Rome to Home

We made it! Back to Canadian soil, even if it is covered in snow and freezing cold. Kaloo is home to stay!

The last leg of our journey was a difficult one but we all got through it. We flew from Rome into Zurich and the fanciest airport I've ever seen. The flight was luckily fairly empty and we were able to get a few extra seats so the baby could lie down and sleep. Unfortunately the next flight was completely full, and despite our efforts we could not sit together. They did get a bassinet for Shannon to use so that was a help, but the mid day flight meant a wide awake baby who was unhappy with being cooped up in a plane for 8+ hours. She cried a bit and was sick too so Shannon had a rough go of it alone.

Despite this we made it home in one piece and Shannon's handy ziplocks full of clothing changes came in handy, both mama and babe were able to get cleaned up for the reunion.

We gathered our bags and made one last trek with our gear, through immigration and customs with no problems, and out to meet our family waiting for us at the arrivals gate.

Lots of smiles and happiness and a few tears as Adéa was welcomed officially into her new little family. We are all so glad to have her home at last! The time was too short of course and then she got bundled up into her first snow suit and brought home.

We are all exhausted and will have many days of getting back to this time zone and routine. Shannon and the babe will have their own settling in to do as well. She has promised to post pictures of their adventures as it goes.

Thank you all so much for all your support and love and comments and prayers and thoughts. This trip, and the adoption process itself, has taught me that the love of your family (whether blood or not) will get you through anything, that love will be there for you in the good and the bad and laughter and tears.

Welcome to the family Adéa!

Our own personal davinci code

What a day. I am not even sure what to say about today but here goes nothing.

We had a plan when we woke up that we would meet up with Liz and visit the sistine chapel. We walked over and through st peter's square again. We were very lucky that there was no line and we got ushered right in. Apparently a baby with a stroller will get you ushered through many places as we got to use all these secret elevators and passages to make life easier. Of course the conveniences ended when we got into the museum itself as I guess they weren't big on accessibility during the renaissance. Stairs stairs and more stairs not so easy with a stroller and heavy baby.

Despite Shannon insisting it was a brisk pace, progress was slow. Cindy and I ended up ahead and Shannon and Liz took the long route. We all assumed we'd find each other at the exit however we didn't account for the magical elevators that show up when you have a stroller, meaning we were at different exits. This resulted in a five hour mix up where Cindy and I sat inside he museum and Shannon and Liz were outside with a pukey baby, none of us the wiser.

We eventually ended up back at the apartment (when the museum closed) and instead of feeling upset about the wasted day we decided to wipe the slate clean and go out for dinner. dinner was delicious, pasta pizza and wine and the most delicious Mille feuille I've ever tasted.

Now we are packing up for an early
morning tomorrow as we leave here at 6 am for a flight to Zurich, then finally home to Montreal. Cant wait to see everyone and to have the family meet the new addition.

When in Rome

Rome has been a bit of a blur for us all. We arrived in one piece, so that was an accomplishment, but we had no idea what day or time or year it was at that point.

Luka and Liz were so kind to pick us up at the airport with a stroller that looked like a gift from above to Shannon, whose muscles have been aching from carrying around a heavy bouncing baby! It was a very happy reunion for the old friends and quite surreal to be in Rome. Surreal was the theme of our two days here, actually.

We went to our apartment which was perfect and Luka and Cindy web out to get us a wonderful lunchtime feast of bread and cheese and prosciutto and wine and , most importantly, pastries. It was so good and much needed after so many airplane meals in a row.

Baby girl was a bit thrown off from the big change in scenery and all the flying, so she was not always the happy easy baby we had known in addis. However, she loved Liz and Luka and just wanted to dance and clap and roam around the apartment. Sleeping was another story.

Cindy and I decided to make use of our 48 hours in Rome so we went out and walked the Vatican, st peters square, down across some beautiful bridges and all the way to the coliseum and back. It was a great few hours, even though it was hard to accept that we were actually in Rome. Shannon stayed in to rest and catch up with Liz and let the baby have some down time.

When we got back, luka went and got us some fresh pasta and pizza which was delicious of course. I called it an early night since I had not slept in about 24 hours, but the party contained without me into the night.

Addis - Frankfurt - Rome

Arrivals gate

I'm writing this from mid air, as we fly above some mountain range that I assume is the alps? I have no sense of geography but it sure is beautiful. Cindy, Shannon and most importantly Adéa are all sleeping soundly around me. This is our last leg of the journey for today and the excitement of landing in Rome coupled with watching the baby sleep is keeping me awake.

Kaloo has been such a great flyer, we ate all shocked. The flight from addis was full with ten (10!!!) other infants so we unfortunately did not get a bassinet the seat. We had all resigned ourselves to a difficult few hours but our little girl passed out in the airport restaurant and then xontinued to sleep through security, boarding, take off and even a diaper change. She was asleep for probably 6.5 of the 7 hour fight and it was such a relief.

Leaving addis was sad, and very hard on Shannon especially as she is torn between being so happy we get to bring our girl home and being sad about taking her away from the place where she was born and raised and loved. It was an emotional evening coupled with the chaos of the addis airport - we were all in need of a good rest afterwards.

It has been surprisingly uneventful in a good way. The worst thing that happened was Shannon swinging her giant diaper-filled backpack the wrong way and breaking the whole tray of first class wine glasses on the way in but at least we had a good laugh about it. Cindy and Shannon also pulled off a diaper change with a sleeping baby crammed into a one person airplane bathroom!

It feels like a million years ago, but before all this flight adventures we took took Adéa to the pool at the Sheraton and she loved it. She just played in the baby fountain for hours, sticking her head under the fountain and laughing and laughing...I've never seen a baby love the water this much, which of course makes Shannon incredibly happy.

Ok we are now safe at our apartment in Rome and settling in. It is lovely weather here and nice to have it a bit cooler than addis. Will write more with pictures later. Ciao!

Overlap

A serious day today when our little Kaloo said goodbye to her old life and the people who have loved and raised her for the first almost year of her life. It also saw the end of the at times seemingly insurmountable paperwork this adoption has involved. We got the Italian visa!

The coffee ceremony was only later in the afternoon so this morning Cindy and I ventured out to say we ran in Africa while mama and baby had a nap and prepared for tonight. Our driver brought us up to entoto mountain and told us to go! The air was so thin that we walked up to the top and jogged down. It was so strange to see what a difference the altitude made on our ability to run. Still, it was beautiful to see all of addis spread out below us and to see the ladies carrying huge bundles of wood on their backs down the mountain. Then we went to see where the women who used to carry the wood now make beautiful woven scarves. We both loved getting out of the city and so glad we went.

The afternoon Was filled with love, laughter, prayer, and tears. Germatude picked us up at 1:30 and brought us to the orphanage. Elizabeth greatest us when we arrived. A great meeting of two woman who love this baby so very much but who have never met. She brought us to the school room where every child from the orphanage came trickling in, in traditional Ethiopian garb. The ceremony started with a Pationate prayer that everyone participated in. The children proceeded to entertain us with different songs and dance. As this was going on a woman was roasting our cerimonial coffee beans... Heating them up and fanning them... The Aroma filled the room. The children then presented Kaloo with drawings filled with messages of love. We were then presented with our traditional coffee, lovely treats and goodies... Including a traditional sweet from Harare that everyone said was a "secret" recipie. As this was going on Kaloo was kissed and hugged by every child and adult in the room.. The love was genuine and felt deeply. It was also very apparent that Kaloo knew her her mama was as she surched her out in the crowed and would beem and put her arms out when she saw her. After eatting, a dance party insued... The children of the orphanage are all well versed in the "macaraina" now.... We wanted everyone to know that Kaloo was coming into a family full of joy and laughter and dancing. It was then time to go... All though it was clear that everyone's hearts knew Kaloo was where she was supposed to be it was VERY difficult to leave... These people have loved her her so very much for the first year of her life... And we already love her so much... This overlap of love was difficult to separate. There was a lot more kissing and crying until we were in the truck... Some more tears and love exchanged and then it was off... Officially to kaloo's new life... The ritual was beautiful and we feel so blessed to have been a part of it.... Shannon was so great full and overwhelmed by how much her baby is loved...
All right, we are now at the end of a very emotional day and preparing for the next leg of the "carnival" Italy !!! We enjoyed a lovely treat of a Sheraton buffet tonight to unwind.
But first Kaloo's first swim in a lovely warm and exotic pool tomorrow... Life is beautiful.

Anyone out there?