Saveur Magazine and Home Part II

Just so everyone knows: this month's issue of Saveur Magazine features a long article on Ethiopian cooking. I haven't finished reading it, but it seems there's quite a bit about the culture in general as well.
Just putting the word out there.

Yesterday morning before we left town, Judah came to visit:
Judah: Pssst, Abe! Guess what I heard about your mama?

Abe: Whadju just say about my mama?

Abe: Yeah, I don't care that you're twice my size. Let that teach you to mess with my mama when I'm wearing my alien gladiator hat!

Before Danni gets mad, this clarification: Judah is a total sweetie. He and Abe get along great. So cute to see them play together.

Abe did great yet again on the plane ride, though the longer we're together, the more his personality is coming out. And that personality is squirrelly! He's a grabber. I punished the guy in the seat in front of us on the plane (for putting his seat all the way back despite it being in the middle of the day and knowing there was a lady with a baby directly behind him) by letting Abe shut and close the tray table about 500 times. Was this catty? Mm, maybe. I'm amazed both by how helpful some people can be to those with babies and how unhelpful others can be...

As soon as we got back to Portland, picked up by our friend Wendy, our friend Matt surprised us by bringing tons of food from his restaurant. If you're ever in Portland, go eat at Ohana Hawaiian Cafe and say hi to Matt.

Later, these guys came over to meet their new...uh, let's see what are they to Abe? They are the children of Ted's oldest sister's (my mom's age) oldest son. Their dad is Ted's nephew. Anyway, they are family and they are the ones who lit a candle week in and week out for three whole months in hopes and prayers of Abe coming home. Very wonderful to see them together.
As they left, our sweet sweet sweet neighbors Michael and Linda and their daughter came by to meet Abe. I forgot to get their pictures but will soon (I'm comin' atcha with a camera, Linda!).

Finally Abe went to bed and slept his first night an Oregon boy (and here we offer proof that we do take the hat off occasionally). Last night was 11 hours again. He's our miracle child, in many ways. I think because I did most of my longing for Abe here in this house, it's really hitting me hard these last 24 hours that this hard journey to bring him home has finally ended. I keep looking at him and saying, "I can't believe you're here!"

Oh, and we made an interesting discovery today: we combed Abe's hair completely out for the first time this morning (before that, I'd just wash it, moisturize, and run my fingers through it), and the boy is a little Don King in the making. Courtney: you're gonna have a ball with that this summer. Abe digs his sunglasses and alien shirts, Uncle Rusty and Aunt Carrie! (and his robe is hung right up next to ours).