Second Time With T

Wednesday

(We learned that we were saying Terefe wrong, it is pronounced tear-e-fah.)

We got up this morning with same jet lag from the 7 hour difference. We have been taking some pills for sleep because its hard to sleep with the dogs that bark all night long. We had some of Birtukans breakfast and got into a Toyota van with Abel shortly after. Today we were going to Bethany to talk to a lawyer about court and to talk to Hannah our social worker.  The lawyer ( whose name I am not going to try to spell) talked to us about the process and questions that we would be asked at the court/embassy. Afterwards we talked to Hannah who from memory was able to tell us about Terefe (the power was once again out). She also was able to give us a picture of when T was a baby. It was over all a very successful trip to Bethany. 

This time we walked through the lines I tiny clothes without Abel or Hannah. We walked into the room it was silent. A nanny turned to us and asked us what child we were looking for. She headed behind the door marked 'please do not touch' to go get Terefe. As the nannies were walking in and out a young girl we had meet on a trip before came out onto the carpet with us. She was going to b adopted by a you g couple out of Philly who did no have any other kids. And boy are they going to have their hands full. She was pleasant at first laughing and playing with a red ball we had brought and gibbering in Ahameric. She also counted1-10 in English. Towards the end of our visit she had thrown many fits and bitten Hunter many times.

After a few minutes the older kids appeared just outside the room wearing there blue and white uniforms from school. They smiled when they saw us and rushed to find some clothes to change into. The kids appeared moments before Terefe did. One of his favorite nannies was carrying him. She was petite with bright brown eyes and black curls that framed her face. Her bright white teeth appeared as she talked to Terefe. She lowered the boy down to the floor and he looked at us without much reaction. ( which is normal because he hasn't had much time to attach to us) The nanny was saying his name coaxing him towards mama. He was reluctant at first looking at the nanny for a while and the turning around he slowly walked towards mom. Taking one last look at his nanny he turn bending his bottom towards mama's lap. Moms face lit up as he snuggled closer with the passing time. He would sometimes respond to his name. But most of the time he has his two fingers pushed back in his mouth to almost his knuckles, as if he was hoping that his teeth would pop through. (Terefe has 4 front and bottom teeth, two in the back left and one in the back right) His nanny says that he has not been fussy with the the new teeth growing in. We also gave him a small white and black cow made of soft rubber that would vibrate when the ring in the back of it was pulled. When we first placed it in front of him the kids gathered around watching what we had brought today. (The day before the kids had a hay day with the camera and video camera) Mom pulled the string for the first time making the cow vibrate in his tiny hands. A small smile appeared to be growing. Fortunately, that was not the last time we would see him smile that day. He continued to play and chew on the soft rubber, occasionally pulling the ring back with his teeth or fingers making it vibrate. We also brought with us a bear that Baarmans had given us, even though we couldn't leave it, it was a huge hit with the kids. They loved how soft the bear was and squeezing the bear so that it would say the instructions aloud in English. We also brought gift bags that we could make a hand and foot print of T's with. The foot went without hitch but he didn't like it we did his hand. We also brought suckers for the kids (which they absolutely loved!) I was holding Terefe when he was eating his and I got sucker stickiness on my arms, face and clothes. And he was drooling because it tasted so good, and man was he adorable! After a while the nanny came out with a red cup of warm milk for Terefe. He started kicking his leg and as I was setting him down he reached up for the cup. Temporarily forgetting about the sucker he started to chug down the warm milk, some of it draining down. The front of his froggy shirt. As the time passed we played with Terefe and the kids. We sang 'Itsy Bitsy Spider' and 'Jesus Loves Me' and all the rowdiness in the room stopped as the kids turned to listen to us sing even though they could not understand. After we had stopped singing the small girl from before grabbed the Ethiopian flag off of the bare shelf of toys. She started to sing what we are assuming the National Anthem as she danced around on the carpet.

The visit with Terefe could not have been better! He was talking to us and pointing. He cuddled close when we held him, and he was smiling at times which was more the enough. But towards the end of our long visit he started to hum. Hummed little things that we could barely hear much less understand but they were beautiful. 

That night we went to a traditional restaurant with Abel and another couple ( adopting a 9 year old from the waiting list ) to have dinner. Before entering the main part of the restaurants we were patted down and followed Abel in. The inside of the restaurant was decorated traditionally and he waiters/waitresses were also dressed traditionally. We order inejera and had many of the stews (dips) with it. The inejera is sour and not my favorite. We watched the dancers for a while and then headed back to Morning Coffee.