Biggest, bestest, most exciting news YET!!!!!

I remember special ordering a sweatshirt for my mom years ago for Christmas, that had a picture of my dog Hannah on it. This was when I first adopted Hannah, in 2001. The shirt had a caption that said: "You mean to tell me I'm the proud grandmother of a.... dog??!!??" My mom loved that sweatshirt and wore it with pride until the picture faded.... Well, it's time to get a NEW sweatshirt people because......

My mom landed in Addis 2 hours ago!!!

Tomorrow, she will be going to the care center to meet my (soon to be) daughter, her (soon to be) first granddaughter of the human species!!!

She is bringing a video camera!!!

The reason my mom gets to do this is because, way before I even mentioned the word "adoption", she had accepted a job in Ethiopia. She is an "educational tour guide" and takes people to really neat places on tours for the Smithsonian Museum, where they hear lectures and visit ruins and so forth. She usually goes to Thailand, Egypt, Oxford and such. This is her first trip to Ethiopia.

Originally, we had discussed my going along with her, as the airfare on Ethiopian Airways was two-for one during the month of March. Unfortunately, because of my surgery, it worked out that I couldn't go. Both because I'm still healing (and in pain) and also because I can't take so much time off of work. My team already covered for me while I was out on sick leave, and they will be covering for me during my maternity leave also. I just couldn't ask them, nor do I have that much time accrued, to cover for me for yet another week.

But my mother getting to go is the next best thing.

I have sent her with a list of questions to ask about my daughter, as well as strict instructions not to be the "pushy American". I read somewhere that the Ethiopians are a quieter type inter personally and sometimes see Americans as loud and obnoxious (they wouldn't be the only culture to view us as such, frankly...). My mom (who for her job has learned to get things done and be assertive) is going to have to be the utmost of diplomatic and charming - traits she is also blessed to have.

She will be calling me tomorrow morning after having met her granddaughter for the first time! This will be my first information of what her little personality is like. I wonder.... is she a happy baby? A scared or anxious baby? From the pictures she looks alert and curious, yet almost zen-like in her expression. How accurate is my reading on her from just some pictures?

I can't wait for the video!!!!!

So mom will be all over Ethiopia for 2 weeks. She gets to spend time tomorrow at the care center, and then the next day takes her group of participants to various different locations and tribes. After about 14 days, she will return to Addis for 2 more days, and hopefully get to be with my daughter some more. She is bringing one suitcase for herself, and one suitcase full of donations for various orphanages. Thanks to all those who donated!

I' ll be posting as soon as I can on what her little personality is like..... tomorrow morning, tune in.