Mike Rusch

Leaving DFW & next stop is HOME!

…and we have landed in NW Arkansas

Time to wake and go celebrate…

Everyone is waiting to meet you!

Waiting for our sister…

And now to home…

…our time in Ethiopia is coming to an end & it is time to make the journey home.

everyone wants to know Sosi’s story… it brings joy

Left Ethiopia last night at 10:30 with Visa in hand…

Flying over Sosi’s place of birth (Gondar)

Out like a light as we land in Rome

Asleep again as we land in DC

Wow…2 hours to get through customs. Let’s do that again!

Got on an earlier flight from DC to DFW, but looks like no open seats on earlier DFW to XNA flights…

Quick ride to our gate…

Landed in DFW & Sosi’s asleep again…resting for final leg home

I think she’s doing super awesome considering the time difference (we are at DFW)

Back at home…Sosi we’re ready

Here we come!  Next stop is home…

Uncle Viener and Big Sister Conley hanging out before the big day.

Getting ready to go to sleep. Tomorrow I meet my sister!

It’s hard to tell, but there is A LOT of excitement here.

Sosi says hi sissy, I’m coming!

…the past few days have been a bit of blur, but here are some more photos of our time here. It’s been amazing!

After 4 or so hours with Sosi, we all loaded up into the van to watch the Epiphany celebration taking place in the streets outside where we were staying.

the poverty here in great & sights like these are everywhere

that was it for today…it was a quiet evening with just Corrie, Sosi and I

this is Sosi with Ginet (manages the Bijou)

next day sitting out in the courtyard

after some quiet moments, we decided to get out and see the “return” of the Epiphany Celebration.

this time we did not take Sosi, but Corrie & I and our driver Bekey walked the streets amongst the celebration…amazing!

that was the day for us…great day in Ethiopia

the next morning we woke and traveled to the Gladney Care Centers (sorry can’t post much) & had traditional coffee ceremony.

Lucky that Scott Brown (Gladney Ethiopian Program Director) came!

Read Scott’s blog entry from the day http://gladneyethiopiaadoption.blogspot.com/2010/01/selam-no.html

this is Rosa & Sosi. Rosa is Sosi’s “Special Mother” while at Gladney

these were all the Special Mothers & the children

and then the coffee ceremony…

after the care centers we went to lunch with all the families at a place on the hillside of Addis. 

Epiphany celebration still going on below in the streets

that was our day…it was full. In the next two days we will go visit St. Mary’s church, cultural dinner & then the Govt Orphanages

…today’s the day!

it’s 7:45 a.m. and we slept incredible (I guess 24 hours without sleep makes that possible)

the view from our window…we can smell the stoves cooking

the courtyard in front of our guest house

received confirmation that Gladney is bringing the children to us (there are 3 other couples here as well) They will be here at 10:45

we are waiting for coffee & we are both a little nervous

this is Marta one the ladies hosting us & cooking us breakfast

just outside our laundry is being done…

call just came…they are 10 minutes away!

waiting on the front porch of the guest house

here she comes…

…this was an unbelievable great day.  hard to believe it’s actually true.

…4:30 a.m. came quickly, but we didn’t really sleep to begin with. Time to get moving 1st stop? Coffee (an Ethiopian blend of course)

@jenarkins taking us to the airport (I think she’s expecting a tip)

Checking in…agent was so happy about hearing why we were going.

Hottie on an airplane

Corrie’s potato chip…nice (she almost ate it)

Off we go!!!!

Pushed back from the gate & then pulled right back in Something about a “primary flight instrument failure” Come on…they have “secondary” instruments also.

On the way from XNA to DFW & somwhere over Oklahoma.

Arrived at DFW…couple hour layover & on to Washington, D.C.

Arrived in DC Dulles airport & nothing to see way out here…except that plane in the middle.

Checking in for final leg…

Our route…

Fuel stop in Rome…

All instructions in Amharic, then English…puts us @ back of the line

Boarding with a beautiful welcome…

Next stop ETHIOPIA!!!!

Landed in Ethiopia and made it to our guest house.  Have a little unpacking to do.

..but this is the fun part because this won’t be empty for long.

tonight we are Americans, tomorrow we become part of Ethiopia. 

Good night!