Addis (All things new)

Istanbul, Turkey Airport

"Has it hit you yet?"

Hmmm, actually.....not really! But it should, right? We are within 20 hours of picking up our daughter and embarking on a new life together. Forever. And that is good and great and wonderful. And I can't wait to see her and hold her and play with her.

But something about this seems so unreal. Maybe it is because of all of the ups and downs that we have experienced throughout this journey. (I'm pretty sure that is why)I think a part of me, even though it is not rational, still might not believe that this is all really happening and that Y really is my daughter until I see her again. I realized this week that it has been eight months since I last saw her. Sure, I have seen pictures, but I see pictures of people's cute adopted kids from Ethiopia all of the time.

The craziness of life in the last month has contributed to the strange feelings as well. I have wrapped up my job of six years (well, mostly......a project or two hang over!), started a new one, and tried to plan for life with a three year old (but how do you really do that?). I was literally sending work emails until the cabin crew forced me off of the computer. And now? Now I am dreaming of macciatos, reunions with friends and one super cute little girl! (added bonus: N's sister, who is working in Kabul, will be joining us at some point on our jouney!!!)

It's all good, it's just all new!

World AIDS Day---December 1st

(Photo repeat, but it's important!)

I remember when I first learned about HIV/AIDS. It was scary. It was incurable and people I didn't know got it. Then someone I did know had it. And he lived next door to me, and then he passed away. It was the 80's and no one knew better and I remember his family burning his clothing and mattress "just in case."

Cut to 1999. One of the best things about my Bible college was our required volunteer work in the great city of Chicago. My eyes were continually opened and challenged by both the needs and the beauty of such a rich city. I was assigned a year of volunteering at a home for children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. I remember when the head nurse told me that one of the babies was infected (let's disregard that HIP AA violation). I remember crying and praying over the baby every week while I rocked him.

2002--Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. My friend Julie regularly volunteered at the Mother Teresa home for HIV infected children. I went with her to visit and play with the kids. It was a day full of fun and sadness. I distinctly remember thinking how amazing it would be to one day spend more intensive time in a home like that just loving the kids and caring for them.

2008--Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Same orphanage, same kids, six years later. We played so much and laughed so much and some days I would forget just how sick they were/are. And then the nightly rounds of medicine would come around and in the quietness (well, kinda quietness) of the toddler room, I would think about how precious the kids were and how tragic and ugly it was that they were sick.

...and now when I think about that ugly, scary incurable disease, I don't think that it happens to people so different than myself. Because I know names and faces and personalities of so, so many infected and affected. And it is so very personal now.

Developmental Checklist: Success!!!

Last week I was reading a list of developmental milestones for three year olds. One of the milestones says that at three years of age you should be able to slide down the slide by yourself. Check! Yitayal has been ruling the playground far longer than that! One of my first memories of her was seeing her on top of the slide (all alone) screaming and waving at a friend. Um, she wasn't even two then. Nice.

We leave to pick up the fearless one on the 6th of December. It is totally surreal!

The sweetest day; we passed court!!!!

With great joy Nathan and I are so happy to introduce you to our precious little girl!


Yitayal Sofia Haines
Born August 3rd 2006
Officially in our family November 18th 2009
We will travel to pick her up on December 5th!

Her name:

Yitayal: meaning "the one who is seen." Given to her by her birth mother
Sofia: meaning "God sees" (in Amharic) and "wisdom" in English. Given to her by us!

With deepest joy,
Richelle and Nathan

The day before the most important day

Today is (see above title).
Wow.
We are almost near to what N and I feel to be the most important day of our married life. Y might officially join our family tomorrow. She has been in our hearts and minds for so long now.

I was thinking yesterday about a trip to California that N and I took in January. We had been contacted by Gladney earlier that month. Gladney said that they didn't think that she had the necessary documents for adoption. They would contact us shortly. I was in a lovely hotel enjoying the lovely weather, when the unlovely news arrived. Our caseworker called to say that after evaluating the "case" of Y, it did not seem that we could adopt her. We were shocked (because she had no known family and had lived in an orphanage her whole life), saddened and also pretty darn determined to figure out what else could be done.

That same day we received a set of four photos of her. Our first in six months.

Joy, elation, heartache, paperwork, investigation, trips to Addis, crying, more heartache and now tomorrow.

Sweet tomorrow.

Healthy Living means...

Weekend Update: House guests, cupcakes and THE wedding!

Seriously the best house guest ever! Chantal's family in from France!
Here they are! The best couple ever! (Feel free to use this caption for the photo below!)

the cupcakes....here is one flavor!

PS: Can anyone tell that I don't know how to put captions under photos?