Ethiopia

There is a lot I could tell you about our trip to meet our daughter and see the country where she was born.....

I could tell you about how poverty stricken Ethiopia is, 

OR

  I could tell you how the people of Ethiopia are some of the most beautiful people I have ever seen and how much I now love the country where my daughter was born. 

I could complain about how taking showers in Ethiopia was less than fun, the beds hurt our backs, and we had to walk 8 flights of stairs to get to our room,

 OR

 I could tell you how every shower made me thankful for clean water, every night at the guest house reminded me of all of the people in Ethiopia that would sleep on the street that night.

I could complain about How we couldn't eat fruit or drink anything but bottled water while we were in Ethiopia, 

OR

 I could tell you how thankful I was for each meal we ate while we were there, because on the way to eat dinner each night we would pass beggar after beggar that had no idea when they would eat their next meal. 

I could complain how we had to walk somewhere to get wifi for our phones, 

OR

 I could tell you how ridiculous it seems now that I have an iPhone and check my email every 5 minutes. 

I could tell you how good it felt to finally get in my bed and take a hot shower when I got home. 

OR

 I could tell you about ridiculously big my house seems, how ridiculously full my pantry is and how ridiculous my life feels now.

I could tell you about how there are 30 kids ages 4-15 at the care center who's parents either passed away or had to give them up,  

OR

 I could tell you how they are some of the most amazing kids I have ever met, how they are all happy, and how I fell in love with every. single. one. of. them.    

I could tell you how the kids at the care center sleep 3-4 to a bed and tuck themselves in every night, 

OR

 I could tell you how tucking my boys into their very OWN beds last night made me want to cry. 

I could tell you about our interesting experience buying a goat, bringing it to the care center, and watching it slaughtered right in front of us,

OR

 I could tell you how excited every kid and nanny was about that goat, and how incredibly thankful they were because they rarely eat meat. 

I could tell you about everything these kids DONT have,

OR

I could tell you about how I saw kids stop, bow their heads, and pray thanking God over a cookie I had just handed them, and how shameful I feel that there are a lot of times I don't truly feel thankful for each meal that I put on our table. 

I could tell you some of the tragic stories of how these kids ended up in the care center,

OR

 I could tell you about how AMAZING the nannies are and how they give those kids SO much LOVE and treat them like they are their own! 

This trip changed my life in so many ways. I am now the mother to a beautiful 7 month old baby girl, I have seen poverty, hunger and disease that has totally changed me. I am in love with the country that my daughter came from. As much as I was ready to come home, I miss Ethiopia. I am forever grateful to the woman who is taking care of our daughter while we wait to bring her home.