Journal Excerpt
After crashing last nite we awoke refreshed and ready for our last day here in Ethiopia. Yesterday was so exhausting and emotional yet so amazing and wonderful. I will treasure the memories from that day forever in my heart.
We headed to the market to shop. I have been looking forward to hitting the market all week. I love to shop especially like this! I could have spent the day there (or 2) instead of just the quick couple of hours. We purchased treasures for Bristol, treats for the kiddos back home, for us, and for the g-parents who helped wrangle our troops awaiting our arrival.
After the market, we stopped at the coffee shop. Joey came strolling out to the van where some of us were waiting with a piping hot cup of joe. He said the lady inside would be ok with him bringing a sip to his wife. I guess she knew he was going to buy pounds of it:) Well, the moral of the story is...who knew I liked coffee? best stuff I ever tasted...no joke. it wasn't black or anything. quite doctored up actually and it was yummy. Guess it took Africa and Ethiopia and Bristol to get me to share a cup with my hubby. I already have a sweet tea addiction so this one will not get the best of me. Just a taste here and there.
We hurried back to the HOH2 for our traditional lunch/dinner and coffee ceremony. (good thing I had already decided coffee was for me). Our amazing cook had prepared all Ethiopian foods, eaten in injera, with no utensils. Joey is a huge injera fan, I can only handle it in very small doses.
With the foods still fresh in our stomachs it was time for the coffee ceremony which includes a huge bowl of popcorn. must say again...incredible coffee and best popcorn (tasted like kettle corn).
After finishing stuffing and drinking ourselves we talked with our in-country coordinator Tseguy about all our kids. He is amazing and knows so much about each child.
We did some last minute hanging out with our friends we'd made on this awesome journey and we finished packing our bags for home.
And it was once again time to eat. We were having an early dinner so we could get to the airport on time. Tonite we were served homemade Ethiopian pizza. So good.
Airport here we come. How cool to have traveling home buddies Gina, Angie, and lil Eden Jane with us for the adventure back to Tennessee. All smooth at drop of to airport. Line short to check in and then BAM...airline can't find Bristol's ticket in their system (which we had confirmed just a few days prior). After slight heart failure and realization that we might be in for another nite here...the ticket was found. Bulkhead bassinet seats were given (sitting by our traveling buddies, of course) and the long wait began to board the plane.
Can not explain the exhaustion that was creeping in already. Flight was leaving at 10:15pm. Bedtime, yet here we are awake and waiting.
I felt a slight tinge of fear as we walked thru the gate to board the huge plane. Do they check planes good in Ethiopia, say compared to the U.S.? I mean, come on, we aren't in Kansas anymore (or TN for that matter). Anyways, the moment of eek passed and I walked to my seat with Bristol finally dozing in my arms. Now to keep her asleep for most of the flight so we can rest.
Did I ever mention how bummed I was to see that international flights have no more room than domestic? Bum deal, long time in a very cooped up space.
Beyond excited to see my 3 little children waiting at home. Never been away this long from any of them and I miss those crazy kids!
1 comment:
LOL - I had that same thought about international flights not having more room! Seriously?? I mean, those are some HUGE planes! Could they not give you a LITTLE more room? On our flight back we had 4 middle seats and one aisle on another row, so we chose to all sit together on the 4 and had Joshua as a lap child. BAD move at 11pm. The people in front of me laid their seats back into my lap. I could have picked fuzz out of that lady's hair if I wasn't so busy trying to keep Joshua from whacking her with his magnadoodle!
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