Back to Ethiopia

Usually the climax to a story happens in the middle or toward the end. But the climax of our Journey to Lulu happened early on Gotcha Day. The trip continued with the sweet opportunity to get to know our baby as well as the country of her birth.

Following meeting Luci May Rediet for the first time, we went to the American Embassy to file for her visa to bring her back to the States. This was a bit challenging since she was fussy for a good bit of that time. And I was really self-conscious around all the Ethiopians wanting to prove to them that I could be a good mother to this child I was taking from their country. Can I stop being a people-pleaser for just one second in my life, please?

The rest of the afternoon was spent gazing at Rediet. We couldn't get enough of her...
Side note: while we were in Ethiopia we referred to her as her given name Rediet (pronounced "Reh-deet") exclusively. For this reason, I will probably refer to her this way in most of my review of our trip. It was obvious that she recognized her name. It has been quite hard for me to make the transition to Luci May since we've been back. I love the name we chose and it is part of her new identity as a Kollar, but I hate that she has lost everything she has ever known including that bit of her identity. And the only thing she still has from her birth mother. Making the transition harder is that I can hear the special mothers say her name in my head with their beautiful Ethiopian accents. It is just another reminder of the grieving and loss of adoption along with the beauty of a new life. She is responding to Luci now and since Rediet is still part of her name, I'm doing better with it.

Hangin' at the hotel the first night...
My suitcase arrived late that afternoon, so I was glad to have fresh bibs and sassy clothes to put her in.

Our full first day together started with a bath. Daddy did the honors...
If you'll look closely, you'll notice she is spitting up in the bath tub. Figures.

Day two was shopping day. Since most agencies have an agreement with the Ethiopian government to not have families out in public, we were asked to leave her at the orphanage. This is no small feat for a family who has just being reunited with their daughter. But since I didn't trust Bill to do the shopping for me and he probably didn't trust me not to spend all our money, we did it. Here we are in the morning having breakfast...
Look what a cooperative shopper she would have been! After a fun day with our friends of shopping and eating Italian food (in Ethiopia??? I recommend the lasagna.) it was time to go back to the Orphanage. It was a sweet reunion...
And that my dear, is the last time you will stay at an orphanage. Unless you want to run one when you grow up.