Hawassa Trip Part 2

HG picked her bed immediately!

 When we arrived in Hawassa they dropped us off at the hotel.  We were not to have our birth family meeting until 3:00.  So, we tried to get settled & refreshed. 

 Notice the decor?  LOVE THESE THINGS!!!!!!

 We had seperate rooms that adjoined.  It was so nice & quiet there!

Andy preparing for our meeting.

 We had our meeting at Shalom.

This is the orphanage where EJ lived for a very short time.

The meeting was incredible & I highly recommend it for any future adoptive parents.  No, it isn't easy.  But, it's so worth it.  We have lots of video, pictures, & memories for our daughter when she is alot older.  No, we don't plan on telling people her story.  It's her's to tell.  When she is older we will share with her the story that includes so many details that makes her the beautiful little girl that God made her.  If she wants to share it with you, she can.  I am so thankful for the birth family that God allowed us to meet.  I am so thankful for the hardest decision that was made - the decision for life.

They will always be a part of our family.

 This is the outside front of Shalom.  We were not allowed to take pics inside except for the pic of her baby bed (which is currently holding 1 of 2 adorable little twins.)  The director showed us around.  He told us many stories of miracles that are housed here.  They really do have an incredible staff.  The child to adult ratio is amazing.  They even have a couple of full time nurses & a part time nurse there on staff.  It's hard to find that kind of credentials here, never the less in a third world country.  They are very proud of what they are able to do there & rightly so. 

Before our meeting we sat down with one of the office managers.  He told us about the surrounding areas there.  It's unimaginable the living conditions of many of these people.  They are now working on humanitarian projects that I can't wait to be a part of.  I am so thankful for caring people like these who are helping my family. ;0)

 After the meeting Asa. took us to a government reserve park.  We were able to see lots of local wildlife.

 These birds are HUGE!!!!

 This is what a typical house would look like in the region that Genet is from.

 I am in awe.  Everything there is built so well considering the resources.

 The town of Hawassa is located on the huge Hawassa lake.

 HG made sure the boys had fun on this trip.

 Remember those big birds?  These are their nests.

After we returned to Addis someone asked us if we took a boat ride on the river.  We didn't but I so wish now that we had.  Apparently that lake is filled with hippos.  Wouldn't that have been fun?  Maybe next time.

Trip To Hawassa Part 1

I don't know how to begin this post.  There is so much I want to share & so much that I can't.  I will try to put as much up for the memory book as possible, but I know there will be holes because there are many parts of this trip that are for us only.

We left early to beat the traffic rush - these people don't even flinch when cars go zooming past them on this interstate.

This is a Chinese factory.  The Chinese have come into Ethiopia & are doing to them what we did to the Chinese.  They have built lots of factories here to produce tons of goods for very cheap labor.

I loved seeing the Chinese & Ethiopian flags together. ;0)

Some school kids starting their day with a pledge to the flag.

We saw tons of these HUGE ant hills.  The farmers will plow around them to keep from disturbing them.  We saw some that were taller than me, but it's hard to get a good pic in a moving van.

Another tree ;0)

One of the things I learned was that the houses are built differently based on the tribe they are from.  Amazing

The trip that could easily be shortened by an hour if it weren't for the fact that cattle & all kinds of herds have the right of way!!!!  If you look down the stretch, you can see they are getting ready to cross.  They don't care that you are coming - they have the right of way.  So, you slow down (or even stop if it's a big herd), dodge them if you can & go about your merry little way.  It's really something.  In fact on this trip our driver got so close one time we thought we hit a cow, but it was just his tail hitting the hood of the van.  It made a loud enough bang that it scared us to death.

Another kind of tribal home

Hannah Grace playing with Asa - I think we owe him babysitting money ;0)

A. is a lawyer & he just happens to be the social work guy who submitts our paperwork to the Embassy.  He is so good with children.  He & HG hit it off immediately.  We learned alot about Ethiopia during our time with him.  I am thankful he was able to take us on our journey.

More to come later - kids are up so my time is up....

Entoto Mountain

 This ministry is amazing.  We first went to see the shop & buy a few things.  Little did I know how I would feel after going up the mountain.

 These women work so hard & fast.  It's incredible.  They work all day & produce about 2 scarves (it takes about 4 hours to make just one.)

 I have proof - Andy does shop!  The scarves here have a set price.  All you have to worry about is how many & what colors. ;0)  (Yes, I'm sending Andy back for more.)

 This is what these women used to do!

Can you believe this?

We were in a moving van so we had a hard time getting the best pics, but you can get the idea of the magnitude of their work.

 These women walk up the mountain, get the wood together from the trees, bundle it up, then walk it back down the mountain.  And this isn't just some little hill.  Our van was struggling taking us up this mountain.  It's insane.

 I believe this is the only place in all of Ethiopia that people actually have the right of way.  I guess drivers figure if they can do that kind of work they can also take them out if they were to be hit by the automobiles.

 This woman was so happy.  We kind of stopped & our driver talked to her. 

 Beautiful Entoto Mountain

 oops - out of order

These are the trees that are left bare after they have been "picked"

 I loved how the clouds were sailing through that day.  It made the scene even more beautiful.

 More bare trees.  They are all up & down the mountain.