Goodbye Addis Ababa

Finally - we have made it to our last day in Ethiopia. Genet is busy this morning running around the hotel saying goodbye to everyone. She gives hugs to the lifeguard, the bellman, the restaurant hostess, the waitress named Genet and the lady who sits in the lobby and makes the traditional coffee. We will have one last swim and then pack to go over to the orphanage to take the bus to the airport with Kim and Simenesh. Two other families who stayed at the orphanage over the past ten days will be on our same flight. One couple from Florida came here with their two elementary school age children and they adopted a baby and a three year old so they are returning to the states as a family of six.

Simenesh has adjusted beautifully to Kim and Genet and is such a happy baby. Hopefully that will continue for the fifteen hour flight to Washington D.C. ! We will have a very long layover in D.C. And arrive in Minneapolis in the late afternoon on Wednesday. Thank you all for being along with us on this amazing adventure!







On the way to our last swim!







Last hug for the Bellman!

Hi!!! This is Kim! We are just a couple of days from heading home. I just wanted to share some fun pictures with you from these last few days. Simenesh is crazy about her grandma (!) and shares her sweet smile with her when she is held. Genet definitely makes her giggle and I can't wait to see them at home as they get to know each other better. Here are pictures of different houses. The first one is the house where Simenesh was born, called a tukul in small village outside Wolisso. The second house is from Genet's part of the country and is a Hadiya house- that is Genet's ethnic group. Simenesh's ethnic group is called Oromo. It has been fun learning about the differences and similarities. Thank you so much for reading about our experience and for sending so many thoughts and prayers our way. We definitely feel the love! Love, Kim


Sorry, Kim's photos would not download. Here are some pictures of how I try to keep a four year busy for 12 hours during the day when the little toes are too sore to go swimming!














The abandoned miniature golf course is Genet's favorite place to play.

We were not able to change our tickets to come back early so we decided to sign up for a tour of the Blue Nile Gorge. It was only about 180 miles away but we were on the road from 7:30 am until 6:00 pm. We had to cross mountains, rocky roads and share the road with people, cattle, donkeys, goats and baboons! Genet was especially excited about the baboons. When we stopped at one place, Genet was surrounded by children selling baskets. She was so happy that they were all trying to give her presents. :). We stopped at a monastery that serves as the center of the Christian church in Ethiopia. Simenesh will probably be moved into Kim's room some time tomorrow so this will be Kim's last outing.































Blue Nile Gorge

In Ethiopia, when we Americans ask what time an event will happen, the answer sometimes is "In the morning or if not, then in the afternoon". The traditional coffee ceremony was scheduled for Friday but suddenly on Thursday, Gennie and I had to get over to the orphanage because it was taking place that afternoon. The older children at the orphanage performed some dances and sang some songs. One little boy who is being adopted by one of the families in our group said a prayer and I was asked to cut the bread for the ceremony (probably because I was the elder of our tribe!)

KIm, Genet and Simenesh with Simenesh's nanny getting ready for the ceremony.

A beautiful day in Addis Ababa. The mornings are perfect with 60 degree weather and totally sunny skies. Gennie and I picnic in our room for breakfast - I am so glad I brought peanut butter with us! She can't wait to get to the pool but the hours and hours a day in the pool have been hard on her toes! The concrete has worn little blisters on them.





Kim and Simenesh are spending more and more time together and Simenesh smiles whenever she looks at Kim. She is a real sweet baby.







Tomorrow is our last event -the goodbye coffee ceremony. The Embassy is processing the visa documents today instead of next Monday as originally planned so we are hoping we might be able to change our tickets and come home earlier.

We are sorry to hear about the bad storms in the States. Hope all of you are not experiencing bad weather. Wish we could send some of this sunshine home!


-Very Grateful

-Very Grateful
We visited the US Embassy today and finished the last of the paperwork! It is completely official now. No pictures allowed at the Embassy. Latest pool news - we met a wonderful couple from Ann Arbor. They are here teaching for four months.

We visited the orphanage and met all the other families adopting children this week. Genet was really good with Simenesh and loved playing with her. Simenesh loves to interact with Genet and is very happy. She makes cute little sounds and laughs easily. We met one family who brought their two children (8 and 11) to Ethiopia and they are adopting a 10 month old and a four year old! That should be a wild plane ride back!

Kimberly went shopping with all the families In the afternoon but Genet opted for more swimming and making more new friends. The life guard was very surprised that Genet could swim and blows his whistle for her when she walks by because she is very impressed by his whistle. Genet has also befriended the lady who sits in the lobby and provides traditional coffee service to guests. The smells and sounds of Addis include the aroma of the fire for the coffee preparation, the coffee and the amplified sounds we hear throughout the city of the call to prayer.