After exchanging multiple messages with our international pediatrician, waiting 30 minutes at the pharmacy to fill the prescription, taking another 10 minutes to fill out the application for the pharmacy's member discount program, and then driving 150 miles roundtrip to hand it off to AGCI, precious medicine is on its way to Isabella.
In the process, we confirmed that it does, indeed, cost $200 to send a small package from the U.S. to Ethiopia. The delivery cost is covered by AGCI as part of its service, but wow! no wonder adoption fees are so high. Although donations of clothes, formula, baby wipes, rice cereal, shoes, and other much-needed items are couriered by families when they travel, sensitive paperwork like our dossier, and urgent items like this medicine, are sent at great cost.
After delivering the medicine to AGCI's office and confirming that I would be on the travel call as scheduled 30 minutes later... I managed to space on the travel call! Seriously. A friend came to keep me company on the drive, and we got completely lost leaving AGCI’s office. We drove around the Rose Garden twice, crossing 4 different bridges, and by the time we were done laughed ourselves silly. Then I looked at the clock. Oops. A mea culpa call to Julie was on the agenda.
Meanwhile, I kept thinking that I should call Grandma and tell her that I would be late getting home to pick up Matthew. Matthew, who was sitting in the back seat through all of this. I have mommy brain, without the hormones to blame it on.
In the process, we confirmed that it does, indeed, cost $200 to send a small package from the U.S. to Ethiopia. The delivery cost is covered by AGCI as part of its service, but wow! no wonder adoption fees are so high. Although donations of clothes, formula, baby wipes, rice cereal, shoes, and other much-needed items are couriered by families when they travel, sensitive paperwork like our dossier, and urgent items like this medicine, are sent at great cost.
After delivering the medicine to AGCI's office and confirming that I would be on the travel call as scheduled 30 minutes later... I managed to space on the travel call! Seriously. A friend came to keep me company on the drive, and we got completely lost leaving AGCI’s office. We drove around the Rose Garden twice, crossing 4 different bridges, and by the time we were done laughed ourselves silly. Then I looked at the clock. Oops. A mea culpa call to Julie was on the agenda.
Meanwhile, I kept thinking that I should call Grandma and tell her that I would be late getting home to pick up Matthew. Matthew, who was sitting in the back seat through all of this. I have mommy brain, without the hormones to blame it on.

oh I'm SO glad you can get medicine to sweet Bella!
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