How do you begin to even describe this day? All I can say is that seeing her for the first time it was EXACTLY like seeing all the boys for the first time! I can't imagine loving her anymore - yet everyday you DO!!! Holding her the first time was just like holding the boys too! All the anticipation, excitement, nerves. It was exactly the same - only magnified by 10!
There are 10 families in our travel group. Having them here has made it even that much sweeter :) It was INSTANT friendships - when you've traveled the same road for so long it doesn't matter that you just met that day!
Holding Ellie the first time - I was overwhelmed! We've waited SO LONG! It was the most overdue pregnancy EVER - by 7 months!
It was fabulous that she fell asleep with in 15 minutes. the poor baby was so overwhelmed too! I loved that she was comfortable enough with me to fall asleep on my chest. I purposely didnt' wear any jewelry so I would be nice & snuggly - Julie even tested to make sure!
Once she was asleep we could all hold her. I was hesitant to pass her around while she was awake. It was all I could do to keep her from crying - and that even happened on me quite a few times! But once she went "limp noodle" she was OUT!
Matt held her & instantly took off her socks & shoes. It was hot out! She had on a onesie & a long sleeve dress - the very first one we ever bought for her back in November '08 when we started this journey :) I had sent it to her in the 1st care package we sent in mid-November. I was so touched that the nannies had remembered & saved it for her. She was absolutely ADORABLE!!!
Matt counted all her toes & squished her belly & foot fat :) Then Ben jumped in. He was so confident holding her. It was beautiful. Jack held her next & loved all over her too :) Julie took the longest though!!!
Right after Ellie fell asleep Julie gave me the biggest hug & the 2 of us cried our eyes out!!!! It's been so very amazing to share all this with her. Thank you LORD for a sister who wanted to share this journey with me!!!!
Ellie slept for probably an hour. We were at the transisiton home for 4 hours - it felt like 30 minutes!!! When she woke up I was able to feed her a bottle. She knew exactly what to do & gobbled it right down. I had brought banana puffs with us & she loved on those too :)
It was SO HARD to give her back!!!! None of the boys ever spent a minute in the nursery at the hospital. I was always too excited & just wanted to keep staring at them! Ellie's drop off was no different - she even cried when I handed her back. I'm going to think she was sad about leaving me ;) As hard as it was to leave her - God's purpose is divine & AWAA has obviously done this a few times!!! Once the adrenaline rush ended I only wanted to CRASH! I haven't been THAT tired in a very long time - not even 26 hours of traveling made me that tired!
I am so excited to go pick her up today FOREVER!!!! I can't wait to get her back to the hotel & put her in the tub (actually the bottom of our shower), put some yummy hair product in, get her in cozy jammies & just LOVE ON HER! oh oh oh!!!!
We were all joking on the ride to lunch that it was like being in LABOR! And we were in transition! who can eat now??? We're only supposed to eat ice chips - which we can't even eat in Ethiopia!
And if the ride to lunch wan't long & painful enough - the ride to the TH was WORSE!!! Ethiopians were celebrating the baptism of Jesus & the streets were PACKED!!! cars, buses, people, goats! We kept reminding each other to blow - blow!!! It was hysterical!
I'm sorry this is so discombobulated!!! That's where my head is right now. You know with me you always get the "Real Deal'!!! I haven't had more than 2 hours of sleep in a row since we got here. I'll probably be ready to sleep tomorrow - and get to be up with baby - YEAH!!
Thank you so much for all your prayers! We are feeling them! We found out today that Ellie is just getting over pnuemonia. Her chest still sounds raspy to me :( but her CD4 counts are OFF THE CHART!!! That is a VERY good thing!! A typical (non-HIV+) person will have 500-1200 CD4 count with higher being better. Her's was 2500!!! She is on HIV meds - but mostly to boost her immune system because of all the stuff going around.
This day was surreal. We took HUNDREDS of pictures. Honestly, it is so much like labor & delivery it makes me laugh!!! You have to go back & look at the pictures too because in the moment you can't take it all in.
Tomorrow morning we're off to do some shopping and then over to the TH to pick up Ellie FOREVER ( I Love that word), deliver our care packages for the Hall's (who just passed court on the 15th - woo hoo) and the Vagnoni's. I can't WAIT to love on your little ones!!! YEAH!!!
There are 10 families in our travel group. Having them here has made it even that much sweeter :) It was INSTANT friendships - when you've traveled the same road for so long it doesn't matter that you just met that day!
Holding Ellie the first time - I was overwhelmed! We've waited SO LONG! It was the most overdue pregnancy EVER - by 7 months!
It was fabulous that she fell asleep with in 15 minutes. the poor baby was so overwhelmed too! I loved that she was comfortable enough with me to fall asleep on my chest. I purposely didnt' wear any jewelry so I would be nice & snuggly - Julie even tested to make sure!
Once she was asleep we could all hold her. I was hesitant to pass her around while she was awake. It was all I could do to keep her from crying - and that even happened on me quite a few times! But once she went "limp noodle" she was OUT!
Matt held her & instantly took off her socks & shoes. It was hot out! She had on a onesie & a long sleeve dress - the very first one we ever bought for her back in November '08 when we started this journey :) I had sent it to her in the 1st care package we sent in mid-November. I was so touched that the nannies had remembered & saved it for her. She was absolutely ADORABLE!!!
Matt counted all her toes & squished her belly & foot fat :) Then Ben jumped in. He was so confident holding her. It was beautiful. Jack held her next & loved all over her too :) Julie took the longest though!!!
Right after Ellie fell asleep Julie gave me the biggest hug & the 2 of us cried our eyes out!!!! It's been so very amazing to share all this with her. Thank you LORD for a sister who wanted to share this journey with me!!!!
Ellie slept for probably an hour. We were at the transisiton home for 4 hours - it felt like 30 minutes!!! When she woke up I was able to feed her a bottle. She knew exactly what to do & gobbled it right down. I had brought banana puffs with us & she loved on those too :)
It was SO HARD to give her back!!!! None of the boys ever spent a minute in the nursery at the hospital. I was always too excited & just wanted to keep staring at them! Ellie's drop off was no different - she even cried when I handed her back. I'm going to think she was sad about leaving me ;) As hard as it was to leave her - God's purpose is divine & AWAA has obviously done this a few times!!! Once the adrenaline rush ended I only wanted to CRASH! I haven't been THAT tired in a very long time - not even 26 hours of traveling made me that tired!
I am so excited to go pick her up today FOREVER!!!! I can't wait to get her back to the hotel & put her in the tub (actually the bottom of our shower), put some yummy hair product in, get her in cozy jammies & just LOVE ON HER! oh oh oh!!!!
We were all joking on the ride to lunch that it was like being in LABOR! And we were in transition! who can eat now??? We're only supposed to eat ice chips - which we can't even eat in Ethiopia!
And if the ride to lunch wan't long & painful enough - the ride to the TH was WORSE!!! Ethiopians were celebrating the baptism of Jesus & the streets were PACKED!!! cars, buses, people, goats! We kept reminding each other to blow - blow!!! It was hysterical!
I'm sorry this is so discombobulated!!! That's where my head is right now. You know with me you always get the "Real Deal'!!! I haven't had more than 2 hours of sleep in a row since we got here. I'll probably be ready to sleep tomorrow - and get to be up with baby - YEAH!!
Thank you so much for all your prayers! We are feeling them! We found out today that Ellie is just getting over pnuemonia. Her chest still sounds raspy to me :( but her CD4 counts are OFF THE CHART!!! That is a VERY good thing!! A typical (non-HIV+) person will have 500-1200 CD4 count with higher being better. Her's was 2500!!! She is on HIV meds - but mostly to boost her immune system because of all the stuff going around.
This day was surreal. We took HUNDREDS of pictures. Honestly, it is so much like labor & delivery it makes me laugh!!! You have to go back & look at the pictures too because in the moment you can't take it all in.
Tomorrow morning we're off to do some shopping and then over to the TH to pick up Ellie FOREVER ( I Love that word), deliver our care packages for the Hall's (who just passed court on the 15th - woo hoo) and the Vagnoni's. I can't WAIT to love on your little ones!!! YEAH!!!
2 comments:
Oh my gosh - she is SO precious. You all must be beside yourselves about your new baby girl. I'm so happy for you. Sad for her, of course, that she's lost so much, but happy for everyone that her story has such a happy ending. I know, I know...it's only the beginning, but you know what I mean! Have fun in Ethiopia - I would love to go some day.
The pictures say it all. She was yours from the time she was born, you can tell. God just had to put together your labor story for you like you have with the boys. Love you guys
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