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First we went to Center A (where the offices and babies were located), and we met the director and his wife. We got a tour of the building and got to see all of the beautiful babies. It was VERY DIFFICULT to get Josh out of there. :) I kept trying to move him along so we could get to Ben, and he took his time with each and every baby. We were very impressed with the cleanliness of the building and how well equipped they seemed to be. It was also very obvious that the nannies loved the babies greatly.

After a short meeting where we discussed our children and how we would spend the week, etc, we got back in the van and went a very short way to the care center B, where Ben was.

Our emotions were all over the place in that two-minute car ride…the director’s wife kept asking us to spend lots of time at the center with our son and not just take him and leave quickly, and she kept telling us how much they all loved him. It was clear that they cared for the children deeply.

The kids were waiting for us, and were all lined up in little chairs in front of the building, eating a snack, when the van pulled up. I saw Bekalu right away... he was in the very first chair. He looked much smaller in person than he did in the pictures!!!! He knew we were coming, and had gotten a photo album and care package from us. We had heard from families traveling the earlier weeks that he was counting down the days until we got there.

Josh and I both went right over to him (with Dan filming everything and taking pictures constantly), and we could tell that Ben was excited but nervous. We sat by him and gave him his new shoes (they were the kind that light up...BIG hit!!!) and visited with him for a little. He also quickly claimed my watch and was amazed at the little light on it. We saw Terefe, the little boy that our best friends were bringing home just a few weeks later, and other familiar faces right away too, and it was so fun to see all the little children! I could tell that Bekalu was a bit nervous, so when all of the kids got up to go play, we followed, but gave him his distance. He did show us around a bit (and pulled out the photo album we had sent him and proudly told us ALL of his siblings' names!!!), and then went to play soccer with his buddy Terefe. It was awesome to think that they would be able to continue their friendship in the United States.

We went out and played with all of the kids and they were hanging all over us. They all wanted love and attention, hugs and kisses. I didn't have enough arms! I knew that most of the kids already had families committed to them, but it was still tough to see the desperation in their eyes, hear it in their voices and feel it in their arms pulling on us…they all so very badly wanted mommies and daddies.

The kids played, and then went to their "class". I sat with Bekalu, and he amazed us!!! He already did first grade math, and was reading as well as our Kindergartner (in English!). When they said he was smart, they were under stating that, big time. You could tell that the teacher was very proud of him, and that Benjamin took great pride in being smart. He was proud to show me things, but was still very shy. I can only imagine all that was going through his head. I tried very hard to stick close and show him that we were there for him, and at the same time, not to overwhelm or smother him.

The kids ate lunch (during which we watched) and then went to lay down for their nap. Benjamin went down for a nap too, so we took the opportunity to run back to the hotel to get the donations, and then came right back to the center.

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