Thanks for visiting our blog about our journey to adopt our son from Ethiopia! It's been a long process and we are finally blessed to share the stories from the other side of the earth, in beautiful Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Catch up on previous post to this series by clicking Part 1 and Part 2 Meeting Our Son.
Saturday, August 8, 2015 Visit Day 2
We woke from a restful and much needed sleep. I woke up thinking "thank God this is really happening and not another dream!" We unpacked our bags and settled more into the room at the Guest House.
10:00 a.m. is the first visiting hours for the day so the agency driver arrived to the Guest House to drive us to the Foster Home. The nanny brought Tarik out to us and we went to the visitation room to spend time getting to know each other. Tarik cried at first, but did settle down while I held him. We were sure to bring a small bag of toys including bringing back the toy car "beep beep" and the blue ball. We hoped he would associate those toys with us and gradually feel more comfortable with us. In my heart I knew I was his momma, but in his eyes he was just getting to know us a the new strange looking people who brought me a beep beep and ball. That was perfectly fine. There was no more waiting to meet our son. We were here now and in time he'd know us.
Some asked if it was love at first site. Some wondered how it would happen to love an adopted child like the love was there for a biological child. Momma's hearts are different, but for my heart, as soon as we first met Tarik and the nanny brought him out to us putting him into my arms - that same feeling was there, loving that child I barely knew, just as when the delivery room nurse handed me a baby I'd never met and put that little one on my chest. The love just grows out of your heart!
Tarik was easier to warm up to our daughter, but very leery of Todd. The Foster Home is staffed with all women, so Tarik isn't used to seeing men or have men care for him. He was used to being around so many kids, that his new sister was easier to trust. Tarik was tired and come to find out, the visitation times are during the children's nap times. So we let him sleep and loved just holding him in our arms. Finally able to study his facial features, look at his arms and skin, and soak him all in! Tarik didn't want to play and just being held was absolutely fine by us.
Look at those eyes. Todd was able to hold Tarik on his lap and Tarik rested his head against Todd's chest. Tarik stroked Todd's arm hair and was curious about it. He pulled at it and made odd faces. Again, something new to see.
The visiting time of 2 hours go by way too fast! The driver came to pick us up and we went to pick up another momma and child from our agency. Together we took a quick ride to a nearby hotel where yet another mom and child from our agency were staying during their last days of their trip. This family was ready to fly out the next morning so they had already been in Addis for weeks. We talked over lunch together and enjoyed the visit.
Saturday's 3-5 p.m. visiting time showed more tiny steps of familiarity to us. Again showing Tarik the car and the blue ball so he would connect that it's still us. Tarik was interested in a few books and then loved it when Sissy blew bubbles! He got down from our laps for the first time and interacted with us more. Especially with Sissy. Little steps. Huge blessings!
Sunday, August 9, 2015 Visit Day 3
Since the bubbles were a hit yesterday, we packed those again. Today's weather was less rainy and very pleasant so we went outside during visitation times. We hoped this would encourage Tarik to play with us some more and interact too. As we hoped, the bubbles were a hit! He loved watching them and even tried to blow through the bubble wand. He'd walk back and forth between me and Sissy, but was more shy towards daddy yet. More little words were spoken from his tiny voice. He said "ahn-neh" which means "mine" when we'd try to take the bubble wand and blow him more bubbles. His eyes gave a little more peace in them today.
Monday, August 10, 2015 Visit Day 4
This day the morning visitation time was pretty uneventful, but still baby steps of bonding time. There was a very hard rain and hail storm so all the visiting parents and their children, plus a few other of the foster home kids were squished inside the tiny visitation room. There were nearly 20 of us in there and no room to play. It was great to talk with the other families. I think at one point we even joked around and asked who wanted to start off a sing-along-song time! Yeh, that's how bored we were. Our Tarik was on my lap and just rested.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015 Visit Day 5
This morning we arrived at the Foster Home but Tarik wasn't there. The director, everyone calls her Sister, told us that Tarik was taken out to get his picture taken for his birth certificate. Thank God! Something was moving forward in a step to get Tarik home! We spent that morning time playing with the other children in the court yard area. They are all so beautiful! Near the end of visitation time, a blue taxi pulled in and 2 nannies brought out Tarik. We had brought our small bag of toys. He came to us without crying, looked into the toy bag and said, "beep beep." Oh. my. heart!!
The afternoon visit was even better! Tarik played outside with us kicking a soccer ball and rolling cars back and forth to each other. Our daughter brought paper and made paper airplanes with the older children in the courtyard. It was a warm sight to see all the kids having fun and laughing at their paper airplanes. The kids called them "jets." All I could think of was all the "jets" that would one day take those precious children to their forever families. Every child there was already matched with a family and in the waiting stages. Lord please help them to get home to their families.
So much happened today! The foster home doctor, who checks in on the children there at least once a week, had stopped in for a visit. We introduced ourselves and she was very kind. She said that our son was "very active" and one of their most healthy children. She also said that "he is the boss of the room, kicks, hits, doesn't nap, and keeps the other children awake. Well, he's a Vogtman then! None of kids napped well and there are plenty of activities going on at our house to keep this little guy busy. With the quiet personality we've seen so far, it's hard to imagine him being the 'tough guy' in the bunch. I'm sure his true personality will continue to be revealed to us.
A huge step aslo happened when we ended the visitation time. The nanny came to walk Tarik back to his room. We asked if we could take a look through the window and watch him interact with his roomates. The doctors statements had us pretty curious. She said we could so we look in to see abou 12 or so of the younger toddler children sitting nicely, each with a toy in their hands and singing songs along with another nanny. Tarik didn't see us at first, but when he caught eyes with us at the window, he stood up from his spot and came over to us waving and blowing kisses! Melt me. He knows that we are familiar faces now and his set of familiar faces, not any other of the children. After he interrupted the song circle, the other children came to the window too. What a breakthrough moment!
Soon, it would be time to take him out of there. If only we knew how the rest of the paper work was going to get him home. We feared taking him out and then being told it would take nearly two months to get his clearances for travel. We weren't able to stay in country that long. Taking it to the Lord once again.
Can you believe that the years of your prayers are finally turning into a reality? A little boy meeting his family! Miracles do happen! There are several more steps that need to happen before we can bring Tarik to the U.S. The birth certificate is one of them. But the enemy isn't letting up and more stumbling blocks get tossed in the road ahead.
MORE to come! Read the next post, Company and Culture, here! http://onesoughtme.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-other-side-part-4-company-and.html
Saturday, August 8, 2015 Visit Day 2
We woke from a restful and much needed sleep. I woke up thinking "thank God this is really happening and not another dream!" We unpacked our bags and settled more into the room at the Guest House.
10:00 a.m. is the first visiting hours for the day so the agency driver arrived to the Guest House to drive us to the Foster Home. The nanny brought Tarik out to us and we went to the visitation room to spend time getting to know each other. Tarik cried at first, but did settle down while I held him. We were sure to bring a small bag of toys including bringing back the toy car "beep beep" and the blue ball. We hoped he would associate those toys with us and gradually feel more comfortable with us. In my heart I knew I was his momma, but in his eyes he was just getting to know us a the new strange looking people who brought me a beep beep and ball. That was perfectly fine. There was no more waiting to meet our son. We were here now and in time he'd know us.
Some asked if it was love at first site. Some wondered how it would happen to love an adopted child like the love was there for a biological child. Momma's hearts are different, but for my heart, as soon as we first met Tarik and the nanny brought him out to us putting him into my arms - that same feeling was there, loving that child I barely knew, just as when the delivery room nurse handed me a baby I'd never met and put that little one on my chest. The love just grows out of your heart!
Tarik was easier to warm up to our daughter, but very leery of Todd. The Foster Home is staffed with all women, so Tarik isn't used to seeing men or have men care for him. He was used to being around so many kids, that his new sister was easier to trust. Tarik was tired and come to find out, the visitation times are during the children's nap times. So we let him sleep and loved just holding him in our arms. Finally able to study his facial features, look at his arms and skin, and soak him all in! Tarik didn't want to play and just being held was absolutely fine by us.
Look at those eyes. Todd was able to hold Tarik on his lap and Tarik rested his head against Todd's chest. Tarik stroked Todd's arm hair and was curious about it. He pulled at it and made odd faces. Again, something new to see.
The visiting time of 2 hours go by way too fast! The driver came to pick us up and we went to pick up another momma and child from our agency. Together we took a quick ride to a nearby hotel where yet another mom and child from our agency were staying during their last days of their trip. This family was ready to fly out the next morning so they had already been in Addis for weeks. We talked over lunch together and enjoyed the visit.
Saturday's 3-5 p.m. visiting time showed more tiny steps of familiarity to us. Again showing Tarik the car and the blue ball so he would connect that it's still us. Tarik was interested in a few books and then loved it when Sissy blew bubbles! He got down from our laps for the first time and interacted with us more. Especially with Sissy. Little steps. Huge blessings!
Sunday, August 9, 2015 Visit Day 3
Since the bubbles were a hit yesterday, we packed those again. Today's weather was less rainy and very pleasant so we went outside during visitation times. We hoped this would encourage Tarik to play with us some more and interact too. As we hoped, the bubbles were a hit! He loved watching them and even tried to blow through the bubble wand. He'd walk back and forth between me and Sissy, but was more shy towards daddy yet. More little words were spoken from his tiny voice. He said "ahn-neh" which means "mine" when we'd try to take the bubble wand and blow him more bubbles. His eyes gave a little more peace in them today.
Monday, August 10, 2015 Visit Day 4
This day the morning visitation time was pretty uneventful, but still baby steps of bonding time. There was a very hard rain and hail storm so all the visiting parents and their children, plus a few other of the foster home kids were squished inside the tiny visitation room. There were nearly 20 of us in there and no room to play. It was great to talk with the other families. I think at one point we even joked around and asked who wanted to start off a sing-along-song time! Yeh, that's how bored we were. Our Tarik was on my lap and just rested.
The afternoon visit was still wet outside so we played stacking cups with Tarik today. He was more active and interested in the toys. He stacked cups with Sissy and yes, another word he spoke! He said, "Siss" for his sister! Loving this time!
This morning we arrived at the Foster Home but Tarik wasn't there. The director, everyone calls her Sister, told us that Tarik was taken out to get his picture taken for his birth certificate. Thank God! Something was moving forward in a step to get Tarik home! We spent that morning time playing with the other children in the court yard area. They are all so beautiful! Near the end of visitation time, a blue taxi pulled in and 2 nannies brought out Tarik. We had brought our small bag of toys. He came to us without crying, looked into the toy bag and said, "beep beep." Oh. my. heart!!
The afternoon visit was even better! Tarik played outside with us kicking a soccer ball and rolling cars back and forth to each other. Our daughter brought paper and made paper airplanes with the older children in the courtyard. It was a warm sight to see all the kids having fun and laughing at their paper airplanes. The kids called them "jets." All I could think of was all the "jets" that would one day take those precious children to their forever families. Every child there was already matched with a family and in the waiting stages. Lord please help them to get home to their families.
So much happened today! The foster home doctor, who checks in on the children there at least once a week, had stopped in for a visit. We introduced ourselves and she was very kind. She said that our son was "very active" and one of their most healthy children. She also said that "he is the boss of the room, kicks, hits, doesn't nap, and keeps the other children awake. Well, he's a Vogtman then! None of kids napped well and there are plenty of activities going on at our house to keep this little guy busy. With the quiet personality we've seen so far, it's hard to imagine him being the 'tough guy' in the bunch. I'm sure his true personality will continue to be revealed to us.
A huge step aslo happened when we ended the visitation time. The nanny came to walk Tarik back to his room. We asked if we could take a look through the window and watch him interact with his roomates. The doctors statements had us pretty curious. She said we could so we look in to see abou 12 or so of the younger toddler children sitting nicely, each with a toy in their hands and singing songs along with another nanny. Tarik didn't see us at first, but when he caught eyes with us at the window, he stood up from his spot and came over to us waving and blowing kisses! Melt me. He knows that we are familiar faces now and his set of familiar faces, not any other of the children. After he interrupted the song circle, the other children came to the window too. What a breakthrough moment!
Soon, it would be time to take him out of there. If only we knew how the rest of the paper work was going to get him home. We feared taking him out and then being told it would take nearly two months to get his clearances for travel. We weren't able to stay in country that long. Taking it to the Lord once again.
Can you believe that the years of your prayers are finally turning into a reality? A little boy meeting his family! Miracles do happen! There are several more steps that need to happen before we can bring Tarik to the U.S. The birth certificate is one of them. But the enemy isn't letting up and more stumbling blocks get tossed in the road ahead.
MORE to come! Read the next post, Company and Culture, here! http://onesoughtme.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-other-side-part-4-company-and.html
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