Z's home {away} from {home}

 

 

{life} as we know it

 Disclosure: I'm fairly certain ALL of these were taken by a child.

Not a single {cloud} ..imagine that

Today when we were walking around the grounds of where our cottage is, Haley said its like being in Palm Springs {cause she’s been there before?}. We met a 12inch long lizard Chris has named Burt. He watches over our laundry as it dries outside. All the other little lizards we see are Burt’s little sisters and brothers. Every Zambian we meet {we’re in Zambia, so that’s everyone} thinks were crazy for being in shorts and tank tops – they’re in scarf’s and pants! What they don’t understand is that we live in the Northwest and DO NOT see the sun and that this insanely pleasant *80 is divine! Oh – and for those of you that know my angst with the no sunshine/light at my home in Kirkland – you will be very happy to know that God has blessed me with Cottage #3 – where the sun rises from a cloudless blue sky STRAIGHT into my huge slider window!! Bliss I tell you!! Aaah yes, and there is a lemon and lime tree growing right out in the yard too. 

Bliss.

We brought sidewalk calk today to Zefina’s home. The kids loved it!! It was so fun to be able to watch them play and enjoy it! We asked the house moms what some of the needs are within the house. A dryer is a big need – I feel like I have a hard enough time keeping up with the laundry for just the 5 of us – I cant imagine for 25+!! They also need a microwave, new pots (they don’t work very well when they have holes in the bottom and no handles) and new toys – that has been very evident. We hope to go to the store tomorrow to meet some of these needs. One of the house moms brother is a taxi driver, he took us home tonight and we hope to use him the entire time were here. 

Tonight was ROUGH leaving my girl. She was clearly sad that we were going. It broke my heart!! I couldn’t bear to let her see I was sad and had to leave the gate before the tears freely flowed down my face.

This part isn’t fun.

someone {pinch} me!

I must say – I do believe I’m still in shock that I’m in Africa. With my family. And I have met my daughter.

We walked to the market today – As I watched my family walk single filed on the side of the busy road in the red dusty dirt, dodging broken beer bottles – I realized those stinkin’ Keens were worth every cent! :) Crossing the two 2-way roads to the market are like playing the ultimate game of frogger x5! We were invited to church while we ate lunch at the market. Looking forward to that. The kids were invited to VBS.

We visited Z again today. Thus far we were told that she wouldn’t know about us or who we were (why we were there), and that we would take a few days to get to know her – but that they would not be telling her that we were her new parents. When we arrived today the kids ran around to the front, Chris and I chatted with Mishak the security guard/hair cutter/uncle – as we made our way through the back Z came and found us and a house mom instructed her to say hi to her mom…I think my heart stopped. I cannot believe this!!

a {new} beginning

We met her!
Our baby!
She’s shy, but happy. When we arrived at her home the kids were outside playing. I kept scanning the yard for her and couldn’t find her. There are 17 children (in a yard the same size as our back yard, cut in half – half for the front and half for the back of their yard). Panic, shame and fear was starting to set in that I couldn’t even recognize my own daughter..until I heard one of the house moms announce at the doorway that here was Zefina. Someone was blocking my view and my legs went to jelly. Anxiety ripped through my body – this was it. THE moment I have been waiting SO very long for..my heart skipped a beat as I layed eyes on her (careful not to hip-check anyone in my way). I went to her, squatted down, called her by her name and said hi. It took everything in me to not scoop her up squeeze her in my arms, tell her that her momma has been wanting to hug her for so long and to run out of there with her.
I have played in my mind thousands of times what our first meeting would be like. Possibly I had already imagined it would have been that way, but nothing could have prepared me for such a meeting. I met my other three children in a quiet, dark lit room with just a few people present. I was alone with Chris and my babies, free to tell them “your momma loves you so much, I am so excited you’re here”. Quite different today as 24 pairs of eyes watched me meet my daughter for the first time, in a front yard in Africa. And I wouldn’t change that for any hospital room! 
I asked her if she wanted to go play with me inside. She shook her head yes, took my hand and walked me inside.

Be still my heart. My daughters hand was in mine. I have LONGED for this moment.  We played with dolls and big legos inside then went outside and played. She’s shy and puts her head down a lot. Sitting in my lap on a chair outside, I asked her what made her laugh and smiled. I tickled her neck and got a shy smile, tickled her knee and got a laugh. I got my daughter to laugh!  She went and joined Haley on the teeter-totter, she was going up and down and suddenly whipped her head towards me – looking for me, smiling and laughing – like ‘look mom!!’ my heart melted! I all of a sudden had tunnel vision and could only see my oldest daughter holding tight to her baby sister as they played. I felt like I was doing good. No tears. Holding strong. Then Chris squatted down and pulled her into his embrace..she put her arm around his neck and started gently patting his back. done. She was in the safety of her daddy. I was done.

Leaving today was hard. Not only because I was leaving my daughter, but because I was leaving all of these beautiful babies that so badly want a mommy and a daddy  - I knew I would be back for her. She is mine, and I find comfort in that. But most of these others don’t have a mother that is returning for them. My heart breaks for these precious ones..

{journey} to our daughter

Good Morning from Africa!!
We are currently flying right over Lusaka and the sun is rising. Incredible. Absolutely incredible! I am already in awe of this beautiful country and my feet haven’t even touched the ground. What a gift to wake up to, on the morning I meet my daughter for the first time! Worship music in my ears, soaking in the sun on my face from this stunning cloudless African sky.

Today will be a great day.

A GREAT day!

I am renewed with fresh sleep and sheer excitement! We are tired and exhausted from three days of travel but are SO excited! We left Seattle on Wednesday evening and arrived in London yesterday (Thursday).  Our journey got off to a rough start with my body getting hit with a terrible body flu right when we arrived at the airport in Seattle. We thought it was a panic attack because of how I couldn’t take deep breaths. My chest muscles hurt so incredibly bad. I’m still not able to yawn, cough, sneeze, clear my throat – burping even hurts. We finally got some medicine the last hour of the 10hr flight to London because the pain was so unbearable. We found some theraflu type stuff in London, its taking the edge off so I’m now able to sleep and be comfortable. Praying no one else gets this and it passes quickly. We had a 9 hour layover in London so we took the train into the city, got some food and quickly encountered a monsoon! The kind where a couple of inches of rain is rushing down the road! Haley got sprayed by a passing car! Tanner: “I thought that only happened in the movies!”. Apparently the movies that are filmed in London! :)  We made it back to the airport to stretch out and relax before our next 11 hour flight.

We’re all now starting to wake up on the flight – good nights sleep! Thankful for airplane sleep..can’t wait to stretch our legs in a bed tonight!

Newest member of the Avery 6

Adoption Art Auction!!

Head over to our Facebook pages to bid on a piece of Carlee's art! 

Painting has been Carlee's therapy throughout our adoption journey. Purchase a piece of art and be a part of bringing our daughter home!
**Bidding BEGINS NOW and CLOSES at MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. Please place your bid in the comment section. Highest bidder at midnight on each piece wins!!**
THANK YOU!! 

 

{We leave TOMORROW to go pick up our daughter!!!}

Payments can be made using Paypal through our blog {top of this page} by the end of the day 7/20/11

"Cherry Blossom" 36"x 24"

20"x 20"

"Edward the Elephant" 20"x 20"

18"x 14"

"Zed the Zebra" 20"x 16"

{4th} of July