Today was 12 working days after we filed for our waiver which is required to get Melat's Visa to go to the USA. They are supposed to take 6-10 days. We've been here nearly three weeks now.We went to the embassy today to check on this and discovered that our waiver has been denied because one critical document (a letter stating we are aware of her status and how we intend to manage that) was"absent." Actually, it was not. When I had my interview on 9/8, we were informed that the letter wasn't with our waiver application, so the kind US Embassy Employee gave me a sample and instructed me to make any changes on it, sign it and we'll submit that and be OK. Unfortunately, the person who processed that document, thought it was a draft and threw it away. So today, I had to hand-write the letter (twice, because the first time she didn't like my handwriting) which is a full page long in tiny script at the Embassy and re-submit. It has to go to the states, and then back to Nairobi, and then back to the Embassy, and "maybe in a few days" we can get our visa. I went to the corner of the waiting room and cried until I felt like I could walk again.

Today we had a very, very long day. Two trips to the Embassy, and a brief trip to the textile co-op, where we saw the looms at work. Saturday is the Meskel holiday, so most of the weavers are on vacation, but we learned how the scarves and dresses are made—it was beautiful. These breathtaking scarves that we buy for $5.00 US are two days worth of work for the weavers!! I didn't have my camera with me because of the embassy trips, but I will ask Julie for a few of them because they are wonderful. After the weaver's and both trips to the Embassy, and a brief Ethiopian lunch at Helen's New Flower Guesthouse (which seems very nice for those of you looking for a guesthouse, also very central which I can't say for our Ethiopia Guesthouse—though I don't regret our choice).

We went to AHOPE for Melat's going away party. I can't share photos of this because I don't want to disclose for other families, and it would break their privacy rules, but it was really sweet. They put a beautiful gold dress on Melat (her going away gift) and the kids sat around in a circle singing to her and then candies and cookies were shared by all. We're very optimistic that we may be able to get a visa tomorrow or Wednesday after our last paper has made its rounds. Our flight is scheduled for Thursday, so at the very worst, we should make that, at the very best, we will get out Tuesday night late or Wednesday night late. I'm hoping for Tuesday, but Melat's birth mom has resurfaced and would like to meet us, possibly tomorrow (Tues) more likely Wednesday. I'm torn on staying one more day to meet her, but it's an opportunity that won't arise again, so I'm thinking we need to meet her.

On the plus side, somewhere over the weekend, we turned a corner with Melat. All of a sudden, she likes me. I still get the "shoulder"occasionally but usually just when she's really tired. She talks to me and shows me things and gives me presents and hugs and kisses, and fell asleep watching "WOOSHA" last night leaning on me. It was very sweet. So while I'm very eager to get home, things are slowly beginning to look up. I'm totally devastated about not having the visa today though, I really thought we were going to make it on the flight tonight.

I'm debating checking out of the guesthouse and putting us someplace convenient downtown so we can go ASAP when we get the word. It's a little bit of a hassle out here because we're so far out of town. I'll know more tomorrow after we talk to Ato Teklu about the visa and the meeting with Melat's birth mom.