Thursday, April 17, 2008
IKEA-AFRICA sounds alike
So my littlest dear Judah was loaded into the car and ready for a big trip to Ikea. He met the trip with much anticipation in fact as I think about it he kept trying to get me off the phone and out of the house. I was wandering why he was so excited. Anyway after the hour long drive to IKEA we pull into the parking lot and he exclaims "I be first to hold sissy!!" I laughed so hard, I said "Do you think we are going to pick sissy up?" he shook his head with his finger in his mouth not really sure, he looked bewildered and I am sure he was thinking weren't we going to Africa? "Kinda baby, Ikea" they got some african looking things, non of which we purchased cause of the below blog post, I won't repeat the whole sorrid thing.
We got a court date!!!!!!!
MAY 15,
That is it!! May 15, we expect to travel four weeks after that so like June 15th. I am so excited. This makes waiting so much easier because I have so much to do like learn some Amarhic, decorate the kids rooms, that means going back to IKEA. This time Judah will stay with me. Okay much to do!
That is it!! May 15, we expect to travel four weeks after that so like June 15th. I am so excited. This makes waiting so much easier because I have so much to do like learn some Amarhic, decorate the kids rooms, that means going back to IKEA. This time Judah will stay with me. Okay much to do!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Our day. :(
Well what started off innocently enough ended in a pile of poop, literally.
Ahhh freedom, Ikea shopping, did you know they have a child care? Ya it's great, you can leave your kids there for 90 blessed, splendid minutes. Uniterrupted shopping. ahhhhhhh bliss.
NOT>
This was the first time my kids were all the right height, the right age and potty trained and actually wanted to go. Whoopeeee!
I checked them into the child care center and said my bi bi's. I wanted to call my friends and brag. Unfortunately my phone was almost dead. Shopping was great, I got what I need, I mean it is an hour away from my house so we had to make it worth it. I was decorating my daughters bedroom. Suddenly so close to the finish line, checkout. I am paged. It wasn't like a little buzz it was an annoying non stop beeping. I couldn't have just hid it in my purse and pretend it wasn't me. At last I left my cart of treasures near the check out line promising the guy I would be back. ya right.
Judah pooped. In his pants. A lot. It was a mess, a stinky yellow, mushy mess, and as I tried my best to clean the horridness that was, I finally gave up and threw his clothes in the garbage. Thankfully Ikea provides diapers, so that is how we left a very upset mom and three little ducks, one just stinky and diapered with no shoes. Please don't judge moms when you see them in the state I was in, you never know what they have been through. I had to go to Walmart so I found a pair of cheap shorts and got through that fiasco.
Anyway when we got home to find the dog had gotten into a nasty pull up as well. It just sometimes is not fun.
Ahhh freedom, Ikea shopping, did you know they have a child care? Ya it's great, you can leave your kids there for 90 blessed, splendid minutes. Uniterrupted shopping. ahhhhhhh bliss.
NOT>
This was the first time my kids were all the right height, the right age and potty trained and actually wanted to go. Whoopeeee!
I checked them into the child care center and said my bi bi's. I wanted to call my friends and brag. Unfortunately my phone was almost dead. Shopping was great, I got what I need, I mean it is an hour away from my house so we had to make it worth it. I was decorating my daughters bedroom. Suddenly so close to the finish line, checkout. I am paged. It wasn't like a little buzz it was an annoying non stop beeping. I couldn't have just hid it in my purse and pretend it wasn't me. At last I left my cart of treasures near the check out line promising the guy I would be back. ya right.
Judah pooped. In his pants. A lot. It was a mess, a stinky yellow, mushy mess, and as I tried my best to clean the horridness that was, I finally gave up and threw his clothes in the garbage. Thankfully Ikea provides diapers, so that is how we left a very upset mom and three little ducks, one just stinky and diapered with no shoes. Please don't judge moms when you see them in the state I was in, you never know what they have been through. I had to go to Walmart so I found a pair of cheap shorts and got through that fiasco.
Anyway when we got home to find the dog had gotten into a nasty pull up as well. It just sometimes is not fun.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Look What We Found!!!
My son found these Mourning Dove eggs in a tree next to our playground so close you could touch them. She built her nest and layed her eggs completely trusting my kids wouldn't bother her. Silly dove. Abigail upon discovery of the eggs already sent a gift offering of a pretzle to her at the end of a plastic lilly flower. Needless to say she flew away. When I look into the tree I am literally eye level with her. It is exciting though because this is a symbol of new life. 
Do you see this tree behind the the slide? This is where she built her nest. She understood the risk involved. Just pray she stays. Usually animals are trying to get out of our house. I have come out of hiding!!
Hello, if anyone is still reading!
Well we got a referral of a beautiful little girl who is four on April second. I have been hesitant of posting anything as I have had my gaurd up for some time now. But I can say now that it is starting to feel real!! Our paper work was filed with court today! Shimiliess thinks I may travel end of May or mid June. I am not ready at all! I have her room to get done, amharic to learn, weight to loose, shots to get, the trip to plan. I suddenly overwhelmed myself. Anyway it is real, we were matched and filed for court. I couldn't be happier. I am actually on my way to put together a package and a letter to send with a friend who will tell our daughter we are coming to get her. Acutally there has been a change in plans. It was going to be all of us but since we are going during rainy season it will just be me stomping the mud in the streets of Addis. I didn't see why our kids should come along to just have to stay indoors when they could be swimming and having a blast here waiting for us to come home. I am hesitant about leaving my kids for so long. The longest I left them was last year for four days and it was the longest four days of my life and I was just in Ohio. They are older now and I know Gary will do a great if not better job than me taking care of them. I have to learn to let go a little bit.
Well we got a referral of a beautiful little girl who is four on April second. I have been hesitant of posting anything as I have had my gaurd up for some time now. But I can say now that it is starting to feel real!! Our paper work was filed with court today! Shimiliess thinks I may travel end of May or mid June. I am not ready at all! I have her room to get done, amharic to learn, weight to loose, shots to get, the trip to plan. I suddenly overwhelmed myself. Anyway it is real, we were matched and filed for court. I couldn't be happier. I am actually on my way to put together a package and a letter to send with a friend who will tell our daughter we are coming to get her. Acutally there has been a change in plans. It was going to be all of us but since we are going during rainy season it will just be me stomping the mud in the streets of Addis. I didn't see why our kids should come along to just have to stay indoors when they could be swimming and having a blast here waiting for us to come home. I am hesitant about leaving my kids for so long. The longest I left them was last year for four days and it was the longest four days of my life and I was just in Ohio. They are older now and I know Gary will do a great if not better job than me taking care of them. I have to learn to let go a little bit.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Garage sale day 2
Well I am super tired, the kids are sleeping finally and just wanted to drop a quick post about our garage sale. It was slower today but none the less very, very worth while. We had so much stuff that we are doing it again the next weekend. I so enjoyed watching people get good deals, and let me tell you there were a few!! The kids all 8 of them did great, just playing all day in Jens amazing yard. I gained five pounds, chocolates and Mac Donalds, gotta stop that, and we forgot to get Gary's drycleaning, woops. He has no uniform for tomorrow. It was fun Gary was commenting on what a great great garage sale it was. All in all we did very good on the money portion, it is a secret though as we are doing it again next week. Okay off to bed I think.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Garage Sale
Hence another lesson. I don't know what it is but it is there for the taking.
Garage sale? So many things to talk about on this subject.
People, so many kinds of people so many reactions to a good deal.
Some would steal, some would hoard, some will just humbly accept the price tag, some will trick and some will negotiate, some will give and give freely. We had a somone I don't know who leave 100 dollars in our donation bottle. I wish I could say thank you to whoever but God sees what they do and I know they will be rewarding in heaven for their generosity.
Some would steal. I feel sorry for the person that would steal from an adoption fundraiser garage sale. I know that God sees them too and he and he alone knows their heart and motive. I have known women to steal and it is for their kids, food, clothes. I don't judge or try not to anyway.
I am so tired an the garage sale produced a good amount of funds for our combined adoption expenses. We are blessed beyone measure but when I talk about blessings it is less financial and more relational. I have come to know and love the families I am working with, they are part of the ministry that we are building as a team. I am privledged to be sitting at a garage sale in their company. I really did have a good time. We laughed and talked and laughed. I was happy to see how much money was generated but more happy to get to know my new friends.
Jen and Julie and company!!
Garage sale? So many things to talk about on this subject.
People, so many kinds of people so many reactions to a good deal.
Some would steal, some would hoard, some will just humbly accept the price tag, some will trick and some will negotiate, some will give and give freely. We had a somone I don't know who leave 100 dollars in our donation bottle. I wish I could say thank you to whoever but God sees what they do and I know they will be rewarding in heaven for their generosity.
Some would steal. I feel sorry for the person that would steal from an adoption fundraiser garage sale. I know that God sees them too and he and he alone knows their heart and motive. I have known women to steal and it is for their kids, food, clothes. I don't judge or try not to anyway.
I am so tired an the garage sale produced a good amount of funds for our combined adoption expenses. We are blessed beyone measure but when I talk about blessings it is less financial and more relational. I have come to know and love the families I am working with, they are part of the ministry that we are building as a team. I am privledged to be sitting at a garage sale in their company. I really did have a good time. We laughed and talked and laughed. I was happy to see how much money was generated but more happy to get to know my new friends.
Jen and Julie and company!!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Transition
I knew there was a lesson in my sisters long and exhausting labor, I just couldn't quite put my finger on it.
I went to her house yesterday and got to hold my niece for the first time. She is spectacular! My sister and her husband and the leaders from their church came over to bless Annabella Jane, I got to stay and participate.
The room was quiet, my sister looking beautiful sat upon the same bed she gave birth. Her husband and the leaders of their church kneeled beside the bed and admired the family. Each of us took a turn praying. When it was Janette's turn she really hit the nail on the head. Janette's labor was so long and arduous she was in transition, the hardest part of labor for 4 or more hours. This is when your body shakes and you feel like you could possibly throw up, some do. This is the point in labor a lot of women who intend on natural childbirth give up. I listened at the door and my own stomach was sick remembering how it felt to be rocked by so much pain. The lump in my throat grew until even when I swallowed it didn't go away. I listened to the deep guttural ache my sister was experiencing and I heard her say "I don't want to do this, I can't do this, I'm too tired" I am tearing up right now as I think of how it must have hurt so bad and that she had to go on for so long in the worse part of labor (Annabella's head was semi stuck) Finally a contraction pushed Anna down and her cries of pain turned to deep pushing sounds and determination. I heard the change in her, a few minutes later Baby Bella was born.
When we prayed last night my sister prayed from her point of view.
I went to her house yesterday and got to hold my niece for the first time. She is spectacular! My sister and her husband and the leaders from their church came over to bless Annabella Jane, I got to stay and participate.
The room was quiet, my sister looking beautiful sat upon the same bed she gave birth. Her husband and the leaders of their church kneeled beside the bed and admired the family. Each of us took a turn praying. When it was Janette's turn she really hit the nail on the head. Janette's labor was so long and arduous she was in transition, the hardest part of labor for 4 or more hours. This is when your body shakes and you feel like you could possibly throw up, some do. This is the point in labor a lot of women who intend on natural childbirth give up. I listened at the door and my own stomach was sick remembering how it felt to be rocked by so much pain. The lump in my throat grew until even when I swallowed it didn't go away. I listened to the deep guttural ache my sister was experiencing and I heard her say "I don't want to do this, I can't do this, I'm too tired" I am tearing up right now as I think of how it must have hurt so bad and that she had to go on for so long in the worse part of labor (Annabella's head was semi stuck) Finally a contraction pushed Anna down and her cries of pain turned to deep pushing sounds and determination. I heard the change in her, a few minutes later Baby Bella was born.
When we prayed last night my sister prayed from her point of view.
"Lord the most painful part of birthing something in our lives is "transition" when you feel the pain and feel like giving up you are just around the point of breaking. When it feels like nothing is happening and all the pain is for nothing you are there, transitioning us, positioning us for the new thing to happen in our lives."
This is the lesson, this is what I couldn't say because the physical pain of adoption, transition is hard to understand for others and even for me. When you see or hear a woman in transition you know without a doubt that she will birth a child. Even when she didn't believe it herself that she could make it through the hardest part everyone was there believing for her. I was just on the other side of the door praying and when I heard her say "I am to tired, I can't do this" I said silently behind the door, "Yes you can Yes you can" I knew she could and even though she doubted herself I believed for her and prayed for her. This is the lesson. When a mother is waiting for a child through adoption she will go through "transition" it may last a few days or a few months, she may not believe the adoption will ever happen. She may loose hope. We, You Us have to stand by her even if on the other side of the door or state or phone or email and believe for her, for me. We have to pray for her, for me. There is power in this and so we need to recognize each other as adoptive parents because in the society we live in as a whole does not celebrate adoption the way birth is celebrated and "the others" may not recognize an adoptive mom in transition. Pray for me I have been in transition for so long I can't see straight. Which is funny just now when I thought of it because my sister said her body was literally rocked with pain to the point she couldn't see straight and she called herself "googly eyed"
This is the lesson. Thank you for the moms that have and are seeing me through my "transition" I may not say it but I am hanging on because you are hanging for me.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Annabella a big girl indeed
I found out early this morning that my "little" Annabella was and is 9 pounds and 14 oz. Almost 10 pounds!!!! My sister is my new hero. Did it all without a drop of medicine in her body, she worked so hard. I think she deserves so much credit.
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