Update from Stephanie

Reading her letters makes me feel as if I am there. And then I have tons of questions to ask her when I reply! I have decided to just include her letter, rather than telling you what it says. Some of her sentences don't make sense, but she said they are super tired! And I know that plane ride to Addis is not one that you can relax and sleep. But I am glad they made it safely and are having a great time! Here is her letter:

Hi everyone!!!

We made it! We are here in Addis. Just wanted to let y’all know that we made it fine - the plane ride from Dubai to Addis was pretty bumpy but it was ok. We have a TON of stuff as far as donations - you would not believe the amount of craft supplies we have - I have a feeling we won’t even use half of it. But oh well - they can find a use for it after we are gone. Yesterday we went to Hannah’s - which is an orphanage - and visited with them for a while. It rained the whole time so we piled into their big tv room and watch Chasing Liberty - it was in english with english subtitles - so one of the boys used the microphone and translated from the subtitles for the kids that can’t read english! It was a little strange but very funny!!! We had pizza for lunch - yay! And we had it again today - yay! Today's was awesome - even better than ours at home! We went to an Ethiopian Cultural restaurant last night for dinner. We eat their traditional food while they sang and danced. It was fun but we are all so exhausted and still had to come home and finish organizing all the donations. We finally went to sleep around midnight for our first normal night of sleep! Today we went to Kids Care where all the little babies are for a little while. After lunch we went to St. George’s Cathedral here in Addis and had a tour of the church. It was really pretty and something we didn’t get a chance to do last year - so that was nice! We back to the guest house we are staying to no electricity. Apparently on Saturdays they don’t have electricity here. The guest house we stayed at last year had a generator so we never went without electricity or hot water - not this year. But oh well! So we all took a nap - which was wonderful!!! Tomorrow we are going to church with our translator and to lunch somewhere and then hopefully to the market. We might get the chance to go to the internet cafe too. We have internet at the guest house - but without power it doesn’t do much good - haha! Oh, we have the same translator (plus two new ones) and the same bus driver as last year - so that is neat to get to spend time with them again! Monday we are heading out to Nazareth to a women’s center to spend some time with them! We are planning on doing crafts and maybe baking with them so that should be fun. One of the girls is going to teach all of us to crochet - I am excited about that!

I hope everything at home is going ok! Everyone here is really nice and no one is sick yet so lets just hope it stays that way!!! I am probably about to go back to bed - haha! We have all been so exhausted just from traveling and not getting to sleep like we should. So I will gladly go to bed early even after taking a nap! But anyways - I will e-mail again when I can!

Love y’all-

Steph

P.S. We have had pizza for the past three days - haha!

So you can see that they are loving the food! The Italians tried to take over Ethiopia during WWII, so that is why there is an abundance of pizza restaurants. I ate spaghetti at every nice restaurant we went to last year. It was the safe option for me. I was not brave in trying their foods. But, I will admit, the night I did try injera, it wasn't too bad. They make the food really spicy, so it hides any bad tastes! 

The Women's Center in Nazareth is a project that Mocha Club started a while back to help rehabilitate women who have been in prostitution. This center helps break the cycle and give these women job skills to better their lives. Many of these women are second and third generation prostitutes, so the center is helping show them another way of life so that they can change this pattern in their own daughters. And I think that it's really cool that the women are teaching them something in exchange. Last year we visited many places, but we never got to really exchange talents, so I am excited for Steph to come home and teach me to crochet! 

Ethiopia Trip Update

I just got my first (of hopefully many) updates from Stephanie. They were waiting for their plane in the Dubai airport and had wireless internet to use, so they all took advantage of it. I can just picture them all surrounding computers trying to write to everyone at home! Steph said that Dubai was simply amazing. She said she felt like she was in an adult Disney World. They got to see the world's tallest building, a 7-star hotel, and they had Coldstone Creamery at midnight! She said nothing ever closes, and they were glad, because they planned on doing a tour of the area when they got there-which was late! So instead of sleeping, they toured Dubai. Way to use all of your available time! They got to sleep some on the plane, so she feels rested. I'm sure that will change! Ethiopia has a way of wearing you out-but in a good way. I slept good every night I was there because I was simply exhausted. When you pour out your heart, spirit, and energy day after day, it can be a little tiring. But I know they are going to have a blast. I cannot wait to hear about the adorable little ones at Kid's Care. Maybe my little one is there. But for his or her sake, I hope not! I will keep you updated on Steph, as well as my emotional roller coaster, as she updates me.

I did really well today. I worked outside for most of the day, so I kept my mind busy. My yard looks like a professional was here. And I am not a professional! But I had neglected it for a while, and my focus had not been on the weeds, so I took care of those today! Tomorrow I am planning on laying out and reading a book. I'm sure that will keep my mind busy too!

Broadway update

After talking with Sandy, I think we are going to do a Broadway review type show. She is going to round up some of the old theatre people, her dancers, and our new theatre people and come up with a great show. I am super excited!

Broadway is coming to Pulaski...again

When I was growing up, Pulaski had a theatre. Not a movie theatre. A theatre that had performances such as The Wizard of Oz, Steel Magnolias, Fiddler on the Roof, Music Man, and my theatre debut...Carousel. I loved being a part of that performance. After watching So You Think You Can Dance last night, I posted something on my Facebook page about missing dance class. Today I got an email from my dance instructor-I took from age 2 until my sophomore year of high school. Sandy was my teacher at age 2. She was in high school and had classes in her parents' garage. What a start, right?!?!? So she emailed me today and said that she would love to help with the adoption by organizing a fundraiser. I was thinking her dance students could sell t-shirts or raffle tickets for a prize or something. And then she says that she was thinking about doing a Broadway show. Now I know this can be done because Pulaski used to have people every weekend throughout the year come to see the shows at the Giles Heritage Theatre.

I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am about this! What an awesome fundraiser! Sandy even mentioned Julianna doing costume design. So you know I have already called her for that! And, she has accepted the challenge. I know she has a lot on her plate with her own fashion career, but who could pass up the opportunity to design the wardrobe for Pulaski's first Broadway show in 10 years?!?!?

So now Sandy is going to start rounding up set designers, sound and lighting people, and we are getting this show on the road! Well, maybe not literally. But, who knows...We might be that good!

Thanks

Thanks to Amy for helping me figure out this thing I call a blog. Now that it is much cuter, I am hoping to attract more followers!

Today

Today Dana and I took Steph, Derrek, and Amanda to the airport. I don't get up before 5 AM for many people, so they should feel special. We took them to the airport for them to head to Ethiopia. To say that my heart is broken wouldn't really do this feeling justice. I am so excited that Stephanie gets to experience the people of Ethiopia for a month this summer, but I am also sad that I am here in the comforts of my home rather than at the airport meeting strangers who will become life-long friends. I know they will all have a blast and come home with more memories than they could ever share, and I can't wait to hear as many stories as they can remember! Last year as we returned home, we knew that we could tell the stories of the beautiful people and landscape of Ethiopia, but unless our family and friends were there to witness it with their own eyes, they could not truly understand where we were coming from. And I think I am the saddest about that. I will not be there to see these things so that I can fully support Stephanie as she comes home to share. It was such a peaceful feeling to know that I had her to back me up on the details of playing in a field full of cows and children. Or of the faces of the children at the various orphanages. I pray that she has a wonderful, life-changing experience. I am already anxious to hear about it and she isn't even there yet!

But, as Julianna and Catherine pointed out today, this is a part of my process of changing to become a parent. I am going to have to miss out on month long mission trips, but I think this would be easier to deal with if my child was here. I would have a constant distraction from crying. So, since my little one isn't here yet, I guess I am going to have to clean house, mow the yard, and read lots of books to keep myself occupied. I know this month will fly by! I just pray that it seems like a lifetime for my friends in Ethiopia. I pray that God uses them each day to touch the people of that beautiful nation.

Last Week

I didn't update last week because I was with Catherine and her adorable children in Memphis. We stayed with her in-laws, and they have dial-up, so that meant I was not using the Internet. Guess I am spoiled by my high speed! Reese had zoo camp at the Memphis Zoo every day, so I just went to hang out with Catherine and play with the kids. To listen to Reese tell stories every afternoon of the stuff she did at zoo camp was worth being away from home for 5 nights! She got to play with a baby penguin one day! I was so incredibly jealous! We spent 2 days at the zoo while she was in camp to enjoy the animals and the beautiful weather. This week filled with kids and fun events made me wish that mine was here now! We went to the sprinkler park and played, had popsicles, played on the swing set, and jammed to Michael Jackson. It took us a while, but Reese finally warmed up to his music. Now she wants to learn the dances! Some people say that your life stops when you have children, but after last week I have learned that life doesn't stop, it just gets more exciting!