Ethiopia Day 1

While I was in Ethiopia I kept a journal of all our events. I want to be able to remember the details to tell Grace all about it. I plan on typing in my entries in as is to get the full Ethiopia effect.

"Day 1"

Is in quotes because day one too several days to accomplish. I left Tuesday night from Syracuse -- highlights include me getting flustered at the check in counter because my bag was over weight and losing my ticket before I got to security. Luckily it is Syracuse and they just walked up behind me and handed it to me. With my new travel buddies Marge and Joe we found our baggage and our shuttle to the hotel. Settled in for a quick sleep and were back up and out by seven am Wednesday.

We headed off our in our huge plane to Ethiopia. Now the flight takes 12 hours so it is close to midnight by the time you make it through customs but in Ethiopia it is eight am. So .... You just stay up!!!
Baby and the other amazing drivers loaded up our luggage!! So thankful for these guys.
We arrived at our beautiful guest house!!! That is our room on the second floor.
I was very ready to go to bed but those who had been before suggested other plans. First, we went to Kaldis Ethiopia's Starbucks!! Then shopping at the Post Office - many cute shops with Ethiopian treasures. Finally, Lucy's for dinner!!! Long day but great day! I slept like a log until the monks started chanting at 5:00 am. I went downstairs and was able to talk to my mom and Dan for the first time since it was only 9pm Thursday!! A great way to start my first full day in Ethiopia.

Two Months!!

I know I am a little late -- I will blame that on being in a different country... Especially since it was ETHIOPIA!! For two month of waiting Dan and I have picked out TWO cans of beautiful pink paint.
It will honestly be ...
Grace we are so excited to meet you!!

One Down!!

We will officially be on the waiting list for one month tomorrow!!

We are very excited! The support and love from family and friends has been amazing and wonderful! Grace is a lucky girl! To keep ourselves busy and to prepare for Grace we will do something every month corresponding to our number of months of waiting.

For our first month of waiting my true love found with me...... ONE Beautiful Crib.

Happy Ganna -- Today is Ethiopian Christmas

Today is Ethiopian Christmas!

Next year we will be celebrating with Grace!

Ethiopia is one of the oldest nations in Africa. It still follows the ancient Julian calendar, so Ethiopians celebrate Christmas on January 7. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church's celebration of Christ's birth is called Ganna. It is a day when families attend church.

The day before Ganna, people fast all day. The next morning at dawn, everyone dresses in white. Most Ethiopians don a traditional shamma, a thin, white cotton wrap with brightly colored stripes across the ends. The shamma is worn somewhat like a toga. Urban Ethiopians might put on white Western garb. Then everyone goes to the early mass at four o'clock in the morning. In a celebration that takes place several days later, the priests will dress in turbans and red and white robes as they carry beautifully embroidered fringed umbrellas.

Most Ethiopians who live outside the modern capital city, Addis Ababa, live in round mud-plastered houses with

cone-shaped roofs of thatched straw. In areas where stone is plentiful, the houses may be rectangular stone houses. The churches in Ethiopia echo the shape of the houses. In many parts of the country there are ancient churches carved out of solid volcanic rock. Modern churches are built in three concentric circles.

In a modern church, the choir assembles in the outer circle. Each person entering the church is given a candle. The congregation walks around the church three times in a solemn procession, holding the flickering candles. Then they gather in the second circle to stand throughout the long mass, with the men and boys separated from the women and girls. The center circle is the holiest space in the church, where the priest serves Holy Communion.

Around the time of Ganna, the men and boys play a game that is also called ganna. It is somewhat like hockey, played with a curved stick and a round wooden ball. The foods enjoyed during the Christmas season include wat, a thick, spicy stew of meat, vegetables, and sometimes eggs as well. The wat is served from a beautifully decorated watertight basket onto a "plate" of injera, which is flat sourdough bread. Pieces of injera are used as an edible spoon to scoop up the wat.

Twelve days after Ganna, on January 19, Ethiopians begin the three-day celebration called Timkat, which commemorates the baptism of Christ. The children walk to church services in a procession. They wear the crowns and robes of the church youth groups they belong to. The grown-ups wear the shamma. The priests will now wear their red and white robes and carry embroidered fringed umbrellas.

The word Ganna is used interchangeably with the word Christmas to mean the birth of Christ (leddat). A common way to refer to the holiday is "ye ganna baal".

Ganna miracle come early

Our Ganna Miracle came early!! Our dossier is in Ethiopia!

Ganna is Christmas in Ethiopia it is celebrated on January 7th instead of December 25th.

More to come on the 7th!