Pictures from Ethiopia and the trip getting to and from there.

Grandma Pat meeting Joseph
1st morning home and Joseph is downstairs playing with daddy and some trucks. He's a happy camper!



First morning home at breakfast. All three kids lined up eating their cereal and Anna doing some weird thing with her vitamin in her mouth.
Luke welcomed us home with this written on our driveway.

Several of the neighbor kids got in on the homecoming welcome.
Notice the streamers in Ethiopian colors. COOL!!! And there's Luke
Here we are in the Amsterdam at the kiddie playland. Eric is zapped and couldn't lift himself up off the ground.
Amsterdam kicked our rear-end flying to Ethiopia and flying back too. Whenever we hit Amsterdam our bodies seemed to loose all energy.
Joseph loved the playland.



Eric and I shaking hands on the plane flying home meaning that we did it. We made it through the adoption process and were on our way home to the good old USA. WOO HOO
This was Deb and Joseph on the first leg of the trip home from Addis Ababa to Amsterdam. Joseph doesn't look too bad here and he was really good. The second leg was more than the poor little guy could and should have to handle.
This was a photo hanging in our bathroom at the Sheraton. Joseph was struck by it and kept saying "mother" in Amharic. I'm on the lookout for this painting and would like to put it in his bedroom.

The Sheraton's grounds. We decided to use some of our frequent flyer points and stay at the Sheraton our last night in Addis. It was the nicest Sheraton Eric and I have ever stayed in.
Joseph's first banana split. He spit the ice cream out at first because it was so cold, but believe it or not, he went right back at it. Smart boy.
Eric thought it only right that Joseph experience pizza, french fries and fish. He loved them all.
Here's our very well-mannered young man. He does so well.
Playing at the Sheraton playground.

This black and yellow buy was enormous and looked like one of those bugs you'd have to eat on Fear Factor. I have no idea whether it's dangerous or not, but I had to get close enough for a photo.
The boys enjoying each other.
Joseph and Eric playing with the elevator buttons.
Daddy and Joseph chilling out and watching a little t.v.
We have arrived. Yes, this was our bathroom at the Sheraton.
What a nice room
The Ethiopian National Museum
The front of YGF Hotel. This is where we spent our first six nights when in Ethiopia with Joseph. It's a great spot.
Deb, Joseph and Eric enjoying dinner at YGF.
Our little guy sleeping with his beloved cars. One in each hand.
The beautiful entrance to YGF
Daddy and Joseph getting ready for bed. Yes, Joseph went to bed in his shoes. He adores shoes.
Boy time on the deck by our room.

Mr. Personality gets to pick who won the drawing amongst staff at YGF. Here he is with one of our favorite people.
Super, super people!!!! Here they are before the coffee ritual and dancing and singing.

Daddy and his sweetheart
Me and my guy. I love him so much!!!!!
Deb with a couple of her new dearest friends.
Eric and great friends.
Coffee ritual for us. This was one of the coolest things about Ethiopia. We felt honored each and every time we were served coffee and popcorn. What a great tradition!
This is one of the main roads in Addis along with a few extra road hazards. ha
Eric relaxing at Toukoul Orphanage waiting for Joseph to come in and visit us.
Friends that were meeting their children for the first time. Too cute!

More friends with their newly united children. Super sweet.
Day two of Joseph getting to meet Eric and Deb. As Joseph was being walked towards Deb outside by his nanny he screamed and ran the other way. Things did get better.
Our favorite attorney in Ethiopia
Laundry day -- Toukoul Orphanage style. And I thought I had a lot of laundry.
The famous blue doors welcoming us to Toukoul
The famous Toukoul sign
Eric enjoying Ethiopian coffee during the coffee ritual in a Lion of Judah cup.
Coca-Cola in Amharic and English.
Shopping in Addis
Donkeys working hard
This was Sunday and a lot of people were going into church. It was awesome to see all of the traditional clothing.
Eric standing in front of the Hilton Hotel. This is where we went to use the Internet once.
Our deck at YGF. It was heaven to go out here and relax with Joseph away from other guests and the rest of the world.
Busy, busy and rapidly growing Addis

Mr. Happy relaxing at YGF

Getting ready to eat breakfast in Amsterdam and being so tired. This was on our trip to Ethiopia.
Having a nice lunch at the Hilton Hotel at Chicago, O'Hare Airport before leaving for Ethiopia. We both felt fresh and well-rested at this point. It went downhill fast when we arrived in Amsterdam and had a huge change in time.
This was the fourth day Joseph had met us and it was his first smiles and giggles. We were starting to get a tad-bit worried that he wasn't going to warm up to us for a long time, but we were wrong.
Another great friend at YGF Hotel. He's awesome.
My favorite picture of Joseph because it was his first smile for us. It melted our hearts and brought tears.