Feb. 2008
Feb. 2006Sunday was the 2 year anniversary of Sammy and Nathan joining our family. Feb. 24, 2006 we were returning to Charleston, SC after a week long trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We left Ben and Makayla in Charleston with my mom. Makayla had gotten sick right before we left for Ethiopia and I was so worried about her. Several hours into our flight, somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, I had a total meltdown. I left my sick baby and I was feeling like such a terrible mom for leaving Makayla. I cried for at least an hour, with Jeff sleeping (how dare he!!) beside me. When we landed in Rome to refuel, I called mom and checked on Makayla. She had been to the doctor and was started on an antibiotic, I felt much better after talking to mom. We arrived in Addis pretty late and were met at the airport by one of the agency's drivers. We got to the guest house and tried to sleep - we were going to meet our new sons the next day! The next day we were taken to Sele Enat, the orphange our boys were at. I was SO nervous! Sammy went right to Jeff - he knew exactly who he was (we had sent him a photo album). He kinda waved at me and that was about it. We went in to get Nathan. He was so tiny! I picked him up and was shocked at how fragile he felt. He was a happy, smiley baby though. We had the honor of meeting their birthmom. It was a heartbreaking meeting for all. What a wonderful, strong lady. The next few days were spent with the kids getting to know each other and seeing some sights around Addis. We met some wonderful people and enjoyed our time in Ethiopia. Our flight home was LONG, but uneventful. We returned home to an excited Nana, Ben, and Makayla. Sammy and Nathan's transition was smooth. They fit right into our family. 2 years later I am still amazed by them and how much they have grown. Going from 2-4 kids was crazy but I wouldn't trade it for anything!
