Who needs SO much time to plan a giant-life changing- trip to Ethiopia. We did ours in a week AND we were also in Las Vegas at the time. Usually I am such a planner. I should have been a travel agent. I LOVE to travel. Andy and I are so psyched to have the opportunity to spend some extra time in our kids’ birth country. We decided to spend an extra week or so traveling around. We only actually have to be in Ethiopia for about 4 days for adoption related stuff. The rest of the time we are going to have a looksy.
Here is our itinerary:

May 11: Leave Portland travel to Amsterdam. Change plans from Amsterdam to Addis Ababa. We have a refueling stopover in Khartoum.

May 12: Arrive in Addis Ababa and go to our Hotel the Jeremiah Guest House

May 13: Recuperate and tour Addis. I really want to go see Lucy and do some shopping, ’cause I am a shopper. It’s who I am.

May 14: This is the date that most families from Holt have to arrive by. So we get to meet all the other fabulous families we will be traveling with.

May 15: The day we have been waiting for…….we get to meet DAVY davy davy DDDDAAAAVVVYYYYYY davy davydavydavy davy. We get to gobble her chin, hug her, hold her, squeeze her (not too tight). LOVE on her!!!!! DAVy DAVY DDDDDAAAAVVVVVVVYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. I have run the scenario over in my head a million times. Thinking about it gives me goosebumps all the way down to me knees. DAVY Girl. We are coming!!! Davy is still living in the south of Ethiopia in a town called Durame

May 16: Sniff sniff sniff. We are going back Addis. We are going to meet with Holt’s Lawyer to discuss the court process. Mostly they do this in a big group but I think they want to make sure we are super prepared incase we get called out.

May 17: COURT DAY. Andy says this is the first court appearance in his life that he has been happy about (har har). If all goes well. Davy will become legally our daughter as per Ethiopian law.

May 18: Leave for our trip around Ethiopia. First we are going to The Portuguese Bridge

May 19: We are going to visit Debre Libanos monastery. We are also going to see the Blue Nile Gorge. Spend the night in Bahir Dar

May 20- Visit Lake Tana. Go to visit some Ethiopian Jews at a synagogue near Gondor and visit a Jewish Cemetery. I am very excited about this trip as I have been totally fascinated with Ethiopian Jews since I was a kid. Also Davy will be an Ethiopian Jew (well sorta in a less direct but more direct route).

May 21: Touring around Gondar. Not to be confused (as I was) with Gondor from Lord of the Rings. We will also visit King Fasilides Palace. Also we stay in a hotel with a swimming pool. Which I am pretty sure at this point- will make me irrationally happy.

May 22: Drive back to Addis Ababa. At this point hopefully we will get to see my friend Lori for dinner- who will also be in town for her court date!

May 23: Buh Bye Ethiopia! Hopefully time will fly and we will be back super soon to take our beautiful, beloved daughter home.