Thank you Lord!!!

I could mention many, many things that I'm thankful for... but today I want to say, Thank you Lord for my family!

family!

We are still here!!!

Orlando, FL

Oh my... the blog!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AISHA MEKDES

This beautiful girl is 3 yrs old today! time goes fast... she came to our family only 2 months ago and she is three now!!??  Well, the love we feel for her is like if she had been with us for many years.

Her life and our life is like water from two separate rivers that one day merge together... blending in such a way that separating them is rendered an impossible task.

 

Thank you God for this beautiful family!!!

Day 2 and 3 and more!

Our second day in Ethiopia, after a nice breakfast and good coffee, we had some time to play with our little guys. On this day we finally got to see a smile from our daughter!!! it melted our hearts. Later we went on a nice tour through the city of Addis Ababa. Ficker made a very good tour guide. One very important stop on this tour was at the coffee shop, we got to try a great machiatto and buy a few kilos of Ethiopian coffee to bring to USA. I don't know if it will last until next time we go!!

Finally smiling... she is even more beautiful!

The roads were shares with donkeys and goats!!

One of the very nice couples that share this experience.  Their new son: Abel, beautiful, blessed Abel.

The new Lopez family!!!

Evan enjoying their son Finn!

Carlito loving his new sister Mekdes.

Addis Ababa University

Some quality Mom and Daughter time!!

At the zoo you could (if you didn't mind loosing your hand) pet the lions; I didn't see anybody try though.

One of many "furniture stores" found on the roads that we traveled.

Playground at the zoo.

Not on a smiling mood, but posing nevertheless!!!

The proud mama!!

Ethiopian young beauty!

Here kitty, kitty!!!

Some Ethiopians enjoying the zoo... and their parents too!!!

A month after we came back from Ethiopia we got to celebrate our wedding anniversary.  Before this picture we had a romantic Japanese dinner for four.

Ethiopia Day 1

After some 24 hrs of travel… we arrive to Ethiopia on Saturday 19 at 6:45 PM. The driver from CHI (adoption agency) was already there waiting for us and other 2 couples coming on the same flight. All 7 of us, plus driver and 2 other passenger got in the van, the about 20 pieces of luggage was place on top of the van and there we go!

It was a rainy night, the air in the city had a very peculiar aroma, thick and wrapping like a blanket that you could feel covering you as soon as you walk outdoor; certainly we were in a far land!! After a short drive we were at the House of Hope 2, the guest house set up by our agency, and we all settle in our rooms; happy after we were told that we didn’t have to wait until Monday to finally have our daughter in our arms.

We were exhausted after the long flight but still, by 5 AM we were up and ready to go. By 8:00 AM breakfast was served and we were enjoying crepes, juice and great Ethiopian coffee.

After breakfast we were on our way to the House of Hope 1; the transition home, were all of our children were waiting for their respective parents. On the drive there we were planning how the “transfer” should go. [From this point everything was like a dream we were in a daze for a few hours that day] Once we got there it was nothing as planned; the two older children (one being our Mekdes) were in the toddlers’ room having a snack with other maybe ten children. We were trying to take some pictures through the window for a few second until we were told “you can go in” for a second or two we didn’t know what to do, finally we reacted and went into the small room [here we really were in the deepest part of the dream] I kneeled down a few feet away from Mekdes, called her name and extended my arm… and she did… she got up an came to me!! Then I gave her a big hug and kept her close to me for a few moments; How I kept myself from crying like a baby? I’m not sure; I think the stupor of the moment blocked all my other feelings for that time. After a couple of minutes I gave our girl to my wife Patricia (who waited patiently) our son Carlito was happy but kept a cautious low profile. He went in also and gave her a hug and a kiss, a few minutes later he was playing with a soccer ball at the patio.

We took some pictures and video, toured the house, I hope we said thank you! After that we were taken back to our guest house to enjoy our children, play and and enjoy great food and traditional Ethiopian coffee.

We are back!!!

This is the typical post after a family comes back from that wonderful journey. Just like all those families... We are exhausted and elated!!! We are tired but we are blessed!!

This trip to Ethiopia was breathtaking, an experience that cannot be forgotten!  God blessed us in so many ways during this trip; we got to meet wonderful people.  We connected with 4 other really amazing families and their new children, we got to meet many great Ethiopians, of course, we tried great original Ethiopian coffee and best of all; we got to hold, kiss, love and bring home our beautiful daughter. Our son Adiel also got to meet and have fun with his new sister.

We'll try to narrate the whole trip in future posts, for now enjoy this pictures:

Does it get easier?

You would think that being this our second adoption, we would know how to handle it, how to keep our cool during the tough stages of the process, like the days prior to travel. Well, that’s what you would think!! Reality… very different! Your heart and mind go through so many ups and downs… kind of difficult to explain or even to comprehend, once it could be explained. There are feelings that you cannot describe with just a simple adjective; is not “just” happiness, or love, or sadness, or fear. The fibers of your heart get pulled in ways that you didn’t know it was possible. Nevertheless you keep walking and enjoy every possible aspect of the journey.


I know there are some readers that have gone through that process not only two, but a number of times and I wonder (well, I think I know) if it gets really easy after the fourth or fifth time?? Is it “just another process” at that point? [Please note the sarcasm in the questions].

We are leaving in less than 24 hrs. Aisha Mekdes, we’re coming! Please keep us on your prayers and we’ll update when we get back.

We are still here!!

Who said life was boring??  Since my last post our life at the Lopez Family has been in fast forward and slow motion at the same time... does it make sense? 
I know those of you who are passing through a similar situation of have done it already might understand me better.  This is C-R-A-Z-Y , but somehow I'm enjoying it...  knowing that this will allow us to be with our daughter and be her parents forever (under God's will) is a feeling hard to describe.
Our son prays for her sister every night; asking God to give her "sweet and chocolate dreams" (his words!) so since children have a more open line with God, I just say AMEN!

A very short post this time, my excuse, English is not my first language! Anyway  We are still here!!!

Blessings to everyone!!!

Our family has grown!!

Introducing to you... Aisha Mekdes Lopez

Thank you Lord for our daughter!!!

                                                   

Just one day...

So only one more day and we'll know... Are we our girl's legal parents yet??  Do we have to wait any longer??  Well, I have faith and I know that God is in control. So check tomorrow and either way we'll have news to tell you...