Home ELEVEN Months!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is the 11 month anniversary of us being a family of 6! These last few months have just flown by! Here are a few highlights of our 11th month together!!!

T**s**e:

I honestly run out of positive adjectives to use when describing you! People still come up to me regularly telling me how amazing you are and what great leadership qualities you have.  We had another quiet month together mostly doing our typical routine of home-life, church-life, school-life, and sports-life. Here are some highlights of your 11^th month:

-You enjoy sleeping with your brothers and sisters and ask to do so a few times each week. On one fun night this month, Daddy zipped 2 sleeping bags together all 4 of you slept together in the living room.

-We went to the LA Zoo for the second time…you enjoyed seeing the elephants for the first time (their new habitat was finally completed).

-You continue to do really well playing softball. Unfortunately, your first game was rained out, but you have another game this coming Saturday. You were so excited yesterday when I gave you a personalized purple batting helmet!

-For the first time ever, you openly grieved the death of your father and the separation from your birth mother and other family members.  It was so difficult to see you in such pain, but it was also a great time of bonding for us.

-You are very happy that your birthday is next month and talk about the Princess Party you will be having almost daily!

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M****n***m:

You are adorable! Your sweet, tender heart is an incredible attribute. You are the teddy bear and gentle giant in our family. You are a three-year old boy in every sense of the word: busy, loud, active, wiggly, silly…and very cute! We love how you enjoy life and we have so much to learn from you! Here are some highlights of your 11th month:

-Today you went on your first field trip with your preschool class! You had so much fun a really creative place called, “The Art Zone”. You especially loved the room they have dedicated to water and mud. You seemed to love the idea of being able to make a huge mess in a room that was “inside”.

-We went to the LA Zoo for the second time. The highlight of the trip for you was seeing an elephant pee…lovely!  :0)

-You really enjoy going to the Library and love your weekly trips there with Daddy and Fa**h.

Well kiddos, our year anniversary is one month away! Although there we moments when time seemed to crawl, the year has actually flown by!!! Next month will be my lastly monthly update…bittersweet! Love you!!!! 

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn....

There are some things a 5 year-old should not have to say….”Everyone in Wolayta dies”…“all the Daddies die”…”My mom would not let me stay with her”…”I told my mom I wanted to stay with her, but she said no”….

The grief of raising a child adopted at an age where they have real memories of hurt, loss, and pain became a reality last night in our home. After running some normal errands, and enjoying a normal dinner around the normal table, and going through the normal routine of “evening” in our home…my 5 year-old daughter suddenly began sharing her feelings about her father dying, her mother “making her go”, and other events that culminated with God knitting her and her brother into our family. This was entwined with a flood of tears and the trembling little body of a daughter clearly grieving some of her life experiences….and tears from this adoptive mommy who anguished over what my sweet daughter has been through. I am thankful that in the moment I was “quick to listen and slow to speak” (not my “normal” tendency) as my daughter literally began sharing…in no particular order….all of things she has been feeling and thinking during the 10 months our family has been together.

In some ways I was relieved this was finally happening…we had heard about adopted children going through grief, but had seen no signs of it. Our daughter had seemed almost super-human (excellent in every way) and I was relieved to experience her on a very human, raw level. I was relieved that she felt comfortable and trusted me enough to open up completely with no fear of me getting upset or angry over the things she shared…very little of what she shared was easy to hear. I was relieved that when the major flood of tears was over she asked, “Mama, can I sleep with you tonight?”…Needless to say, Daddy got the couch last night. This mama shared a bed last night with a boy who needed me as a nurse (he had his tonsils and adenoids removed Monday) and my sweet daughter who need the warm embrace of a mama who loved her dearly.

I tried to imagine my biological children going through what my adopted children have gone through….and I can’t wrap my head around it. The thought of it completely overwhelms me emotionally. I am thankful that God is ultimately in control and sees the big picture as I struggle with why some children experience so much pain while others live a relatively uneventful (yet blissful) life up the street from the “Happiest Place on Earth”. Doesn’t seem fair, does it? But what is fair anyway? God never promises a “fair” life to any of us. After all, thanks to our own bad choices, this world is very broken. However, God does promise that no matter what the situation, no matter how terrible the degree of human brokenness is, He will reveal Himself and make His grace and love known because, “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”. That is a promise I hold on to as I see my heart-broken daughter grieve a life where she experienced so much loss…and poverty…and separation…and death.

I can also hold on to the promise that God makes all things new. My daughter believes in God with incredible faith, so as 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”…God WILL make her heart new. My daughter’s name…the name given to her at birth…means “a new beginning”…coincidence? I don’t think so….

I love that I can be a tangible expression of comfort to my daughter, but am myself comforted by this verse for her, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”…Only God can truly comfort her and heal her and renew her and strengthen her and give her understanding…and in my own selfish way, that gives me great relief.

For now I will continue to be here for her and help her in any way I can. I will pray for her. I will love her and cherish her, provide for her, fight for her, guide her, teach her, encourage her, hold her, play with her, create new memories with her…and in the end she will PRAISE God…and it doesn’t get better than that!

Incredibly, my daughter went to school today…like it was any old “normal” day……..

Home TEN Months!!!!!!!!!!

Wow! As of 2/10, it has been 10 months since we became a family of 6 and brought T and M home from Ethiopia! Life truly does feel "normal" and it is hard to even remember what life was like when we only had 2 children...I think it was a bit quieter! :0)  Our 10th month was a quiet month as we enjoyed not having an over-scheduled schedule...like we had during the holidays. So here are a few highlights of our 10th month together:

T**s**e:
Sometimes I feel like I brag about you too much....but you truly continue to "wow" EVERYONE you meet! People are AMAZED at how well you speak english, how well-behaved and helpful you are, and your natural leadership abilities. We can't wait to see how God uses you to do amazing things for Him!!! Here are some highlights of your 10 month:

-You started playing softball! As we expected, you naturally picked up on the sport and you really enjoy being out on the field. 

-You are the "Queen of Jumping Rope"! You jump rope at school every day and have fun trying to come up with new tricks to impress your peers and teachers. 

-You lost your other front, top tooth. So you now have a big open space in the front of your mouth. You can sing the song, "All I want for Valentine's Day are my 2 front teeth..."

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M****n***m:

You LOVE life..........period! It is so refreshing to see you enjoy the best of every moment. You have so much to teach others about this! Your sweet, teddy bear spirit is such a blessing to our family. No matter what is going on or what you are doing, we always know your heart is in the right place! Here are some highlights of your 10th month:

-You really ENJOY playing dress-up. You come up with the funniest outfit combinations as you have no issues with mixing "boys" and "girls" items.

-You love being outside and your favorite thing is riding your bike....although you are getting really good at riding the scooter you got for Christmas.

We LOVE YOU BOTH abundantly and love that God has beautifully knit our hearts together!!!

One Year Referral-versay!!!!

Okay this post is waaaaay late! I posted about it on Facebook, but totally forgot to post here too! January 21st was the ONE YEAR anniversary of us seeing T****** and M*********'s faces for the first time! It is incredible to compare the first pictures we received of them compared to them now! What a difference a year makes!!!! We LOVE you T and M!!!!!

Home NINE Months!!!!!!!!!

Today marks us being home ¾ of a year with our Ethiopian beauties! It is so amazing that our one-year “family-versary” is just around the corner! I remember when we first got home wanting life to feel “normal” again…well it definitely does! I almost can’t remember what life was like before we added 2 more blessings to our family. Here are some highlights of our 9^th month together:

T*N***E: 

So many of your highlights this month involve you celebrating your first Christmas ever!

-You enjoyed making a gingerbread house for the first time! You were very meticulous about putting the candy decorations in just the “right” spot.

-We went to the Candy Cane Lane in El Segundo. You said the house with your favorite decorations was the house with the “Baby Jesus”.

-Opa and Oma have been taking you and X****r to their German Club where you have been learning to do the German dance called the “Schuhplattler”. You did your first performance at their big Christmas party on 12/18. It was one of the cutest things I have ever seen!

-You lost another tooth on Christmas Day (your first tooth on the top). So you had a visit from Santa and a visit from the Tooth Fairy on back-to-back nights!

-You really enjoyed decorating our Christmas tree. After putting on all the decorations, I told you to step back at take a look…you stood back and in an awe-filled voice you said, “Oh wow, it is beautiful”…you were truly mesmerized by the beauty of the tree!

-You quickly understood how the whole “Santa” thing was going to happen on Christmas Eve. You knew that if you did not go to sleep, Santa would not bring you presents. Being the smart girl that you are, you asked, “What if I just close my eyes?”…Then I asked, “Who would know if you were really sleeping?”…You responded, “Jesus.”…then you added it all up and asked, “If I not really sleeping, Jesus will tell Santa? I get no presents?”...I responded, “Yes”…So you were the self-appointed enforcer of all kids making sure they went to sleep on Christmas Eve…

-You LOVED that Santa brought you an amazing gift from Jesus on Christmas morning…a set of ALL 8 Disney Princesses! You kissed each princess and said, “Oh Princesses, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you!”

-Your other favorite gift from Christmas was the pink Disney Princess boots you got from Grandmamma…you have worn them almost every day since Christmas morning.

-For New Years Eve we went to our friends house and you had a great time playing with friends and staying up until midnight! When midnight came you had a blast blowing party horns and pulling party poppers!!!

-I made injera for the first time this month (the special bread your birth mom would make and sell in Ethiopia). When you saw the injera I made, you said, “Wow Mama! Good job!” and gave me a high-five. When you ate the injera you said, “Oh, this is so yummy” and gave me a hug. I was so happy…and relieved that I passed the taste test! The 3 day process of making the injera was well worth seeing your response!!!

-For Ethiopian Christmas (January 7^th), we met other families from our adoption agency in Little Ethiopia for a reunion. We went to one of our favorite Ethiopian restaurants called “Rosalinds”.

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M*L******M

Most of your highlights center around you celebrating your first Christmas!

-Your favorite part of making a Gingerbread House for the first time was the squirt of frosting I gave you right into your mouth with the extra frosting we had!

-You liked going to Candy Cane Lane in El Segundo. You loved having the freedom to walk in the street and said your favorite house was the “pink” one…yes, your favorite color is still pink!

-You enjoyed seeing Santa for the first time and was thrilled that Santa gave you a candy cane…yep….food is still the way to your heart!

-On Christmas morning, you were so happy to get your own scooter from Jesus…one you would not have to share with your brothers and sisters. You also really loved the “pink” baby bed Faithy received… :0)

-You went to the doctor for your 3-year check-up. You have grown 3-1/2 inches since you came home and are in perfect health! The doctor was also so impressed with how far your English has come…she said you are so amazing! We agree!!!

-On New Years Eve, you loved having fun at our friend’s house and loved the noise level you could attain with the party horns! We were not surprised that you were able to stay awake until midnight!

-I made injera for the first time and I knew I had done a good job when you were completely quiet while you were eating. :0)

-For Ethiopian Christmas (January 7^th), we met other families from our adoption agency in Little Ethiopia for a reunion. It was so much fun to see you interacting with other Ethiopian boys your age!

We are looking forward to all the next month brings as we get closer and closer to being home one year!!! You are both so sweet and we are all blessed to share life with you!!!

Home EIGHT Months!!!!!!!!

December 10th was the 8 month “family-versary” of us being united as family of 6! It is amazing that we are getting closer and closer to being home together one year! Here are highlights from our 8th month together:

T*N***E: 

-You had so much fun at your first Thanksgiving celebration…you enjoyed all of the food and we have a great picture of you smiling with cheeks full of food.

-Part of our family is Jewish, so you got to enjoy your very first Hanukkah! You quickly developed a love for latkes (potato pancakes)…you ate 8!!! And you also enjoyed opening presents…you were particularly happy to get a Repunzel doll!

-You got your first report card! You are excelling above your grade level in EVERY area…although we are not surprised…we are extremely proud of you!

 -You went to the movie theater for the first time. We had a “girls day” with you, me, and Faithy. We went to the Pacific Theaters in Culver City and saw “Tangled”…when you saw the movie screen you said, “Oh wow! Big TV!”

-You went ice-skating for the first time this month too! You enjoyed the fashion part of the event most…scarf, beanie, and gloves!

-We decorated the house for Christmas. When Daddy revealed the light extravaganza he created in our front yard you responded with a soft and sincere “Wow…pretty!”…It is amazing to see you respond to so many things for the first time.

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M*L******M:

-Since you are such a “car” guy, you were basically in heaven when you had a “boy’s day” with Daddy and Xavier and went to the LA Car Show. You loved being able to sit in the cars and have full-reign of touching as many buttons as your heart desired!

-You are a champion when it comes to eating and thoroughly enjoyed your first Thanksgiving holiday by eating 3 plates of food!

-You had fun celebrating Hanukkah with our Jewish family for the first time. You love the school bus you got as a present from your cousins!

-You went ice-skating for the first time and we could not believe how quickly you caught on! You were better than your big brother and sister. Maybe you will be a hockey player in the future??? It is great to see something that you are really good at!

-You are obsessed with turning on all of the holiday decorations that have a musical or moving element. I love when you ask, “Mama, can I turn Christmas on?” when you want to turn on the decorations.

Seeing so many firsts through your eyes is such a joy for everyone! This time of year is bittersweet as we remember this time last year we hung 6 stockings not knowing that 2 of them belonged to you guys and that this time last year your birth mom made the sacrificial decision to relinquish you at an orphanage. We are blessed beyond words to be a family with you!!! Can’t wait for Christmas!!!

Home SEVEN Months!!!!!!!

On November 10^th we are celebrated being home with T and M seven months!!!!!! Sorry this is a few days late…life is busy with 4 kiddos in our home! Time is just flying by and the holidays are basically here…woo hoo! We can’t wait to make tons of memories together this holiday season. Here are highlights from our 7th month together:

T*N***E:

 

-You went to the “Happiest Place on Earth” for the first time…Disneyland!!! Your favorite part of the day was meeting 3 “real” Disney princesses (Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty). You are also a major thrill seeker as you giggled and laughed uncontrollably on all of the big roller coater rides and asked to go on them again and again!

-You continue to be a super-star soccer player...you score an average of 3-6 goals a game!

-We signed you up to start playing softball in the Spring (you have asked to play ever since you saw X playing baseball when we first brought you home in April)

-You enjoyed your very first Halloween. You were the most beautiful Princess Tiana ever! The funny thing was that we went trick-or-treating with some friends in Hermosa Beach…It was a little cold and I told you I had your jacket if you wanted to put it on. You looked at your beautiful princess outfit and said, “No Mama, I’m okay”…LOL, you did not want to mess up your outfit by putting a jacket on top of it!

-You had a hair style with beads in it for the first time…you enjoyed making noise when you shook your head around.

-We had a visit with our social worker. She is so happy with how well you are adjusting!!!

M*L******M:

-You went to Disneyland for the first time! The best part for you was eating a huge lollipop! It was so much fun to see the “Happiest Place on Earth” through your eyes!

-You loved Halloween! It is a holiday that truly celebrates your sweet tooth! It was so cute to see you in your cuddly dragon costume walking up to just about anyone saying, “Trick-or-treat, thank you.”

-We found out that you had a break in your arm at some point in your past that did not heal correctly. It is something we will have to get fixed at some point, but we are hoping we can wait until after the holidays.

-You continue to make us laugh with the silly faces you make and the never-ending singing that comes out of you. Your mispronunciation of “up above the world so high” (in Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star) and “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall…” is really cute! Your gruff voice adds a “special element” to every song you sing! :0)

-You are doing so well with respecting boundaries and obedience. It is wonderful to be able to enjoy being with you without the constant struggle of enforcing rules and boundaries.

-Our social worker is so happy with how well you are doing! She says you are such a sweet boy…and we agree!!!

Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner! We are so excited about this time of the year and to be able to celebrate our faith and our family together!!!