Day 3: Happiest Day of Our Lives

...the day we met our son.

Nick and I will never ever forget the drive from the TDS guesthouse to the WACAP transition home. We were so nervous and maybe a bit in shock as we made our way through Addis. The drive seemed to take forever when we finally turned down a very rocky road and in to a gated compound - we had arrived! We just couldn't believe this day had finally come! As we got out of the van toddlers ran out with the nannies in tow holding our babies. We spotted Lucas right away as tears welled up. We beelined to Lucas' nannie and stared in awe at this little thing wrapped up in a big green blanket. He was asleep and when we took him from his nannie he opened his eye's and smiled. WE MELTED. For months we'd stared and stared at his picture so it was just unreal to finally hold him. For the next two hours we played with him, fed him and watched as he fell asleep. HEAVEN. We are so blessed to have him in our lives and will always cherish this profound, incredible journey.

Our first visit lasted about two hours during which we played with the children and got to know the nannies and transition home staff. The WACAP staff also performed a traditional coffee ceremony and served popcorn and roasted barley. The children devoured everything but only after the nannies gave the cue that it was okay!

After our visit, Ato Teklu, the WACAP director, took us to lunch where we had a traditional Ethiopian meal then to the Ethiopian National Museum where we saw Lucy's remains -- or rather a replica, which was still amazing. Imagine, life as we know it started in Ethiopia with the discovery of this oldest known hominid skeleton. Pretty profound.