Day 7 - Heading Home!!

I am so happy that we are finally ready to head back home. Adam said today that he is much more home sick this trip, and I feel the same way. Wes has been sick with the flu the past few days, and while we know he is getting excellent care we really want to be there for him. We were able to talk with him one day but because of the time difference and Calvin in school, we haven’t been able to talk with Calvin other than through e-mail. I miss my boys and I’m ready to unite our family on one continent!

So what’s in store for the Fischer family? A little alone time. We are about to start a stage in the bonding process called “cocooning”. I’ve mentioned before that we have received a lot of training on how to get Allie to bond with us, and that is extremely important for adopted children. She is doing great. Adam is able to feed and play with her. He can hold her and walk around with her. However, if I am in the same room (and she isn’t being fed), she cries and reaches out for me. Adam steps back and hands her over. This is all part of the bonding process and we are excited to see that it has already started. A lot of children bond with one parent in the beginning and want nothing to do with the other parent (typically the male), so we are very, very grateful that Allie enjoys being with Adam.

So for the next 6 weeks or so we are going to keep it pretty quiet at our house. Some of our family will come and play with Allie during this time, but we won’t be taking her around a lot of people and we can’t let anyone but Adam and I (and soon grandmas and grandpas) hold her at this time. Also during this time, we are adjusting our work schedules a little. I will work less, and when I do work, Adam will be taking care of Allie instead of sending her to grandma and grandpa’s house. This will be our form of a maternity/paternity leave.

We appreciate all of your support and we are so excited for everyone to meet Allie. I just don’t want anyone to be offended when we aren’t passing her around during our cocooning period. This doesn’t mean that you can’t see her or us for six weeks, it just means that you can’t hold her for a while.

Anyone is welcome to come to the airport on Saturday evening at 7:59, United Flight #953 (terminal 2). My mom was so gracious to use her miles and upgrade us to first class on our flight home to DC!! Speaking of my parents, they will be meeting us in DC during our long layover on Saturday. My dad called and asked me if it was okay if they drive down and take us to lunch during the long layover because “it’s only a 10 hour drive”. While we laugh at the “ONLY 10 hour” part, we are so very touched by their kindness and their anxiousness to meet their newest granddaughter.

This has been an amazing experience for us! We feel so blessed to have Allie as our daughter. Throughout this past 1 ½ years I feel like I have grown so much in so many different ways. We will miss the Ethiopian friends we have made at our guesthouse during both of our trips. We will miss all of the smiling faces. We hope to bring our entire family back here with the Roys in about 5 years. There are definitely things I won’t miss like not being able to flush toilet paper in the toilet; very, very low pressure tiny showers; power outages; and warm drinks without ice. Mom/Dad – we will be ready for a huge fountain soda when we get to D.C.! (and maybe some Gray’s carry out if you haven’t already left yet on your short 10 hour trip but I think I may be sending this too late)

We love you all. We can’t wait to introduce everyone to Alemitu Adam Fischer (in about a year, she’ll become Alemitu Tagese Fischer, when we officially rename her). Grandma Jones, you have officially gotten your wish for a granddaughter!

Now just pray that we get seats together on our flight home. Our travel agent has been working with the Ethiopian Air Office in D.C. to work out some minor kinks. I have no idea what to expect traveling with an infant for 17 ½ hours (nonstop) so we could also use some prayer in that regard. I hope we are able to get some sleep! And lastly, say a prayer that we arrive home safely, that Wes is feeling better, and that our cocooning period gets off to a good start. As always, we will continue to keep you updated through our blog.