Updates

Well, it is hard to believe have been home for 4 days! Gary is home this week with me and the kids are in school, so you would think we would be accomplishing so much. Nah, just playing with Tarik and Anna and buying the baby stuff we seem to still need after 3 kids.

We needed a new mobile and a new baby bath. We also got him a new floor play mat with lots of fun things overhead to look at. Tarik was definitely loved and cared for at the care center in Addis Ababa, but the visual stimulation was lacking, so we need to get him caught up on a few things. When we first got him, we didn't get much eye contact. I am sure it was partially because of his illness and partially because of his environment. But since last Friday, his eye contact has greatly improved.
In addition Tarik isn't (wasn't) reaching for toys, isn't supporting his weight on his legs (an activity I never witnessed at the care center), and isn't laughing out loud. These are all milestones he should be reaching around the 4 month mark - which he will be tomorrow. I really feel like all this will come with alittle time as long as we are giving him the opportunities.

Tarik had his first doctor appointment today and it was pretty much a check-up and we kind of got a baseline for a few things. His last height measurement in the care center was 22 inches, but today he measures 24 (she measured him twice to double check) - this was 25th percentile. He weighed 12 lbs, 10 oz (10th %) today, which is 5.7 kg. He was 5.68 the day we left Ethiopia. So he has not lost weight, but hasn't gained much. He is doing well with the bottle, but still only takes around 3 ounces at a time, so we are having trouble getting enough in. He had 18 oz on Monday and 24 on Tuesday, and it looks like he will be higher today. Dr says he should be in the 24-36 range, so we will continue to work at that. Dr didn't seem too concerned with anything at this point, but we will be back in 2 weeks to re-check his weight and make sure all is going well. And probably to get some immunizations. :(

We had Open House at school last night and got to meet Katie and Jack's teachers. It was nice and fun for the kids to introduce Tarik to their teachers. They are both enjoying school so far and really like their teachers.
While we were gone, soccer started up and Mom and Dad got to run ragged between 3 practices a week and 2 games on the weekends. Now we get to take over, starting tomorrow with Jack practicing from 5:45-6:30 at one park and Katie from 6-7:30 at a different park. The religious education starts, then cub scouts, and the fun begins!!! But, we like it this way, hardly know what to do with ourselves when it isn't like this. (Yes, we COULD spend more time cleaning or something, but what fun is that?!)

OK, sorry for the long post! Just had to try to get caught up alittle.
One last thing, thanks so much for leaving comments on the blog. It is awesome to 'hear' from all of you!

Sweet Home Iowa

Well it is 5am Sunday August 26th and I am sitting here at MY computer holding our son. We were able to bring Tariku home, and although he is still having some minor problems we are very happy to be here. After a flight from @^&$ we finally arrived in home last night around midnight. Tariku and I got around 5 hours sleep and we decided that was good for now. (Drat)

Our flight home was horrible only because of one place that I hate more than any other in the world, O'Hare International Airport. We got in on time and should have left Chicago around 2:45. The first time on a plane we were speeding down the runway to take off when the pilot suddenly, and I mean suddenly, stopped the plane because a gauge went out. Back to the terminal we went and off the plane we came. About an half hour later we were ushered back on the plane. This time we only had to move a short way down the runway when another guage went bye-bye. Back to the terminal and off the plane we came.

Hold on a second Tarik is saying some to me and being cute.

Okay I am back. Back at O'Hell we spent the next six hours being ushered from one gate to another. Having one flight after another cancelled or full until there was one last flight out. (The one that got us home at midnight.) I am currently downloading pictures and should be able to put something together soon, but until I do here is a shot of Tarik at O'Hell International.



Now I need to introduce my son to SportsCenter. Goodnight, or good morning, what ever it is.

Nervous Parents

Sorry for the lack of posts, it has been had to get to the office computer and we have been busy worrying about Tariku. He has gotten sicker each day we have been here and he is still in the care of the doctors and nannies in the care center. He has lost quite a bit of weight over the last week and they have been trying to keep him hydrated. Besides the vomiting and diarrhea he had a slight fever last night(100.8). They did some blood work to check his white cell count and that number came back normal.

This morning and this afternoon he has been alittle more alert and babbling a bit which is nice to see. He is still very sleepy and needs to gain some more of the weight back. The staff here has been very friendly and helpful to us during this time and have told us not to worry. It is kind of hard not to when all you want to do is take him home. And that is where we are right now, we want to come home, see our kids, family and friends, and for our son to be better. Hoping to see all of you soon.

Ethiopian Holiday

So, we met Tariku Saturday morning and then saw him Saturday afternoon and
Sunday night. We haven't gotten him to smile at us yet. The nannies and doctor
assures us that he does smile, but said it does take him a little more time to
warm up then some babies. So, we will keep working on that. :) We met the
doctor Monday and they said he had diarrhea and vomited the previous night and that
morning, so they put him on Pedialyte and then decided to start antibiotics,
since we are leaving on Friday. They want him healthy before we go. We went to
see him that afternoon, but he was sleeping and we figured he needed to rest.
We are worried that we got him ill with all the kisses we have given him.
I did get to feed him Sunday. They cup feed out of these tiny tin cups, but
it was pretty easy and very quick. On Tuesday we went to the Embassy with Tariku and got his Visa approval. We had him with us most of the day and feed him with the bottle. He did great!

Things are going good, we had a special dinner last night which was authentic Ethiopian food and dance. It was a really fun time. Today we went shopping and bought tons of stuff. Tonight is the farewell ceremony and we still want to go to AHOPE to drop off donations, but we are ready to come home. It is super hard being away from the kids. We just hate it. I can't wait until Friday/Saturday.

P.S. Pictures are not uploading on this computer so you all will have to wait until we get back for photos. Sorry.

Internet conncetion not great but Tariku is.

Well we are here and having a wonderful time with Tariku. We have a lot of things on the agenda so we have not gotten to see him as much as we would like but that should change after today. He seems very healthy and in good spirits. We have not been able to get a smile out of the little bugger yet but WE WILL!!! I was going to attach a picture but the internet connection is not great here. We will be at the Hilton tomorrow I think and I will try there. Sorry for the brief info but people are waiting to use this and I should go. Miss you all.

Gary and Jen

Cairo: The Pyramids

I'm back. If you haven't read our earlier post from today I would suggest you do so before continuing with this one. There are some more funny taxi cab stories to continue with and you need the background information to understand. I'll wait....

Okay, so after leaving the museum, which again was awesome, it was time for lunch. We ventured out again on our own. That took some courage after the morning debacle., but we found a great restaurant that was suggested in our guidebook and had a marvelous lunch. Afterward it was time to hail a taxi and go to the pyramids. We got a driver and agreed on a price, slightly more than we wanted to pay but we were in a time crunch. On the way our driver talked about taking a camel ride at the pyramids. We said no thank you. (We had read about that scam in the guidebook) So when our driver pulled into an alley and said here you go, we were a bit confused. When the camel owner came up to take us on our trip, we were pissed. We started arguing with everyone, I decided screw this and started to walk away. Jen continued to argue and got the driver to agree to take us the rest of the way to the pyramids like we had asked. Score one for the wife, following my lead we would have had another long walk. Once we got to pyramids our driver said that we could get a ticket for his cab and he could drive us around so we would not have to walk. Cost 2LE which is about .40 cents, we said fine whatever and went to get our tickets in.

At the gate a nice older man said we did not need the driver, and sent him away. He helped us get our tickets and get us in. THEN he offered to be our guide. I was like GREAT! is everyone here after something. I said no thanks and he said that he was not going to charge us anything, I then said thanks. He started walking and telling us some interesting facts, took some humorous photos of Jen and I, and showed us old burial grounds but in the process lead us away from the Great Pyramid. He lead us to a horse drawn carriage and said this was best way to see the pyramids. To say I was disappointed in the old man is an understatement. After much haggling we agreed to the ride but told him and our boy driver a hundred times we wanted to see the pyramids not go shopping. (Another scam we had read about)

The pyramids can't be described. We were awestruck at the size and how unbelievable it was that they were even built at all. When we got to the Sphinx we were having a great time. When the carriage tried to leave the area and head to the market we were pissed again. I nearly jumped out, yelling that we DID NOT want to go shopping and had made that clear. Luckily he was a little boy and agreed to stop. We got out, thanked him for his time and walked into the Sphinx. Again it was truly amazing, and again truly frustrating. There were vendors everywhere trying to sell us stuff. They were in our faces constantly until the tourist police would show up and make them back off. Aside from all that we were very thankful to see this place. Here is a another picture.



When we got back we showered and went to dinner in the area here. It was a great place and we had a nice time. We are now getting packed to head off to Ethiopia and get our son. I think we are going shopping for a little bit as well. Wish us luck and talk to you soon.

Cairo: The beginning

I was going to give this a clever title like "Cairo: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly" but have decided just to play it straight. Sorry if you are disappointed. It is actually 6am on Friday here, Thursday night around 10p for most of you. We are leaving this afternoon and have had an amazing, crazy, and at times chaotic time here in Egypt.

Thursday night after I posted, Jen and I decided to take a felluca ride on the Nile. (Kind of like a sail boat)I went to the owner of our hotel and told her what all we wanted to do and she gave me a itinerary on how to do it all, including how much to pay for everything. It seems in Cairo that there are no set prices on things like taxis and felluca rides. So we set out hailed a taxi, told him where we wanted to go and the fun began. The dock we wanted to go to was right by one of the big hotels downtown. It seems that our driver had no idea where it was. He asked a couple people on the street, who helped interpret for us. He still didn't quite have it but off we went.

I should pause here and say something about driving in Cairo. I COULD NEVER DO IT!!! Lanes are really more of a guideline that you can follow if you choose. Most drivers do not. Honking is a religious pastime and can have many meanings. The main one being "I am going to try and squeeze into a space between you that would not fit a car half my size." Also people walk across the street anywhere and in any type of traffic, which is good since there seems to be no traffic lights anywhere so you would wait for ever to cross if you didn't. In fact Jen and I have gotten quite good at it. I don't think we are ready to cross on of their major highways where cars are going close to 55 yet, but I have seen it done, with small children in tow. Anyway back to the taxi ride.

Luckily I saw our stop and was able to let our driver know that this was where we needed to stop. When I handed him the money our hotel owner told me to pay, the fun started. Seems he thought that was not enough and started to yell at us in Arabic, we just walked away which is what we were told to do. We were also led to believe that would be the end. Instead he got out of the car and followed us down the street, continuing to yell in Arabic. A couple other taxi drivers tried to get him to stop as well as a police officer and he finally did. As of this writing I still don't know for sure if he was actually offended but since them I have tended to give a little more that was suggested to us. American sucker I know. (FYI the ride cost us about $1, I have given $2 since for a similar trip and everyone was happy. Go figure)

So now we are stressed but we continue on and find the fellucas. We are a little worried about the price we were told to give since the taxi cab incident but we went forward and everything went like clock work and the ride was really great. Here is a beautiful shot.

The trip back was uneventful and our night was over. Next up the Egyptian Museum and the the Pyramids.

I was going to stop here but no one is waiting for the computer so I guess I will continue. Day two started with us getting money exchanged and some water for the trip. We walked around a bit and found what we needed including the bridge over the Nile which put us in about the right area for the museum and since we had a interesting trip the previous night we decided to skip the taxi and walk. We had a city map which showed us exactly where we need to go, so off we went, the world travelers we are. After walking close to an hour and not finding the museum we knew something was up. Here is where I mention that our hotel in on an island on the Nile called Zamelak.

Note: Now for those of you who don't know, islands have two bridges which cross over a body of water, and if your map shows your island don't assume the bridge before you is the bridge you want. In fact you may be going the exact opposite direction from where you wanted to go. Also if you are in a city which does not have street signs you can walk to close to an hour before you discover your mistake.

After hailing a cab, and going the right way we arrived safely at the museum. (Taxi cab fact #3 it seems they don't know where the museums are either. After showing pictures and the map of the city he was able to figure it out.) The place itself is completely unorganized but one of the most amazing places I have ever been. The things they have on exhibit actually took our breath away at times. I would love to post a picture but cameras where not allowed inside. Someone is waiting so I am going to have to talk about the Pyramids later. Peace.

Cairo Day 1

Well we have finally made it to our first destination. We did spend the night in Addis Ababa but it was only because our flight to Cairo was not until the next day. Can't say much yet about Addis since we only saw it at night and briefly this morning. I am sure we will have much more to say next week! Speaking of which I checked e-mail before posting and we had an update on Tariku as well as his birth certificate and a new photo! Everything looks good and we can't wait to get our hands on him.

Cairo seems nice so far. The hotel is very comfy, kind of like a bed and breakfast. We are sitting on the patio having a few beers right now, trying to get caught up on everything and trying to figure out what we want to do tomorrow. We also are trying to get a hold of the kids and make sure everything is going okay.

Guess that's it for now, gotta get back to the patio, my beer is getting warm.

11 hours 'til takeoff

OK, in 11 hours (10:15 AM) our plane takes off. I am (oh, yes, again) freaking out alittle. We have weighed and re-weighed our bags like a gazillion times. Same with carry-ons, which have given us the most grief. Ethiopian Airlines has a 15 pound weight restriction on carry-ons and since we want to put all out Cairo clothes in those, it has been tough. 15 lbs?? The 2 rolling suitcases, that are the correct size for a carryon are 9 lbs EMPTY! So, we decided to use duffel bags. And then I think the scale is getting tired because every once in awhile it gives me a really weird number. (it is digital with a battery).

But, I think we are ready to go now. Gary is double checking the list as I type. I have 2 more lists for the morning. One is all the last minute stuff that cannot happen until we are walking out, turn up the thermostat, fill the cat water bowl, put the weekend feeder in the fish tank, etc. The other is last minute tips for Dad. I have a 3 page word doc that I sent him twice and now this list is all the things I have thought of in the last 2 days. Such as soccer practice. Jack's coach called yesterday and Katie's today, both wanting to start practice this week. Ugh. I was sure that would happen though.

Kids are packed and ready to go too. They have been real excited, but I am getting hints of sadness now. It will be a very tough morning. Heck, I am tearing up right now. We took some pics at the fair today and had them printed, so they could each have some to look at so they 'won't forget us', as Jack said. :)

I have not had time to get really excited yet. In fact, I just don't even want to go yet. I am nervous, about Egypt (will the Hotel driver really be at the airport?). And I am very nervous about Addis. I cannot beleive I am going to meet my new little baby in 6 days. That is exciting, if I can just get on the plane, maybe I can think about it alittle.

Nik, I got the first 3 of those books you mentioned, The No 1 Ladies Dective Agency. I thought a trip to Africa might be a good time to start reading them.

Happy birthday little Sis! You looked great yesterday, Laura!

Here are a couple pics from today at the fair! I am not sure you can tell it was in the 90's and a heat index of 103! You should have seen us walking to the car, not a pretty sight.

Finally an Update on Tarik

We have an update on Tarik's growth. This is very exciting and looks like good news.
On 5/31 he was 6 lbs 12 oz and 19 1/2 inches
On 7/1 he was 9 lb 15 oz and 20.8 inches
On 8/1 he was 12 lb 5 1/2 oz and 21 1/2 inches

Sounds pretty chubby, huh?! Seriously, my first three kids were all in the 7-8 pound weight at birth and were 21 inches. So he is 21 1/2 inches and over 12 pounds. :)
Isn't that just great news? And it might adjust my packing needs alittle. I was going with all 0-3 month clothing, but I might be able to do 3-6 for some things now (like pants which I was short on anyway).

Speaking of packing...it is totally stressing me out. It takes me 10 minutes and a couple tries to pick out clothes for work each day and I have a current weather forecast and a whole closet. NOW I have to pack for 12 days in 2 climates (100 in Cairo and 60 in Ethiopia). AND I need to fit it into 1 suitcase. And then there is makeup, toiletries and enough meds to last a year. Should I take 2 pairs of sandals? I was just going to take an older, though very comfortable pair that are brown. But then realized my outfit to wear to the Embassy is a long black skirt, so do I take a whole other pair, just for that outfit? Yes, I guess, the brown ones will look stupid and are very casual. Hairdryer?? Straightening iron?? UGH, decisions, decisions.
I need to relax, but I can't - might be time for a couple glasses of wine (not RIGHT now, it is 2:00 in the afternoon, maybe tonight - heehee).

Things that make you go hmmmm...

So we have been busy getting things finalized for our trip. Tickets have been purchased and are in our hands (yes, they are the old-fashioned paper kind, no e-tickets). We made reservations at a nice little hotel in Cairo, Hotel Longchamps, and are starting to get all of our packing organized. In the midst of this I had an interesting conversation and revelation I wanted to share. I was talking with a co-worker about our adoption and she asked when Tariku's birthday was. I told her that he was born on April 30, 2007. She asked if he had been conceived before or after we started the process. That got me thinking and started some goosebumps.

Assuming a normal pregnancy, and I think we can assume that because we have not been given any information that he was born prematurely, Tariku was conceived around August 7th or so. If you click on the link titled "Our Adoption timeline" you can see we have kept track of all of the dates throughout the process. On August 2nd we decided to use Children's Home as our agency and on August 9th we completed our registration and on August 17th we sent in our application. If that isn't a sign that Tariku was meant to be ours, I don't know what is.

Also, it is quite neat that we will be in Ethiopia exactly 1 year from the date we sent in our application.

There is so much to do in the next (gak!) 11 days! Having 3 children, I assumed we had everything we needed for a new baby. But we headed to Wal-Mart with a long list of things we need for Tariku.

Lastly, but not leastly...HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACKSON!!!!! My little guy is turning 6 today! How could that be? It seems so old! Love you little buddy! xoxo