Passport to Africa: Feb 16, 2010 The Embassy Appointment!

(After a bath, getting ready for the Embassy!)

This was the day we had been waiting for. The whole reason we we were in Ethiopia at that time. Abel picked us up later than normal and we went out for lunch. It was the first time that we had gotten to meet the other children from the new families. We definately needed a larger table. All the children are beautiful. It must be an Ethiopian thing. Gorgeous people all around. All the other children were older. No babies. After lunch we went to the US Embassy. There are no pictures of that. Taking pictures of the Embassy wasn't allowed. A security issue. We know all about that! So I will add pics of other things that were pertinent to our adoption.

(All dressed up and ready to go!)

Once at the Embassy we waited downstairs with several families not from BCS. After about an hour sitting downstairs, we headed upstairs waiting for our turn. As soon as we all got up, Yohanna made a mess in her pants. I couldn't take the chance of missing our appointment, so I tried to think quickly about what to do. I decided it was pretty safe to go in the very back of the room, where only our BCS families were sitting to change her pants. Yep, poor Yohanna was almost completely nude in the middle of the US Embassy!

(Right before Abel picked us up from our guest house)

With a new cleaner, happy, less smelly baby, they called our name. We went up to window 5 and met a man most likely in his 40's. A window. Kind of like a bank teller. I thought we would go back to some fancy office, where we would sit behind the desk as they asked us questions. But nope. Just like going to the bank. He asked us numerous questions and said, "You realize there are no givebacks now? She is yours forever." I almost cried. Happy, nervous tears, but I didn't. I bit my lip. I knew this man would be asking more questions if I started to cry right then and there. Then he asked us a question I didn't know the answer to. (It was regarding her personal story) He began to almost yell at Sisay, when he didn't know the answer either. I began to panic. The look on my face must have said it all. I began to pray: Please God. Please God. Please God. Please let everything be OK. And then the man looked at us and said this had nothing to do with us, and wouldn't affect her visa, but he should have known this answer. Then he stamped something, and told us that was all. Not even 10 minutes. Once sitting down, I think my legs went weak. And I said another prayer, thanking God it was over, and she was ours forever. I still thank God for that.....