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All in all the trip was AMAZING! I am glad to be home because I missed Tessa more than life itself, but Ethiopia is an amazing country and we made some great friends along the way! I wish we had had more time to see the country but it just means that we will definitely be making a trip back with both of our kiddo's in the future.
Thanks to everyone for their prayers and well wishes. They were definitely felt even half the world away in Africa! We stayed healthy for the most part, and everything really went as smoothly as we could have asked for.
Cullen and Tessa are adjusting well! It is mommy and daddy that seem to be having more trouble! We are finally all comming out of the fog of jetlag (ET is 8 hours ahead of the US) and Cullen is starting to sleep through the night (albeit waking up very early at between 5 and 6). I am just hoping it lasts. He is figuring things out and we are too. It is just very different than it was the first time around and I know this is the case wether the 2nd is adopted or not. I guess I was just expecting it to be so much like we have a newborn. But really that is what it feels like....we have a 9 month old newborn! He is out of sorts, we are out of sorts, the dynamic of our family (and sleep habits) is out of wack and we are all just figuring out day by day. Tessa has by far been the shining star in all of the 'adjusting.' Aside from wanting her Eeyore and binky more than usual and being a bit whiny, she is a great, loving big sister who is totally in to her brother. I am hoping this lasts and that she continues to do so well with the adjustment. Thanks to all the family and friends who have stopped by and make an extra effort to lavish her with love, attention and playtime. It really makes her feel special and not forgotten!
Okay, I promise to post on our incredible journey and to share photos as well. I just need some more free time, to finish unpacking, and to decompress a bit. For now, here are some "Tessa quotes" from my precocious 2.5 year old that my family wrote down while we were away to brighten your day!
- Christmas AM: "I am OBSESSED with these pretzels." (yes, I am sure she got the obsession gene from mommy)
- My father and Tessa were getting dressed for the Christmas Eve play. Papa to Tessa: "You look pretty in your red dress." Tessa to Papa (who was wearing a red tie): "Well you look boy pretty."
- When Tess was giving them heck when they were trying to get her to go to sleep one night and my parents were talking outsider her door: "Are you trying to figure out how to get me to go to sleep?"
