Playing Catch Up

I decided while I wait, I would play catch up from my last trip to Ethiopia. I hope to someday order a book of my blog, and I want Isaiah to be able to look back at his journey to his forever family.

I arrived back in Ethiopia on Saturday January 14, 2012 I could not wait to have my boy back in my arms for good!! As much as I wanted to run to him and pick him up, I reminded myself that he probably wouldn't remind me, so I needed to take it slow and see how he acted.........

The moment I held him in my arm his eyes locked in with mine and my heart just melted. He took his little hand and placed it on my cheek as if he was saying "I've missed you Mommy"  In that very moment I forgot about all the stress of the last 18 months and the only thing I could think was "when I leave here you are coming home with me" What a joyful feeling it was to know that at the end of the week when it was time to make the journey home, I wouldn't be kissing him good bye for who knew how long, but instead I would be taking him home with me forever!!

I was amazed at how Isaiah acted like he remembered me. Once I got all my bags upstairs to my room, I decided to rest for a little bit with Isaiah. We were both laying on the bed, playing with his little blankie I brought him and before I knew it he had snuggled up with me and went to sleep!! I couldn't believe it :-) I ended up falling asleep myself and we both took a little nap. It was great, knowing he felt relaxed enough with me to go to sleep!! It was definitely a moment that I wish I could have gotten a picture of!! Oh the joys of being single and traveling alone, lol no one to take a picture for you, Ha!!

Later that day myself and my friends who had also traveled to pick up their daughter decided to go do some shopping and grab some dinner. I love shopping at the local markets but it is never easy seeing such poverty and hurting in the eyes of the people there. You can try and prepare yourself as much as you want, but it is never enough, at least not for me. As a believer in Christ, I know that these things are a result of sin and living in a broken world, but my heart will never accept there being things like poverty, children begging on the streets and babies going hungry? I can't change the world for all, but I can change the world for one, one at a time. That is my constant prayer. That the Lord would continue to use me and send me in His Name, for His Glory!

Even now, almost 9 weeks later, I can still remember the smell of those dirt roads, the sounds of the car horns beeping and seeing the smiles on the faces of all the little children we passed by on the streets. The longer I'm away from that beautiful country, the more I miss it!! I will never be the same!!