Day Three/Visa Day!

Wednesday was VISA day. First though we went swimming at the Hilton with their class. I thought this was great and had a plan for a hot shower at the Hilton in the locker room. I swam with the kids. We had all been brought there in a big red van. There were kids sitting on the floor of the car. They don't have strict rules on car seats or seat belts. The general rule is to fit as many people as possible into one car. We get to the Hilton. I swim and then head out to take my shower.....COLD WATER ONLY...I now am just about beside myself. But the swim was in warm water so it was refreshing. We have lunch. I take Yared and the girls to the bathroom. The kids spend forever pressing the button on the hand drier...Yared opens the door before we are done and runs. I come out with the girls. He has disappeared. We are very far from Mark. I look everywhere. But like that character FLASH in the Incredibles...my son it no where to be found. Eventually I find out that he ran back to Mark. I punish him by not giving him the juice I bought for the kids to share. He was very upset by being punished. The waiter explained the situation and told him not to run from his parents. Eventually, yared smiled again. Next time, he did not run off but stayed by my side.

Visa appointment went very fast. I totally cried and cried and cried when we were given the visa. Gail reminded me that the adoption had been final for awhile. Side note : the official date of their adoption is 12/25/07 on christmas day. But I told her I knew but couldn't help myself.

we found out that day that we had an opportunity to visit Asela the next day to meet the children's grand parents. The kids seemed to not want to go. We asked someone to translate for us and found out that they just wanted to be sure we weren't going to leave them there and that they could come back with us. That night a girl in the guesthouse told our kids that she had a new american name. Ejigayehu said she would like an american name. So we brought them aside and talked to them about the American names we had saved for them. Yared had a talking Shrek toy and was holding it while we were having this very private conversation. When we would talk to each kids about their names he pressed the button and Shrek said "I'm an Ogre". It was a very funny moment. But then later about bedtime. Ejigayehu was very serious and teary. She then told us she had changed her mind. NO change name. And we said fine to her. But she still went to bed crying. We knew that this trip to Asela brought up many memories. This is where she had lived ...seen her mother die..been whisked away from there and to the orphanage. We also knew that they now wanted to go but were sad and nervous about it too.....they would be saying goodbye to the only family that is left in Ethiopia.