Coffee Ceremony and Alert Leprosy Hospital

The nannies at the transition home are taking such good care of the children. It's obvious they love them and know them well. One of Lidiya's nannies told me that Lidiya pulls on her ear when she is tired. It touched me to know that they are loving her while I am not there. They pulled out the book I had sent Lidiya in a care package so I could go through it with her. It was a sweet moment to show Lidiya her brothers' pictures and to tell her about them.

The Coffee Ceremony is a very important tradition in the Ethiopian culture. At a restaurant one day after we had eaten lunch, our guides had arranged for us to take part in one. One woman spent time preparing coffee over hot coals while we sat in a circle on some wooden stools eating popcorn and breathing in lots of incense. When the coffee was ready, she poured it into small coffee cups and passed it around. It was very dark and very strong. Our guide told us that many families gather together with their neighbors daily to have a coffee ceremony. For them, it is about relationships and spending time together through this old tradition. I admire how relational the Ethiopians are. They are very laid back with schedules and spend hours every day talking with each other in homes, restaurants and coffee shops.


Alert Leprosy Hospital

We visited this community where people with leprosy can live and work. They make amazingly beautiful art with their hands that are often missing fingers and thumbs. These men were making woven mats and many others made embroidered linens.

This woman asked Tim to take our picture together, and the girls gathered around when he got his camera out. We passed out granola bars and tootsie roll pops to the kids there, and some of the girls knew some English and wanted to talk.

I'm missing my sweet girl a little more tonight. Since we've returned home, I've stayed busy with the boys soaking in their smells, voices, and hugs. I've been nesting, getting things organized for Lidiya, and doing some shopping for some girl clothes. Despite all of the activity, I find myself thinking about her constantly. I am so ready to bring her home and have our family all together in one place.