A Case of Mistaken Identity

I wasn't sure how I was going to start this posting. It has been an interesting 5 days. Let me start on Saturday when Clint went to get the mail. There was an unexpected envelope from AFAA (Americans for African Adoptions), our agency. I anxiously opened it as Clint stood by and watched. There was a letter from Cheryl stating she had included recent pictures of Kidus and Natinael along with their medical test reports. As we viewed the pictures we were shocked to firnd that the picture of Natinael was not the same little boy we had been cherishing for the last month. Shocked and confused we stood there and wondered what to do next. It is Saturday afternoon and we couldn't call the agency until Monday. Many tears were shed and a few choice words as well. How could they make this mistake? Now another face of a little boy had entered our minds and hearts and this might be our son. Monday came very slowly and I called the agency first thing and Cheryl was not available. I explained the situation and asked that she call me right away. All I got was an email stating she would forward the pictures to Tigist in Ethiopia and ask for clarification. In other words, she had no idea!! I waited all day Monday and Tuesday with three little faces swimming in my mind. Finally by Wednesday morning at 9:30, I couldn't stand it any longer. I called the agency and asked for Cheryl, and basically had a conversation that made my blood boil. I will spare you all the details. I finally got the answer.

We have a new face that we will continue to love and become more familiar with as the months go by. This is still the little boy that loves the color purple, loves pasta and soccer. He is still close to Kidus and knows that he finally has a family to call his own. There was never any confusion in Ethiopia. This little boy is the one that was told he had a family and would come to the US with Kidus.


Meet our NEW son, Natinael and of course, Kidus!!

It was still a little difficult to take down the picture of the little boy in the grey sweatshirt that we had received on October 8th. We had considered adopting him as well, but I was told today that he has been adopted along with his sister. That picture will always be a part of our story. I thought about changing the video at the beginning of the blog, but I think I will just make another. It is still a part of this journey that we have made. Sometime in the future when Natinael reads this blog we will explain that all things happen for a reason. HE was meant to be our son!!

The addendum has been received in Ehtiopia and we are waiting for a court date. No idea how long it will be. We have the photo albums all ready to send and the DVD is almost done. We are just waiting on a few last minute photos.

Love you all!!!