For Your Viewing Pleasure

At least he's in a good mood when he wakes up at 4 o'clock in the morning ready to go...

Everything Looks a Little Different

That's what I woke up this morning thinking... Even though we are in the same house we've been in for the past three years, with the arrival of Bikila and the perspective of being a new mom, everything looks a little bit different, but in a very good way.

We arrived home Monday evening and have been busy settling in for the past two days. I have so much to say, but I I'll let the pictures speak for themselves for now. We're all adjusting well and when we get our internal clocks reset, I think things will get a lot easier. These are just a few of our days in Ethiopia together... Many more will follow in the weeks to come.

Just minutes after being placed in our arms for the first time... He's a huge cuddle bug.

In the cab on the way back to our guesthouse... I'm crazy excited, Dave's in a bit of disbelief, and Bikila's a little scared.

Grandma and Bikila

The new family... Getting to know eachother.

Learning about drinking water... He's learned quickly.

Our first morning together.

He has quite the personality.

Bath time... He loves it.

Beautiful Boy. Beautiful Country.

We are on day number five of eleven in this amazing country and day number four with our son. I have completely fallen in love with both. Both are beautiful inside and out.

All that we have experienced in the past several days is slowly, very slowly, sinking in...

Our son is absolutely beautiful and amazing.

He seems to be coming out of his shell more and more every day, and I am becoming more and more comfortable being his mother.

The first time we saw his personality in full swing was at four o'clock the morning the night we brought him home; He had a bottle and then decided it was time to party. Full of laughter, smiles, and trust falls on to Dave's and my bodies he showed us just a glimpse of the joy he will bring. Until this little "party" he had been very serious and very clingy. The first time he saw us in the care center, he cried, great big tears. We caught him in a dirty diaper right before nap time and strange faces were not what he was looking for. After a 1.5 hour nap, during which we spent time loving on all the other kids, he was placed in our arms for the first time. Much to my surprise, I did not bawl. I just gave him a great big smile and kiss on the cheek. The bawling waited until later that night when we were all lying in bed and he was sleeping on my chest. Both Dave and I gushed over how wonderful he is and how lucky we are to have this amazing boy in our lives and, cried tears of disbelief of how in love we are with him.

I was told several times throughout the process that all of the pain of waiting goes away when they're in your arms and as much as that didn't help during "the wait", it is 100% true.

The next morning my mom and Dave left on their 5 day trip to see the region of Ethiopia where Bikila is from. Bikila was asleep when they left and I think he was very sad when he woke up and Dave wasn't here... Sort of along the lines of, "I thought last night may have been a little too good to be true." I'll be anxious to see how he responds when they get back tomorrow.

Speaking of they, my mom and Dave get back tomorrow. I've talked to Dave every day so far and it sounds like they're having an amazing trip. I've only be able to get a few details here it there, so I can't wait to see hear all of the details when they get back.

In regards to this country, I've only seen a VERY small bit of it and its people and I'm in love. They are so warm and friendly and beautiful. Without the manager at the guesthouse, who is a young man in his early twenties, and the ladies who cook and take care of other household chores, I'm not sure I would have survived these 4 days without my mom and Dave. They've taken such good care of Bikila and me. As if we were family.

This is just a glimpse of our first several days here. As time passes, I'm sure I'll better be able to articulate my experience and just how amazing it has been. Due to the slow internet connection, I won't be able to post pictures until we return, but trust me, they'll be worth the wait.

On the Eve

On the eve of our departure, my emotions are whirling. It's one of those times I wish I could bottle up this moment for future reflection and use; one of those times where I am quite certain I'll never feel this way again... It's an amazing feeling.

I seem to transition from an ear-to-ear grin to tears in a matter of seconds, 95% of them are tears of joy and 5% is a mixture of nervousness, excitement, and a dab of fear mix in. I try to imagine what I'll feel like in approximately 72 hours when we see our boy for the first time. Will I cry? Will I laugh? Will I stare with my jaw on the floor in shock? Will Little Bee cry? Will he smile? Will he stare in shock and fear? Whatever our reactions might be, I trust it will be amazing and like nothing else we've ever experienced or felt before.

The time is finally here.

Seriously?!?!

Can he get any cuter? Every time I see him I feel like he gets cuter and I just got off the phone with the family who took these pictures and they say the pictures "don't do him justice. He's even cuter in person!" How can that be?!?! Yes, I'm going to be that gushy mom for a moment...

In these pictures he's holding the stuffed donkey and picture book we sent over with another family who was picking up their son. It is so surreal to see him holding something that was once in our hands, the one of him holding the picture of our dogs made me particularly emotional... It makes this dream seem all the more real. I can't imagine what it will be like one week from now.

So Close I Can Almost Feel It

One week from today we will board a plane to Ethiopia. There is a part of me that can't believe it and part of me that is already over there and has been since we started the process 10 months and 4 days ago. Not that I've been counting... Either way the day is almost here; It's so close I can almost feel it!

There's a part of me over the past week that has been mourning the closing of this chapter in our lives. The chapter where it was just Dave and me, and of course the dogs too. Over the past 6.5 years of our marriage and 8 years of knowing each other we have done and experienced so much, we've had such wonderful times, we have shared so much and grown so much as individuals and as a couple. The highlights have been, meeting each other, getting engaged, receiving my Master's, getting our first puppy (Riley), buying our first house, getting married (obviously), getting our second puppy (Wallace), moving from Michigan to Colorado, selling our first house, buying our second house, traveling to Napa Valley (twice), BVI, Mexico (twice), Macedonia, Croatia, and Grand Cayman, cooking and eating lots of good food and drinking lots of good wine. The struggles have been losing our rears on selling our first house, dealing with infertility, losing a job, handling a miscarriage, and starting a new business. It's been amazing. All of it; The highlights and the struggles.

On January 20th, our son will be in our arms and a new chapter will begin. We're ready, or at least as ready as we'll ever be as people say. Our hearts are open, our house is child proofed (I think), the diapers and formula are bought, the bags will be packed this weekend. This new chapter is so close I can almost feel it and I can't wait to see what highlights and struggles lie ahead.

Babymoon

Is it me, or is this a new term? I hadn't heard it until a couple of months ago... I'm still trying to decide whether or not I like it. I like the idea, I'm just not sure if I like the term. Anyway, Dave and I took our 'babymoon' this past weekend. On our way home from Phoenix we stopped in Santa Fe, one of our favorite places on Earth, and spent a night at 10,000 Waves.

We were actually turned on to this little slice of heaven by my brother and his wife 3 years ago when we first moved back to Colorado and have returned three times since. We. Love. It.

When we realized we wouldn't be traveling to pick up Little Bee over the holidays we knew it would be the perfect getaway before becoming a family of three. Complete with a very nice room and 90 minutes in the most beautiful hot tub you can imagine.

Wally chilling on the day bed after an exhausting time in Phoenix. Yes, they allow dogs. They even put dog bed and treats in the room for them. All the more reason to love this place.

Our private Japanese style shower in our private tub "compound". You sit on that little wooden bench and fill that bucket up with a press of a button, then dump the water over your head. Surprisingly, it's a very nice way of showering.

Dave relaxing in his tub.

The view from our tubs back to the shower/sauna room.

After soaking and relaxing in our tub for 90 minutes, we ordered-in Indian food, opened a delicious bottle of wine, and lounged in our kimonos.

The cherry on top of our already perfect evening was checking our e-mail and getting a copy of Little Bee's birth certificate. His last name is officially Hurlbert and we are officially his parents. He is ours. We are his.

Here the picture that is stapled to his birth certificate... All kids coming home have their heads shaved. I miss his curls, but love seeing his perfect little round head. It makes his already perfect eyes and lips even more beautiful.

So, like I said, I'm not sure if I like the term "babymoon", but I do know I certainly liked ours'...