We have been home together as a family of five for one month and two weeks. Desi is bonding very well with us. Her brother and sister are so proud and always want to play with her. Her checkup at the doctor went well, but she did have Giardia. We had to give her medication that she didn't like and we didn't like giving her. We will collect samples this week and send them to be tested to see if she is rid of the little parasite. fingers crossed!
She is eating and sleeping like a champ!
Here is the video of our journey!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
We're Home!!!!
We had to make a fast trip to ET, but it was well worth the trip. Desirae Genet is now home with us forever. Here are a few pictures to help you picture our jouney.
Last picture as a family of four.
Ethiopian airlines non-stop from Dulles.
Leaving HH with our new little Desirae!!
Cloud Nine!
First picture as a family of five.
All three kids together. Got to LOVE it!!!
Tony
Last picture as a family of four.
Ethiopian airlines non-stop from Dulles.
Leaving HH with our new little Desirae!!
Cloud Nine!
First picture as a family of five.
All three kids together. Got to LOVE it!!!
Tony
Friday, August 12, 2011
MOWA & Embassy
My head is swimming to say the least. I started my first golf season as the head coach. My boys are playing very well and I am excited for the rest of the season. On July 29 we got our MOWA letter submitted to our file and then they forwarded our file on to the embassy. Well, on Aug 11th we recieved an e-mail from the US embassy and we have been CLEARED to pick up our daughter. Our embassy date is Aug 16th... Can you say CRAZY??? We have been packing, buying, planning and packing some more.
Here we come Baby Girl!!! On Sunday you will be in our arms forever!
Our Family of 4 is now a Family of 5.
Can't wait for you all to meet our sweet little girl.
Tony
Here we come Baby Girl!!! On Sunday you will be in our arms forever!
Our Family of 4 is now a Family of 5.
Can't wait for you all to meet our sweet little girl.
Tony
Friday, July 29, 2011
Boat Trip!!
Ok, the afternoon outing was a trip to Lake Awassa to see Hippo’s. Carrie was so excited and couldn’t wait to snap some photos of the large river horses. We only had to drive about ten minutes south of Sheshamene to the lake town of Hawassa. When we arrived to the lake our leader talked to the tour boat company and booked a boat trip for us to see the Hippo’s up close.
The boats were very small and water seeped between the wooden boards that is was made from.
There was a small motor that pushed us through the water at about ten mph. It took us about thirty minutes to arrive at the place the Hippo’s where hanging out at. The boat driver was inching us closer to the animals than I felt comfortable being. See I could remember something from watching “Jack Hannah’s Into The Wild” Hippo’s kill more people in Africa than any other animal. They are very territorial, have a bad temper and can move very fast, even in water.
I was relieved when the driver started the engine and turned us back toward the dock. We arrived back at shore just as the sun disappeared behind the mountain tops.
The next morning we woke early and joined three of the ESL teachers on their road trip back to Addis.
The boats were very small and water seeped between the wooden boards that is was made from.
There was a small motor that pushed us through the water at about ten mph. It took us about thirty minutes to arrive at the place the Hippo’s where hanging out at. The boat driver was inching us closer to the animals than I felt comfortable being. See I could remember something from watching “Jack Hannah’s Into The Wild” Hippo’s kill more people in Africa than any other animal. They are very territorial, have a bad temper and can move very fast, even in water.
I was relieved when the driver started the engine and turned us back toward the dock. We arrived back at shore just as the sun disappeared behind the mountain tops.
The next morning we woke early and joined three of the ESL teachers on their road trip back to Addis.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Trip to Sheshemane!
The last day we had to spend with our daughter was Wednesday the 13th. We made plans to head down to Sheshemane to visit the school that our church youth group raised money to have built. We decided it only made sense to visit the village while we were already in the country. It is a four hour drive and it is not safe to drive in the country at night (cows, goats, donkeys & people). So, this means that we had to leave our daughter at about one o’clock. That was really hard to do; we just wanted to take her with us.
We met our driver at the hotel and we were off for Southern Ethiopia. The schools are closed for the same months that schools are closed here in the US. The teachers of the schools were taking ESL classes, which are taught by teachers from the US.
We met up with the ESL teachers at the hotel in Sheshemane and talked with man in charge of the school building ministry. He informed us that he would pick us up at 7:00am to head out to the village our school was being built in.
We got up early and dressed warm for the mountain air. The trip took two hours by landrover, one hour on paved road and one hour on gravel/dirt road to get to the town of Kokosa.
From this point we had to walk about one and a half hours out into the hillsides until we arrived at the village the school was being built in. Wow, it looked awesome! The frame work, roof, windows and doors are all complete. They only need to mud the walls, finish the floor and build the desks. Many of the children that lived nearby had to come and see who was visiting their new school. 
Table Tennis in Kokosa.
The next day we joined the ESL teachers and observed them in their classrooms. They were teaching in classrooms that had no electricity, no plumbing and cows were used to keep the grass cut low.
After noon all the teachers and students went to meet in the large gathering room. Three teachers were flying home the next day so there was a ceremony and gifts of traditional clothes for them. Well they also did the samething for Carrie and I. We were very surprised since we were just visiting and not teaching.
There was a fun trip planned for that evening and wait till you hear what we did.
Tony
We met our driver at the hotel and we were off for Southern Ethiopia. The schools are closed for the same months that schools are closed here in the US. The teachers of the schools were taking ESL classes, which are taught by teachers from the US.
We met up with the ESL teachers at the hotel in Sheshemane and talked with man in charge of the school building ministry. He informed us that he would pick us up at 7:00am to head out to the village our school was being built in. We got up early and dressed warm for the mountain air. The trip took two hours by landrover, one hour on paved road and one hour on gravel/dirt road to get to the town of Kokosa.
From this point we had to walk about one and a half hours out into the hillsides until we arrived at the village the school was being built in. Wow, it looked awesome! The frame work, roof, windows and doors are all complete. They only need to mud the walls, finish the floor and build the desks. Many of the children that lived nearby had to come and see who was visiting their new school. 
Table Tennis in Kokosa.
The next day we joined the ESL teachers and observed them in their classrooms. They were teaching in classrooms that had no electricity, no plumbing and cows were used to keep the grass cut low.
After noon all the teachers and students went to meet in the large gathering room. Three teachers were flying home the next day so there was a ceremony and gifts of traditional clothes for them. Well they also did the samething for Carrie and I. We were very surprised since we were just visiting and not teaching.There was a fun trip planned for that evening and wait till you hear what we did.
Tony
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Visits, Exploring and Leaving our girl.
In the next couple of days the time seemed to fly by. We spent time running around town with our cab driver Sissay.
We met a lot of really nice and helpful people in the city. We bought fresh produce from the venders that set up shop on the side of the road. The bananas were smaller than what we find in the US by they were every bit as good. The price was perfect as well, 8 birr per kilo.
We visited the lime tree restaurant, which serves American dishes. There was one evening that we had dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant with the other adopting families that were in ET to meet their children.
We went to our court appointment to hear that she is officially our daughter but we were still waiting on a letter from MOWA before our paperwork passes court and moves on to US embassy. After court we went to eat at an Italian restaurant followed up by shopping for some traditional clothing for our children.
When we learned of the dates we would be traveling to ET. Carrie contacted the ministry that our youth group and church has been working with to build schools in southern remote villages. The ministry had eight American English teachers working with the local school teachers by teaching ESL classes. They sent the travel company driver north to pick Carrie and me up from the Riviera on our last scheduled day. The last day to visit our daughter was so hard! We love every cute thing about her and just wanted to take her with us. I spoke with Almaz (director) and explained that we were headed to southern ET, but only after she had asked for our trip details and when we were flying out. She was excited for us to take the trip. She told us to be careful because we now have three children that are depending on us.
We had an amazing time in the southern region and I can’t wait to share all of the amazing details… soon.
Tony
We met a lot of really nice and helpful people in the city. We bought fresh produce from the venders that set up shop on the side of the road. The bananas were smaller than what we find in the US by they were every bit as good. The price was perfect as well, 8 birr per kilo.
We visited the lime tree restaurant, which serves American dishes. There was one evening that we had dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant with the other adopting families that were in ET to meet their children.
We went to our court appointment to hear that she is officially our daughter but we were still waiting on a letter from MOWA before our paperwork passes court and moves on to US embassy. After court we went to eat at an Italian restaurant followed up by shopping for some traditional clothing for our children.
When we learned of the dates we would be traveling to ET. Carrie contacted the ministry that our youth group and church has been working with to build schools in southern remote villages. The ministry had eight American English teachers working with the local school teachers by teaching ESL classes. They sent the travel company driver north to pick Carrie and me up from the Riviera on our last scheduled day. The last day to visit our daughter was so hard! We love every cute thing about her and just wanted to take her with us. I spoke with Almaz (director) and explained that we were headed to southern ET, but only after she had asked for our trip details and when we were flying out. She was excited for us to take the trip. She told us to be careful because we now have three children that are depending on us.
We had an amazing time in the southern region and I can’t wait to share all of the amazing details… soon.
Tony
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