We are home

We arrived home safely on Friday afternoon. Belachew did great on the flights overall. He definitely did not like seatbelts, but otherwise he slept a lot. As our second flight landed, he got sick, and he was sick on our final flight as well. We had friends and family waiting for us at the airport, which was so special. It was great to see people and be able to introduce them to Belachew. Belachew was a little clingy to me and wanted me to hold them, but was watching everything and taking it all in. He is definitely an observer.

We came to our house and let him explore a little. Our great neighbors and friends took care of our home while we are gone, which we really appreciate. After Belachew's bath and a few minutes of playing, he fell asleep. I noticed that he felt really warm and we tooks his temperature. We called a few doctors and it was recommended for us to take him to the hospital.

We went to the local children's hospital ER and spent about 8 hours there. They did lots of tests and screening and everything came back clear, so the doctor thinks that Belachew has a gastrointestinal virus. It was hard to watch him get blood drawn and get poked and prodded, but he was a trooper.

Yesterday, he spent most of the day sleeping. We tried to get as many fluids in him as possible, and also got him to eat a little fruit. He seemed so miserable and lifeless. He got sick a couple times, but slept well. He woke up this morning with no temperature, an appetite, and ready to play.

Paul's parents are in town and have been a great blessing. They have made a few grocery runs for us and have been helping us with meals. It has been great to have them around.

This week, I will update the blog with pictures from our trip and more about our 2 weeks in Ethiopia. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. It is good to be home!