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The Other Side Part 8: Sight Seeing and Play

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 and Part 3 Warming Up and Part 4 Company and Culture, and Part 5 Seeing Growth. Don't miss Part 6 Taking Custody! And Part 7 here! 

Sleep Tight His Presence at Night - our first night together with Tarik is a post explaining the emotions of our first night with Tarik in our custody.  It was a joyful night to finally have him in our arms, but a difficult night of new emotions, new sounds and faces for little Tarik.

Sight Seeing:

Over our trip to Ethiopia we were blessed to visit a few places in the city.  Just a walk through the city was eye-opening and beautiful.  Below is more of a picture walk of the places we saw and spending time with our friends who graciously showed us their city!


Semien Hotel Lobby

 Area around the Guest House







Our friend's shop, Ester's



 Totot's Restaurant 

 Adama City







On the way to Adama
Yes, wild monkeys!



Christian Church 

 Eating dinner at our friend's house


 Out to dinner at Tamiru's favorite place

National Museum of Ethiopia









 National Zoo of Ethiopia



Shopping plaza indoor


 Neighborhood kids singing with Todd and Tarik




 Around town






 Hanging out with our friends at their place. And they made all our favorite foods!


Our friends and their grandmother. 



Play: 

A little photo walk through the things that we did with Tarik while we were at our Guest House. There is only so much you can do, so we had to get creative with blankets, tents, couch cushions, and laundry baskets!  We played ball outside when we could and the rainy weather allowed us.  Other than that, we played with the few toys we brought and enjoyed getting to know each other as a new son with his family! 

First day we had custody, we visited our friends house.  Tarik, like a 2 year old, went straight to the toilet paper for some fun! 
 He kept busy sweeping the grass and rose pedals from the coffee ceremony.
 A little Wii-Game time with "Just Dance"  kept the energy going!
 And Tarik's first bath! He loved it!  At the foster home he would get showered off to clean.
 Playing in the sunshine with our friends.
 Getting spoiled by Uncle Tamiru giving Tarik treats!
 Back at the Guest House...playing in the closets.
 Laundry basket fun...
Water bottle and putting in and out the straws!  Come on! That was a good one!
Couch house fun with his orphanage-mate and big sis.

 Sweeping up again.  This kid!
 Little tents and blanket play...

 Ahh, and resting with his momma.  My favorite part. 

These days we had prayed for and dreamed about for so long.  We cannot say how thankful we are to be finally posting pictures and sharing our story of bringing Tarik home!!!






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