WE ARRIVED IN ETHIOPIA AT 11PM TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15 AND WOKE UP THE NEXT MORNING TO NEWS THAT WE WERE TO MEET OUR DAUGHTER...IN JUST ONE HOUR. WE JUMPED IN THE SHOWER, TRIED TO EAT BREAKFAST, ARRANGED TRANSPORTATION AND TOOK SEVERAL DEEP BREATHS AS WE DROVE THROUGH THE BUSY STREETS OF ADDIS ABABA TO OUR BABY'S ORPHANAGE ON A SUNNY, WARM WEDNESDAY MORNING.
AFTER MONTHS OF SMALL, GRAINY PHOTO UPDATES, WE FINALLY LAY EYES ON OUR BEAUTIFUL, LITTLE DAUGHTER.
SIX AND A HALF MONTH OLD MERCY MICHAEL FIKIR MANN SEEING HER PARENTS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
I WANTED TO SIMPLY FREEZE TIME. FINALLY HOLDING MY BABY.
FIRST FAMILY PHOTO.
SHE HAS SPARKLY EYES, AN ADORABLE NOSE, SMOOTH SKIN, SILKY HAIR AND IRRESISTIBLE KISS-ME LIPS. WE CAN'T TAKE OUR EYES OFF OF HER.
MAMA AND PAPA ARE IN LOVE.
A deep, heartfelt thank you to Nina and Wes Mullins for capturing this incredibly special day.
{reminder: please don't re-post or share these photos without our permission}
{reminder: please don't re-post or share these photos without our permission}
21 comments:
Was that her main nanny in the top photos? I was thinking how cool to show her those photos one day. She won't remember, obviously, but someone was loving her and taking care of her for her first half year of life and it would special to have a picture of that person.
Also, I teared up when I saw the picture of you with your head against her cheek. I have a very similar picture of Finn and I a few days after he was born and it just reminded me of how special the moment is when we become mothers, whether our children are 6 hours old or 6 months old.
Thanks for sharing these precious pictures.
Oh my.
My heart just swelled seeing these!
Thank you for sharing!
Katie (a friend of Chelsea Bell.)
What a beautiful day! Thanks for sharing these gorgeous photos... I am utterly overwhelmed and moved to tears... again!. What an incredible moment on this journey of faith!
OH MY GOSH BEX. YOU ARE THE MOST GORGEOUS FAMILY I HAVE EVER SEEN!
Love it! The pics look great against your white background too. Love you guys!
I need to stop reading your blog at work. Always end up crying at my desk. I love LOVE that you got this moment captured with photos. Amazing. I love each one. I could stare at them all day!
I need to stop reading your blog at work. Always end up crying at my desk. I love LOVE that you got this moment captured with photos. Amazing. I love each one. I could stare at them all day!
Absolutely beautiful. I loved seeing that Mercy was with loving people in a nice place before she came to you. It looks like they were overjoyed that she was going to be your daughter! Aren't you glad that she wasn't crying in the pictures? You just never know with babies :) Thanks so much for sharing these!!
Wow! I have perma-chills and never ending tears flowing! These are so precious. So beautiful. SO touching. It was definitely LOVE at first sight. Can't say it enough... I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU ALL!!!
Oh I've been waiting for these, they were WELL worth the wait! Love to you
Nothing but beauty and rightness! I'll never get tired of these pictures and stories.
Hey, on another note, can you tell me exactly what hair products you are using on her? I'm exploring new options since our kiddos hair is getting longer. :)
Thanks, April. :-)
Every non-bath morning (and sometimes after long naps) I spray a mixture of water and WEN Replenishing Treatment Mist to refresh those curls (so much frizz!). I use Coconut Oil on her hairline and on the back of her head. On days we do baths I use this awesome brush called the Tangle Teaser on her hair while it's wet in the bathtub (literally never snags. never.), then Coconut Oil all over when she gets out and a bit of Carol's Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey (curl definer). I purchased all of these items on Amazon. What have you found that you like and works well? It's all trial and error right now, huh! :-)
I love looking at these pictures again and again and again! Thank you for sharing!
Your meeting looks like a true fairytale! Pretty heavenly. Love all the pictures - so, so beautiful.
Just wanted to let you know that I changed your date. I'd love for my referral call to be tomorrow...but I'm pretty sure we'll be in May before it comes! :)
this is amazing. i'm so glad i found your blog. how precious.
xoxo
these pictures are too precious for words, becca! So happy for you three.
Oh, I have been out of the loop. :) Congrats on being home with your new baby! Your pictures and captions just bring tears to my eyes as I remember how you pray that time will "stand still" when you're finally united! You'll be in my prayers. Enjoy being a mommy!
geez you guys must have had the ISO kicked up in these shots because DAMN that room is like a cave. When we were there that week at Toukoul I always threw open all the curtains to try and let light in upon arrival but it was always overcast and sometimes the lights didn't work. Often all the families sat together in almost complete dark. So lucky you had someone taking your pictures!
So glad to have met your family and it's been amazing to read your thoughts on your journey. These pictures are absolutely gorgeous- how special that they were captured for you! I'm happy to have experienced those precious smiles from Mercy in person- what a doll!!
beautiful photos!! so glad I am catching up on blog post!! =)
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