Crooked Creek Farm Girl

More Midnight Rambling

2011-02-20T02:50:00.003-06:00

It is early morning, still dark, hours before my day typically begins and a headache has forced me awake. I lay here with it throbbing, questioning why I'm once again awake in the middle of the night. I wonder if the Lord gives me this time as a gift, this quiet of night/early-morning, to reflect on things that I don't normally take the time to give even a second thought. I don't usually look at night-wakings as a gift. I typically find them to be annoying and dreaded. This is something I need to consider.

Yesterday was an odd day, full of so many ups and downs. It was a packed day which isn't typical of me (I pride myself on being a not-busy mom!) and I had not much time- or emotional energy- to reflect on all that had taken place before the noon hour. So, now, in depth of night, I have that time. I think, I pray, I wonder. I could not do this any other time of day, even as a not-busy mom.

Yesterday morning, just after sunrise and just before all hell broke loose in my world, I gathered my four little girls and headed to the beach. The sun was just coming up over the ocean and it was incredibly beautiful and calm. A family stepped onto the boardwalk with their cups of coffee and bags of fast-food breakfast in hand. As they found their desired spot on the sand, they laid out their blanket and the children scurried off to find shells.

My girls and I began to walk. No agenda really. Just take in the beauty of it all before the beach became overwhelmed with tourists, amateur fisherman, and bikini-clad girls ready to soak up sun. A few elderly couples walked leisurely while others used the almost-deserted beach to play fetch with their dogs.

The littles and I noticed beautiful, whole shells wash ashore, not yet beaten and battered by waves and human feet. Their little hands quickly filled with these beauties. They set the shells down to pick their favorites. We dodged the cold ocean as it tried to make its way to our feet. I squatted down and ran my hand through thousands of tiny shells and wondered what all goes on down in that ocean world. The incredible amount of work that happens by these tiny creatures. They, like we, doing the everyday business of life. It is something I could ponder for the rest of my days. It is amazing, these works of God.

Returning home, I am grateful for that morning get-away. Not long after, a daughter and I have an argument. It was not pretty. I wonder how such a beautiful morning can go downhill so quickly. I tried to hold back tears but they wouldn't be contained. I cried... and cried and cried. It wasn't just about this incident with my daughter, I realized. It was everything!

Then friends arrived. I haven't seen them in several years. I rushed to the bathroom to try to compose myself but I knew it was no use. Glassy, blood-shot eyes and blotchy face would certainly give me away. With tissue in hand and tears freely flowing I greeted them and apologized for my current state. She hugged me tight. I am thankful this is a friend I can see for the first time in years and know that it is okay to open the door as a wreck of a human being. She didn't mind. She understood. And she was there right when I needed her.

Later I talked to my daughter and we hugged and apologized and discussed. But my heart is still burdened. It is what comes to mind most often as I sit here in the middle of the night. Motherhood is so wonderful... and painful at times. But mostly wonderful.

S.L.E.E.P

2011-02-09T03:38:00.005-06:00

Sleep. It's what I need. I desire it. I crave it. My family seems to be enjoying it as they are scattered about the warm, cozy hotel room at 2:39 am. They breathe their deep, contented breaths, taking full advantage of this natural, normal, necessary (!!!) activity we do everyday. They make it look so easy. I, however, tossed and turned for a couple of hours then came to the sad realization that I would not get to enjoy sleep. At least not tonight.

Anxiety and excitement fill me at the moment. I am moving back to Florida, back home. New things are happening right now. I love adventure. These are very exciting and I choose to focus on that which is good.

The unknowns, which fill me with anxiety, keep trying to make their way to the forefront of my mind. They do me no good. They are what they are.... unknowns! I choose not focus on that which I have no control over. It is a lesson I finally learned in life (clarification: learned but have not perfected).

Apparently, my conscious and unconscious mind do not agree with each other because it is in my sleep that the unknowns want to make themselves known and keep me awake for hours on end.

It is now 3:27. It took almost an hour to type these few paragraphs. See what sleep depravation does? I've fumbled my way through this posting, not sure what the point of it is or if it makes any sense whatsoever. I am finally sleepy though so I guess it was not time wasted. Hopefully it does not have the same effect on you, dear reader.

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

It's in My Blood

2011-02-05T09:38:00.002-06:00

(***Be warned: My thoughts are all over the place in this one!***)

My life was not spent on a farm. No, far from it! I grew up in the suburbs of northeast Florida, spending my days at the beach and pool or in our boat on the St. John's River. We traveled to the caribbean by cruise ship, vacationed in the mountains and on beaches, went to football games every weekend during the fall. Free from the obligations of a homestead. Most of my family escaped farming and self-sufficient living a couple of generations back. It was not the desired occupation for many. Yet I am drawn to such a life.

My entire bloodline is saturated with generations of people who worked the land. I am convinced farming/self-sufficient living is in my blood. Even those in my family who do not farm are avid gardeners. As I research and study my family's history, I am saddened that these members left such a noble way of living. I regret that I was not able to learn from them the things that were part of their nature. Now I am left to books and magazines- complete strangers- to teach me these things.

***

It has been my long time dream to be a farm-girl. I've researched for years the ins-and-outs of farming and self-sufficient living. Last May, my dream came true when we moved onto 80 acres of land in the country. I bought chickens and geese and attempted to plant a garden (but the chickens feasted on my newly sprouted veggies). I built a wattle fence for my compost pile, started a stone path project and cut back wild blackberry brambles in hopes that they'll be nice and full this coming spring. I had big plans for sheep and goats and bees. So many projects, plans, dreams and ideas. They all came to a screeching halt when things beyond my control took place just around the time we moved onto our land.

Now I'm packing up and moving to Florida, my beloved home state that I've been away from for more than 15 years. I am excited about the move. At the beginning of the year, two of my teens and I made the long drive to Florida. It was so good to be back "home", catching up with friends I haven't seen in years (and reconnected with thanks to Facebook), spending time with family, visiting favorite old spots and checking out new ones. There's just something very comforting about the familiar! Yet, as I move to Florida, I must say goodbye (for now) to my farm dreams.

As fate would have it, my cousin's tenant suddenly moved out of her beach condo, leaving her without renters. I inquired about it, saw the place and and knew it was for us. Although I'm from Florida I've never been much of a beach girl. I much prefer rivers, lakes and pools! :-) However, after all that the last three years have held for us, a condo at the beach seems very therapeutic. I am excited and thankful for this new home. There is no yard but I will have a small courtyard-type area of which I'll make great use. I definitely plan to bring a little of the farm girl, self-sufficient action to my beach condo. And, in case you're wondering... yes, I am extremely tempted to pack one of my hens and keep her at my new place.

The good news is, Chris is staying at the farm in Kansas and we will visit often so I still get to see my animals, work on my projects, and get my hands in the dirt. I guess I'm just a part-time farm girl for now. My older girls are very excited about the move. They are definitely not farm-girl material. My little ones are excited to be closer to family but sad to leave Daddy and the land. They are definitely farm-girl material! :-) I am content with whatever the Lord has in store.... or at least I'm learning to be content. :-)

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” - Frederick Keonig

So, on Tuesday, we will take our belongings (or as much as we can fit into a moving truck) and begin the long journey to Florida.

My Word for 2011

2011-02-02T09:35:00.002-06:00

For several years I have chosen a word-for-the-year: a word that would represent an area of life that I need to focus on, grown in, work on. This year my word is order.

So much has happened these past three years that have been completely out of my control and often-times chaotic. How I long for calm, peace (my word for 2010) and order. Below are the several areas of order in which I'd like to focus.

Health: For years I have had odd health issues but this past year they became severe enough that they could no longer be ignored. Although I have not been given a definite diagnosis, my rheumatologist believes I have Lupus. Much of that is out of my control. I cannot predict when I will go into a flare up or even completely prevent it from happening but I can try to fight it off as much as possible.

I have never been one to struggle with weight issues and therefore have not been the best about exercising or eating well all the time (although I typically eat very well, I eat sweets without guilt). I want to bring as much order to my physical health as possible. I have been saving for a bicycle and plan to take up the sport once we make our move to Florida (more about that to come in a future post). I am so excited to get started. I've even scoped out popular bicycling routes around my future neighborhood.

Spiritual: Because of everything that has happened over the past three years my spiritual life has taken a beating. I need to focus on the Lord and who I am in Him and who He is to me.... no matter what. He doesn't change. He is real. He is loving. He is who He has always been and just because my life has been rough doesn't make Him any less! I need to see and savor what it is He wants me to know and learn during this time. It is not enough to just wake up and coast through each day, afraid of what might be lurking around the corner. I need to learn to face life head-on no matter what it throws my way.

I used to be envious of people who endured great hardships, knowing they were being used in great ways by the Lord and that they were knowing Him in ways that others never would. I want to embrace the hardships I am enduring and benefit from the lessons, growth and joy that come from every single life situation, even the most horrid ones. It's time to get my spiritual act together!

Home: When I began having children and homeschooling, I had to let some things go. A perfect home was one of those things. I kept a clean home but you'd often find piles of toys and papers laying around. I think it drove some people crazy but I was a better mother because of it. I say this to let you know I've never tried to be a perfect housekeeper. There's just more important things in life than constantly chasing after the messes of my little ones.

When I became ill last year, the house fell apart. My older kids were extremely helpful but there are things they don't see that a mother does. And months and months of that eventually leads to chaos. On top of that, we moved (because of my illness) and while I tried to clean and organize as much as possible before and after the move, there was only so much this weak, sick body could do. So, now that I'm feeling more energetic, it's time to get the house in order.

“Order is a lovely thing; on disarray it lays its wing, teaching simplicity to sing.” -Anna Branch

There are more areas of my life that are in need of order and I will share those another time. I just wanted to take the time now to tell you about my word-for-the-year and encourage you to choose one for yourself. Although we're in the second month of the year, it's not too late to choose a word. Click on the box below if you need help. This site has lots of ideas and articles to read. If you'd like to join me or already have a word for the year, please leave a comment. I'd love to know what everybody is focusing on this year.

Eggs

2011-01-29T09:55:00.000-06:00

Our girls are finally laying eggs. It all started when I was visiting Florida at the beginning of the year. Go figure! After all the time and energy I've put into raising these birds, they lay the first glorious egg when I'm out of town. It's like your child taking their first step for Grandmother while you're out running errands. Oh well! I am happy and a very proud mama!!

And for your viewing pleasure: updated photos of the chickens. They're quite large now! Jack Black, the head honcho, has become quite the mean rooster. While I was on Florida, he chased the little girls around the yard and as Ellie tried to make her escape, while keeping an eye on the crazed bird, she ran into a tree and gashed her forehead. Fortunately, she only required 2 stitches and her cut healed nicely. Poor baby! That was HER rooster that sent her to the hospital. She said she is ready to make him into dinner now. :-)

They enjoy roosting on the compost bin when there's snow on the ground

Jack Black crowing

A Winter Day at Crooked Creek Farm

2011-01-28T13:08:00.000-06:00

The snow has fallen several times in the past few weeks and it has not melted. We have a beautiful white blanket covering the property. It has been fun watching the animals come out after each snowfall and look for food. Here are a few pictures we captured one afternoon:

All sorts of birds are visiting our little suet feeder

Beautiful!

Ugh! These horrid opossum!! We have many!!

Can you see the deer back there?

Making Live Evergreen Wreaths

2011-01-26T13:04:00.002-06:00

A few friends asked about this project and I'm just now getting around to posting the instructions. I apologize! It's not too late to make them for the winter season though. The few I made before Christmas are still holding up quite well.

This year I decided to make live evergreen wreaths since we have an abundance of evergreen trees on our property. I've never made a wreath- fake or live- so I was a bit apprehensive. However, it turned out to be a very simple project and I'd encourage anybody interested to give it a try.

What you'll need:

thick wire to make your form

floral wire (about 20 gauge)

evergreen branches (cut to size)

embellishments like berries, ornaments, ribbon, etc (optional)

I used wire hangers- that we had laying around from the dry cleaners- to make my forms. If you don't have any hangers handy buy a spool of wire in similar thickness at a craft or home supply store. Shape into a circle, square or whatever shape you desire then twist the ends together several times to hold together.

Now, take your roll of floral wire and wrap it around your form 10-12 times to make sure it doesn't come loose.

My wire form (as you can see, it doesn't have to be a perfect circle)

Grab several branches and bundle them together on your form. Wrap the floral wire tightly around the branches and wreath form several times (toward the bottom of the branches) until the bundle feels nice and secure. Gather another group of branches and add them to the form several inches below the last bunch. Play around with it until you have the groups of branches spread apart at an appealing distance. Work your way around he wreath then simply wrap the floral wire around the form again several times and clip. Fluff up the branches and clip as needed (although the "wild", unkempt look is nice too).

Adding branches and wrapping with floral wire

Below is my very first handmade evergreen wreath. I made this one rather full. You can make your wreath full or sparse by adjusting the number of branches you add to each bundle. You can also add another layer of branches to the back for additional fullness or if you plan to hang it on glass when both side of the wreath will be seen. If you would like your wreath to be more sparse simply add fewer branches and try spreading the bundles out a little more.

The finished wreath

Note: I've read that spritzing your live wreath with water every so often will help keep them going longer. I have one hanging outside and a few indoors and they are all doing very well. None have shed needles yet. That's without spritzing!

Winter Fun

2011-01-20T16:09:00.000-06:00

The snow finally stopped falling and the sun reappeared. It was the perfect day to play in the snow. (Of course, our teens and tweenie stayed indoors. They weren't about to get out in the cold.)

Ellie

That's me taking a turn on Ellie's disc

Ellie, Emmy and Molly

Molly takes this stuff very seriously,...she is ultra competitive!

Emmy had SO much fun

Ellie and Emmy

My Girls

2010-12-30T16:02:00.000-06:00

A few photo highlights from this Christmas season

Emmy decorating the tree

Liz and Ellie

Sweet Natalie

Molly finding just the right place for her ornament

Waiting for our turn to tour Walk Through Bethlehem

Our church's Christmas Cantata (that's Liz in the red sweater)

My girlies in their Christmas dresses

Me with little Emmy at the Christmas Cantata

First snow of the season, Christmas Eve

The littles with their gift cards from their great-grandparents

My sweet little girls in front of the Christmas tree

Christmas Decorating

2010-12-15T14:30:00.001-06:00

Anybody who knows me knows I love to decorate. I only began taking a real interest in holiday decorating over the last couple of years, once my little ones were big enough to not require constant attention. I've had fun with it because it gives me more opportunities to decorate my home and change things up.

I thought I'd share some photos of my Christmas decorating projects although my camera is on its last leg and some of the pictures are dark and blurry. I hope you are still able to see what I was trying to accomplish. :-)

An arrangement of evergreens and Christmas ornaments

Stockings I purchased a couple of years ago from Ballard Designs

Live evergreen wreaths that I made from the trees on our property

Front entry

Close up of lamp detail

The buffet

The console table

Just a little touch of Christmas on my jar of wine corks

This was my favorite place to sit during the Christmas season

Visiting Laura Ingalls Wilder's Rocky Ridge Farm

2010-11-08T12:53:00.000-06:00

This past weekend the littles and I, along with some dear friends, traveled to Mansfield, Missouri to visit the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder. We had such a great time. I can't believe I was able to walk through the actual home of one of my most beloved childhood heros. It was surreal.

All our girls in front of the home of Almanzo and Laura Ingalls Wilder

How tempting it was to ignore the "DO NOT TOUCH" signs and grab hold of the dresser drawer knobs or bounce on the bed or rest at the desk that Laura herself had once touched with her own talented fingers. I was good, though, and obeyed the rules!! :-) Envy did fill me as I noticed people who had not yet seen the signs (or chose to ignore them) touching Laura's bed or chest of drawers. (Sigh!!)

Our girls on the steps of Laura's Rocky Ridge home

Yes, Becky and I were just as excited as our girls!

My girls and I were able to visit the house on Rocky Ridge in Mansfield this past summer. However, it was an unplanned detour on our trip to Florida and we arrived right before the museum closed. We were given a very abbreviated tour of their original home. We missed out on the tour of the rock house altogether. It was nice to be able to take our time, enjoy a thorough tour and walk the grounds during this most recent visit.

Almanzo and Laura were given the Rock House as a gift from their daughter, Rose, who wanted them to enjoy the modern conveniences of life. My friend, Becky, and I wondered how much of a gift that must have really been for Rose's parents. I imagine Almanzo and Laura longed to live in the home they worked so hard to build. I suppose that was the case since they returned to their original Rocky Ridge house 8 years later. I did fall in love with the rock house though and learned that the blueprints can still be found online. After a quick internet search I found it here. I think I need this house! :-) Rose used local rock to build the house rather than the shingles shown in the link. I would do the same since we have an abundance of gorgeous stone on the property. Yet another idea to add to my wish list.

The Rock House, a gift to Almanzo and Laura from the daughter, Rose

The property had incredibly beautiful views of the hills and countryside. I can see why Almanzo and Laura were so in love with their property. What a beautiful part of our country.

We also drove to the cemetery where Almanzo's, Laura's and Rose's bodies rest. I was able to get photos and rubbings of Almanzo's and Laura's headstones. Since I have become quite the genealogy buff this was a fun little visit for me. Does that sound really weird? Well, maybe it is but I'm okay with that. :-) The rubbings mean a great deal to me and I am so glad to have them.

The girls reading the headstones

Almanzo and Laura buried together with their daughter, Rose, beside them

This year we are working through the Prairie Primer- which is a unit study using each of The Little House books- in our home school and would love to visit each of Laura's homes along the way. Becky and I are already dreaming up a trip to DeSmet, SD to visit one of Laura's childhood homes.

November is National Adoption Month

2010-11-05T12:30:00.002-05:00

In honor of National Adoption Month, I will post about our adoption, adoption in general and what God says about adoption. I thought it would be appropriate to kick off this series of blogs with John Piper's incredible sermon regarding adoption. I just love this one.... especially the last part where he read to his congregation the letter he wrote to his wife once he felt convicted to adopt. Enjoy! Adoption: The Heart of the Gospel

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:16-17)

Making Use of What We Have

2010-11-04T20:30:00.000-05:00

One of my goals in self-sufficient living is to use as much as we possibly can from our land. That includes foraging our property for edible foods. Because we have an abundance of acorns I just had to find a use for them. Of course I'm using them in my fall decor :-) but I am thrilled to learn that acorns can be made into flour.

It does seem to be a time consuming process but I'm hoping it will be worth the effort. The little girls and I spent an hour or so collecting acorns (and only scratched the surface so there are still plenty for the squirrels). We only had to sit in one little area, under two big oak trees, to gather three baskets-full. Now we have to dry the acorns, remove the shells, grind the meat and wash thoroughly- to remove the tannin- and then dry again. I'm excite to get started and will keep you posted on our results.

Other edible wild plants that we've found on our property are blackberries, beans, Staghorn sumac and other herbs, as well as several grains. We didn't move here until the end of May so we missed the early Spring blooming plants. I look forward to getting out there next March to see what is growing.

In addition to seeking out edible plants, we aim to use any natural items found on our property for building and making things. I'm currently working on a wattle fence for our compost pile. I used Staghorn Sumac trees, that were cut down before we moved on the property, to build the fence. These trees are perfect because they're nice and flexible for weaving. I've also collected black-
berry brambles to make baskets this winter when I'm stuck indoors for weeks and weeks. I'm also working on building a stone path from stones I find all over the property. I would love to build stone walls as well. The stone path has been a slow process because it is truly back breaking work! It does bring much satisfaction, however.

Farewell, October!

2010-11-01T12:00:00.001-05:00

A glimpse of some of the beauty of October we experienced in our little area of the world

Some nature findings during the month of October

Oak leaves and acorns everywhere

My watercolor painting of a turkey feather I found by the creek

A beautiful October day in northeast Kansas

Our Home in the Woods or How We Got Here

2010-10-30T12:36:00.002-05:00

One morning in late August, 2009, I woke up completely zapped of all energy. I spent the week on the couch or in bed, feeling as if I was recovering from a bad case of the flu, yet I had not suffered from any other symptoms. This happened several more times over the next few months. I was also noticing more severe joint pain. Joint pain has plagued me for years but it was nothing over-the-counter meds couldn't help. This time, the typical pills were not doing the trick. In addition, I was experiencing new, strange symptoms each week.

Toward the end of 2009, I was barely able to function and by January I was completely bedridden. Suffering from never-ending pain and totally fatigued, I was becoming depressed and hopeless. Would they ever figure out what was wrong with me? Would I ever get better? Would I ever experience the health I so often took for granted? I was in and out of the doctor's office, specialists' offices, the ER, hospital. My bedside table, once topped with a vase of fresh flowers, was overrun with dozens of medications. It felt never ending! The worst part of this, for me, was feeling so disconnected from my family. I was in bed all day, every day, and they were off doing their own thing.

We lived in a beautiful historic home at Fort Leavenworth- a home I could have lived in forever- but while I was sick I never saw anybody. We were too spread out there... at least that's how I felt being stuck in bed all day. Plus, all the stairs made very difficult to get around with the little energy I had. I would get halfway up one flight of stairs and was left feeling like I had just run several miles. There were times I wasn't sure I'd make it the rest of the way up/down the stairs.

In March, my rheumatologist, who believes I have lupus, gave me yet another steroid treatment and that seemed to help a lot. I was beginning to feel somewhat normal (health-wise at least :-). Even though I was getting better, I knew we'd need to make some changes. For one, we needed a one-level home. If I get sick again I don't want to feel so disconnected from my family. I want to be able to get a glass of water without being wiped out going up and down stairs. I want to be able to call for help and have my family member hear me.

Around that time, I was browsing local real estate websites and found the home we're now renting. I knew this is where we needed to be. It is a mostly one-level home (it has a partially finished basement), the master bedroom is right off the living/dining/kitchen combo (a set up I wouldn't normally want but is perfect for our current situation) and, as a bonus, it sits on 80 beautiful acres of land. I can't think of a better place to recuperate. This is a definite gift from God!

As for my current health, I am feeling much better than I was earlier this year but I am still not 100%. I've accepted the fact that I will probably never be my old healthy self. Joint pain is my constant companion and I still suffer from fatigue on a daily basis. I do not have the energy I once had- and still desire- but I'm learning to make the most of what I do have. I try to get outdoors daily to enjoy the fresh air, sunshine and the accomplishments of simple farm chores. Projects take much longer to complete but that's okay; I'm not going to push myself. I'm just going to enjoy the journey.

Our home at sundown

Be blessed!

She's Back!

2010-10-29T13:08:00.000-05:00

Goodness! I've taken quite a long break from blogging. Life has been crazy and busy but I'm ready to get back to sharing our adventures... for anybody who might care to follow us. :-) We've had quite a few changes take place around here and I plan to catch you up over the next several weeks.

As you may have noticed, my blog has a new name and look. That's due to some of the changes that have taken place in our family. This past May we moved off post (due to some health issues which I'll tell you all about later) and we're currently renting 80 acres of mostly wooded land. (Now I can put into practice all the self-sufficiency and farming techniques I've been researching these past few years. It has been great fun so far!) This blog started out as a journal about our adoption and I just kept it going after we brought out kiddos home. I thought it was time to change the name of my blog to reflect its purpose.

I'm still in the process of updating my blog but I just had to pop in and say hello! See y'all around!

Congrats to Kaley

2009-06-23T19:38:00.008-05:00

My oldest daughter, Kaley (age 17), entered a writing contest for teens put out by Proverbs 31 Ministries. The winners would receive a full scholarship- food, hotel and conference attendance- to the She Speaks Conference, a conference for speakers and writers in christian ministry.

Contestants had to write a devotion for teen girls. Kaley chose to write about God's control vs. our control. She used a friend's tragic experience, the loss of her mother to cancer, as an example of putting faith in God even during the toughest moments. I know Kaley was very moved by her friend's faith and how she never tried to control the situations around her... even when things felt completley out of control.

Kaley received a call last Friday informing her that she was one of the 4 winners! All we have to do is get her there!! I am so excited for my girl!! Kaley has always been pretty hard on herself and I'm glad that she can now realize that she does have gifts and talents worth sharing!! I just wish I could go with her! :-) Congratulations, Kaley! I hope this is a great experience for you.

Oh, and Kaley recently began writing fashion and beauty articles for Proverbs 31 Ministries teen site, Radical Revolution. Her very first article on the blog was written a couple of weeks ago. Check it out!

Growing Pains

2009-05-22T18:55:00.005-05:00

It is very likely that I have used this title, Growing Pains, once before on my blog. I sure do seem to have a lot of them (growing pains that is.... not blogs ;-) ). How can one thing be so incredibly beautiful and painful and precious and messy???? How can our family be blessed with three beautiful children and turned upside-down all at once? I am talking about our adoption journey.

I have felt great anger and resentment and pain and lonliness this past year. I've also been blessed to witness and be a part of an incredible journey our son is just beginning. A journey to healing and hope and love and security and trust. We have been blessed to see him finally be free of many dark secrets, of things that happened in Ethiopia.

My Lord has picked me up off the ground once again and has wiped the dust from my knees. Just when I thought there was no hope, when I reached the end of my rope, when I knew there was nothing left in me to get through this He did His awesome work. To find strength from Him when I am at my weakest... there is nothing more incredible!

Girls Weekend Away

2009-04-05T20:32:00.004-05:00

This weekend Kaley, Abby, Liz and I headed to Topeka for the Fashion Meets Faith Real Beauty Makeover conference. We had so much fun! This will be a weekend we all remember.

Friday night's event focused on teen girls. We all had a color analysis done and learned the colors that were best suited for us. We even purchased a set of color swatches that show a variety of "our" colors. The speaker, Shari Braendel, shared all kinds of good tips with the girls. She especially focused on modesty and how the girls should value themselves and who they are in Christ. I loved the message!

Saturday's event was for adult women although my girls went with me. They enjoyed it just as much, if not more, than the teen session. This was one of Shari's smaller venues so we had lots of one on one time with her. The girls and I were full of questions. I can design a room with no problem but ask me to design a wardrobe and I'm lost! I came home with lots of new information.

Kaley took lots of notes. She wants to become a hair dresser (and eventually own her own salon) once she graduates from high school so this conference was right up her alley. During one of the breaks Shari commented on Kaley's note taking and I mentioned that Kaley is really into this sort of thing. She told Kaley to keep in touch with her and that maybe she can start traveling with them as an assistant. I think that made Kaley's year!

We left the conference wishing it lasted several more days! With color swatches in hand we headed for the mall. We shopped for 8 hours! I do not like to shop. I despise malls. It was only for the love of my girls that I did this! ;-) Actually, I ended up having a lot of fun myself and found some great clothes!

We were shopping for our Spring/Summer wardrobes. I had a list of items each girl needed. Anything else they wanted they could buy with their own money. Oh, and I did tell them that I would only buy colors that were on their swatches. Abby ended up buying a black skirt with her own money (Abby had to vow to never wear black again as it's such an offensive color for her skin/hair/eye coloring. I don't think she really cares! LOL).

After a very long day we headed to the hot tub at our hotel. Our legs and feet were grateful! We stayed up late, watching Food Network and eating junk food. It was a great weekend!!

We headed home this morning and I realized I didn't take one picture while we were gone. How disappointing! There were lots of great photo ops! I did take this one once we pulled up to our house. I had to have at least one picture to remember our trip. :-) (Can you tell the girls stayed up all night?)

Snow on My Daffodils: Winter and Spring Battle it Out

2009-03-28T22:52:00.004-05:00

Two weeks ago we were outdoors- in shorts and flip flops- enjoying the warmth of the sun. It felt like the early days of Summer, not Spring. Earlier this week the kids were outside enjoying the cool, brisk weather as they worked on their Spring nature studies. Today there is snow on the ground! Winter is not going out without a fight. I'm rooting for the underdog, Spring!

We did take advantage of being "stuck" indoors and had a very relaxed day. Chris made his yummy chocolate waffles (topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream... okay, I added that little touch!) for us this morning. Then we moved into the living room with our coffee and made a fire in the fireplace. I spent the afternoon planning our upcoming Easter study and Chris worked on some iPhone app thingy.... Whatever! Couldn't explain it if I wanted to. The kids spent their time in and out of the house(depending on if the snow was falling or if they needed to thaw out). We were supposed to cook a big meal tonight but were enjoying our care-free day so much that we decided to order Chinese to be delivered to our front door. It was a perfect day!

This is where Natalie and Ellie were lifting rocks earlier this week, in an eager search for bugs. Now the rocks- and all my daffodils- are covered in snow.

This is down our street. We didn't get nearly as much snow as anticipated but enough to do some damage to the flowers. We covered them and are hoping for the best.

This photo was taken this morning before the snow came. We had freezing rain all night and there was a solid sheet all over my van. Liz cleared it off for me so I could go get those strawberries and whipped cream for our waffles. She is giggling because I wouldn't stop taking pictures.

Workbox Email Loop

2009-03-27T18:34:00.002-05:00

I added the link to my Workbox Fun email loop on the sidebar. Scroll down a bit.... you'll get there. This loop is for those who would like to share ideas with other workbox users.

Wrapping up another school week

2009-03-27T12:37:00.009-05:00

Today we- Natalie, Molly, Ellie, Emmy and I- wrapped up our week-long unit study with the book, The Wild Horses of Sweetbriar. The girls have really enjoyed this book and were not pleased when I announced that this was our last day with this study.

We learned a lot about bacteria and germs this week. The kids did a great experiment that I just had to share with you all. It's a wonderful visual lesson for young ones (and probably many older ones!!!) as they get to see how germs spread, how we need to wash thoroughly and how those germs don't always come off as quickly and easily as we think they do. Give it a try!

The girls lined up and ready to wash off all those "germs"

Here's Natalie learning about pints, quarts and gallons at the math center (aka kitchen table)

Revel in His Creation

2009-03-26T15:33:00.014-05:00

Yesterday we kicked off our Spring nature studies. I know that we should be outdoors and enjoying nature in the winter months but this Florida girl hasn't gotten that used to cold climates. I still prefer to enjoy the winter months indoors.... by the fire... with a warm drink! :-)

Spring in definitely here in Kansas... or at least it's trying to make its presence known. We've seen all kinds of birds in the yard, our flowering trees are blooming, the daffodils are showing off their golden-orange faces, the tulips are creeping out of the ground. The days are cool and the evenings even cooler but the promise of warmer days to come is there. (Although there is a chance of snow in our weekend forecast. Eek!!)

My kids love to be outdoors. They love playing with bugs and peeking in on the little bunnies that make their home out of the big bush in our front yard. They search for worms and rollie pollies under rocks. They marvel as a big hawk or a flock of geese fly over. We enjoy walking down to the park and watching the ducks in the pond and seeing Mama Bird feed her babies.

Here are Ellie and Natalie looking for creepy crawly things under rocks in our front yard. The painting above is by my 12 year old, Liz. She found this cute little squirrel at a nearby park. She sat on the bench while our neighbor's dog rested (she walks their dog daily) and painted her journal entry. Ahhh... the life of a homeschooler!

The Butler's Pantry

2009-03-25T10:20:00.010-05:00

This is my very favorite room in our house. It is so adorable and practical. The only way it could get any better is if there was an actual butler to make use of it! :-)

We found some information about our house online and it stated that the butler slept in a room off the kitchen. We're not sure if he would have slept in this pantry or in the little alcove that we now use to house our computer. Do any of you history buffs know where the help typically slept?

This little room stores all of my over sized cookware as well as our Italian ceramics that I collected during our 3+ years in Sicily. I've got a drawer for art supplies and this is typically where the girls do their art projects for school.

Here's a picture of my deep ceramic sink under the window. I made the sink skirt using Amy Butler fabric (love her stuff!!). I hide all my baskets and pet food under there. I displayed my De Simone ceramics on this wall.

This is the connecting wall where we hang our aprons. Next to the mirror is a swinging door that leads to the dining room.

I love these cabinets with glass doors. I display a lot of my Italian ceramics, tea pot collection and some antiques that I've found over the years at thrift stores. The wide cabinets at the bottom are very useful for my over sized bake ware as well as art supplies.

This wall is opposite the sink where I keep most of our dishes and serving pieces. I love that I can have all my Italian ceramics out in clear view! I also made this skirt using Amy Butler's fabrics. I hide all my cookbooks and loose, unorganized recipes behind that skirt! To the left is a doorway leading into the kitchen.

For the Love of Bread

2009-03-24T14:24:00.014-05:00

I love bread. I could never get on that South Beach/Atkins kick where carbs were viewed as evil. To me, bread means home, warmth, goodness, love. Over the years I've tried to perfect a good, artisan bread. I came nowhere near perfection. My breads were pretty lame. I can make a mean sandwich loaf but not those beautiful breads you find in specialty grocery stores.

I mentioned this to my husband recently. He is a science guy and I thought maybe this bread making thing could be something we worked on together. I figured his knowledge of science would aid us in figuring out how this whole bread thing works. Also his attention-to-detail could compensate for my spontaneous, just-do-it-and-don't-waste-time-reading-directions mentality.

A few days later a book arrived in the mail. While I was thankful for the gift I couldn't help but feel like I was being blown off. After all, I wanted to work on a project with my husband and he sends me a book on bread making. Humph! :-) Well, I have to say this book is awesome and I have been baking bread on a daily basis ever since it arrived!

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day has allowed me to bake beautiful, delicious breads without any fuss or long preparation or waiting periods. You simply mix a batch of dough, stick it in the fridge and pull it out when you're ready to bake. Pinch off some dough, shape, allow it to rise then bake. Love it! I've made flat breads and baguettes and boules and bagels and pizza dough. All so very easy and yummy! If you love bread and are looking for a quick, easy method to making stuff that looks like it came from the bakery then go buy this book!

I made bagels just days after purchasing my copy of the book. They weren't very pretty (was still getting the hang of the dough) but they tasted great!

I made this baguette one beautiful afternoon (yeah, I already dug into it before taking the photo!!) and served it on the front porch with some delicious basil olive oil and balsamic vinegar that I bought while I was in NYC. I sent Chris this picture and enticed him to leave work early and join us. It worked!

Here's my pizza from this week's make-your-own-pizza night. It's full of spinach, fresh tomatoes, red onions, olive oil, mozzarella and globs of ricotta!!!

I made this multi-grain dough from another book called "Kneadlessly Simple". I don't find the recipes from this book to be as quick and simple as the recipes in "Artisan Breads in Five Minutes a Day" but they're quite tasty and there's lots to choose from.

Our Valentine's Day Tea (Yeah, this is from over a month ago!)

2009-03-20T14:06:00.010-05:00

I'm trying to catch up on some posts here. So behind, I am!!

Lizzy and Natalie invited the family to a Valentine's Day Tea this year. The girls spent hours in the kitchen that week making treats for the event. We all felt very loved and special. Here are some pictures:

The gang

Chris helping the girls pour the hot water for tea

Our hostesses, Natalie and Liz

My Living Room

2009-03-20T11:38:00.017-05:00

Okay, I've been promising family and friends that I'd post pictures of our new house. However I've been having camera issues. My good camera is on the fritz and our point and shoot isn't doing so well with the lighting in our house. I did the best I could.

We moved into our house in November. We're still on the army post. We loved it here so much that Chris decided to stay and teach at the Command and General Staff College that he had attended for a year. Not the best military career move but Chris is planning to retire in three years anyway. We're at the point where we want to do what we want to do.... not the what military wants us to do!

As some of you know, we lived in an apartment-style building while Chris was attending the school. I was okay with that as we were only going to be here for one year. However, when we found out we were staying I knew I couldn't live on the second floor-and without my own yard- for another three years. Thankfully, we have lots of kids and our family was too big for that apartment (it was a huge apartment but not enough bedrooms). The housing office agreed to let us move into one of the historic homes.

Our house will celebrate its 100th birthday this October. I think we should have a big party! :-) I've had lots of fun decorating. With the horrible year I've had, retail therapy has been very helpful.... not only to me but to our economy! Just doing my part! ;-)

Here are pictures of our living room. I'll post more pictures in another post... as those rooms become clean and worthy of picture taking.

This is my $50.00 thrift store find. The settee is in great shape! I just need to add new legs (they look too 80's) and get it reupholstered (because I'm not a big fan of plaid).

My other settee: Bought this one from Ballard Designs. Love it!! It is covered with fabric and pillow cases that I purchased during my trip to Peshawar, Pakistan several years ago.

This is the shelf I set up behind the settee. The lamps were a steal of a deal from T.J. Maxx. The wall decor are from one of my very favorite stores, Nell Hill's

We found this chair and its partner at a local thrift store for $14.00 a piece. I love them!!! We're in the process of refinishing them.

This table tucked away in the corner of my living room is my absolute favorite spot. I've loved decorating it for the new season. Lots of my blue and white on display, a little bird sketch I ordered on Etsy and a silver cross I purchased in Ethiopia.

Here's my mantle. Not sure what to put on the darn thing! I haven't found that perfect piece yet. I think I'd like a couple of pretty glass vases filled with dried hydrangea. I bought the black chairs from Garrity's Encore. I plan to cover the cushions and pillows in a french ticking.

Working those boxes

2009-03-16T10:49:00.004-05:00

Here are some pictures of the girls at work today:

Monday's Boxes

2009-03-15T20:42:00.009-05:00

I've received several emails asking what I include in each of the kids' boxes. I'll go ahead and post here what I've got in the boxes for tomorrow. We're studying Madeline this week. We started last week but it was a bad week and I didn't get to do as much as I had hoped. So we're taking another week to finish up. This week we'll really focus on the body systems portion of the unit. My older kids are working on their Beyond Five in a Row study of the book Homer Price. Monday they'll focus on the study of robins and birds in general.

4 year old
"Set the Table" (file folder game I made up to teach proper place setting)
Explode the Code phonics pages
Madeline cut-outs for counting practice
Skeletal and muscular system coloring sheets
Lacing cards
Cuisenaire Rods alphabet book (letter "F")
Counting practice with a muffin tin and buttons
Paper skeleton project (connecting pieces and securing with brads)
Bird match up file folder game
Fine motor practice (picking up cotton balls with tweezers and placing them in bowl)
Dot to Dot
Hair-Do Harriet (one of those magnetic drawing thingies)

6 year old
Math page
20 minutes computer time (working on Bio Tracker, science, for our Madeline study)
Skeletal and Muscular system coloring sheets
Explode the Code phonics sheet
Ed Emberley's Great Thumbprint Drawing Book (2 pages)
Mounts of the Year cards for review (put cards in order)
Rhyming words exercise for our Madeline study
Counting by 2's cards for review (put cards in order)
Vocabulary words lapbook entry for our Madeline study
Paper skeleton project (connecting pieces and securing with brads)
Musical Scarves Activities (exercise CD)
Sounds on the Farm bingo game (way beneath her level but she fell in love with it when her little sister played the game)

7 year old
Vocabulary words lapbook entry for our Madeline study
Madeline cut outs to be used to practice symmetry
Explode the Code phonics sheet
Math sheet
Madeline coloring sheet
Madeline "smallest to largest" lapbook entry
20 minutes computer time (working on Bio Tracker, science, for our Madeline study)
Your Body Layers puzzle (we have the girl version)
Skeletal and Muscular systems coloring sheets
Skip counting cards for review (put cards in order)
Paper skeleton project (connecting pieces and securing with brads)

9 year old
Capitalization review sheet (write on/wipe off sheet)
Vocabulary words lapbook entry for our Madeline study
Draw Write Now page
Math sheet
Madeline coloring page
Explode the Code phonics sheet
Phonics Tutor (computer lesson)
Madeline cut outs to be used to practice symmetry
Skeletal and Muscular systems coloring sheets
France "Famous Place" lapbook entry
Paper skeleton project (connecting pieces and securing with brads)
Rhyming words exercise for our Madeline study

12 & 14 year olds (boxes happen to be exactly the same this day)
Math lesson
Study on robins (lapbook entry)
Felt doughnut sewing project (to cut out patterns and fabric pieces)
Classification of birds and their characteristics (lapbook entry)
Easy Grammar
Mavis Beacon typing lesson on the computer
Spelling
Bird reproduction
Name that Baby game (names of baby birds)
Sunday Dinner menu (writing assignment)
Art: Drawing/Painting/Coloring bird eggs
Memorize(throughout the week) poem, Robin Redbreast by William Allingham and write 1 stanza each day

By the way, Sue Patrick has tons of great ideas for the boxes that I haven't even included in our school day yet. I am eager to add more of her ideas.

I caught the bug

2009-03-14T19:49:00.017-05:00

Since I started the workboxes with my kids I have been able to add all those fun things that I vow to add to our school day and never do! We've done more games, puzzles, drill work (okay, maybe that's not fun but it sure is needed around here!), art projects and science experiments. All of the kids are very pleased. My little ones wake up every morning and sneak peeks into their boxes as if it's their Christmas stocking!

I've been on the lookout for more projects to add to my older girls' boxes. They enjoy working with their hands and I thought this would be a great opportunity to add more sewing practice. I ran across these adorable little felt foods at Bugga Bugs on Etsy. These patterns are simple enough for the beginner. I have one daughter who would like to hand sew while the other prefers a machine. These patterns work well for both (although I think the gal who created these said hers were made by machine). The directions are very thorough and include photos throughout. I love all the little details added to each of the felt foods. So adorable!!

You can choose top quality wool felts or the cheap stuff in the children's section of the craft department. I went for the cheap stuff for my girls first project. We'll see how it goes from there. I think these felt foods would make great gifts and of course I'd suggest better quality material in that case.

You can find the gal's blog here. If you sign up to receive her newsletter she'll send you a free pattern for her felt strawberries. And if you buy 5 of her patterns you get the 6th one free. I've already received 6 patterns and plan to order more soon! Oh, and we plan to start with the doughnuts.

This is the best system EVER!

2009-03-05T10:39:00.008-06:00

(Note: I just want to say that Sue Patrick is very adament about the system being done with clear shoe boxes. It is a great tool for visual learners and sn kids. However, if that were the only option I would not have ever given the system a second thought. Please read her site and book to learn her heart for the system that she came up with. :-))

My friend, Leslie, introduced me to to the Workbox System and I am in love! This is a great tool for all you homeschoolers out there. The following quote is from Sue Patrick's Workbox System website:

An effective teaching system to reduce your organizational time and increase your child's self-control, independence and learning.
Specialized for: Autism, ADD ADHD, and
Large Home School Families
This system will compliment your existing curriculum!

Here's how it works: Set up 12 plastic shoe boxes and store them on a plastic shoe rack with wheels. Fill the boxes each evening with school work, games, crafts, projects, etc.... whatever you want your child to get done in a school day. Then your children's school work is all ready to go the next day. Now, we have way too many kids for all that this system suggest. Eight shoe racks and 96 boxes??? No way am I even willing to go there! So I tweaked Sue Patrick's system to work for me. (Sue Patrick believes strongly to use the shoe boxes as a visual for the children so use the shoe boxes if you can.)

I use envelopes instead of shoe boxes and tall plastic containers (similar to the kind you can store file folders in). And, honestly, most of the stuff that goes in the kids' envelopes are small and do not need a big box. The over sized items- that won't fit into the envelopes- are attached to the envelope with a rubber band.

How many times have we heard, "are we almost done yet???"... "how much more do we have to do???" I know I am frustrated when I can't see the end. That's another great thing about the system- the kids know exactly what is expected of them each day (complete the 12 assignments). They can see the progress they're making as they work through each box/folder. It is a great motivator for them.

I finally have found a system that allows me to get to all the fun things that I tend to put aside. If everything is pre-planned and all the items the kids need are in the envelope then they can work fairly independently (especially older children!).

If you want to know more you check out Sue Patrick's Workbox System. She has a book that is very slim and easy to read which explains her whole system (and her vision for the way it works... since I use it in a different way). Or feel free to ask me anything in the comments section or via email. And for anybody that may start this system, I have an email loop for sharing workbox ideas. (By the way, I do not know Sue Patrick.... I just love her system and had to share.)

Here are some pictures our our version of the Workbox System for all you visual people out there:

Each box has their own color for easy identification. Each envelope is numbered. As a child pulls out a new envelope they place their number on the sheet attached to their box. That way they can quickly and easily see the progress they're making.

Close up of one of the boxes

Side view.... This over sized puzzle cannot fit into the envelope so I've attached it to the envelope with a rubber band. I do this just to keep the child from forgetting items or being confused about what goes with the envelope.

It's snowing!!

2009-02-28T10:07:00.004-06:00

We've had horribly freezing weather this season and hardly any snow. It's been a real disappointment. I'm of the mindset that if it's going to be that cold outside at least let there be snow! Then finally today, the last day of February, we get snow!! It is beautiful and for this Florida girl it's quite a lot.

Here is a picture of our house and all the snow (by the way, we've moved during all of the craziness of this past year... just a few streets down from where we were before)....

When Bad Things Happen

2009-02-11T07:17:00.002-06:00

I'm coming out of hiding. Honestly, my life has been so crappy this past year I didn't really know what to post. I'm a very real and open person. But, because all of this was a result of what others have done, I didn't really feel comfortable sharing the details of what we've been going through. Then I feel like a fake. I didn't want to go on posting as if everything was great when it wasn't. But, I didn't want to gossip about those who had hurt me. Make sense? I can, however, share what I've learned from these experiences and how I've grown.

I've been to hell and back- plain and simple! I dropped about 20 pounds in less than a month. I couldn't eat a thing. I was severely depressed. Everyday I'd cry out to the Lord and wonder when the pain and chaos was going to stop. I knew He was there. I knew this was His plan. I knew He was doing good things. I was so very weak and in my weakness I found His strength.

I couldn't do it on my own. I couldn't be in control. I couldn't take credit. It was all Him! I re-read His Word where He says He disciplines those He loves. I re-read His Word where He talks about refining us. These are painful processes. And, although I didn't bring these hurts on in my life the Lord was using them to grow me as well.

After all the crap I've been through this year I can say without a doubt that I am thankful He allowed me to go through these trials. All this has taught me more about my Savior. He loves me. He loves us all. He doesn't allow bad things to happen to punish us. He wants us to grow, to see Him, to draw closer to Him.

I'm back and have a gazillion things to post about! See you around my dear blog friends!

Conversations that make me laugh

2008-09-09T21:37:00.003-05:00

My kids and I have the most ridiculously silly, off the wall conversations sometimes. Abby came to me this evening pressing on her upper lip with her index finger and the following conversation ensued:

Abby: Mom, my lip hurts.

Me: Aww... Is it sore from going to the dentist today?

Abby: No, there's a bruise or something. Whenever I press my lip it hurts. What should I do about it?

Me: Ummm... you should stop pressing it.

Do we really have to tell our children such things??? Abby went on to say, "no, Mom, really, what should I do about it?"

Organizing our home school

2008-08-27T12:55:00.006-05:00

I love to organize things but, for some reason, I've never been consistent with organizing our home school. Papers are everywhere. Books are not in order. We can't find paper and pencils when we need them.

Throughout the year I find awesome science projects, hands-on lessons or crafts and activities to do with the kids. I print off the ideas and they get thrown on a pile on my desk. Eventually the pile will get so big that the papers begin to fall off the desk. This will bother me so I throw the entire pile in the trash. A few months later I am reminded of the wonderful activity I want to do with the kids but the instructions are long gone. I do a Google search and print it off again. What a waste of time! This year I vow to be more organized!

Here's what I'm doing:

I have a canvas storage box for each month of our school year. Each box is filled with books I want to read to the kids throughout that month.

I printed off an extensive list of holidays, important dates (Presidents' birthdays, significant moments in history) and not-so-important dates (like National Banana Split Day... which we just celebrated this Monday- yum!). I stapled a calendar to the outside of a manila folder and jotted down the holidays I wanted to focus on. Inside the folder will go all those wonderful ideas I find and print off.

I then searched our home library for books that would pertain to our studies. The books went into the appropriate box to be read during its month. No more frantic searches for books. They're all right where they need to be! Besides the holiday studies, I made sure each box contains poetry books, books about famous artists and composers, nature studies, Five In a Row units, lapbook studies and plenty of fiction and non-fiction read-aloud books. In a separate box I have stored books which we use throughout the year like our Bible, devotional books, our timeline book, an atlas, etc.

Now all the boxes are stored on a bookshelf (surrounding my cookbooks!) ready to be pulled out on their month.

Wanna see something funny?

2008-08-20T17:11:00.018-05:00

Okay, so Chris had to get pictures taken for the Command and General Staff College year book. They also offer to take portraits of the entire family at the same time, and while I don't care for studio portraits, we were long overdue for pictures so I jumped at the opportunity. We ordered enough to hang in our home and for Christmas gifts for grandparents. Unfortunately, our family will not be receiving the photos nor will they grace our walls.

We are actually in the process of getting our money back through our credit card company as the portrait studio refuses to return our calls. It has been a thorn in our sides for several weeks now and I really hope we can get this resolved. But, in the meantime, we just laugh. Here's why (make sure you click on the photo to enlarge it so you can see their great touch up work):

Let me present you with Exhibit A: My husband is handsome but he's not pretty. He's in the military, for goodness sake; he should look manly and rugged. They've made him out to look very... ummm... precious! We agree that he looks like a politician but without as much blush or the horribly dyed toupee. We're both quite pale as well. And, if they were making so many touch ups why didn't they do something to my awful hair??? (Definitely a bad hair day!)

Exhibit B: Our son looks like a bald girl (what's up with the highlights on his eye lids???). Our oldest daughter, Kaley(in the middle), looks very pink and overly-Botoxed or something, like she has no muscle control. What did they do with the creases under her eyes??? She does have them! Abby, on the right with the white blouse, wore no makeup that day yet looks like she is completely made up. Natalie (in the khaki dress) looks like she's of a different nationality. My word! This is not even my family!!! Do they really think I want to hang this on my wall?

Exhibit C: This is pretty much like the others except we're all together in this one. Kaley still looks like she's had too many Botox injections.Natalie does too. They tried so hard to erase her under eye color that they also erased her expression. She does not look like my child!

Here's one of the proofs we received just so you can see what we really look like. The color is a bit faded and it's fuzzy (guess it's their way of making sure people don't use them to copy photos) but I think it's enough for you to see the drastic difference.

We do have some wrinkles and scars and circles under the eyes. We are not flawless and we're okay with that. Apparently, they are not! LOL! These do not look like us at all. We will not keep these photos but we have enjoyed them for a good laugh.

Class is in session

2008-08-18T21:19:00.007-05:00

Today we began our 11th year of homeschooling. What started out as a year of teaching my oldest due to 3 moves before the year's end has turned into a way of life for our family. Homeschooling is definitely not always easy but I can't imagine doing school any other way. It is a joy to teach my own.

Here are a couple of pictures (which are a bit blurry due to my battery being low) :

Our traditional back-to-school breakfast

All my kiddos on their first day of school

A year ago this week

2008-08-13T09:19:00.023-05:00

A year ago this week we arrived home from Ethiopia with our three newest family members: Adam Endulkachew, Natalie Burukatwit and Molly Metasebia. We've had a busy, full year with them. They are adjusting well although admittedly we have had a few struggles here and there. But, then, that's normal with adopted or biological children!

People were very leery of us adopting an older boy. I can't say I was completely without worry. However, I felt the Lord was definitely leading us to our son and his two sisters and I wasn't about to say "no". Adam is such a sweet boy and very loving and caring with his younger sisters. Almost to a fault! He has spoiled Ellie and Emmy quite a bit. I tell him he doesn't have to do everything they say!! He gets along well with the older girls too. They spend lots of time playing cards or board games.

We have been dealing with some attachment issues the past few months. We're not dealing with anything major, thankfully. We seem to catch it just as it is starting so we can deal with the problem right away.

Adam, Natalie and Molly have grown like crazy since they've been in America. They've each grown several clothes sizes. They look great! They've made friends. They participate in sports and activites. We're so blessed to have them in our family!

Here are some pictures of them before they came to America, when we picked them up and since they've been home:

The very first photos we saw of Natalie and Molly (we didn't know about Adam yet)

Kids were just told they have a family in America!

The day we met our three Ethiopian kids

Adam in Soddo, Ethiopia

Adam at the CWA Care Center

Adam this past January

Natalie in Soddo, Ethiopia

Natalie at CWA care center

Natalie, on her birthday in May

Molly in Soddo, Ethiopia

Molly at CWA care center

Molly, April 2008

Happy Birthday, Abby

2008-08-08T10:16:00.005-05:00

Today Abby is 13!! (We now have three teenagers living in our home.) Abby is our funny, whitty girl. She constantly makes us laugh and is a joy to have around. Abby has such a laid back take on life. Nothing bothers her. She is our active girl and loves to be outdoors (when it's not hot). We are thankful God has blessed us with Abby.

Nightmare of all nightmares

2008-07-24T15:50:00.005-05:00

Yesterday we took Abby to a genetic counselor at the University of Kansas to discuss her possibly having Marfan Syndrome. The doctor did some tests and doesn't seem to think she has it but wants to do the blood tests anyway. They are very expensive tests so now we wait to see if our insurance will cover it. More waiting.... so fun! We're thankful to be one step closer to answers, however.

Adam and Lizzy were at home babysitting. Chris' cell phone rings as we leave the university and it's Lizzy. She said some woman was knocking on the door. We do not allow our children to answer the door when we're not home so Chris simply told her to ignore her. A few minutes later Lizzy calls back to say that the woman called and left a message our our answering machine and it was our social worker!! Ack!

Our social worker had emailed me to set up our third and final post placement report. She asked if July 23rd would work. It wouldn't because my daughter had a doctor's appointment. I didn't email back because I wanted to look at the calendar and see when we could meet. Apparently she got that date stuck in her head and thought that we had agreed to meet.

I asked Lizzy to give her the phone (she was walking back up to our house at that moment) and explained that we were still about a half an hour's drive from home but she was welcome to wait for us if she'd like. Her office is not close so I knew she had traveled a bit to get there. She said that she would like to stay since it is an hour and a half round trip drive. I told her that was fine.

Our social worker is in our house.... my messy house.... my still-not-completely-unpacked-from-camp house.... and we're not there!!! This is not a social worker we have worked with through this entire process. That I might be able to handle. We moved and had to find a new social worker. We have only met this lady once before. She is the sweetest thing but she's still a social worker!! :-) For those of you who have adopted you should know that my nerves were about as frayed as the first time that social worker comes to our house to do the "inspection".

My husband is driving Big Momma and he's in no hurry whatsoever. He seems to think he can still drive the speed limit while the social worker sits in our home. The speed limit is 65 and I'm telling him he can go at least 10 miles over. He doesn't agree. Hmmm.... All he can say is, "we want to be real right?" Not helpful! I want to be real with him, with my family and friends... not my social worker! The house needs to smell like fresh baked cookies when she arrives! I don't know why we seriously think our kids will be taken away if there's dust on the furniture!

Then I see traffic slowing on the interstate. There's lots of road construction going on and all the lanes have been narrowed to one. Right where this happens an empty horse trailer has flipped. Oh boy! Fortunately we got through it pretty quickly although it set us back several minutes.

Then we hit more road construction a couple of exits before ours. Traffic is really backed up. Chris, who has a remarkable sense of direction, takes the next exit, confident he can find his way. Well, he was wrong! We got lost!! He never gets lost!! After what seemed like eternity trying to get back to the main road (it was probably only five minutes) we find it and are on our way.

We did finally manage to get home in about 45 minutes. We run up to our house and there's our sweet, smiling social worker on our couch. The house smelled weird (I'm sure I was hyper-sensitive to everything at that moment), the throw pillows were everywhere, the couch slip covers were askew. Then I learned that our little girls wanted to show her their room, and their sisters' rooms. I cringed! Those rooms are total disasters.

Our social worker said that Adam was happily cleaning the dining room and told her he likes to help (he does!). Lizzy offered her a drink and went to the kitchen to make dinner (she wanted to make homemade spaghetti sauce) and the little girls entertained her. Thank goodness for gracious, child-loving social workers! I apologized for the house and she said she didn't think anything was wrong with it. She is kind... very, very kind!!

So, it all ended well. She thought the kids were adjusting well. She was happy they were making friends and participating in sports and activities. She noticed how much they had grown since her last visit and how their English had improved. I'm glad it went well and am very thankful that it's over. :-)

Best friends

2008-07-23T10:06:00.004-05:00

The day we left for family camp in Colorado I lost a filling. I panicked for a brief moment then realized I wasn't feeling any pain. We got on the road that afternoon and everything was fine. As the days went on I began feeling a little pain but as long as I kept the tooth clean I was fine. By the time we got home I was taking prescription meds. My dentist says I need a root canal (which was scheduled for tomorrow but they just called to say they need to reschedule for next week.... Ack!!!) so I'm still here with exposed nerves and popping pills every few hours.

Last night as we were enjoying Adam's birthday dinner I carelessly bit into some food with that tooth and the pain was instant. It shot up my jaw and into my ear. I immediately took medicine and waited for it to kick in. As I was laying on the couch Emmy, our 3 year old, came in and asked me to help her put on her pajamas. I told her she'd have to do it since I wasn't feeling well.

She walked off and several minutes later I heard a pathetic cry from her room. She was obviously having trouble getting herself dressed. I asked Lizzy to help her which she willingly did. After a few moments Lizzy came to me and said that she asked Emmy if she needed help. Emmy cried and said she wanted Mama. Lizzy told her that I was not feeling well and that she would be happy to help her get her pajamas. That's when Emmy reluctantly accepted help then said, "Mommy is my best friend." Oh my goodness! How sweet is that?!

Blog Flunkie!

2008-07-23T09:56:00.003-05:00

Life has gotten in the way and I haven't blogged in months! Our family recently was on holiday in Colorado and while we were heading into Whit's End at Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs I ran into a lady (Hi, Donna!) who looked at my family then me and said, "hey, I read your blog". She also added that I haven't posted in a while. ;-) Thanks for the kick in the pants, Donna!

As of yesterday all three of our Ethiopian children have celebrated their first birthday in America. Kaley, our eldest, and I met my mom and sister in NYC for her big 16th birthday trip. She is now at camp volunteering for a month. We still don't have answers about whether or not Abby has Marfan Syndrome but we do know her heart is in excellent shape. Today we see a genetic counselor at the University of Kansas and will hopefully have more answers soon.

Tests, tests, tests

2008-03-25T14:08:00.005-05:00

Last week I took Abby to the eye doctor. She's been going regularly for the past 4-5 years. She has complained that she cannot see but her prescription is always very minimal. In fact, the ophthalmologist says that if she hadn't complained about having vision problems they wouldn't even have given her glasses.

So, we go for a routine check up but I'm not expecting any changes. The tech does the preliminary eye screening including the lovely puff-of-air into the eyes. Abby flinched of course and had to have the test repeated. The kind woman mentioned that Abby's pressures were high. Hmmm.... that was strange.

Then we see the eye doctor. He begins the examination and tests her eyes for distance. He then pulls down a small card to test her vision close up. Abby couldn't see the words. The doctor was shocked and made a few adjustments. She still couldn't see. He kept asking her over and over and finally said, "are you even trying?" The Mama Bear in me was restraining herself but I could also understand his frustration.

A few minutes later he turned his attention to me and said that Abby needed bifocals and that she has a very difficult time focusing. He also said that she has congenital cataracts and an astigmatism. Then he asked if she had ever been tested for Marfan syndrome. At this point I was in utter shock! Bad vision, cataracts, a "syndrome"?! This turned out to be more than a routine eye exam.

As soon as we got home I looked up Marfan syndrome. I wasn't sure what it was and didn't want to ask the doctor too many details in front of Abby. Apparently it is serious and rare but also very treatable. I immediately called and made an appointment with family practice. And that appointment was this morning.

We saw a physician's assistant who was very kind and extremely helpful. She listened to Abby's heart and lungs, she checked for scoliosis, measured her arm span vs her height and did several other tests with her hands. We were sent for blood work and an x-ray of her chest. We need to go back for an x-ray of her spine and an echocardiogram. We are most anxious about the echocardiogram.

Abby was signed up to play soccer which we've since had to withdraw her from. Folks with Marfan Syndrome are not to play contact sports due to their heart and eye issues. So, we're looking for something else she can do to stay active. Abby wasn't happy about not being able to play sports but she is handling this all very well.

If you'd like to learn more about Marfan Syndrome check out the National Marfan Foundation

Happy Birthday, Lizzy!

2008-03-13T21:52:00.000-05:00

Today Lizzy is 11! As with each of my children Lizzy has grown up way too quickly. Lizzy is out artistic child who loves to draw and paint and cook and read poetry. She is definitely a daddy's girl and her relationship with Chris is really neat.

Lizzy dreams of visiting Paris and Sri Lanka one day. There is a gentleman attending school here who is from Sri Lanka and we hope that Lizzy will have a chance to chat with him about his homeland. Lizzy loves meeting people from other countries and wants to learn as much as she can about them.

Lizzy has such a sweet spirit. She was the first one of our biological children to welcome and love our adopted children unconditionally. She and Natalie are the best of friends. In fact, Lizzy bought a "best friends" necklace for her and her new sister to wear. Lizzy is loving and compassionate and generous to everybody she meets. We are blessed to have her in our family.

Happy Birthday, Wizzy woo!

Teaching children to read

2008-03-06T20:49:00.010-06:00

There are many joys- and challenges- with homeschooling. It is not an easy job and, to be perfectly honest, there are times when I question why I would continue this madness. But, at the end of the day, I am thankful for the opportunity to teach my kids.

As I reflect on the recent attacks on homeschooling around the country I find myself especially grateful for this opportunity. What started out as a year of homeschooling- because we were moving overseas- has become our way of life and we've been at it for 11 years now. It is fun to teach my kids and I learn right along side them. I love that they can get their academic work done in the morning and be free to read, cook, play and do art projects the rest of the day. Homeschooling really does allow children the time to think and be creative.

One of the greatest joys of homeschooling for me is teaching my children to read. I've taught four so far! Tonight Ellie read her first book to her dad. She was nervous and bashful (I guess me taking pictures didn't help) but did a great job.

Congratulations, Ellie! You've reached a very important milestone.

Preparing our home for spring

2008-03-05T14:54:00.011-06:00

Emmy was a difficult baby. She had acid reflux and needed to be held all the time to relieve the pain. You may ask what's so bad about holding a baby all the time. It is one of the joys of motherhood after all. However, holding a screaming, unhappy baby all day long is very exhausting!

All of my babies were very, very laid back. They were sweet, happy, delightful infants. They liked to be held, they liked to play on their own. They liked to explore and they liked to be still. Emmy came along and rocked our world. My heart ached for her. I knew she was completely uncomfortable and miserable. Finally, after several long months, she outgrew the reflux but then had the bad habit of fussiness (Using the word fussy really doesn't give Emmy proper credit. No, she was more like a colicky baby 24 hours a day.... on crack!). I always say the Lord gave me fussy baby Emmy so I could relate to moms who had difficult baby experiences. Before her I had no clue.

Now Emmy is three years old and no longer whining and fussing to get what she wants (that was a long, hard training process!) and is a pure delight to be around. I just love being with her. I think part of it is that she's the baby in the family. Our last little one. But, the bigger part of it is that I get to enjoy her now. Where before I was constantly trying to keep her comfortable and content I can now just enjoy her presence.

Today was one of those days when I was able to just enjoy Emmy. With the other kids off doing school or playing, Emmy and I had fun in the kitchen. We planted rye grass for our spring/Easter decorations. Emmy shoveled dirt into the flower pots while I planted the seeds. In a couple of weeks we should have beautiful pots of delicate grasses. Emmy loves to be Mama's helper so this was a fun treat for her. I had lots of fun too!

Here are some pictures of our projects:

Because I'm weird

2008-03-04T22:53:00.004-06:00

Cleaning products make me happy. Soft Scrub with bleach I cannot live without. However, the thought of all those harsh chemicals has bothered me for quite some time (I have flashbacks of our housekeeper- when we lived overseas- inhaling those chemicals while cleaning our bathtub and coughing uncontrollably). Not to mention, I'd just like to use less stuff! I've wanted to use homemade products but, truth be told, I just didn't think anything would work as well as store-bought brands. I've been pleasantly surprised, however.

My new cleaning products:

I made a bathroom cleaner using equal parts water and vinegar. It works wonderfully. I still have to get used to the vinegar smell though. That's not one of my favorite scents! When I need to scrub the bathtub I sprinkle on baking soda then add vinegar and water. It works very well. Two thumbs up!

Like I said, bleach is one culprit I really love! I read that a natural alternative is lemon juice. I wasn't buying that for a second but thought I'd try it just to prove them wrong! However, I've used it for the past two days on my kitchen counters and it has done the job! I just squeeze a little lemon juice right over the stain, let it sit for a few minutes then wipe it up.

To get rid of cooking odors in my house (they just seem to linger in this place!) I put out a small bowl of vinegar. I do this after cleaning up after dinner. I leave the room and come back a few hours later to an odorless kitchen (I don't even smell the vinegar).

I made scouring powder by mixing equal parts baking soda, Borax and salt. I also added a few drops of essential oils for my own personal cleaning pleasure!

Lastly, I made laundry detergent. Now, I've made the liquid version before but I found it to be quite messy. So, I made powder detergent this time. I simply mixed together 3 c of grated soap (Fels Naptha is recommended), 1-1/2 c Borax and 1-1/2 c Arm & Hammer washing soda. I use 1T for regular loads and 2T for heavily soiled loads.

At the risk of sounding truly bizarre: I've actually enjoyed cleaning and trying out my new homemade products. I feel a little more accomplished knowing my cleaners are getting the job done. It has kept me motivated the past few days. I know, I'm weird!

Family Photo

2008-03-03T21:50:00.002-06:00

Learning a new language

2008-03-03T13:16:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago I decided to learn a new language. Where this crazy idea came from I do not know. I am absolutely horrible at learning new languages. We lived in Italy for over three years and I managed to learn enough Italian to get by at the grocery store. It doesn't help that all the Italians want to practice their English; therefore, I didn't have many opportunities to speak their language. I sure wasn't complaining though.

So, I don't pick a particularly easy language to learn. You know, I can make nothing easy for myself. If I'm going to do something I'm going to make it as challenging and hellish as possible for I do not care to live a peaceful life (one would think)! Why am I like that? Anyway, it is Arabic that I am learning.

I actually do have a good reason for learning Arabic. For one, I just love Arabic speaking countries. The culture and people from that part of the world fascinate me. However, my main motivation is a lady I met recently from Jordan. Her husband is here for school and she speaks no English. I would love to be able to communicate with her a bit the next time I see her.

There is one small problem though. I'm using Rosetta Stone and if you have used that program you know that all I can say at this point is "the girl is on the horse"... "the boy is under the table".... "the man and woman are dancing".... "the house is old"... "the bread is in the bag". I'm not sure how useful any of those phrases will be as I converse with this lady. I'll have to set up appropriate scenarios just so I can speak to her: "Adam, quick! Get under that table so I can talk to this woman!" I will prove to her that her opinion about crazy Americans is indeed true.

I have learned something about myself as I've studied this new language. I can read Arabic but I do not hear it well. What I mean is, when that little picture pops up I know what it is more by the spelling of the word than when it is said aloud. Yes- for all you Arrested Development fans out there- I read squiggly! That could be a problem and probably explains why I had such a difficult time learning Italian. But, like I said before, I can make nothing easy for myself so I'll keep plugging along.

Sick and stuff

2008-03-02T23:02:00.000-06:00

Today I am sick and sneezing and blowing my nose. There are dozens of used tissue laying around and I'm too lazy to clean them up. Yet I find the time to blog. What does that say about me? Actually, I've been feeling guilty that I haven't been blogging lately and when I have it's just a quick update. I've been neglectful!

I've tried to be good about giving monthly updates of our post-adoption life but have been terribly remiss since our move. I totally skipped month six and month seven is quickly approaching. If I don't write/type it I will forget in a matter of minutes. That's what mommy brain does to you.

In short, things are going well in our family. We've had a few rough patches but nothing we weren't able to work through. Now that Adam and Natalie and Molly speak more English they're telling us all kinds of stories. Adam told me of how he once ran away from home (for a week!) because he lost the bit of money they had for groceries. Natalie pierced her ears when she was told not to and ended up with severe infections and was very sick (that might have had something to do with them using a sharpened stick to do the piercing!!!).

I wonder why they confess these things. Do they just want us to know more about them and their lives in Ethiopia? Do they feel they need to be up front with us? Do they feel guilty about the things they've done in the past? I hope they know that they've been adopted into our family as our son and daughters and we love them without a doubt, no matter what they did in the past or what they'll do in the future.

As I thought about these things it reminded me of our relationship with our heavenly Father and how He accepts us into His family and does not hold the past against us. He will always forgive us! He will pick us up, brush off the dirt and lead the way. He'll be there the next time we mess up, too: picking us up, brushing off the dirt and leading the way.

In other news:

We had beautiful weather yesterday. It was over 70 degrees (I hear all my CA and FL friends/family laughing at me!). We decided to spend the day outdoors and I made romantic plans to go to a local park with a picnic lunch and lay on a quilt while my children ran about the lush green lawns (told you it was romantic). Then Chris brought me back to reality! We live in the Midwest where it has been raining and/or snowing for a good part of winter. Everything is dead and the ground is nothing but mud! Plan B: We decided to hit the concrete paths of the outdoor mall.

We all piled into the van and traveled the 25 minutes to get to the mall. We arrived on the predicted sunny day only to be blown away as we stepped out of the van (the wind was predicted too but I chose to ignore that part of the forecast!). The wind was obnoxious! It was violently blowing hair, jackets, small children! We looked like a comical bunch trying to make our way down the sidewalk.

I think everybody else in KS had the same idea about going to the outdoor mall. It was packed! We walked through a couple of shops then hibernated in the bookstore for a good while, drinking coffee and juice, while I browsed through magazines for a new hairstyle (I'm getting my hair cut on Tuesday!).

Today was also beautiful until about 3:00. The weather drastically changed and we're now getting a good rain shower. It has been years since we've been in such rainy conditions (folks from San Diego think mist is a downpour!). And before the night is over we are expected to get snow. That is just crazy!

Love is in the air!

2008-02-13T15:45:00.000-06:00

This morning we visited the local VA hospital to deliver Valentine's Day cards to the elderly. We had a nice conversation with an elderly gentleman who had been in the hospital for a few months. He said he was able to see his wife last Saturday. When I asked how long they'd been married he said 54 years! Wow! They married when she was only 16! That's my Kaley's age. I can't even imagine her having a boyfriend much less being married!

This particular gentleman was very sweet and a joy to talk with. He seemed to love and miss his wife very much. He offered up stories about their marriage and said they never fought. If they were upset with each other then one would just walk away. I don't know if avoiding the problem is the answer (hee, hee) but it seemed to work for them. And, it's probably better than the way I handle things. (blush)

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day tomorrow. My parents are coming into town and we're all very excited. Now I must go clean for their visit! And, for the record, I do not celebrate Valentine's Day. I think it's a weird forced holiday and it's always made me feel terribly uncomfortable. It's not so bad now that I'm married but when I was single and dating during this holiday it was pure torture. We do get a little something for the kids but, other than that, this holiday does nothing for me.

Here is a picture of the kids making their Valentine's Day cards yesterday (you'll notice Emmy-at the end- is playing with her cell phone :-):

First day of school

2008-02-11T20:52:00.001-06:00

Today Chris officially started school at the Command and General Staff College (CGSC)at Ft. Leavenworth. He's been taking classes for the past month, becoming an expert in all things Navy and trying to learn what he can about the Army. However, today was the official start of CGSC classes. They had a ceremony this morning to kick off the school year then it was off to class.

We sort of looked at this school as the next thing to do in Chris' navy career. But, upon walking the halls of the college we quickly realized what an honor it is to be here. Leaders such as Colin Powell, General Norman Schwarzkopf, President Eisenhower, General Douglas MacArthur, General George C. Marhsall, Emir of Bahrain, General George Patton, General David Petraeus attended this school. There are a number of international students who attend CGSC and go on to be leaders of their country. Pretty cool stuff!

The school is about 10 months long; graduation is December 12. The 10 month mark is about the time I begin counting down the months, weeks, days until our next move. I begin bugging Chris to find out where we'll be going next. Yet, here we are, still in the unpacking phase and we'll be leaving before the year is out. Although I'm secretly hoping we can somehow stay. I really love it here!

Congratulations, Chris. I hope you have a great year!

We have snow!

2008-02-06T11:04:00.000-06:00

Two days ago we took a walk to the duck pond, enjoying the almost 60 degree weather. Today the ground is covered with snow! Drastic weather changes around here!! Here are a couple of pictures of our front yard:

We left the building

2008-02-04T21:47:00.000-06:00

Today we began our week long study of "The Story About Ping". Ping is a little duck who lives with his mother and his father and two sisters and three brothers and eleven aunts and seven uncles and forty-two cousins. Their home was a boat with two wise eyes on the Yangtze river.

Since it was such an incredibly beautiful day today we decided to visit the duck pond on post. It was so nice to finally be able to get out of the house!! The kids loved watching the ducks and geese (we have LOTS of geese!) and we regretted not bringing the stale bread we've been collecting for our feathered friends. Ellie got a little scared at one point as the ducks came uncomfortably close. I think they were looking for food.

We were working up an appetite as well and returned home for lunch and naps for the little ones. Chris called shortly after and said he was done with school for the day (gotta love Command & General Staff College!!!) so we planned a little outing ourselves. We went on a nice long walk around the post and checked out the library and Frontier Army Museum. It's quite fun to have so much history right in our backyard (and I was thrilled to know that our house is not listed on the registry of haunted houses in Ft Leavenworth!).

Here's Molly and Ellie watching the ducks:

Here's a picture I took of the clock tower on the way home:

We enjoyed out time outdoors but returned to our cozy den, expecting a snow storm to head our way tomorrow.

Waiting for snow!

2008-01-31T14:16:00.001-06:00

We were expecting a big snow storm today and were very excited about it. I put together a little winter weather study and had several fun activities planned. The storm didn't make it this far north, however, and we saw no snow. We did have fun making our own paper snowflakes though!

Here's a cute picture of Emmy at the window, waiting for snow to fall out of the sky...

Digging my way to China

2008-01-23T08:34:00.000-06:00

When I was a little girl I spent countless hours at the playground trying to dig my way to China. Good thing I didn't get very far because I would have ended up in the ocean! Check here to see where you would have ended up had you made it through to the other side.

Catch-up!

2008-01-22T10:47:00.000-06:00

We've been without a computer or on the road for much of this past month. I'm just now able to sit down and update my blog. I've added quite a few posts from December and January that I was unable to update earlier. Thanks for being patient as we made our move.

Five Months Home: They're Assured!

2008-01-11T22:21:00.000-06:00

On my last adoption update I told how Adam and Natalie didn't think we'd love them if they did something wrong or broke something or messed up. We really wanted them to know that we'd love them no matter what.... but we just weren't sure they believed that. Well, a month later, I can say with confidence that they are assured of our love. They've definitely been themselves lately which is encouraging. They seem more relaxed and not afraid to mess up or do something wrong. I can tell you, quite honestly, that they're doing it to the point of being disobedient but at least they know we'll still love them! We've had many, many opportunities to prove that lately. ;-)

The move was a bit of a challenge for them. Not really because of the move itself but because they were out of their routine and not quite sure what to do with themselves. I recall reading this in adoption books and it rings true in our situation.... our kids need to be told what to do. It's a bit frustrating for me but I understand why they're like that and just need to be patient.... and get them back on a schedule! This is a big area of growth for me as I lack patience and the discipline to be scheduled.

We've noticed that our adopted kids understand much of what we say. Their comprehension is amazing! We can carry on a conversation and they're keeping up. I do notice, however, that they are speaking our lazy English. For instance, when they say you're welcome it somes out something like "yelcome". Eek!

Molly continues to crack us up. She loves to eat! She said her favorite thing about America is ice cream. Her favorite thing about Ethiopia is tibs (beef). We were at a Super Target recently and as we passed by the refrigerator section Molly stopped, stared in the window and said, "Mmmm... bacon". We joked that she sounded just like Homer Simpson! She's a doll!

It's time!

2008-01-07T09:18:00.000-06:00

Our furniture was packed up a couple of weeks ago but it seems like we've been without our things for months. When you're sitting on hardwood floors and sleeping on air mattresses the days can drag on. We've been making the most of it though and have enjoyed playing games and putting puzzles together.

We've also been able to spend some time with my dear friend, Becky, and her family. It's so nice to live close to one of my best friends. She's had us over a couple of times already and it has been fun to catch up.... and sit on real furniture! :-) Becky picked up her little girl from China right after we went to Ethiopia. We were finally able to meet each other's newest family members for the first time.

Our big empty house (some neighbors brought over a picnic table the evening before our furniture arrived... it was nice to sit at a table for dinner!):

Fortunately our household goods will arrive tomorrow as does my sister! She is coming to visit and also hang out with the kids while Chris and I fly back to San Diego for his previous squadron's Change of Command ceremony. I'm looking forward to some time alone with my husband!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T21:01:00.000-06:00

We arrived in Kansas yesterday and were able to ring in the new year in our new home. As soon as we drove into town we went to the housing office on post and were handed the keys to our house. I don't think we've ever moved right into military housing like that. We're excited to be here even if our household goods won't arrive for another 7 days.

We live in an apartment that was built in 1903. It is very charming with its 12' ceilings and hardwood floors. I think we'll enjoy our time here. Here is a picture of our building:

Ft. Leavenworth is covered in snow and is absolutely beautiful although very cold for this FL girl! This is the first time our adopted kids have ever seen snow and they're having fun playing in it although I think they're feeling much like I am about the cold.

We all stayed up until midnight to celebrate the new year but were so exhausted from driving all day that we were in bed minutes later. Here's a pictures of Chris and the kids just after midnight:

On the road again!

2007-12-29T09:27:00.000-06:00

We said goodbye to San Diego, my brother and his family and our dear friends the day after Christmas. This has been a very difficult move for us! It's the first time in Chris' career that we've lived near family and that has been especially nice. We've made many, many friends in San Diego and it was hard to leave them. That's life in the military.

We left that evening and drove for a few hours until we hit Arizona. The next day we continued on and stayed with some friends who run a Hospitality House which is a ministry to the military. It was a lot of fun to see their place and how they use it to minister to others. This is something Chris and I are considering doing once he retires from the military. Here is a picture of our families together at dinner:

We left their house after a couple of days and were on the road again. The kids did well for the most part. Emmy is not a good traveler and got a cold on top of that. This is what she was like for a good part of the trip:

That looks like a lot of fun, doesn't it? Notice her exasperated sister on the right.

Here's all the kids piled into our van (we have a 15-passenger van and it's still tight!):

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T20:56:00.000-06:00

It has been hectic around here with the move. The packers came on the 19th and 20th and our things were loaded up on the truck on the 21st. We've been enjoying the season despite the craziness. Here's our Christmas card for all my blog friends:

Welcome to the family, Big Momma

2007-12-18T10:06:00.000-06:00

So we finally did it! We bought a 15-passenger van. It isn't as difficult to drive as I thought it would be. It's actually quite easy. I love all the room we have to spread out. It will be perfect for our upcoming trip to Kansas. We've affectionately named our massive vehicle Big Momma. Here's what she looks like (except she's gold and has tinted windows):

American Girl day

2007-12-15T20:25:00.000-06:00

Today we went to the American Girl store in L.A. It was a last minute trip (you know the gotta-do-all-the-stuff-we-said-we-were-going-to-do-while-we-were-in-CA trip) so we didn't go to the theater or cafe but the kids had fun just the same. Lizzy and Abby took their dolls to the hair salon and our other girls drooled over all the dolls they wanted. I could tell Molly was a bit disappointed to leave empty handed. I'm sure she's wondering why we would go all the way there just to look at baby dolls. Little did she know we were there doing our Christmas shopping.

After shopping we went to a yummy Ethiopian restaurant in L.A. Everybody loved it. It's funny how our bio kids have grown to love and crave Ethiopian food. They haven't always felt that way.

Four months home: We'll always love you.... even if you break the TV!

2007-12-11T11:23:00.000-06:00

A few days ago Chris and I were talking about some things going on with the kids and decided that a family meeting was in order. We've all had to make adjustments since we added three new family members. Our three adopted children have had to get used to a new family, new rules, a new language and culture. Our biological kids are learning to be more compassionate, forgiving, helpful and loving. It has been a tough road but one we're certainly thankful for.

So we have this family meeting. We gathered in our living room; snuggled up on the couches or lounging on the floor. Chris starts out talking to all of the children then turns his attention to our adopted kids. He asks them if they know that we love them. This was prompted by our conversation about them still being on "company behavior". They still seem to be trying to do everything just right as if we might not want them if they mess up or are bad. We've heard this is typical for older adopted kids and we wanted to assure them that we love them no matter what.

The kids said that they did know that we loved them. Then Chris said, "What if you break the computer? Will Dad and Mom still love you?" Tears sprang for Adam's eyes as he said "no". Natalie was shaking her head as well. Wow! They didn't think we'd love them anymore! Chris explained that, yes, we would love them no matter what!! Then he asked again, "What if you broke the TV? Would we still love you?" And, again they said "no". That just broke our hearts. We spent time telling them that no matter what we would always love them. We told them they are our children, just as much as Kaley, Abby, Lizzy, Ellie and Emmy and that we would always love them, that they'd always be our family and that nothing could change that.

I'm glad we had that talk. We've bonded so well with the kids that I didn't think this was an issue. I would hate for them to go on thinking that they had to be perfect or we might not want them. I hope that they are now assured of our love for them.

Santa arrived on a helicopter

2007-12-01T17:07:00.000-06:00

One of our fun family traditions is attending the squadron Children's Christmas Party every year. The party takes place in the squadron hangar and the kids play games, jump in the bouncy castle, eat pizza, make Christmas ornaments and decorate cookies. Then Santa arrives in the helicopter and delivers gifts to all the boys and girls. It's a lot of fun and something we've been doing ever since Chris started flight school in 1995.

Our adopted kids were thrilled and Natalie was just squealing with excitement when she saw Santa in the helicopter. Emmy, Ellie and Molly loved decorating their cookies and eating the toppings along the way. Even Adam, Abby and Lizzy joined in on the fun. I enjoyed hanging out with Kaley as we manned the cookie decorating table. It was a great day and a tradition that I was trilled to introduce to our new family members.

Time for a picture!

2007-12-01T00:55:00.000-06:00

I've wanted to add more pictures here but haven't gotten to it. Today I was playing with Photoshop and really liked the results of this one. It's such a great picture of Kaley. I just had to share!

It's been two years... time to move!

2007-11-28T11:47:00.001-06:00

Kansas, here we come! I never thought I'd say that, being a Navy family and all, but we are indeed headed to Kansas. Chris finally received his orders today and in one month we will pack up all of our belongings plus our eight kids and three pets and head to the heartland of America where Chris will attend school for a year. Then we'll pack it all up again and move somewhere else. Such is the life of a military family.

We're excited about the opportunity to experience a completely different area of the country. (I'm an east coast girl currently living on the west coast.) I'm going to be near one of my dearest friends which I'm completely thrilled about. However, we're also leaving some dear friends behind and that is difficult. It will definitely be a bittersweet move.

We've been preparing the children for the move and everybody is excited but also feeling sad to leave friends. Our adopted kids are a perfect fit for our family as they seem quite eager for the new adventure. Adam says he likes San Diego though and will miss it. He was also anxious about tornadoes and asked us if they occur everyday. Thankfully we were able to get through to him that we will not likely experience a tornado while we're there (at least we hope!).

Now we're trying to pack and prepare for Christmas and spend time with all our friends before we move. Lots to do in the next month. I'm sure the time is going to pass so quickly.

Giving Thanks

2007-11-27T10:51:00.001-06:00

Every Thanksgiving season I ask the kids what they're thankful for. Here's what they said this past week:

Kaley- "I'm thankful for my loving and funny family and that God called me to Him because I don't know where I would be without Him."

Adam- "... for my America family."

Abby- "... for the adoption going through easily and for the kids finally being here."

Lizzy- "I'm thankful for my home."

Natalie- "... come to America and Mommy and Daddy."

Molly- "... move to America and new family."

Ellie- "... for a family that loves me."

Emmy-"... for Jesus."

Here are some photos of our Thanksgiving day at my brother's house:

Molly makes me laugh!

2007-11-21T12:02:00.000-06:00

As I've mentioned before, Molly keeps us laughing around here. We were recently looking at an American Girl catalog together and our conversation went like this:

Molly: Me I like.
Me: Molly, it's not 'me I like'. Just say I like.... I like the doll.
Molly: Me too.

We could go round and round with that one! She's too cute!

In other news we celebrated Kaley's 16th birthday yesterday. Kaley is such a mature young lady that it's almost difficult to believe she's only 16. On the other hand, I can't believe I have a child who is old enough to drive! Kaley loves the Lord. She adores her family and friends and her little dog, Ruby. She is helpful and kind and so responsible. Kaley is such a blessing to us. Happy Birthday, Shay Shay!

Better late than never!

2007-11-17T13:54:00.000-06:00

We've been home with our adopted kids for over three months now and we finally sent out our adoption announcements. We're moving in slow motion these days. I thought I'd post the announcement here for all my blog friends (click on photo to enlarge). A little confession here: I designed a different announcement (similar to the one below but different wording) but accidentally ordered the wrong one! That's mom brain for ya! By the way, this photo was taken the day we met our children.

Kitchen Helper

2007-11-16T12:23:00.001-06:00

Today was Abby's day to be the kitchen helper. Typically the kitchen helper prepares breakfast and lunch and cleans up after meals. The kitchen helper is also responsible for getting the table set for dinner and helping prepare the meal.

Abby began her preparations last night by making a breakfast menu. This morning as each of the kids sat down at the table they were able to choose what they wanted for breakfast:

milk, warm or cold
Addis tea
water

fruit with dip
waffles
eggs
bacon

The kids enjoyed choosing from the menu and Abby had fun preparing a special meal for each of her siblings. It's fun to watch them grow in the area of cooking and serving others.

Here are the kids as they wait for their meal:

Need a laugh?

2007-11-15T18:13:00.000-06:00

This is my absolute favorite Maya Rudolph skit. I watch it whenever I need a laugh.

They're not impressed!

2007-11-12T14:45:00.001-06:00

In our home school we take the entire month of November to learn about Thanksgiving. I was extremely excited to teach our first big American history study to our newly adopted children. I gathered all kinds of books and articles and websites to teach my children about Pilgrims and Indians and Thanksgiving and the Mayflower. I love teaching history and was especially excited to teach these children about an important American event that they've never heard of.

I'm fascinated by this piece of history and the people who traveled to the new world: their religious beliefs, the customs and traditions, the hard work of daily living, starting over in a new world. This would be review for our biological children but something totally new for our adopted kids. Or so I thought.

As I pulled out our first book, which contained actual photos from the living museum, Plimoth Plantation, I pointed out how difficult life was for the pilgrims: simple, thatched-roofed homes, outdoor kitchens, no running water, no electricity, no indoor toilets. Adam got a big smile on his face and said, "yes, the same in Wolaita." This was all familiar to him!

The realization swept over me that our adopted children would not be fascinated by this period in American history as people still live that way in Ethiopia. In fact, Adam taught me a thing or two about how they cook and collect water and work. He told me stories of how the women got together and cooked in preparation for a big celebration.

I suppose Adam and Natalie and Molly know more about the pilgrims' lives than I thought they would. They lived it daily until they came to America. They traveled to a new world and although it is full of people and buildings and interstates and shopping it is still very different and very far from anything that was familiar to them. While they may not be very impressed by the lives of the pilgrims I am very impressed by my children. How strong and brave they are!

I have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season.

Three Months Home

2007-11-12T00:59:00.000-06:00

We've been home with our adopted children for three months now. I'd say this past month has been the most challenging although things are still going very well. As I mentioned in my last post, I backed off of our schedule and that has caused many of the problems we're facing. Hopefully getting back into a more structured routine will alleviate some of the stress.

I think our adopted children need the security in knowing what they're supposed to do and when. When they don't know what's going on they tend to be very unsure of themselves. As we were following our schedule they knew what was expected of them and they took ownership in that. Since we've been more relaxed they sort of look at me like, "what am I supposed to be doing now?"

Our biological children continue to adjust as well. It's not always easy for them but they're definitely growing through this process- learning to be more forgiving, patient and thoughtful- and I'm thankful for that. I hope that all of my children would seek to serve others rather than seek to be served!

All of the children get along very well for the most part. The little ones continue to play dress-up and baby dolls together. The big kids enjoy being outdoors, drawing and playing Flight Simulator. Every Monday and Tuesday night the girls and I gather around the television and watch Dancing With the Stars. It's funny to hear Natalie and Molly guess the scores before they are announced. They even write down each couple's scores as the show progresses. They're learning numbers as they watch TV! :-) They continue to love watching Food network and take cookbooks to bed with them at rest time and show me what they want me to make. I'm never at a loss for meal ideas!

We're continuing to learn and grow. It has been difficult and wonderful and I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Here are some pictures of our adopted kids. The first picture in each set was taken in Soddo, Ethiopia when the kids had their medicals done. The second photo was taken last week, eight months after the Soddo photos.

We need routine!

2007-11-11T00:39:00.000-06:00

This past week I was talking to my husband and complaining, very honestly, about our children. Why were they not doing their school work well? Why were their chores not done completely? Why were they complaining so much (ironic since I was complaining quite a bit to Chris!)? Why were our adopted kids suddenly forgetting all the things they'd learned about our home, rules, etc? Then, as I was spilling out my frustrations, I realized why things were not as they were a couple of months ago. It was because of ME! (It was much easier to blame the kids!!!)

When we were going through the adoption process I was told that routine is good for newly adopted children. I could see the benefits of it but I am not a highly structured person and knew this would be a challenge. Until our adopted kids came home I had a very loose routine. We woke up, ate, did chores and school, etc, etc, etc. As long as it was all done before Chris got home from work I was satisfied!

I decided to write out a schedule and made one that would be realistic for our family. Once our adopted children came home we began this new routine and it worked quite well. It was flexible enough that I didn't feel bogged down by it and it was structured enough to help our adopted kids know what and when things needed to be done.

Why I stopped this routine that was working so well is beyond me. Well, no, actually it isn't. It's not in me to be so scheduled so I didn't want to do it anymore. It was too much work. Basically I was being lazy! Because everything was going so well I thought I could go back to my loose schedule and things would be fine. That was far from the truth! Things have been much more stressful since we stopped following our schedule.

So on Monday we'll start back with our schedule and I'll try to stick to it. I know it doesn't have to be this way forever. It's good for us right now. It's not enjoyable but it does keep me sane and that's what most important, right? :-)

Why do I tell you all this? Partly to share my experience with those who are adopting older kids. Not all families will need to follow a schedule but if things are a little hectic it might be something you want to try. And, I share partly because I know I have to really do it if I tell you all! :-)

Celebrating Kaley!

2007-11-11T00:11:00.001-06:00

Kaley will be sixteen years old in just a few days. We celebrated her birthday with a few friends yesterday evening. Per Kaley's request it was a dressy event (cocktail style dress) with dancing, an Italian dinner and Betty Crocker yellow cake with chocolate frosting for dessert. That's my eclectic child for ya!!

Someone at the party asked me if I felt like Kaley's 16 years of life had flown by. In some ways it does feel like that. I know this sounds cliche but it does seem like she was born just yesterday. Now she's practically a woman!

Kaley has been such a blessing to me. She is a great kids who is very wise for her age. She loves her family and friends. She is so helpful and giving of herself. She's a beautiful young lady and I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for her this year. Happy Birthday, Kaley!

Here's a few photos from her party:

Kaley (right) and her dear friend, Katie

The girls loved dancing

Kaley and a good family friend, Jessica

Ellie and Emmy kept up with the big girls!

Family Day

2007-11-03T23:30:00.000-05:00

Today we decided to have a family day. No chores. No birthday parties. No commitments. Just family. We packed up the kids and took the trolley to Seaport Village. The weather was great. We spent the day flying our kite, eating way too much junk food (thanks to the local chocolate shop), browsing through shops, taking in the sites and just being together.

I am amazed how quickly I forget the importance of moments like these. I get caught up in everything that "needs" to be done. I think that being with the kids all day is enough. But then we do something like this and I remember how needed just being together is!

May I not forget so quickly.

Treats, treats and more treats

2007-11-01T00:39:00.000-05:00

The kids had fun trick-or-treating around the neighborhood this year. Kaley and Abby stayed behind and handed out candy with our neighbors so Chris and I were actually able to walk the kids around together.

Our adopted children were utterly amazed that you simply knock on a door, "say trick or treat" and receive candy! Every time they received a treat, Molly and Natalie would come running up to show it to us. They were adorable!

When we finally finished and returned home all the kids sifted through their candy to see what they received. We told them they could each have a piece of candy and Adam, Natalie and Molly brought us their basket and insisted that Chris and I choose a piece of candy before they took one. I was touched by their thoughtfulness.

Adam, always wanting to be like his dad, dressed up as a Navy pilot; Lizzy was a colonial girl; Natalie and Molly were flowers; Ellie was decked out in her Mexican dress; and Emmy was Little Red Riding Hood. Here's a picture of the gang (including Kaley and Abby who didn't dress up):

She knows how to melt my heart!

2007-10-19T17:05:00.000-05:00

Natalie, our 8 year old adopted daughter, loves to write. She often writes me notes during rest time. Today she handed me a letter that was wrapped in a homemade envelope. Inside it said (in her exact words):

I Love You mom, nice are to me,
you are pretty,
I Love You dad, nice are to me,
you are hansom,
everybody I Love You,
everybody nice,
Mom thank you food,
Daddy thank you for taking
us to America
Mom thank you for taking
us to America

Two months home

2007-10-18T00:53:00.000-05:00

We are still enjoying the honeymoon phase of our adoption. The kids have been home for two months now and and things are still going very well. I know that may not last but I'm sure hoping and praying it does!

We've been busy with doctor and dental appointments. Natalie will go in for some pretty significant dental work next week. I'm nervous for her but at least she'll be out of it for the procedure! (whew) Our pediatrician referred us to a specialist for two of the kids but when I called to make an appointment they couldn't get us in until March of 2008. We will have moved by that point! That is a bit frustrating as I don't want to have to wait to move and start this all over again. We'll see how all that plays out. I hope to talk to our ped tomorrow.

We also had our first post-placement report done last week. Our case manager came to our home and did a short interview with me and the kids. It went very well until she asked to see the children's bedrooms. Wha??? Huh???? I wasn't expecting that! As soon as Lizzy heard her say that she ran upstairs and cleaned her room a bit (unfortunately, what she really needed was a vacuum cleaner! *rolling eyes*). The room wasn't that bad but when you have someone coming to check up on you and the kids you want the house spotless and then some!

Now, I'm pretty particular about my kids "decorating" their walls. We have magnets and cork boards for such things. However, since our adopted kiddos joined our family they've been wanting to show off their work and I haven't had the heart to show them the designated art walls.

It would be one thing if they were using tape to display their art work but, no, they're using glue sticks!!! That's a horrible eye sore when the paper is removed from the wall. Nothing a bit of warm water and a Magic Eraser won't clean up but, of course, we haven't done that yet. So there are smudges of purple gunk on the walls with bits of torn paper stuck to it.... and it's everywhere! Lovely!

So, I show our case manager up to the girls' bedroom and the first thing I notice is a dozen or so papers hanging on the wall. I can't make out what the papers are because they keep flying around, thanks to the ceiling fan. I do notice they're secured to the wall with tape this time. I guess we're making progress.

Soon I realize it is more art work- Lizzy's, Natalie's and Molly's. The case manager jots something in her notebook. Oh, brother! The entire time I am trying to maintain eye contact with her (mostly so she won't break eye contact with me and look at the bedroom) but these papers flapping around on the walls were very distracting. To be honest, I can't recall one thing we talked about in that room. I can't wait till we get to do this all over again in a couple of months!

The kids' English is coming along well. They still do not speak much English but I am utterly amazed at how much they understand! We can speak at a normal pace and use complete sentences and they understand. Like I told our case manager, we can converse about basic needs but we still cannot communicate on a deeper level. I so look forward to that time!

Here are a few pictures I snapped today:

The kids love to draw/color and spend much of their free time doing so

Natalie's picture says "Mom I Love You Dad I Love You"... How sweet is that???

I walked into Adam's room today and found him praying with Natalie and Molly

I am so UNcool

2007-10-08T21:43:00.001-05:00

Over the years I've had friend after friend after friend tell me they'd never drive a minivan.... yes, right to my face! "I just can't do it," they'd say. What they really meant was: "I am above that".... "I am too cool"... "I am too youthful". Seriously!

Well, I love my minivan! It has a TV. It has 7 captain's chairs. It has automatic-side doors. It has a built-in car seat. It is perfect for little kids to climb into. But, you know what? We have to get rid of the minivan and get a 15-passenger van.

There is absolutely nothing cool or sexy about a 15-passenger van. Fifteen passenger vans are meant to shuttle people from the airport to their hotel or rental car agency. Fifteen passenger vans are church buses. Fifteen passenger vans are duty vehicles for the military. Fifteen passenger vans scream, "Welcome, stranger! I do not know you but I will take you to where you need to go!" And now a fifteen passenger van will be the way my family travels. I need to know: Does one need to possess a commercial license to drive such a beast???

Ironically- like all my friends who belittle me and my minivan- I sit here and type in not-so-many-words that I am too cool for a 15-passenger van. I am above that. I am too youthful.

We've had our adopted kids home for close to 2 months now and have not even begun our search for the "perfect" 15-passenger van. We'd rather take two separate vehicles everywhere! Seriously, what is appealing about long bench seats covered in ugly-blue vinyl that will only stick to the kids' legs during the summer and cause them to whine (or freeze their legs and winter and cause them to whine)??? What is appealing about a vehicle that needs an intercom system in order to communicate with the people in the back row? What is appealing about a vehicle whose metal floor is exposed? Nothing, absolutely nothing! And, if we (heaven forbid) end up with a white van Chris has threatened to slap on some shuttle "flair" and transport airport patrons to their desired destinations on his way to work in the mornings.

All that said, the 15-passenger van is definitely worth losing whatever bit of pride and dignity I have left because we have a bunch of beautiful kids to fill it up! I can't complain about that!

Red Bull Races

2007-09-22T22:18:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week Chris called to tell me that his squadron was asked to participate in the opening show of the Red Bull Air Races and that he was going to be one of the pilots involved.

Now, I'll admit, I was less than thrilled. Chris works long hours and Sundays are full with church. Saturday is our only day together and I was not happy to be giving that up. However, it turned out to be so much fun and I'm glad Chris was able to be a part of such a neat event.

I decided to pack up the kids that morning and take them to watch their dad. We wanted to beat the traffic so we arrived a couple of hours early and the kids just played in the sand at the beach and waded in the bay.

Chris flew the American flag over the bay as the National Anthem was played. I thought that was such a creative way to do the National Anthem for an air event. Then his helicopter and another from the squadron demonstrated SPIE Rig (check out the video below):

After Chris did the demonstration he flew right over us and we could see him waving from his helicopter. The kids went crazy! After he was done flying he met us on the bay and we watched the races together.

What an amazing sport to watch. I am so glad we went. Here are some photos from our day:

A couple of "Firsts"

2007-09-21T22:14:00.000-05:00

This week our newest family members were able to experience a few new things that Americans typically take for granted.

First, some friends surprised us with 10 tickets to the Tuesday evening Padres game. All of the kids were absolutely blown away (I think only Kaley and Abby have been to a pro baseball game). We were supposed to eat dinner before we left but Chris got home late so we enjoyed ballpark dogs, french fries and peanuts and ice cream. The weather was perfect, we had great seats, and the kids were having a blast.

Kaley had to babysit for my niece and nephew that night; my brother dropped her off at the ball park so she could watch a couple of innings before we had to leave. Emmy was growing bored and was constantly going back and forth between me and Chris. Every time she got off of my lap she would use the man in front of us as a hand rail. That wasn't stressful or anything! :-) So, we had to cut the evening short and left by the 8th inning. It was great fun and all the kids were talking about the game all the way home.

Yesterday, I took our adopted children to their first dentist visit. We didn't get to witness their first foot steps or first words but we did get to be with them during their first dentist appointment. :-) They did very well. Natalie was pretty frightened and looked to be on the verge of tears the entire time. The TV helped take her mind off of what they were doing for a bit.

Molly was very nervous when they took x-rays but she was great after that. I asked the dentist if they'd teach them how to brush and floss properly as they don't seem to want my advice (those independent little things). Molly watched in the mirror as the tech showed her what to do.

Adam was great and mainly focused on whatever was on TV. Once they were done with him he got up and kept smiling at himself in the mirror. he was very pleased with the cleaning and kept running his tongue over his teeth. He seemed to really notice the difference.

On the way home I was talking to the kids about the dentist and Adam thanked me for taking them. Wow!!! Dentist visits are something we take for granted around here and it just made me realize what a privilege these things are. I certainly appreciate the dentist when I have a cavity but when I just go in for a check up or cleaning it's almost an inconvenience. These kids were so thankful for it.

One Month Home

2007-09-18T12:03:00.000-05:00

Adam, Natalie and Molly have been home just over a month now. It seems like the month has flown by. And, in some ways, it feels like they have been in our family forever.

The kids are adjusting so well- bio and adopted- and I'm just completely amazed at how we've all bonded together so quickly. Of course we're all adjusting in our own way but it has gone so smoothly. We are thankful for that.

Last night Chris had to fly and didn't get home until after 8:00. When he called to tell me he was on his way Adam sat next to the window and just waited for his dad to arrive. As soon as Chris drove up Adam yelled "Dad" and ran outside to greet him. This happens daily. If Adam is inside the house when Chris gets home Adam jumps up and grabs his dad's backpack to ease his load. He loves Chris so much.

We're discovering Natalie is quite the sports fan. We went to my brother's house to watch the Florida vs Tennessee game on Saturday (GO GATORS!) and she really got into the game. Adam enjoyed the game but was more interested in the rescue helicopter flying around the nature trails across the street from my brother's house. Natalie, on the other hand, would not be pulled away from the game.

Molly has us laughing constantly. She has the best facial expressions and a great little personality. She is a joy to be around. She absolutely loves school. It is obvious she realizes what a privilege school is and she doesn't take it for granted. She loves to practice her English and is understanding a lot.

A friend gave us 10 tickets to tonight's Padres baseball game. That will be so much fun for the kids. I love taking them to do things they have never done before. I'm sure being in a real stadium will knock their socks off!

Here are some recent pictures:

Another Molly Funny

2007-09-13T22:26:00.000-05:00

Today I was telling some friends about a funny moment I had with Molly the other day. My friend, Charity, said she hoped I was able to find time to write the conversation down so I wouldn't forget. I thought I'd go ahead and post it here since this is about the only place I record our adoption stories.

I posted before about conversations I've had with Molly where we just end up going round and round in circles. Here's another one:

Ellie did something kind for Molly so I was teaching her "thank you".

Mom: Say, 'thank you'
Molly: Say thank you
Mom: No, just 'thank you'(long pause) 'Thank you'
Molly: You're welcome!

:-)

I've got a new look!

2007-09-04T21:33:00.001-05:00

I had planned to start a brand new blog once our new kids got here (since our family blog "Half Dozen Girls and a Guy" no longer applies) but my family and friends have been checking this one for a while so I decided to just change the look and name of this one. The address will remain the same but I'll be dedicating this blog to family and school as well as adoption issues.

It's the Little Things In Life....

2007-09-04T15:39:00.000-05:00

It's the little things in life that make me happy. In my quest to organize my home and family of ten I purchased personalized towels for my kids.

No more unclaimed towels in the dark recesses of bedrooms and bathrooms! No more using a towel once and throwing it into the dirty laundry. Now each child has a monogrammed towel in a color of their own choosing! Oh joy!

The best part is the towels were on sale so I basically got the monogramming for free! One could even choose to purchase towels in individual colors and skip the monogramming but I thought it would be a fun touch and added proof of whose towel is stinking up my floor! :-)

Back to School

2007-09-03T19:21:00.000-05:00

Today we kicked off our new school year. Last year I had 3 students... this year I have seven! That's a huge jump! I'm a bit nervous and have planned out this school year more than any other in the past.

Early this morning I did school with Molly and Ellie. They are early birds and I decided to take advantage of that and get their schooling out of the way first thing! This is their very first year of school and they were ecstatic. I made a big deal about everything and they felt special to be doing real school. We reviewed letters and numbers, colored pictures, cut and pasted paper, played games, and read books.... all the things little kindergartners should be doing. Oh, except they got to do their school work in their pajamas!

Once everybody else was awake and dressed we went to breakfast like we do every year on the first day of school. This was the first time we took all eight children out to a restaurant. They did exceptionally well! We have truly been blessed with wonderful children!

After we got home I did school with the big kids. It was a pretty laid back day since it was our first day of school. I think we'll get a better feel for our typical school day in the next couple of weeks. This school year will be challenging but I don't think it will be overwhelming. I'm actually looking forward to it.

On another note... it is HOT here! We have no a/c and today got up to 103 in our area! What in the world?!?!? I really love hot weather but I don't care to feel it in my home. I like air conditioning! Autumn come soon!!

A Day on the Boat

2007-09-01T22:41:00.001-05:00

A few months ago the squadron's officer spouses club held an auction at one of the Hail and Farewell parties (I realize none of this makes sense to most of you!). The club does several fundraisers throughout the year in order to raise money to help support the squadron Christmas party as well as local charities.

Chris and I weren't planning to bid on anything since we were still trying to pay for our trip to Ethiopia. However, when I found out there was a "day on the boat" auction I knew we had to go for it. My family had a boat when I was growing up and I have many fond memories of our times on it. I wanted my kids experience some of that fun I had as a child.

Since we got into a bidding war with a group of singles from the squadron we decided to split the trip with them. Another couple was kind enough to offer their boat for the day as well. So we had two boats seating a total of 23 people. Plenty for our brood, the singles and then some! :-)

We decided to spend the day at San Vicente where we were able to pull the boats right up to shore so we could unload our belongings on the beach and cook out, hang out, lay out, you name it. We were then able to take the boats out whenever we wanted. The kids enjoyed being pulled on the big float. Chris and Kaley tried to ski but weren't very successful. I even got out on the float with the kids once. And, of course, we just enjoyed boat rides around the reservoir.

Everybody had a wonderful time (especially once Emmy decided to take a nap!) and I am positive it will be a memorable day for each of our children.

False Alarm

2007-08-30T23:33:00.000-05:00

This evening we decided to take our kids to the neighborhood pool and order pizza for dinner. As soon as we arrived Adam took off to the restroom. As he was coming out the door of the restroom I heard the alarm begin to go off in the community center.

I turned to Chris and asked him if he thought Adam pulled the fire alarm. By the look on his face I could tell Chris thought that was quite ridiculous! (lol) However, I recall stories from several families who said their newly adopted Ethiopian children were very curious. The homes they came from did not have all the appliances we have. They constantly walked through their new home turning on anything that plugged into the wall or had a switch. I can just imagine the blazing red fire alarm being very tempting to my son.

Chris must have realized that my inquiry was not so silly after all because next thing I know he and Adam are walking into the men's restroom. They return a couple of minutes later... Adam happy to finally get into the pool followed by Chris who was rolling his eyes. Yes, it was our dear son who pulled the fire alarm.

Apparently Adam thought it was the light switch. We're still not quite sure he understands that he set off the alarm! But I think Chris did get the point across not to pull that bar. I guess, at some point, we'll have to explain when one should pull the bar but for now we're doing good with the "no touch" rule.

Several minutes later half the local fire department shows up to investigate.... along with a couple of ambulances. If I could have stayed under water the entire time they were there I would have. I felt horrible that they were there for no reason at all.

These things just tickle me. I love seeing the curiosity in these kids' faces. Earlier today we attended a picnic for Chris' squadron. The kids were able to get into one of those blow up bouncy castles. There was also a dunking tank and the kids were quite good at hitting the target and dunking a few squadron members into the tank.

Tomorrow we are going on a friend's boat. The kids have been counting down the days for that. I know they will have a ball! I can't wait to see their faces the first time they go out on the boat. I'm sure I'll post about that tomorrow.

Communication

2007-08-23T13:02:00.000-05:00

One of the big challenges thus far is trying to communicate with our new children. We've learned a few key Amharic and Wolaytan words and phrases but that doesn't help when you're trying to have a meaningful conversation with your child. This recent dialogue is typical of many of the conversations we've had since coming home:

Molly: I sorry. I sorry.
Mom: You're sorry? What are you sorry for?
Molly: What are you sorry for?
Mom: What happened? Did you do something?
Molly: What happened? Did you do something?

Guess we'll never figure that one out! :-)

Our attempt to communicate also gets misunderstood quite often. Here's a funny story:

Last week Kaley went to a Padres baseball game with her friend. This was the first time since coming home that a family member had left the house without the others. Our Ethiopian kids kept asking where Kaley was. They were quite concerned. We tried to explain that she went "bye-bye" with a friend.

A few minutes later we all sat down to dinner and Chris explained that we were having chicken curry, Indian food. The kids had blank looks on their faces so Chris decided to get the globe out and make this an educational moment. He pointed out India and the distance it was from Ethiopia and America. All of a sudden Natalie gets big eyes and says, "Oh, Kaley, India... vrooom," and put her hand in the air like an airplane taking off.

Somehow, in our attempt to explain the location that inspired our meal, we caused the children to believe that Kaley was on her way to a foreign country! Too funny!

Photos

2007-08-22T17:33:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to post a few photos and include a short update. The kids are doing great. Chris is back at work this week and everything has gone very well so far (besides the dead bird our dogs brought in this morning!!!).

Our new children were begging to do chores last week so we've started that training. Today I made a whole new cleaning system to include them. We're trying to get into that routine so we can add school in a couple of weeks.

Our biggest challenge continues to be meals. I love to cook but I realize cooking for this many people three times a day is just too much. I never leave the kitchen! That won't work once school starts back up. I'm working on a simple yet healthy menu.

Here are the photos....

Today I feel human!

2007-08-15T15:21:00.000-05:00

Ugh! Jet lag! It's awful!! I finally feel human today.

After 30+ hours of flying and sitting in airports we returned home around 9:00 pm Saturday. We were greeted by our girls, my mom, brother and sister-in-law, and niece and nephew. We were all so excited to be home but so exhausted I think we were barely able to crack a smile. Kaley, Abby and a very tearful Lizzy were extremely excited to meet their new siblings. Ellie and Emmy weren't quite sure about the whole thing. I think they were happy but they're not eager to go to people they don't know.

The next morning we just took it easy around the house. My brother and his family came over and after nap time we took all the kids to the pool. Poor Ellie, in her cast, had to sit on the side and watch everybody. She has been such a good sport!

My mom, who took care of the kids while we were in Ethiopia, left that night. She and the bio babes had a great time together this past week. I know having her here helped keep the girls' minds off of our absence.

Monday was it! We were on our own... and dealing with a major tantrum from Molly... the biggest one yet. Chris had to run to the bank and I was left alone with this screaming child. This sure caused me to doubt my ability to parent. Jet-lagged and dealing with a very unhappy child that I don't know all that well... Ack! She finally stopped and I was able to hug her and tell her I love her.

She had another tantrum later that day but it ended almost as quickly as it began. We have not had another one since. I think she was so completely exhausted and most probably unsure of being in this home with this family. I share this to encourage those of you who may one day deal with this issue. It seems once they're at home, rested and settling into a routine they begin to relax and trust more.

The kids have spent a lot of time outdoors riding bikes, scooters and playing soccer. There are lots of kids in our neighborhood and they've all enjoyed a good soccer game or two these past couple of days. Chris even got out there yesterday and played with them. That didn't help his already aching back! The kids also enjoy playing games we've taught them like Tic-Tac-Toe and Connect Four.

We went grocery shopping and tried to buy foods that our new children will enjoy. Today we had peanut butter and banana sandwiches for lunch with sliced oranges. That was a big hit! Of course, it could be they were just so hungry after their not-so-satisfying breakfast of grits. They don't seem to like that too much.

The language barrier is a definite challenge but we're able to communicate enough for now. The kids are picking up new words everyday. Molly is especially quick and is a little parrot. Natalie is doing well too. I think Adam knows more than he lets on. He seems to be a little self-conscious and doesn't say many words.

The house is quiet. All the children are resting. And I've actually been able to update my blog. I've accomplished something today!

Photos

2007-08-09T09:33:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to my Flickr account since it's taking too long to upload photos on my blog. These are photos of us meeting the kiddos for the first time. We'll post the rest when we get home.

Wednesday - Part TWO

2007-08-08T23:30:00.000-05:00

Today we went to another suq, the Sherometa. This one had mostly clothing and table linens. We purchased a couple more dresses for Natalie Burukatwit and Molly Metasebia to wear as they grow. Nearby is the Weaver Shop where they make fabrics. That was an amazing sight! We bought a couple of table cloths from their shop. Then we went back to the Girma market to purchase more gifts and also a coffee set. That is a pretty crazy market and we got what we needed and left. Laine and her family went with us. It is fun to have another family to do things with.

We wanted to lay low today since the kids seem to be a little overwhelmed and tired so we ate lunch at the Milk House then headed back to our room to rest. Everybody fell asleep except Molly Metasebia. I woke up first and took a shower to prepare for the dinner we would attend tonight with the other CWA families and staff. By the time I was done the kids were awake. I began to dry my hair with the blow dryer that was attached to the bathroom wall. The girls were so excited as they thought it was a hand dryer like the ones they've recently discovered in the public restrooms. I'm trying to dry my hair and they keep getting their hands wet and holding them up to me to dry with the blow dryer. It took about twice the amount of time to dry my hair as normal! I just love how they are so fascinated with everything.

The CWA dinner was this evening at a local ethiopian restaurant. They served traditional food and entertainment. We had a lot of fun and the food was great. I've had a lot of ethiopian food this week and it has all been wonderful. We said goodbye to some new friends, exchanged email addresses and promised to keep in touch.

The kids are doing very well and are becoming more and more comfortable with us. Adam Endulkachew is so quick to help. He loves to carry Chris' backpack whenever we go. We bought him a drum today and he played it and sang while the girls danced. It was really cute. I can't wait until they are able to tell us what the songs mean. We sat around and put a 100 piece puzzle together. I think this was the first time they've ever seen a puzzle as they were not sure how to put the pieces together. They really had fun with it and were so thrilled when they fit two pieces together (even if they didn't belong together!).

Natalie Burukatwit is really becoming attached to Chris. If he is not nearby she begins calling for him or asking me where he is. She wants to sit next to him and hold his hand when we're walking. Molly Metasebia is still pretty attached to me although she is going to Chris more and more. She still smothers me with kisses and tells me she loves me. Natalie Burukatwit told me for the first time today that she loves me.

We called home tonight to wish Abby a happy birthday. It was good to talk to the girls but it makes me miss them even more. I can't wait to get back home to see them! We had the speaker phone on as did the girls at home. Natalie and Molly kept yelling "I Love You" to the girls. I think they are very eager to meet their new sisters.

Kaley told me that Emmy has been praying for us. When she prays she usually says "Pray... house... Adem" but this time she included "Mommy... Daddy... safe". So sweet!! They seem to be doing well. I know they are also eager for us to get home so they can meet their new siblings. They've had a longer wait than we have.

It is time for bed. We must get rested up for another big day. We are going to see the countryside tomorrow.

Wednesday - Day FIVE

2007-08-08T09:24:00.000-05:00

It is already late afternoon and I have not updated about our day yesterday. I usually type up my blog entry in the early morning hours since I am the only one up at that time. However, this morning I was actually able to sleep in. Now I have time to update as everybody else takes a little afternoon rest.

First, I’d like to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our daughter, Abby! Today we celebrate her birthday half a world away. We love you Abby and hope you are having a very happy day. Also, happy birthday to my dear friend Leslie!

Now for our update....

We woke up early yesterday morning for another full day of shopping and sight-seeing. It was pouring down rain and did not stop for most of the day. We planned to hit the breakfast buffet before heading out for the day but as we were walking to the restaurant we saw our driver and decided to get in the car and eat elsewhere. It is a long walk from our room to the restaurant when it is pouring rain! (We left our umbrellas at the care center the day before!)

We went to a little coffee shop for breakfast and had danishes, sweet breads and coffee. The girls have tea every morning for breakfast and Adam Endulkachew enjoys hot milk with sugar. We invited our driver, Getachew, to join us and we had a nice time chatting with him. He is a kind man who is very strong in his faith.

We then headed to the christian book store to buy some CDs for the kids. They definitely know what they like and each picked out a couple of CDs. After that we went to the coffee shop and bought lots of coffee for our friends and even some green coffee beans to roast ourselves. We’ll see how that turns out! I bet Adam Endulkachew has some idea how to do it. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at a pizza place. The kids loved it!! Not being a big pizza fan I was pretty impressed as well.... until we found a cockroach on our table then one crawling on Molly Metasebia’s jacket... that she was wearing! I thought I was going to lose my lunch right then!

We had to get back to our hotel to prepare for our embassy appointment which was at 3:00. We got back around 1:30 so I decided to take the girls to the salon on the hotel grounds to see if we had time to get their hair done. They have been begging to get their hair done. I wanted to do something simple to the front of their hair and leave the top and back curly. The beautician did have time to style their hair and it turned out really cute! The girls were pleased with it.

Once we got back to the room we began to get dressed for our embassy appointment. Natalie Burukatwit began to whine and pout about the dress I had chosen for her to wear. I tried to get her excited about the dress by telling her it used to be Kaley’s (they already think very highly of Kaley) but that did not even work. When I showed her the dress on our first day together she was so excited now she is upset that she has to wear the dress. Molly Metasebia decided to join in and was crying and pouting as well. Chris and I began to discuss what was going on and concluded that the kids were tired and probably worn out from all the shopping and sight-seeing. I know I am!

It was finally time for our embassy appointment. Once we arrived we found the adoption section to be completely full. We had to go in an overflow room and waited for about two hours. Apparently, the agency ahead of us had many families to process. The kids did exceptionally well especially since they were so tired. Chris taught endulkachew how to play Tic-Tac-Toe. Natalie Burukatwit practiced writing her letters and words. Molly Metasebia was busy coloring and playing in the children's area. It was finally time for our agency to be processed. It was a very quick and easy process.

We were the third family to be called up. We all had to go up to the window along with Shaka, our agency representative. We had to swear that all the information was true and give information about our children as well as sign some papers. As we walked back to our seats our agency’s director, Eyob, congratulated us and said that he was very happy everything worked out. He said that because of Adam Endulkachew’s height he thought the embassy workers might think he was older and too old to be adopted. He was very concerned about this and said he had been praying about it. He doesn’t realize that by American standards he’s really not that tall. LOL! It is obvious he is very young by looking at his facial features.

We had a quick dinner at the hotel and were in bed by 8:30. We were all exhausted! We decided not to rush things today and slept in. That was good and the kids did much better today. We’re now headed out to dinner with the CWA Ethiopia staff. We’ll post about today’s adventures later.

Monday - Day FOUR

2007-08-07T14:00:00.000-05:00

It is 5:00 am and I've been up for about an hour now. I've already taken a shower and the call to prayer is now being heard across the city. I don't know why I can't sleep. Maybe it's the squirmy 6 year old who likes to sleep right next to me. Maybe it's the excitement and anticipation of everything we still need and want to do. We have a big day ahead of us and I see lots of coffee in my future!

Yesterday morning started with the regular buffet breakfast at the hotel. The kids are so observant and are trying to do all the things we do. They now lay their napkins in their laps and are trying to use their eating utensils although they're not quite sure when they should and should not use them. Natalie Burukatwit eats her roll by stabbing it with a fork and biting off it until it's gone.

We tried to use the internet cafe at the hotel again but it was extremely slow. We finally had to leave without updating our blog because we had an appointment at the care center (the home our children lived in for the past few months). The driver picked us and several other families up. It was fun getting to know them and hear about their adoption journey. One couple was getting their little baby that day!

We had lots of paperwork to do at the care center in preparation for our embassy date which is today (Tuesday). We had to pay all our remaining fees which was good because Chris was nervous carrying around so much cash. Then we were free to roam the center, see the doctor and talk to the children's teacher/ counselor.

I immediately took the children to see the doctor who happened to be at the center. Molly Metasebia has a bad cough and was holding her throat yesterday so I wanted that checked. I especially wanted to make sure she did not have an ear infection before getting on the plane. He said she looked good and probably just had a cold. Natalie Burukatwit showed me a bump on the back of her neck which seemed to be a swollen lymph node. I had the doctor check that out and he said it was probably because of the infection on her scalp. She and Molly Metasebia have a fungal infection on their scalp which is being treated with medicine. We had the doctor check Adam Endulkachew as well even though he seemed healthy.

The doctor said, "Oh, this is the commander of the house. Whenever I am here he is always my assistant and telling the kids what to do." We've already discovered that about our son! He is not mean or cruel to his sisters at all but he definitely makes sure they are behaving.

Next we spoke with the counselor. She said our children are so good especially Adam Endulkachew. I cannot tell you how many people have told us that! She said that most children Endulkachew's age have a difficult time with being away from home but that he is very eager to be with his new family. The girls are the same. We also had questions for the children and found out Adam Endulkachew can cook most Ethiopian foods and he's trying to perfect injera and doro wat. Woohoo!

We had the counselor tell Adam Endulkachew that we know he's had to be the daddy to his sisters for a long time but we want him to enjoy being a kid now. They have a mommy and a daddy and he doesn't need to keep up with his sisters and make sure they are always behaving or doing the right thing. We will take care of that now. He seemed to understand but I'm sure we will be repeating it many times.

We asked if they had any fears about going to America or even flying home. Adam Endulkachew and Natalie Burukatwit were there and said they were not scared although Natalie didn't seem so confident. I know Molly Metasebia will be scared because she about flipped out on the elevator the other day. I was told she gets motion sick so we'll give her some medicine and she'll hopefully be asleep before we take off.

We asked the counselor to ask the children if they had any questions for us. The only question came from Natalie Burukatwit and she wanted to know if she and her siblings would be in the same school. I explained that we homeschool and Chris told Adam Endulkachew that Mommy is the teacher and he got a big smile on his face. Whew! We weren't sure what they'd think about that. I think homeschooling is pretty unheard of here.

Our kids were chasing me down the entire afternoon asking me to take photos of them with the care givers. The care givers kept hugging and kissing them. I know they are well loved and cared for there. Our kids are so happy with us but I know they will miss the people who have taken care of them for the past few months.

We ate lunch at the care center then visited the girls' facility to deliver some care packages to some of the kids. The girls were so excited to see Natalie Burukatwit and Molly Metasebia. We handed out lollipops and a few gifts for the girls. Note to those who are traveling: the care givers love the Tootsie Roll pops too so pack extra!

It was finally time to head back to the hotel. Our driver, Getachew, met us at the hotel and we headed for the Hilton where we stopped to use the ATM and internet cafe. We heard their internet connection was faster so we thought we'd update our blog there and try to add some pictures. Chris plugged in his USB key and everything vanished. Apparently there was a virus on the computer and he lost everything. So much for that! It was still cold and rainy so we could not go swimming. I think a visit to the pool is looking very unlikely at this point.

As we were walking out of the hotel we noticed an advertisement for one of the restaurants which had a big bowl of ice cream. We thought it would be fun to take the kids for some while we were there. We got them each a cone.- Adam Endulkachew and Natalie Burukatwit had strawberry and Molly Metasebia chose chocolate. I think this may have been the second time they've had ice cream. I know the workers from CWA had an ice cream party for them a couple of months ago.

Adam and Natalie had no problem but little Miss Molly Metasebia was making a mess and of course she was the one with chocolate! I showed her how to eat an ice cream cone and she wasn't quite getting it. I held the cone for her, told her to stick out her tongue and swiped the ice cream across it. She seemed to prefer that method and had me feed her the rest of the time. It was quite funny because she'd just stick out her tongue whenever she was ready for some more. That girl is something else!

After that we headed for the market so we could purchase some souvenirs and gifts. This was a less than enjoyable trip! Two thing I cannot stand: shopping and haggling... and we had to do both! We did buys some neat things. I couldn't bring myself to haggle too much although I was sort of getting into it. It was kind of fun! I would only ask them down a little then settle on the price they hiked up for us Americans. One guy's eyes about bulged out of his head when I told him I needed 10 wooden crosses. I was about to bust out laughing. I think I made his week!

The two girls begged and begged for jewelry and purses. They were driving me crazy. Molly Metasebia would pull me down towards her and give me a big kiss, say "I love you, Mommy" then point to a purse. Oh, she's so cute and clever! She knows how to turn on the charm. I'd turn my other cheek and tell her to kiss it- which she did- then point to the purse and say "no". I kept doing that and she didn't seem to like the point I was trying to make.... you can be as cute as can be and kiss me all you want but you're not getting that purse! She often pouts in an attempt get her own way and I am not giving into it. I wonder how long it will take for her to realize that just doesn't work in our house. She usually gets over it quickly and it never escalates beyond a little pouty lip or pitiful eyes.

Molly Metasebia is quite attached to me. She wants me to hold her all the time. The child is six years old. She's not the lightest thing! But, I hold her and hug her and kiss her all the time. She loves it. I know she and Emmy are going to be in quite a competition when we get home. That will be interesting! I see myself just sitting for hours holding both of them. I don't think they'll let me get much done!

Natalie Burukatwit is coming to me and Chris more and more and just hugging us and giving us kisses on the cheek. She seems to be warming up to us more. She is talking more and giggles a lot. Adam Endulkachew is a little difficult to read. All the workers say he is very happy to be with us but he's just so quiet that it's hard to tell. He gets a big smile on his face when we hold his and or put our arm around him but he doesn't initiate much. I think he is shy and, being older, is not as comfortable to be affectionate.

While in the car with the driver we had him ask the kids if they'd like American names. Our kids names are very unusual and difficult to say. I know they will have lots of trouble with it in America. We wanted to give them a choice. if they wanted to keep their Ethiopian names we would probably give them a nickname that was easier to say and spell. I was a little nervous about asking because I didn't want them to feel pressured to use an American name. However, when Getachew asked the question Molly Metasebia immediately yelled out "American". Getachew laughed and asked if that answered my question. For her it did but I wasn't sure about the other two. Getachew assured me that they all want American names. When I verified that with Adam Endulkachew he got a big smile on his face and said "yes". So, for now we are using both names until they (and I) get used to it.

It was getting late by that point so we headed back to our hotel. We hung out for a little bit and tossed the balloons back and forth. The balloons have been a huge hit! Randy, Lanie and the kids dropped by for a few minutes and we made plans to go to the country one day this week. Getachew said he would hire a van for us. I think that will be fun.

We ate dinner at the restaurant in the hotel. The kids ate well but I discovered the girls do not like carrots. We were all exhausted and ready to get back to the room and go straight to bed. We've been on the go all day! Today will be another busy day with our Embassy appointment.

Sunday - Day THREE

2007-08-06T03:49:00.000-05:00

We had a fun, busy day with the kids yesterday. We started the day by going to breakfast at the hotel. This is just a buffet breakfast that is included in the price of our room. I took the kids through the line while Chris ordered coffee. The kids picked out a few slices of bread and a piece of fruit. We walked by the hot foods, which is food you’d typically find at dinner time and they didn’t seem to like that.

During breakfast my friend, Lanie, that I met through the adoption forums arrived with her husband, Randy. They were filled with excited nervousness as they were going to get their kids in just a couple of hours. We chatted a bit then went to the Cyber Cafe in the hotel lobby.

The internet connection in cafe is very slow. We have not been able to put pictures on the blog because of that. We tried two different places yesterday but neither of those worked wither. We plan to go to the Hilton today to swim and hope to see if they have a better connection.

The Cyber Cafe is very small so the kids and I waited just outside the door, in the lobby, while Chris tried to upload my latest blog entry. Across the hall was a gift shop and the kids were showing me all the toys they wanted (those horrible cheapy toys again!). I told them the store was closed so we could not get anything. Well, wouldn’t you know the owner showed up about five minutes later!! They all began the begging process again (I can’t stand begging!) so I told Chris what they wanted. He said that he had already told them “no”.

Then we walked to the window of the souvenir shop and the girls found earrings and a necklace they wanted. Again I told them “no” and Metasebia began to pout a little (sticking her lip out). I told her- with gestures and sign language- that pouting is not allowed. She continued to beg for the necklace and after I said “no” several times she started to pout again.

We went to sit down on the chair with Endulkachew and he began to grill her. He’s definitely the big brother and has been in charge for a while. That’s something we’ll have to work on with him. We want him to know that he can just be a kid and we’ll be the mommy and daddy now. As he was talking to Metasebia he looked up and quickly said, “toilet”. Ack! She needed to go potty! That’s why she was “pouting”!! This stinking language barrier.

As we were walking back to our room we noticed that carousel at the playground was working. The kids were excited about that so after we packed up at the room we took the kids for a ride. This carousel is very fast! Not like any you’d see in the states. As we were getting the kids settled on the ride Metasebia began to cry. We took her off and she was content to watch her brother and sister. Once the ride stopped they asked to go again and this time Metasebia was sure she wanted to go. She loved it!

We found out that our children attended a Pentacostal church with their family in Soddo so we found one in Addis to attend. I started to regret it about a quarter way through because it was an English speaking service and our kids did not understand a thing! They’re going to be dealing with that for quite a while once they get home. I wish we could have let them attend a service they understood.

After service we went to lunch at an Indian restaurant. We ordered several items to share as we weren’t sure what the kids would like. So far they had only eaten Ethiopian food with us. During the meal Endulkachew began laughing at Metasebia. I looked over and her mouth was stuffed with food. She did look pretty funny... and cute! All of a sudden Endulkachew began pointing and talking to her in an urgent manner.

Chris realized that Metasebia didn’t like what was in her mouth and wanted to spit it out. At least she didn’t spit it right there on the floor like I’ve heard of other Ethiopian kids doing! LOL! Chris gave her his napkin and had her spit the food out in there. She began to gag as she spit her food up and vomited a little. Oh goodness! All the servers ran to help. I took her to the bathroom and washed her up then gave her a big hug and kiss. Add to the list of things to talk to Endulkachew about: No teasing your sisters!

Our plans were to go to the Hilton after church to go swimming but it became very cloudy and cold. We decided to try an internet cafe and our driver, Getachew, took us to Coffee.com, a neat internet/coffee house. The internet was down but we decided to stay for coffee. We got the kids Sprees which is a layered drink of avocado, banana, guava and papaya (I think). The girls shared a drink and we quickly realized that they had never used a straw before. I don’t know why I assumed that they had! It was funny watching them try to suck the drink up the straw. I wish we had the video camera at the time!

We headed to our room after that. Chris was feeling quite sick from allergies and needed to rest a bit. The kids and I got out some balloons and Endulkachew and I had fun tossing a balloon back and forth. This was a good way to bond with him! I’ve been able to do the girls’ nails and bathe them and fix their hair and snuggle with them. It’s difficult to find ways to bond with a 12 year old boy.

It didn’t take long for the girls to get jealous and want to join in. Endulkachew didn’t see to like that too much but he was kind and let his sisters join. I still tried to keep the game between the two of us unless the girls were really trying to get the balloon. it soon became a game of keep-away and we were all laughing and giggling.

Endulkachew was getting sleepy so he laid down for a nap as well. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and it was Randy, Lane and their three new children. The kids are so adorable and were very excited with their backpacks full of new things! Their daughter, who they have named Julia, had every single new hair accessory she received attached to her head. The boys were showing off their new toys. It was fun to get this kids together since they know each other from the care center.

Lanie brought some allergy medicine for Chris which seemed to help much better than his Benadryl. We planned to meet for dinner later and they went back to their room to get ready. I gave the girls baths which they loved! They splashed around and I washed their hair and showed them how to wash their bodies. They have the most beautiful curly hair! I asked one of the workers at the care center how I could fix their hair like they had it on the first day we met them and she said just let it dry naturally after washing it. Wash and go.... I love that! It worked and they look adorable! I love natural black hair!

We had dinner with Randy, Lanie and their kids. That was a lot of fun. We did a family-style meal again. Endulkachew is funny because he’s always hesitant to take food for himself even though we encourage him to. He sat next to me last night and I kept serving it to him. He enjoyed that!

After dinner we headed back to the room. Endulkachew took a shower and we all went right to bed. We were exhausted. I finally got a good night’s sleep! Today we hope to take the kids to the pool. Yesterday our driver asked Endulkachew if he knew what swimming was and he said “no”. I think they will have a lot of fun!

Finally together!

2007-08-05T11:31:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the wait was finally over. We were able to meet our three new children. First we went to get Endulkachew at the boys facility. He was eagerly waiting for us right inside the gate. When the gte opened I saw him peeking out at us with the biggest smile on his face. It all happened so fast as we were not expecting him to be right there. Chris was several feet behind me talking to the CWAE employees.

Endulkachew ran up to me and gave me a big hug, giggling all the while. Chris followed and Endulkachew gave him a big hug as well. We were whisked off to the office to sign some papers then Endulkachew showed us his room and friends. He also gave me a beautiful bouquet of flowers that he had picked from the garden.

After a few minutes we went to pick up the girls at their facility which is right down the street from the boys’. All of the girls were sitting at the table when we arrived. As soon as we walked in the children broke out in song and our girls came shyly forward and hugged us. You could tell they were a little uncomfortable. They also showed us their room and introduced us to their friends.

We had to return to the boys’ facility to get Endulkachew’s belongings. While there he challenged Chris to a game of Fooseball. He is a true Vega! Burukawit also got in on the game. She and Endulkachew are both good players!!

After that we went back to our hotel to move into our new hotel room. We then called our driver and went to do a little shopping. We needed to buy gifts for the care center kids. Each of our children were going crazy over the toys so we finally let them pick out a little something. I cannot stand buying cheapy little toys for my kids but they were so excited about them I just couldn’t say no. We also went to the grocery store to pick up bottled water and other items then went to lunch at the Milk House.

We headed back to the hotel to rest. I think we all fell asleep except Metasebia. Every time I woke up she would just be laying there looking at the pictures on our computer screen. We went to dinner at the hotel where they served traditional Ethiopian food and had traditional Ethiopian dancers. That was a lot of fun!

Endulkachew really likes to be with Chris. I think he missed having a dad. He carries Chris’ backpack around everywhere. He is always smiling and is constantly reading our Amharic phrase book to try to learn more English.

Burukawit is very shy and the most reserved. She lets me hug her and kiss her and she holds my hand but it’s something I have to initiate. She is a very sweet girl and has a beautiful smile. We had to go to a store to try to buy some pants for me because it was quite cold yesterday morning. As we were walking out she ran right into the glass door. I grabbed her real quick and gave her a big hug and kiss. Poor baby!

Metasebia is quite a ham! She loves the camera! She loves for me to hold her and she gives me kisses on the cheek all the time. The restaurant we went to for lunch yesterday was on the tenth floor so we had to take an elevator up. As soon as it started to move Metasebia got really frightened. I had to pick her up and she seemed to enjoy the ride then. There are so many new things for them to see and do.

We called the girls last night. We had Endulkachew, Burukawit and Metasebia say hello to the girls. They each took turns saying "bye" ! :-) The girls were excited to hear them and to know we finally have them. I know they cannot wait for us to get home. We are anxious too. There are so many things I want to see and do here but I’m ready to get home and get back to normal!

As we lay in bed last night, Chris asked me if this was as good as I thought it would be. Of course it is! I asked him the same question and he replied, "It’s better than I expected!" I think that about sums it up!