Our Arrival

As I'm typing this, I'm sitting in bed at the guest house with all the windows and patio door open feeling the cool Ethiopian breeze. It's taken us a day, but I think our bodies are adjusting to the time change. I'm rested enough to update you guys on what has transpired so far. 

(Oh, we put the stinky suitcase on the balcony, in the sun... It smells soooo much better!)

At 10:30am on Thursday, we were taking off from D.C. on a direct flight to Addis Ababa. I think that's when it hit. I feel slightly frightened as I realized this was it. We were on our way to Ethiopia. We kept ourselves occupied on the flight, but every time I'd check our flight progress, I noticed I became more panicked the closer we got. 

When we landed, I had only a moment to be frightened before we went through the medical check, visa line, immigration line, currency exchange, through the baggage line, one more bag check, and finally out of the airport where we were greeted my Mr. M holding up a sign that said Bethany. Plus, Aubrey texted me a picture of him, so I knew what he looked like. I'll interject here and say that Mr. M is only 32. He is so friendly and full of energy. He made us feel right at home. 

We loaded up in the van and headed to the guest house. 

Driving in the capital of Ethiopia is wild! There are no specific lanes, everyone just weaves in and out and you're so close to other vehicles you could reach out the window and touch them. Car horns are also used quite frequently. People cross the street at any point in all the traffic, trusting that the vehicles will slow down long enough to cross. (Search on YouTube for traffic in Addis Ababa for an idea.)

We made it to the guest house and got settled in. M told us that we'd have Friday and most of Saturday to relax. Tonight, he's taking us for a traditional Ethiopian dinner. I believe we'll see some traditional dance too. 

He said his goodbye and KC and I found ourselves standing in the room. Tired, exhausted, and on an emotional high. 

We stood there quietly for some time. 

KC asked me how I was doing and what I was thinking. I just shrugged and said "I dunno". 

If you know me, you know I'm a talker. Happy, sad, angry, hungry... I talk. But I just had nothing to say in this moment. 

KC told me I was freaking him out and needed to say something. I told him I wasn't thinking anything and didn't have much to say. Hint: that was a lie. I was having a panic attack. 

I was all of a sudden terrified at how real this was. Of meeting her, of staying here alone with her, of traveling alone with her... I was shocked at how it was affecting me. 

After we started unpacking, I began to calm down. I then told KC that I had a moment of terror. He laughed and said so did he. 

I think we'd been waiting so long and the actual travel happened so quick, we didn't have a chance to digest it all until we were standing in a room 8,000 miles away from home. 

We talked about how different everything is going to be from this point on. Not just in the family aspect, but in another big way as we've felt that the finalization of the adoption is going to be a turning point for us. 

It's exciting and terrifying at the same time! But my wise husband said it best: That's what makes it so great. If it weren't so scary, everyone would do it. 

So here we are, in Ethiopia, waiting to meet our daughter. Knowing that once we get home, things will never be the same. 

And that is okay with us.  ❤️

About halfway through our flight. I promise KC isn't angry. Just tired. 

Sunrise as we were landing in Ethiopia 

View from our room

Sunrise Saturday morning 

Yummy breakfast this morning

Leaving on a jet plane!

I don't know about you, but I start singing that line like Steve Buscemi in Armageddon. Makes me giggle every time. 

Ok. Catch up time friends! 

I'm typing this while sitting at the airport in DC about to board a 15+ hour flight to Ethiopia. 

My last post was on January 30th. We had FINALLY gotten our positive recommendation letter. 

We had expected our court date the following week. However, the judge was out of town from Wednesday to Friday and we found out on Friday. Haha! 

Then, surprise surprise, our coordinator Mrs. J called me at 7am on Monday morning. Our court date was scheduled for the 19th! Only 10 days away. 

We jumped into what my sister called "survival mode". KC and I wrapped up work on Monday, ran last minute errands and spent a lot of time with the boys Tuesday, and hopped on a flight to DC on Wednesday, my birthday. 

Our flight to Ethiopia didn't leave until Thursday morning. (PS. Our TSA agent lady wished me a belated birthday after checking my passport. Hehe!)

So here we're sitting, waiting to fly to our daughters birth country. 

So many emotions! 

We'll arrive at 7am tomorrow. We'll get acclimated over the weekend, and will travel to the orphanage Mon...

Sorry. I was interrupted by my 7 year old texting me videos through wifi using our spare iPhone.  Haha!

We will travel to the orphanage on Monday, stay overnight, and head back to Addis on Tuesday and have 1 day of time before our court date. And she'll be officially a Collins. 

Eeek!

We are so thankful for you guys and for all the prayers. We couldn't have made it to this point without you guys. We can't wait to share pictures with you after next Thursday!! 

Surreal!

Guys. It’s been almost 8 hours since we found out that we finally cleared MOWA and received our positive recommendation letter.

 

It doesn’t feel real! I mean, we’re CRAZY excited, but after waiting for so long, I don’t think it’s fully set in that we’ll be leaving soon to meet our daughter and bring her home.

 

BRING. HER. HOME.

 

I don’t think it will hit until KC and I are sitting on that airplane about to fly out.

 

We’ve had a lot of you ask us what’s next. Well, we got our letter and the team immediately took it over to the courts so that we could be issued a court date.

 

It generally takes 1-3 days for the court to issue a court date.

 

And that’s it guys. 

 

Once we have our court date (probably by Monday or Tuesday), KC and I will be heading out. The last family that cleared MOWA had a court date of only 1 week out! They left almost immediately. So there’s a good chance we could be leaving by mid-week next week or at the latest the following week. Either way, we’ll be heading to Ethiopia in about a week and a half!

 

YAY!!!! I can’t believe it!

 

Now, once we clear court, that’s when we’ll be able to share her beautiful face with you guys!

 

KC will be coming home after court, while I stay in-country to get her passport, visa, and to finalize everything with the US embassy so that she’s a citizen as soon as we step foot on US soil. I could be there an additional 2-4 weeks. 

 

And then, we come home!!! ❤️

 

And I know everyone’s curious – we will be hunkering down at home for a few weeks before we go anywhere. This will give her time to adjust to us here at home and to get in a routine.

 

We’ll give everyone the opportunity to meet her at the airport before we begin our “cocooning”.

 

We want to be absolutely sure that it’s as smooth of a transition as possible for our girl. There will be some hard times over the next few weeks and months, but we’ll be here with her and for her. So please bear with us as we all adjust. 

 

We’re hers forever. 

  

 

PS: Here’s a link to “cocooning” if you’re interested in reading up on it. The main idea is that we are her providers – we will be giving her food, drink, hugs, kisses, taking care of boo-boo’s etc. for the foreseeable future. That way, she knows we’re going to take care of her. 

 

http://yestoadoption.blogspot.com/2012/04/what-is-cocooning-and-why-are-you-doing.html?m=1 

 

  

    

But He’s good

Friends,

 

Our agency just sent us a message stating that they were "expecting an update of some sort" on our case tomorrow. We don’t know what that means exactly…. My heart is about to beat outside of my chest. I’m getting excited.

 

A LARGE part of me doesn’t want to get excited because it’s likely that we really won’t hear anything. KC and I are at this place of “Do we allow ourselves to get a little excited? Or do we guard our heart just in case it turns out to be nothing”? Because seriously guys, this day to day is torture. 

 

It stinks finding yourself at that place. It really does.

 

But I know my God. And I know He is bigger than any update we may or may not get. He has the power to hold us when we’re scared and confused and heartbroken. He has the power to hold Bertie – to comfort her and let her know we ARE coming for her. Because we ARE coming for her.

 

Throughout this process, I find myself wanting to err on the side of caution; to be safe. Isn’t that what I’ve been doing? Trying to control the outcome? Guarding my heart? 

 

But that’s not what this is about. Following Christ isn’t about being safe. Saying yes in a BIG way is the furthest thing from safe. But it's so good guys. 

 

I think of the line in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (one of my favorite books) – “Safe?... Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good”.

 

Why am I just now realizing this?! I have no clue. Haha!

 

So even though my brain is telling me no, I’m going to keep hoping. Because my hope isn’t in a piece of paper or a court date. My hope is in a God who adores me and wants only the best for his little girl, and for my little girl.

 

So please friends, keep praying for our little family as we continue this uphill climb. We know the peak has to be close. And if not, He’s still good.

 

 

“Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything…” James 1:4