Update from the Feltons

We did it! Our Embassy appointment went great! We also got to bring her home after the Embassy! She was really having a hard time with us at the baby home. She really didn't want anything to do with us and when we did have her she was not impressed!!! When we took her out to go to the embassy we broke out the Cherrios!! She loved them, still not sure about us but at least we were making some progress. When we got back to the guest house we just sat on the bed and played, ate cherrios and gave her a few little toys. Before long she was smiling and even laughing a little!! After we played for a little we walked over to the other guest house with the staff and other families. The staff had graciously prepared a feast for all of us to celebrate the new year! It was wonderful!! They built a fire cooked some meat. Wait I must back up, Aki, a driver for the guest home, told me that earlier that day they had killed two sheep for us! To eat!!! Yikes! Anyway, they made a very special sweet bread, injera (their bread staple), and various versions of sheep meat (not lamb, sheep)! They set off fireworks (no fear, the Lengefeld fireworks are still the best), performed the coffee ceremony, which consists of popping popcorn (not in the microwave!) and then roasting the coffee beans, (Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee!) and then feeding us wonderful food! It was such a perfect ending to a wonderful day. Sitota laughed and ate the bread, she smiled and clapped, she was finally opening up! Keith and I both talked about what a privilege to share the New Year with our new daughter in her country. New beginnings filled with hope and joy are part of the New Year celebration, that could not be truer for all of us this year. We came back to the guest house and Sitota took her bottle and went right to sleep! By the way, thanks Ellie for the warm clothes!! It is cold here tonight! We did it!