The baby has landed! (and one more reason to be aggravated at the US government!)

Phil just called! He is back on US soil, accompanied by our new son! Here's our conversation . . .

Me: Hi!! You're back!
Phil: Yep. We're here.
Me: How'd it go? How's Noah?
Phil: He's good. We're at customs waiting for them to process all of the paperwork.

Some unintelligible mumbling

Phil: I was just told that I have to get off the phone. I'll call you back.
Me: How long is it going to take?
Phil: A long time.
Me: Uh . . . okay . . .
Phil: She's telling me that I have to hang up. I'll talk to you soon.
click

So, they're back, but I have nothing else to report. Hopefully he will call again very soon and I'll get a little bit more of a report.

He sent me another email on Sunday night and last night. Here they are:

Sunday, November 5:

My worst fear has happened :) not the worst, but Nedi has diarrhea. Oh la la!

If you get this and can get a hold of Kelly, please tell her that we can't have enough wipes! Wipes! WIPES! What a stinky mess. I hope she has plenty of diapers. The two you sent will, unfortunately, get us to the airport. Lisa (Mme Coindy) said she will send us with a few more. I feel guilty.

I will want an immediate shower upon return. I am going to be so stinky and messy myself, I pity the people on the plane around me. Kelly (he he).

Nedi has been so cute today-very happy. Singing all day. He has been a lot less clingy.

Oh also, please ask Kelly to keep all food way out of sight until needed. If he sees it he will want it ALL! Water is going through him like crazy as well.

They are calling Nedi to eat now (allez manger) wow, he takes off like a flash! He really has the reputation of being an eater around here. People just shake their heads and smile. The BRAT diet works for most kids, but what do you do for a child who hardly ever has toast, and has never had an apple! In fact it was probably the toast and peanut butter that he shared with me the last two mornings that did it. The huge slice of pizza with sausage and ham at Mommy Duncans didn't help either.

I have his visa and passport in hand. It says immigrant visa so I don't think we have the "good" visa. Oh well, we have Nedi. I know I have said this, but Nedi definitely is stubborn-sweet, but stubborn. On dit "Tetu" en francais et Creole.

Well dear I have kept a fairly detailed journal, I think you will be proud. I had to change the batteries in the camera today but still haven't seen anything about changing the memory card. I might do that tonight just to be safe.

I am going to go since I will see you tomorrow night. We will both be tired and probably cranky. He is going to be so overwhelmed. Please warn people that he, I am sure will not smile or want to see people. Me too :)

See you tomorrow!

Love Phil

Monday, November 5:

A free computer so I will type again until dinner. I just put Nedi to bed (gave him to the auntie- got to get one of those!). He didn't cry tonight. They have been preparing him well- he knows he is leaving tomorrow. I think he gets that he is ours. He sang all day and talked like you can't believe. I wish I could understand what he was saying. I tried very hard to listen and learn as much as I could while here, but it is completely different from french.

I am feeling somewhat sad tonight, his last night in his native land. This was unexpected. What a vibrant culture, so sad that poverty doesn't allow for more freedom of expression. Subsistence living doesn't allow for free time. But there is music every night outside the walls of the creche.

I told Mme. Coindy that we would like to come back some day. She said to tell you hello and to make sure I told you how much she enjoyed your visit. She said don't bring Nedi back until he is old enough to know that he won't be staying. Probably not a problem, but I do want to come back- what a change n'est pas.

It has been so hot, but I honestly have loved it here.

Love you again and see you tomorrow!

I won't call until we are out of customs and at our gate with Kelly.

Gros Bisou!

Phil

We had been told that diarrhea would likely be an issue, but I didn't expect him to leave the orphanage with it. I thought we would have at least gotten through half of the trip home before it hit. Hopefully it's just something that he's eaten and not one of the parasites that we have been warned about.

We are down to hours instead of weeks or days until he is here. Everybody around me is so excited, and so am I, but I have to admit that I'm not feeling what I thought I would be feeling right now, and I'm feeling kind of bad about that. I guess there's no prescription for this though, and I just need to feel what I feel and not beat myself up about it. I'm just not used to the anxiety and apprehension because I generally leave that up to Phil. It's much easier to be the one to just kind of roll with things.

This will probably be my last post until after Noah is home. I am taking Adam with me to the airport tonight, and my mom and Dale will be there with us, and so will Kendall and the kids to pick up Kelly and to meet Noah. This poor little guy is going to be completely overwhelmed. I wish that the flight wasn't coming in so late. I'm predicting a bunch of cranky, wound-up kids, and a bunch of emotionally drained adults for his arrival. I hope the clothes that I sent for his trip home fit him.