Day 4- Gotcha Day

Bezza arriving with Isaiah Yabsira

Our first picture together he is still not so sure of me

Nap time..so precious

Sweet little hands

Awake and playing!

12/21/2009

It was Gotcha Day and I did not sleep well the night before. I was up at 7:30 in the morning in a mix of excitement that Isaiah was coming and new parent jitters. Would I know how to comfort him? Would he want anything to do with me? Would he sleep? Would he eat? All sorts of questions running through my head. So after being awake at 3 am and reading for a while to try and get back to sleep and then being awake again at 7:30 I gave up, got up, showered and then spent time trying to figure out what to wear. Yeah I did, I worried what to wear to meet Isaiah. Not sure why I thought my 12 month old would care, but it was something to focus on so my clothes are what I focused on for the moment. I went down and had some of Haile's great eggs and then proceeded to wait. I was hoping that Haile would have Isaiah brought to me before he started the airport runs for the day. Byron and Audrey were coming back from Lalibela, Brenna and John, Glynnis and Joe were scheduled to arrive as well.

So I went upstairs and made sure camera and videocamera batteries were charged and ready and hoped that Tigist would be willing to videotape the event for me. I figured I could take a few pictures as he first got there and then rely on the video for the rest of it. I was lucky one of the nannies that were scheduled to work at the Guest House for us was also there that morning so I got a mix of pictures and video. At 10 Haile arrived and said he was making an airport run and Isaiah would be brought to me at around noon. A timeframe, but it is Africa and nothing really runs on time:) So I went upstairs again and tried to figure out what toys I might want downstairs with me when I met him. BTW this was pointless as I used none of them :)

Shortly after twelve Bezza, Getu and Isaiah arrived at the guest house. I think I was overwhelmed. Here he was, finally after all the waiting, praying, hoping, wishing, he was here, really there for me to hold. And for a brief moment I was sad that I was there alone for this moment. That there was not someone else who would be able to share with me and him how our meeting looked from the outside watching us. That moment passed quickly when Bezza came through the gates with him, from that moment on he was all I could see. I left him in Bezza's arms for a while as I talked to him, touched his hair and back. I left him with Bezza for probably five minutes while I talked to him, then Bezza told me it was time to take him. So I did, he was so small, so light. He was wearing an outfit I had sent to him, and came with a bag of some of the toys I had sent and the photo album I had sent. He cried, reached back for Bezza calling her Amaye ( the Amharic word for mom). I just held him, quietly talked to him, told him I know he was scared, hurt and that it was okay to cry. He settled pretty quickly actually. Although he would stop crying for a few and then start again. Bezza left after telling me his eating habits and that he had eye medicine for an eye infection. He and I stayed outside with Tigist and the nanny for a while.

Brenna, John, Glynnis and Joe arrived while we were still outside. Brenna and John were on their second adoption and their son Japhy was with them. He was beautiful, but understandably they were tired from a busy travel day and pretty promptly went upstairs to settle in and nap. It was nice to get to meet them and have someone else there.Isaiah and I went upstairs, had a bottle and he fell asleep against me. He slept for almost 3 hours and when he woke up he cried a little but let me comfort him. When we came downstairs again I was shocked to see that he would not go to the guest house workers. If they took him from me he screamed and reached back for me. I was overjoyed at that reaction. Tigist told me that was unusual:) I decided to have Johnie help me place an international call to Jen. I needed to hear a familiar voice, to have my support system. It was going well, but was still just an emotionally raw moment. So I called Jen and told her I was holding the most amazing little boy in my arms. While Jen and I were talking Jim arrived with Sally and Tom. I let Jim talk to Jen for a few minutes as I had only paid for a 10 minute conversation.

After Jim got settled he came down and we ordered dinner from Zola's! Like I said the staple for the week. Jim shared that Sally had suggested the best way to not get sick was to eat the traditional Ethiopian food and drink coke. OKAY!! not a problem. (Makes me wonder now if the pasta I had the first day is what made me so sick when I got home!?!?) But either way we ordered dinner and cokes from Zola's and ate dinner. Isaiah in my lap! It was awesome!! I did not eat much, nerves, stress and probably the beginning of getting sick. Isaiah and I hung downstairs for a little while and then at about 7:30 went upstairs and got ready for bed. He let me change him with no screaming fit which I figured was a good sign. I gave him a bottle and off to sleep he went. I laid there watching him for a long time. He was and still is perfect :)

At about 2 am I heard the car pull up out front, downstairs I went Lisa, Nate, Laura and David were finally here. I brought Lisa and Laura up to see my sleeping boy. And finally I cried! It had been a day of emotions that I kept in check and that moment of being able to share my son with someone else was all it took for the floodgates to open.

Tomorrow the other traveling family members gotcha day!