Spent much of it on the taxi bus on the extremely busy streets of Addis Ababa, and waiting at the Embassy for our appointment and interview to obtain the kid's visas. Unfortunately, there was a hang up with our case, and unless it gets cleared up today, we will not be able to get our visas tomorrow and make our flight tomorrow night. It has to do with an unclear story of how Tamene was brought to the orphanage and who relinquished him. The agency's staff has to take his whole file (all the way!) back to the Embassy today for them to review (not an easy task here) and they will decide if they have sufficient information. Apparently, they have really beefed up security to make certain no children are being adopted in an unethical way.
We pray, pray, pray that everything gets cleared up and we can make our flight out tomorrow night. We are missing JOTSC terribly. I am counting the hours until I see them. We have had no electricity for the last 24 hours at our room (which is in a different building from the main guest house where I sit right now) and cold showers are not fun. :) Masso and Tamene are doing wonderfully and they were real troopers for our long day yesterday. Today, we will celebrate Masso's 6th birthday, because she is definitely NOT 5!! I don't think she's older than 6 though. Tamene is really 4, I believe. He is much more comfortable going by Tamene (Ta-ma-nae) than Samson, so we're calling him that for now. Not sure what the future will hold for their names. They are sweet and we are happy together, but ready to be united as a FULL family!!
Thank you again for your comments. This trip is not the easiest thing we've ever done, and I treasure my time spent hearing from you, such a comfort to me.
8 comments:
Thanks for the updates Tisha. I really hope that all goes well with obtaining the Visas on time. Now that you have Masso and Tamene, I know that you are ready to come back home, and we are missing you here.
I was thinking about you today when I went through the car wash and wiped down my dashboard with the free dash wipes. I was just imagining your horror when you return to see a weeks worth of dust on the dash of the bus. I even wiped out my A/C vents because that's WTWD (What Tisha Would Do). :)
See you soon!!
oh geez. praying things go well today! or maybe it's already done. i'm not sure with the time change!
much love....
Tisha, I pray this situation is all cleared up by now... so tough to run into road blocks when you just want to be home when you said you'd be home, hugging your kiddos when you thought you'd be hugging them. Praying for your trip home!
We are continuing to pray for you! I hope the visa matter will be cleared up easily. It is so fun hearing your stories and I can not wait to hear more of them and meet your beautiful children!
on my knees...praying for a cleared path!
lord, please make the path clear for this family...let them finish all the paperwork in a timely manner and get home and be united as a family as soon as possible! thank you for holding them ALL in Your hands. AMEN
Praying for you both and your kiddos that you'll be able to make it out tomorrow. Lindy connected me to your website.
My husband just arrived in Ethiopia for the next week, and hopefully within the next 2 weeks we'll be on the waitlist for siblings in Ethiopia.
So glad to hear the kids are doing well - give them extra squeezes, hugs and love!
How was the birthday celebration?! I'm a little behind with my comments. Kids were all out of school last week, not much computer time for me! Since I know everything worked out ok on the visas, I can focus on the birthday, right?! Hope Masso enjoyed it!
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