We landed in Dubai on Friday the 18th and had an entire day to peruse the area. We enjoyed the opulent sites from the man-made islands to the Burj Khalifa and even walked through the pristine white sands and dipped our toes into the Persian Gulf. Saw and even went into the world largest mall, The Dubai Mall where you can do, be, and have anything from your wildest dreams and an incredible water show that makes the Bellagio jealous. The police drive Lamborghinis, Mercedes, BMW, and other insanely fast and ridiculously expensive vehicles and you can even get fined for driving a dirty vehicle (yes, seriously!)
The next day we boarded a plane that took us to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the country's largest city and capital and it was vastly different than our experience in Dubai. We were greated by a driver and a staff member of our adoption agency once we left the airport and immediately you could tell things were vastly different. We got into the car and were told it was late in the day we could rest and see the girls the following day or head directly there. I am sure you can imagine our choice!
The city somehow crams FIVE million people into every nook and cranny imaginable! There was never a space without a body as far as you could look down into streets and alleys. It was incredible the number of people creating an almost beehive scene as we drove down the streets. Here there are also no laws regarding driving other than "it's always your fault". Cars make there own lanes as 95% of the time there are no lines on the road and you find yourself on what should be a 2 or 3 lane highway 5-6 cars wide. Insanity doesn't describe it. And if that chaos wasn't enough, people cross the highways at pretty much any time or place they feel and remember, it's always the drivers fault! Basically imagine human Frogger meets apocalyptic city escape and you somewhat can begin to fathom the craziness one encounters on the roadways of Addis. I was ever so thankful for our brilliantly skilled driver who was able to edge between cars with a paper, and I am not exaggerating, paper thin space on both sides. (Read...I was terrified every time we got in a vehicle HA HA HA!) We would of had to have walked everywhere if driving had been left to us!
After much traffic, dust and smog inhalation, and curious onlookers inspections at we "frengies" (white people), we arrived at a quite cobbled lane filled with private residences, schools, and our children's only home they know so far.
The staff member accompanied us and knocked quietly on the gate and we were met with friendly "selam" and ushered in. Children were running around giggling, playing, some were a bit upset with one another, but in general a beautiful site that reminded me of recess at a schoolyard. The girls either recognized us from photos or were told by nannies but they ran calling us "Mama", "enat"(sister) and "Babba" and ran with arms opened. This moment was beyond what we expected or hoped for. Although we knew and were prepared for EVERY woman and man to be called "mama" and "babba" it was amazing how warm they were to us allowing us to hold and hug on them. We were expecting a more standoffish greeting, but that was a treasured moment and reception that overwhelmed this longing mama's heart!
Even though I was THERE, holding my girls, showering them with hugs and kisses, it still felt dreamlike. After all, for almost 8 years I imagined holding a child not of my womb but of my heart and it was finally here. Since I beheld their faces in our referral email on April 24th, 2015, I imagined their faces, their smiles, their personalities, what our first meeting would be like, ranging from magical to horrible, I had ran through umpteen scenarios. I had imagined them for so long, it was hard to recognize this moment as anything other than a daydream, but praise God it was real, genuine, and finally happening!
