We leave in the morning for Ethiopia!!!

We cannot believe that we are doing it. We've been packing and cleaning all night to be ready to leave the house at 5:15am tomorrow morning. We are going to finally meet and bring home our son, Robel! It has been so quiet and so productive around here with our kiddos off to Grandma's or Aunt Susie's. My kids have been so looking forward to their vacation! They are so excited for their big brother to come home.

We fly direct from Portland, Oregon to Dulles (in DC). We then fly direct from DC tomorrow evening to Addis Ababa and arrive around 7pm on Sunday night. Addis is 10 hours ahead of us here in Washington State on pst.

For those who are interested...here is our itinerary. We plan to keep our family here at home and friends near and far up-to-date whenever we have a chance to post.

We are so excited for this much anticipated journey!

Loves to all,

Mindy & Daniel

June 21: Arrival in Addis, meet by our representative and transfer into TDS guest house
Overnight: TDS guesthouse

June 22: Early Morning Fly to Bahir Dar.
Bahir Dar, an attractive town, well lay out with tree lined avenues and with the blue of the lake in the background. Lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest lake is 68kms wide and 73kms long. Tana is dotted with not less than 30 islands, on many of, which are found churches and monasteries. visit the near by monastery of the Zeghie Peninsula, known for its 14th century, round, grass roofed churches and their magnificent wall murals, the Azoa Mariam and Ura Kidane Mehret churches by a boat and then walk through dense forest with lots of bird life, before return in to the hotel.
After lunch visit the Blue Nile Falls and Late afternoon visit the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie at Bizeit, with great views of the town and the place where the Blue Nile flows out of the lake.
Overnight: Tana Hotel -it is situated on the shores of Lake Tana

June 23: Fly to Lalibella.
Visit the internationally renowned rock Hewn churches known as ‘Eight wonders of the world’ the Lalibella rock hewn churches, physically praised from the rock in which they stand, these towering edifices seems to be superhuman creation in scale workman ship and concept. Some are sculpted out of solid volcanic rock. Others are connected by long underground tunnels and mazes. Some are quarried enlargements of caves.
Overnight: Jerusalem Guest House

June 24: Drive to Kombolcha - this is where Robel is from. We would like to find out more about his older siblings. We will visit Bete Hisanet the orphanage where he was relinquished and then see his "hometown".
Overnight: Tekele Hotel

June 25: Drive back to Addis Ababa
Overnight through July 2nd: TDS Guesthouse

July 2nd: Leave Addis to DC

July 3rd: Arrive in DC in the morning

Stay with my Aunt Heidi and visit my Grandma Kestner & Aunt Kitti

July 4th: Fly home arrive at 8:50pm.

Enjoy the celebration and fireworks in Robel's honor! :)