Day 3

Today we hung out at the New Flower Guest House waiting for our time to go to the CHSFS guesthouse.  We woke to breakfast of eggs, toast, and jam. Seasoned travelers we met at the Care center later Said that small breakfasts of bread and jam are the norm for Europeans.   Since the website for New Flower lists everything in Euros, we are guess this is why there was so little food for our American appetites. For lunch we ordered our first traditional Ethiopian dish of injera (a sourdough pancake) and dorro wat (chicken stew).    It was very good but very spicy! We were scheduled to arrive at the CHSFS office at 4:00 but after lunch we were having trouble waiting so we asked our friends at New Flower to call a van for us at 2:30. Through the bumpy roads & stopping for directions we made our way to the office. We were greeted by the guard and told to leave our bags and suitcases out in the driveway. (We were nervous about this but everything was watched by the guards + the front gates were shut the whole time). Next we were introduced to a flurry of people and taken upstairs to a large meeting room. A journalist came in after awhile + had us sign a paper saying that we would not take pictures of other children at the care center. (I know that this was the sign that we would get to meet Webitu today but Torrey was oblivious since we were originally told that we would have to wait until tomorrow morning). My nerves got the best of me so I went to the bathroom + wouldn't you know I locked myself in and couldn't get out! How embarrassing… it was quite the entertainment for everyone in the office. Luckily the top window on the door was missing so I called for Torrey to come help me. This brought the attention of many! So I passed the key through the open window so they could try it from the outside. They couldn't get it so they passed it back to me + I had to pass it back to them.  Finally they banged on the door and tried the key again and it finally opened! So 2 minutes later the film crew shows up and loads us in the van. We drive ¼ of a mile to the school. Torrey still didn't know what we were doing! So we climb out of the van and look at each other realizing that this is the moment! Tears started to form but we recovered right before we entered her room. She was sitting on the floor with 2 other little girls coloring pictures. Her hair has started to grow back and it is light brown with little curls. We were surprised at how tiny she is!   She immediately handed me a paper that she had colored blue and purple and another with a smiley face sun sticker on it. She pointed to the sticker's eye and then at her own eye.   Then she giggled. The nannies gave us a sheet of stickers to give her. We peeled of a little butterfly and gave it to her. The nanny tried to get her to put it on her forehead but she started to get shy. So I took one and put it on Torrey's forehead and got a belly laugh! Then we played "Where is it?" since it was one of the only phrases I had learned before leaving. So Webitu would put the sticker on the ground under her knees and I would say"Yet No?" and she would move her legs so I could see the sticker. Then I would gasp in surprise which was followed by more belly laughs. We played this for about 10 minutes with the other 2 girls and Webitu. The nannies from the other rooms came to watch the little girls laugh. Then our driver came to let us know that it was time to leave. Our first 15 minutes with Webitu were absolutely wonderful! I think she will get along very well with our goofy family. I can't wait to hear the harmony in the combination of Carter + Webitu's belly laughs!   Her papers said that she likes to be carried around I so Noah will be so happy to know that there are many opportunities for piggyback rides in their future!