The New Milton and the New Miltons: We are all together!

Yosef is more than our driver! Here he's playing a little paddle ball game with Peter...in our suite's living room.

Wednesday afternoon (writing in a word document again, as we lost internet access a few minutes after we got home).

We picked up the court decree, took it to the orphanage and picked up Getabalew!

It has been quite a day, if I do say so.

Soon after we got there, we had to leave abruptly. The orphanage director got a call that a government inspector was coming...and apparently these folks are not fond of international adoptions, so she preferred that we not be there.

So we four, Yosef--our driver, and one of the caregivers from the orphanage walked to the school. I’ve included one picture of that short--but circuitous, so as to avoid the main street--walk.

When we arrived, the school broke into pandemonium. Everyone poured out of their class rooms and yelled for Getabalew. They all gathered around him, then around Peter, then around us...it was all quite overwhelming. I’ve included some photos of that.

After a while, we headed back, and sat down to a conversation with the orphanage director, took some photos with various staff, and said a few goodbyes (though we will be going back for a party).

It was all somewhat emotional. Part of me felt bad...we’re ripping him out of an environment where he has many loving friends and caregivers, and I don’t want to be flip about the fact that there are losses for him. Yes, we may ultimately represent more and better prospects for him--I believe that, otherwise it seems selfish and even immoral to do this, but there are things he’s losing, at least in the short-run.

So we left, and eventually returned to our hotel. And already you can see some personality, which we hadn’t known or couldn’t know yet. He is enamored of Peter’s headphones, and so is walking all around our suite with them around his neck. No sounds are attached...they just look good. He even “wore” to the restaurant we visited tonight.

And he seems to be plenty willing to try to keep up with Peter in--how shall I say it--demonstratively expressive dancing...to no music, mind you.

So far (about 8 hours total), they both seem eager for each other, which, though not much of a sample to go on, is certainly more reassuring than if they were disinterested.

He also is intent on changing his name to Elias, or Elyas (ell-yas, not uh-lie-us)...the Amharic version of Elijah. In fact, he seems intent on several things, as in he seems to have his own mind on things. Quietly, but definitively so.

So, we’re calling him Elyas now.

He does have some English skills. I brought the Engelman book, Teach your child to read in 100 lessons, but I tried various parts of the book, and I think he’s beyond that already. The orphanage director and the teachers all reported that he’s a very good student, and a quick study.