Visas and Passports and Forms (oh my!)

Tomorrow it will be two weeks since we passed court. This last
fortnight has been a total, total blur. In some ways it's hard to
believe that two weeks have passed already, but mostly it's already
beginning to feel like I've spent my entire life in this hotel room,
with a bottle in one hand and a baby (or two) in the other. Both
babies are in panic-eating mode, all day and all night, which is
incredibly tiring for the grownups, but it's been amazing to see them
gain over a pound already in the time they have been in our care. The
respiratory infection that Isaias came home with has now cleared up,
and they both seem happy and healthy. Lulu is even starting to get
fat rolls on her thighs, which makes us all very happy.

As well as feeding (and feeding and feeding) the babies, we've had one
other big task - get permission for them to come home! John has now
managed to get their court documentation, birth certificates and
passports (after a few mishaps where their birth certificates were
issued first for two boys, then for two girls) and we were finally
able to apply for their visas on Friday. Now it is just a waiting
game while we see whether the High Commission will issue the visas we
need before they install a new computer system on Friday… if they
don't issue before Friday, we expect to have at least another week
(while they install the new system) before they can even start.

I have to admit that I have reached the stage where I am getting
increasingly keen to be home. There are really good things about
being here, of course, like John being off work and endless sunshine
and perfect blue skies. But on our last trip we were able to get out
and about and see and do different things, which was great. This time,
unsurprisingly, we are pretty much stuck in the guest house and we
aren't really seeing much of Ethiopia except the view from our
windows. So, it doesn't really feel like there is much point being
here, and I am really wishing that we could be in our own home and
start off the new normal. There are a few annoying things we didn't
bring with us, and a few others where supplies are running low
(really, it seemed like 7kg of formula would be plenty) and the giant
Mothercare store across the street from our house is calling me with
its siren song, luring me with promises of rapid steam sterilisers and
unlimited infant formula. I am trying not to hope too hard that our
visas will be issued quickly, because they almost certainly won't be,
but it would be wonderful to get back - and have the big plane journey
out of the way too!

We've been terrible at replying to emails, and will do our best to
catch up as soon as we can. We are really missing friends and family
and are very much looking forward to seeing people again. Sorry about
the lack of photos on this post - I know you'd all rather see the
babies than read about our visa issues. Hopefully more photos soon -
we are taking them, but convincing this email uploader to process them
is another story entirely.

Lots of love

John and Caroline