the Lord will keep me safe.


Today was one of the best days we had. We started the day with a little shopping, and I bought another coffee pot to replace the last one I bought that broke in my suitcase. My brother will be happy to know I have coffee on the way to him! We didn't buy much. We actually spent more money handing out food and money to the kids that came up to the car. One sweet kid remembered us from the last time we were here. A guy in our group paid him to shine his shoes last time and told him to try to go to school. He remembered us and told us he is trying to go to school and buy books. Lee gave him some money. Right before we pulled away, he handed me a bracelet and told me thank you and God bless you. Don't think I will ever forget him. After shopping, we took Lilia to the park with some other friends and the kids really had a great time. The park was beautiful and had a lot of play equipment. After lunch, we went to visit Kaiser. He was asleep, and

we just let him sleep. I had to stop myself from just picking him up and squeezing him. Me, mom and Lilia stayed there while Lee went to the other 2 orphanages to drop of crocs. Everyone was very thankful for the shoes. Our coordinator Yonas told us the people were very thankful and we did a good think. I just want to say to everyone of you who donated, it was more than just a pair of shoes you gave. If you could have seen the smiles on the kids faces when they saw them, and if you could have seen them today running around with their new shoes on their feet, you would know what a good thing it was that you did. I can't say it enough...............from the bottom of our hearts, thank you!!!

Kaiser smiles at me and mom, but laughs at Lee and Lilia. She had him cracking up today spitting and jumping up and down. I told her it was the one time in her life that it was okay to spit! He just laughed and laughed at her. It was so cute to see them together. Lilia made good friends with another boy that is going with her to America with a different family today. She just adores him and played with him all day. She is going to crash on the plane hopefully from playing hard all day.

Tomorrow I am moving to the guest house in the morning. I can't wait. The hotel we are in now is nice, and the people are really great. But the guest house will feel a little more like home to me, since that is where I stayed last time. Can't wait for the shower!!!

I am hiring a driver to drive me to see Kaiser every day. I am going to spend a lot of alone time with him, which I am looking forward to. I will be relaxed this weekend, knowing the embassy is closed, but come Monday, I am going to be anxious waiting to hear if he is cleared to come home. Pray for a quick clearance from the embassy. I can't bear to be away from my family for too long.

Love to you all and talk to you soon!

Sorry we haven't written. The internet has been terrible, and was out all day yesterday. I sent Dad an e-mail quickly this morning, and got disconnected right in the middle of writing to you Jill.


Wed. morning we were at the Transition home visiting Kaiser and our coordinator came over to tell us the Embassy did not accept our paperwork without his passport. They only accept paperwork to be submitted in the mornings, but made an exception for us to be able to bring it in by 5. But she said that immigration said they would not be able to get it done. Unless of a medical reason, etc. I told her Kaiser had a cough! Then mom spoke up and said his grandma is terminally ill, and is waiting to go to heaven until she sees her great-grandson. She said that might be a reason they might expedite it so we got an appt. for 2:30 with immigration. We got there and we were waiting for another agency representative to meet us there. He walked up and whipped the passport out of his briefcase. He got there before us to plead our case and pushed them until they gave it to him. Yay God!! We were submitted to the Embassy yesterday officially! It truly was a

miracle, and a little help from mom and grandma. So now we wait 7-10 days to be cleared, maybe sooner, then home! I am staying by myself until we are cleared to bring him home.

Today we went to visit Kaiser in the morning. He was sicker today, coughing a lot and congested. Tired, too. Probably from us keeping him up all day yesterday. We were only there about an hour and a half. Then after lunch we went up to Entoto mountain. It is pretty cool. We could see the whole city, and there was a church and the palace of Emperor so-and-so.

Grandma says Kaiser is the cutest kid she has ever seen, except for the other 3 grandkids, definately the cutest one in there. I agree. Lilia has been so great, just playing and going with the flow. She started to play quite a bit with the other kids in the transition home yesterday, and is being less shy. She loves to ride the shuttle bus everywhere. The newness of her brother has worn off a little. She is less interested in playing with him, more interested in playing on the playground. Typical 5 year old kid.

We got Ethiopian coffee today, but didn't make it to the coffee factory. Tomorrow I am going to try to find an Ethiopian coffee set since my last one broke in my suitcase. Our plans for tomorrow are to visit our little guy, then I will be moving to a different place to stay, the guest house.

We were so excited because we gave the transition home crocs yesterday and a bunch of them were wearing them today! It was good to see they use them and the nannies were really thankful and said they needed them so bad. Another fiasco about the crocs to tell a different time.....

I am excited to spend some time with my buddy boy but will be a little sad to be alone here. I will be the only family here from our agency so it will be quiet. But maybe Kaiser needs to get some bonding time with me :)

We love you all, and will e-mail again as soon as we can.

We had a pretty irritating beginning to the day. We found out that they got Kaiser's passport, and the Ethiopian people had put the wrong birth date on it. So the agency asked if they could expedite it and get a new one by tomorrow so we can submit our paperwork. They said they are too busy and could do it by Friday. Which doesn't help us out a lot because we can only be submitted on Wednesdays. Our coordinator said she is going to talk to the embassy and see if we can submit tomorrow without it and just use his birth certificate as a form of identity. She said it is unlikely they will accept it, but she will try. Needless to say, we are bummed out. I just don't know whether to stay here or go home. I can't imagine leaving the little guy again. But I can't leave my daughter for months on end either. We just keep praying for the paperwork and for God to give me a little clarity on what I should do.



As for the buddy boy, he is a little cutie. He is smiling a lot, and he actually belly laughed today! Lilia likes him and she can get him to smile a lot by playing peek-a-boo. He seems to like us! We spent the afternoon with him playing and feeding him. Tomorrow the rest of the families are going to the embassy and we are going to spend the whole day with him. They have a little playground for Lilia to play on so she is having a lot of fun. I asked her today what she thought of Ethiopia and she said "it is really cool!" She is having a good time and is doing well despite the jet lag and tiredness. Except that she woke up at 2:45 am and was wide awake!!

Kaiser rolled over today! It was cute. He is trying to get up on his hands and knees but couldn't crawl yet. We doesn't have any teeth yet. Which I am glad about because there is something I didn't miss! Toothless little grin!