Fingerprint Dates! (and some pics)

Addis, Ababa (capital of Ethiopia)

Our letter arrived from immigration today stating our biometrics (fingerprinting) appointment for Nov. 29! I have heard you could go early and to show up, but then a "friend" (an online fellow adoptive TN mama who I love and have never met!) told me that's a no go. She said she could the first time she went (and it expired so she had to go again), but that the Nashville office changed it and she couldn't the second time...so she had to wait. Please pray for Ashley and her husband as they are headed to Ethiopia to pick up her daughter who they have named Elsa (who is almost 3 years old), it will be her first child and I am so excited for her!  She has waited 2 very long years for this child and I am so blessed to have met her via Etsy and she is also the one who designed our tshirt logo and adoption logo (coming soon). They have already been once  to court about 12 weeks ago and still have no second court date, so they are just headed over and taking custody and waiting until they get the court date to come home. Africa time so I hear is MUCH MUCH slower than US time. Everything takes sooo long over there because their culture is just different like that.
I sent my agency director an email with a few questions while I wait for the next step, which is a whole lot more waiting..:)
One of which was the names of the orphanages that they are currently using for referrals. It's cool because I can actually see where they are living...even though I don't know exactly where and they are currently trying to contract to get more agencies to partner with. I was so happy to see these next pics...because no matter what orphanage the child is from...if a court date is assigned, this place (transition home) is where he/she will live until we can get there and scoop him/her up! And it was just renovated this past summer!!

These are actual kids at the transition home where our baby will be! Look how sweet--oh those faces!

They are so happy in the transition home. It is a much higher quality of care than where the orphanage they were at before being referred to a family. There is a pediatritian on staff as well as a nutritionist and 24 hour care by nannys all supported by funds of the adoption process and mostly very giving people who invest in the lives of these precious little people out of the kindness of their hearts! And best of all, for many it's the first time they are taught about God! They even learn English there...arts and crafts, clean clothes (unheard of, but they have a washer/dryer!), and love from their caregivers. If you were their caregiver would you just squeeze and kiss their little cheeks all day? I know I would want to! :) And another reason they are smiling? If they are in this transition home, it means they have been referred and are all going home to a mommy and daddy!