Leaving for Ethiopia Today!!!

Well today is the day I have been waiting for!! I leave for Ethiopia at 9:05 pm tonight! I woke up this morning, soooo excited!!! Can't believe this day is finally here!!!
Louise

1 more day till I leave Fredericton

And I won't return to Fredericton again without having my son with me...sooo very neat to think the next time I arrive home, Nathaniel will be in my arms!
I have one more day to go and I am going just a bit nutsy hehe. I went out today and bought a neck money holder, I have one for the waist..but I did not find there was enough room for passports, tickets, money, so I bought the neck one as well. So now I am all set. I went to the bank and got 50 GB pounds for the Heathrow Airport (hopefully I won't spend that all in one place :) :) )
I had a lot of 20 USD bills so I went to the bank and exchanged them for 100 USD bills. I don't know how much cash I should exchange into Birr right away. I am thinking 600 maybe?? What did everyone else do. I have to pay Guesthouse and Selemnah in US money...so really I am not sure how much Birr to have??
I found a great way to bring the Umbrella Stroller. I have put it into the bag that use to carry the canvas chairs that we use for summer camping. It fits great and it gives me a bag and handle to carry it in.

One last post tommorrow..then it will be quiet around here for a while.


Louise

Little Man's Feet

Since I am not posting pictures of Nathaniel till I take custody of him in Ethipia, I thought I would post a picture of his feet :). In the latest update that I just got, the agency had taken the time to trace his feet for me so that I can kind of choose what size of shoes to bring.
I can't tell you how neat it is to see these. Just another little tidbit on who this little guy is. I am thinking the squiggles on the note pad might be wiggly little feet hehehe
Louise

And She's Off

Well Part 1 of Expedition Ethiopia is complete. My younger sister as some of you may know is travelling with me. She left this morning for Toronto and will then be off to London a few days ahead of me. She spent a year in Wales last year on an exchange...and since we were making this expensive flight anyways..she decided to do a stopover in London and take a bus up to Swansea Wales for a few days. So next Tuesday I will meet her in London where we will begin the last leg of the Journey to Ethiopia together. Seeing her off this morning was so exciting...it was step ONE!
So yes that is right...I have to make my FIRST long haul transatlantic flight by MYSELF...eeekkk...did I mention I have only ever flown twice in my entire life..both times to Disney! For those of you who have been down that way you know the 4 hr flight is nothing compared to the number of hours you spend on a plane flying across the ocean. Am I a wee bit nervous...maybe...but the excitment I am feeling far outweighs any nervous butterflies!
Ohwell ready or not I make my first flight to Toronto on Friday..and then fly out Monday for Ethiopia.
Something funny at the airport. Hillary had not weighed her suitcases yet...so when we got there...the first one was 50.2 fine. The second one I had drug in from the car...and I could barely lift it. 49.2....geeshh I could have put another .8 lbs of diapers in that hehehe.
Oh and for those of you getting ready to travel. It is only one bag of liquids in carry on per passenger...not per bag...silly sister of mine! Hehehe

Louise

VISA APPROVED!!!`

Wow what a relief to know this before I travel. I heard today that Nathaniel's visa was approved in Nairobi, now all it has to do is come to Ethiopia by diplomatic pouch. That means it should be here this Friday or Next. YAY!!!
Louise

6 Days to go and I still have a Cold

What is up with bad timing...I still have this cold and its not going anywhere. I worked a night shift last night and by morning my throat was super sore. I decided to call in sick tonight as working is not helping me get rid of this cold...and I NEED it gone by the time I leave.
BUT Now for the POSITIVE....in 6 days I leave for Ethiopia.
And in less than 2 weeks I will be holding my son for the first time. I keep playing over and over in my head what that moment will feel like...but I don't think anything I imagine will even come close to it!
I have been so blessed by the Friendships I have made over the last two years and can't wait for the years to come to see our children play and develop their own friendships with each other! I am looking forward to future gatherings when I won't have to be the one venting about the process..but the one who can finally say..it really does happen, you really can get through it...and there is a light at the end of this tunnel.
Louise

11 Days till I leave Fredericton

And the next time I am back in Fredericton I will have Nathaniel with me. So I leave for Toronto to visit family for 3 days on the 26th. Then I leave in the Evening on the 29th for Ethiopia. I will be connecting in London(30th) and arrive in Ethiopia on the 31st at 2 am.
I am still waiting on the itinerary but I know that the planned Gotcha Day is Nov 2nd....so that is sooo exciting!
We leave Ethiopia on the 11th and arrive home in Fredericton on the 12th. We actually arrive in Toronto on the evening of the 11th but will be spending the night in the hotel there are will arrive home at 4 the next day. I am really looking forward to arriving home in Fredericton. I cannot wait for my mom
to meet her grandson...she is soooo very excited about the whole thing...and I am sure she will be crying even before my plane touches down.

THANKSGIVING

I have sooo much to be thankful for this year. I can't believe that I got this special gift that is so very precious to me. I can't believe that in just a few weeks I will be holding my son for the very first time!

Leaving on a Jet Plane!!!! October 28th!!

What an awesome, overwhelming, amazing and wonderful day!! I got that email I have been waiting the last 2 years to get :)
The "your travel dates are" soooo amazing!!! I am tentativly leaving October 28, arriving in Addis Ababa very late on the 30th, We will fly back home somewhere around the 9th.
I am sooooo excited!! My feet have not touched the ground all night!
Louise

MEDICAL IS DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I heard today that Nathaniel's medical was completed yesterday!! YAYAYAYAY!!!!! Its sooo very exciting!! Will have more details this afternoon!
Louise

So it's been a while!

AND YES...I AM STILL WAITING...hahaha...seems to be a broken record around here.
I am actually very excited about this week..because I am waiting on confirmation that the medical arrived and will hopefully go back to Nairobi this Friday or Monday?
So I am really thinking I will be able to get Nathaniel the first week of November. Its not too far away..though I am dissapointed he won't be home for Halloween! But wow he will be home for Christmas...I can't wait to see him under that tree and to finally have him home and home forever!
I am thinking about how Nathaniel will adjust coming home in the middle of November...poor thing. It gets pretty cold some days here already...so come November I am sure it will be down right chilly.
Guess I will have to just bundle him up warm and snuggle him close!!
Will post again when I know more...maybe today??
:)
Louise