Phone Call #1

First, let me make some corrections to what I wrote about our previous phone call. While it is true that the connection was crystal clear and great AND it is true that I have a bunch of Extreme Africa and Africa Plus+ phone cards; it is NOT true that one depended on the other for that call...It seems that in my excitement to call them yesterday, I wrote the guest house phone number on the back of one of the phone cards. Then, in my rush to call, I picked up my phone, looked at the back of the card and dialed...DIRECTLY! I totally forgot to use the code for the phone card! So, today, I made sure to follow the directions to call and lo and behold, it worked. The price, however, was a less than stellar connection, which started out with a series of fax-like beeps heard on both sides of the Atlantic.
Now that you know all about how to call/not call Africa using a phone card...
My husband reported that everything was going well on the ark. They went to Layla/Wanna this morning and met the kids. The Boy played with some of the boys there and commented to me, "Mom, there are a TON of babies in that little room!" This from a oldest of six children...
He said that Baby T is just a cutie and that he hasn't cried once. Even the Boy says that he just sits and smiles and plays with whatever you put in front of him. They did, however, go out for dinner, where Baby T threw up all over my husband as they exited the restaurant. Lucky for him, he's so cute! (the baby, that is---well, on second thought, I guess both of them!) H also added that he was asleep already when I called. Oh yes, (big grin) that means I talked to my new daughter today! Her voice was very quiet, but I know she said, "Hi, Mom!" We struggled to understand each other across the phone and language barrier. She also spoke to her new little sisters. When my husband got back on the phone, he said it had been a very busy day. He said H's emotions run the gamut from happy to sad and back again throughout the day. He also said that she (our shy, quiet girl) has many friends at Layla and is very sad to leave them. (Anyone looking to adopt a school aged Ethiopian girl?) H came in to tell him she was getting sleepy and ready for bed, while carrying the soft teddy bear my mother-in-law gave her. Apparently, she has carried it around with her all day. He also said that she had, for the first time at Layla, her hair braided and how beautiful she looked.
My heart just aches for her--to have joy battling such tremendous sadness is daunting for an adult, let alone for an 8 year old girl.
They are planning, for tomorrow, to go back to visit and play at Layla some and shop a little and get lunch before going to their embassy appointment in the afternoon. Then, on Thursday, the AAI's Ethiopian social worker has arranged for a visit to a relative's home to meet some of the extended family. Please keep all of them in your prayers for this difficult but important visit. I'm hoping to talk to them again tomorrow. Check back here, same time-same place for an update!