Nap Time With Angelo

Family life is every bit as wonderful (and tiring) as we have imagined 😊.  We arrived yesterday with the 3 other adoptive families we met last trip. We landed about 7:45 in the morning local time (Ethiopia is now 8 hours ahead since daylight savings time ended). We the went to the place we're staying to drop off our things and repack our "travel bag" into a true diaper bag. We then drove to Adama to the orphanage.

We spent a few hours playing with the kids, talking with the nannies and capturing some memories before traveling back to Addis in our van with our children.  It was an especially emotional time for everyone - especially for the nannies and the orphanage director, Selam, who had named most of the children herself.  As our van drove out the orphanage gates, there were tears and many emotions.

Honestly, we had expected this transition to be super difficult for Angelo but so far we have been pleasantly surprised how relaxed he seems. What a delight to hear his giggles and to bathe his precious little frame. We are doing our best to follow the training we received regarding attachment and bonding but we are humbled to see, yet again, from another angle, how dependent we are on God to work healing in this boy's life.  While every adoption story is unique, any child who has been adopted has experienced loss, grief, brokenness in some form. But beauty does come - wholeness emerges. Because a story that begins with brokeness will end in redemption when submitted to God's purposes and design.

We know that God designed children to live in families and we are so thankful He fashioned Angelo to live in ours.

This morning we held up our right hands in an oath that we have been truthful in every aspect of our pursuit of parenting this child. Papers were stamped, notes made, legal papers received.  Tomorrow we expect to receive our son's visa and prepare to board an airplane with our 3rd passenger in tow.  As we journey it is just the beginning of the story - the many adventures God has in store for our family, and our children's children.  By His grace, it will be a story of healing, redemption, and joy.