LOVE is in the AIR at obligato and last week pics!

Tracie and Abel made a surprise visit on Thursday and I just had to do a photo shoot! Here are other random pics we took of Maya throughout the week. She got a BAD cold...then I GOT it so YUCK...Anyway hope u are all well...LINDSEY WHEELER ELIANA IS SO GORGEOUS! Cannot wait to talk...xoxox

THE DAY WE MET OUR DAUGHTER

This was it...we woke up on Monday morning the 10th, went down for breakfast and our lives were FOREVER changed by this little Ethiopian girl named Hana! We had breakfast with the group and then Almaz walked in. We did some paper work with her, then 2 of the families went to meet their children. Melissa/Dan and Josh and I stayed back and waited for Almaz to come get us. Before I went to Ethiopia I couldn't understand HOW you can get there, go to sleep then do paperwork all before meeting your kids!!!!!!!!! BUT it was an amazing peace that came over me. I was ready to go meet her but not too hysterical...(probably b/c i knew for sure it was going to happen)...So, we made the "Walk" to Hannah's Hope. The walk I dreamt of for so long, heard so much about and there we were actually walking the walk to the gates of ALL GODS CHILDREN. It all seemed surreal...the whole trip felt surreal...

As we walked thru the gates there were kids every where. Toddlers, older kids and tons of babies. It was amazing. Melissa and Dan met their daughter which I have the most amazing video of. Their amazing daughter looked so cute in her little sunglasses they sent to her. She is beautiful and will be in my heart forever...(ALONG WITH HER PARENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
then I walked over with Almaz with Josh videoing to see my little Hannie on the floor on a mat, face turned away from me. I KNEW IT WAS HER! I picked her up and it was like she was always our daughter. I can't explain the feeling...


Kind of like Suzi Redman said to me. When she picked her daughter up for the first time its like "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" all the waiting is over and finally there she is...not balling crying just ahhhhhhhhh what a relief. That's how I felt. The balling crying came later in the week. BELIEVE ME! :) Maya looked JUST like she did in person as she did in her pictures but more beautiful. I remember looking at her just not being able to grasp how beautiful her eyes were. They are so black u can't see the pupils...so pretty my girl is and so sweet. As I type this part she is sitting on my lap. Passie in her mouth, very SURREAL...We are so thankful for our little miracle.

The BEST doll we have ever gotten!

So, the day before I leave for Ethiopia I find a package at my door. I open it up and who is it from...non other then AMY BOTTOMLY and Silas! This is the dolly she send me along with the headband Maya is wearing and THE MOST adorable bracelet. What a beautiful gift! There was a little bribery in the card though, saying something to the effect of winning Maya's heart over. Hmmm...we will see. :) What a beautiful doll. It sits on Maya's shelf in her room and today she got to play with it for the first time! Thanks AMY! We love u so much!

Love,
Jul and Maya (who LOVES Silas and Abel)

9 MONTHS

I think its amazing that the day after we got Maya home, my ticker said 9 months since we started the adoption process. Isnt that amazing! The whole thing from beginning to end was 9 months...

Maya is doing great. Had some fussy/teething/shots days but today was great! She came to the store for a little while, visited her husband Abel who by the way is doing better THANK GOD, had tummy time in the backyard with mommy and daddy, ate rice cereal, drank prune juice :) and went to bed. What a life huh!

So...When we arrived at the AIRPORT after we met Danny and Yohanas this is what we did...


Put all of our luggage in the van and drove to the union hotel. It was so surreal to be in Ethiopia, driving to the hotel and being steps away from our daughter but then having to go to sleep for the night after the 17 hour plane ride! It ended up being fine.

I had to call my mom to tell her we made it safe! Oh that was a tough call to my mom. I MISSED HER SO MUCH! That's Rosa. Tracie had a love affair with her. She was amazing. I loved her and 3 other girls that worked at the hotel. What women!

Thats it for now...hope u are all well...I will leave u with a Maya pic!! Cant figure how to turn it around so tilt your head! Thats the first time i put Maya in her sling. Better then my chihuahua right? :)

The Begining of our TRIP to ETHIOPIA...

This was the first pic we took at the airport leaving to go get our girl on March 8th at 2pm. Little did we know what we would face in about 24 hours from this picture...
We are on the plane now on ETHIOPIAN AIR! There is a non stop repeated elevator music that was wearing on my nerves but overall we were sooooooooooo excited to FINALLY be walking in the footsteps of so many people that went to pick up their children...so many people that I love
deeply. Andy and Lisa were sitting right in front of us. What a wonderful couple! We were so beyond blessed to meet and travel with them. (and the other 2 couples...words just cant express)
Anyone who traveled to Ethiopia knows how excited we were to see this on the screen!

These two men are the most amazing men I have ever met (besides Josh and my dad)...Danny and Yohanes were our drivers in Ethiopia. Their love for the kids is just amazing. I loved being with them and just watching how the kids at Hannah's Hope absolutely ADORE them...I will forever keep them in my heart! Oh and to hear the kids say "DANNY" in their little Ethiopian accents is too cute! :)

Seeing our names on this sign was a very sureal moment. We were in the country where our daughter was! We were on the same continent! I just couldn't believe it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hungry Girl

Maya has been a little fussy today. She didnt take a nap and seemed so hungry so we tried Rice Cereal. She ate it very well. What a sweet girl she is. I was going to try to watch a movie today but the little girl wouldn't let me. Wanted mommy's 100% attention. Things are good around here. Still jet lagged but doing well. Going to stop by work tomorrow! I am excited to get out of the house. More pics coming! xoxo

First Doctor Visit

Today was Maya's first visit to the doctor! I cant find my moms (ahhh) camera with all the pictures from the big day though so i will close with another pic of Maya. Anyway she has been such a great baby! Today after the shots though she was fussy and just wanted to be held by mommy...wow what an amazing feeling! Then grandma and I took her for a walk in the stroller. A very nice day...

I know i havent posted about our time in Ethiopia. Right now i just don't know what to write about it. It was an amazing experience. I would LOVE to be back at Hannah's Hope with Almaz and my travel group. I literally long to be there, hearing Amaric, watching the kids, watching the special mothers...watching the amazing children bond with their new parents. If the plane ride wasn't soooooooo long I would want to go back soon...BUT I am happy and content at home. IF ANYONE GOING NEXT WEEK CAN GET ME THE NAME OF THE CD ALMAZ PLAYS FOR THE BABIES WHEN THEY ARE SUNBATHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW! I am just dying to hear that music and play it for Maya at home...

Here is a pic of Maya with one of her favorite people in Ethiopia!