And the next days ...

It was now June 23rd.  Our boys' birthday is June 22nd  - and we didn't get to see them on their birthday since we arrived home from our trip south long after they were asleep for the day.  We were so excited to be with them... it was a big day!  Today was the day that when we picked them up from the nannies and they got to STAY with us!  Yeah!  It was the day that they would sleep in our room ... that we didn't have to say good bye when we said good night, but rather fall asleep next to them!

We had a few things that we wanted to do before we went to get the boys.  First, we went to visit an amazing family, the Shannon's. They run a daycare near the garbage dump in Addis Ababa in an area called Kore - an area of the city that is very poor and known as a forsaken place. The Shannon's and their staff care for children that are being raised by single mom's.  Their daycare assistance along with nutrition during the day allow for these single mom's to be able to work and earn some type of an income.   Their organization is called Embracing Hope Ethiopia. Check it out - you can even sponsor one of these precious kiddos! We can help them bring hope to these moms and children.

This is a picture from their daycare's rooftop.  You can kind-of see the dump in the background on the left side of the picture.

Here is a picture of us with the Shannon Family

After we left Embracing Hope Ethiopia we took our driver out for a cup of coffee at Kaldi's coffee.  I've said it before and will say it again ... there is nothing like a good cup of Ethiopian coffee!

Then we went back to the care center to get the boys and bring them to our room!  They were ready for their bath, so we decided to give that to them in our room.  They loved it!

Next came a little birthday party!  There was so much to celebrate!

Then we went outside to play for awhile.

After we played, it was lunch time.  We fed them their first lunch with us and it was nap time.  Back up to our room we went.  We all laid down on our bed.  It seemed like the moment we had been waiting for so long.  The boys were in our custody!  No more "goodbyes"!  We are all so happy that we were doing more playing than napping.  Then, Isaac Buche crawled over me and turned to get off the bed.  He did make it off the bed, but not very gracefully.  Things changed from a happy, excited day to a bit of a stressful day.  Isaac Buche screamed, held his upper leg and instantly started to sweat.  I knew something was wrong.  We brought him downstairs to the nurse on staff at our care center.  He is one tough boy and didn't really cry as we were feeling around on his leg so we decided to give him some Tylenol, ice his leg and let him nap.   He slept in my arms and woke up and still would not move his leg.  The doctor was coming to the care center anyway that afternoon, so we waited til he came to do anything else.  After he looked at Isaac Buche's leg he said that he didn't think it was broke, but that we should get an x-ray to make sure. So, we were off on another adventure.  We went to the clinic and sure enough, our little boy had a clear break on his femur.  By this time it was late into the evening.  We went back to the care center and he slept right next to me for the night.  He didn't wake up all night and sleep so soundly.   That evening I was so thankful to have the connection of the Shannon's who we had just seen that morning.  Christy Shannon gave me the name of an US Orthopedic Dr who was working in Ethiopia.  So, when morning came off we went to "The Cure" hospital to get our little guy set in a cast.

This is in our room at our agencies care center before we left for the hospital.

Isaac Buche had to be put completely under general anesthesia to be put in his cast.  Both our agencies staff as well as the staff at the Cure were so great, but it was such a scary time.  As his bed was being wheeled into the Operating Room I kissed my little guy and told him he would be okay and then I lost it and started to cry.  The nurse who was with me looked me in the eye and said ..."No problem ... God is with him".  I so needed that reminder at that minute and am so thankful for her.  God had seen us this far and there was not doubt that He would take us the rest of the way ... but it was so hard to watch our little guy have to go through this pain  - especially only hours after we took custody of him!  I know God had a plan in all of this and I've been watching it unfold as the weeks have passed.  Isaac is a very independent little boy. Because of this cast he has needed to depend on us and we have spent many hours rocking and cuddling.  Hours that I'm not so sure he would have let happen so quickly if he had not broke his leg.  Don't get me wrong ... I would have never wished this on him - ever ... but there is beauty in the ashes.

Waiting in our hospital room before going to the Operating Room

This was so beautifully painted on the wall of our Hospital Room.  I'm not sure what the writing says, but the picture sure did remind me of what the nurse told me ... God was with my little boy.

All gowned up and ready for the Operating Room

Daddy and Isaiah Burka waiting while Isaac Buche was in surgery

Back from the Operating Room with a hefty hip spika cast.

We left the hospital that same day.  We unfortunately missed a sweet coffee ceremony at the care center that happened while we were at the hospital but we did get back in time to say goodbye to our friends who were all flying home that evening with their kiddos.

And ... since we've been home we've discovered that nothing will stop our little Isaac Buche! 

 Here our little guy is at home and had just learned that he can walk in his cast!  He is now running.  We are coming up on week 5 of his cast being on and hopefully will get it off in just 7 days (but whose counting)!

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose".  Romans 8:28