Introducing Alemtsehay

Here is our beautiful seven year old sponsor daughter! Please consider doing this. Greta has 40 more children at Kechene she is trying to find sponsor families for. Just click on the button, Give me your eyes, on the right. She has pictures of available children posted. You could change the life of a child in Ethiopia in 2011!

Sponsor Child

I am totally excited as I am waiting to see the face of my sponsor child. I hope it comes before Christmas! This reminds me so much of when I was waiting for my referral! Here are some fun pictures!

Small World

It has been a long time since I have blogged. School began this fall and we have been so incredibly busy. Soon I will post pictures of our lives. For now, I have a story to share. For a long time now we have been praying for Ethiopia and for direction. I shared some time ago about Children's HopeChest and the possibility of sponsering a child in Ethiopia through them. I am sure many of my fellow bloggers already have a sponsor child. Anyway, life got busy and we put it on the backburner telling ourselves when our other house sells we will make a decision. Tuesday was Adonu's third birthday. We recently discovered our eight year old's name, Niah, is African when spelled Nyah. So we looked up the meaning of her name, on Tuesday, on an African name sight. It means purpose by the way. Cool. We decided to look for Adonu's name as well. Our search ended without any results. I decided to google his name. I clicked the first page that was in English. Amazingly it took me to the blog of a family who lives about an hour from us here in Wisconsin. This family is helping Children's HopeChest find sponsers for Kechene Orphanage. The very same place we visited in Ethiopia! One of the sponsor children posted on their sight had the name Adonu (Spelled Adanu). I couldn't believe it. Even more amazing, we closed on our house this morning. What are the chances of this all happening-Adonu's birthday, same name, house selling, local family, same orphanga? Not likely...All things are possible with God! I am so excited about how God has shown us which direction to go! I immedietly contacted the family. They recently traveled to Ethiopia in November and have 55 new kids that need sponsors. They will be posting information about the children very soon. I am so excited to see what child will become our next Ethiopian angel! The family asked me to share with all my friends that they have new children who really need sponsors. So, if you are interested their blog is greta-givemeyoureyes.blogspot.com. There button is to the right. Another amazing family doing amazing things!

Fun Stuff Everybody!

Check out the Matthew family giveaway. I think this is a very fun fundraiser.

Heart Check-up

I am one that thinks it is totally exceptable to think that ones own children are the most adorable children in the world. I also believe it shouldn't stop there. The Bible tells us in I Samuel 17:7B that "Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." I have been praying about this as we are about to begin a new school year. So much of school for us is centered on heart training. I try to teach my children that all we learn throughout the year should bring honor and glory to God and that their actions should always put others first. My Sunday school teacher handed out a poem a few weeks back that I want to share. As I prepare my own mind and heart to teach my children this year I pray I can be the example that God wants me to be.

I'd rather see a sermon, than hear one any day:
I'd rather one should walk with me, than merely show the way;
The eye's a better pupil, and more willing than the ear,
Fine counsel is confusing but example's always clear.
And best of all the preachers, are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action is what everbody needs.
I soon can learn to do it, if you'll let me see it done:
I can see your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.
And the lectures you deliver may be very fine and true:
But I'd rather get my lesson by observing what you do:
For I may not understand you and the high advice you give.
But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

unknown author

So now here are some pictures of those adorable children. These were taken while boating on our camping trip last week.







Here are pictures of the adorable cousins we were camping with. I just love the sunglasses!

Another Milestone Gone By

My six year old lost his very first tooth last night. The difference between his initial reaction and mine were like black and white. He was jumping up and down with excitement and I had tears in my eyes. To me a tiny tooth in his little grasp was another goodbye. Goodbye to that sweet little boy smile! Those big teeth, no matter how straight and pearly white, just look so grown up. I suppose that is why we call them grown-up teeth. My wise ten year old upon seeing my reaction said, "He is getting old, soon he will have gray hair and a bald spot!" It helps to be reminded that their are many firsts to be had yet! Here are a few other firsts that brought tears to my eyes:
1. First night in big boy crib
2. First giggle
3. First kiss
4. First step
5. First time saying mama and I love you
6. First day in Sunday School
7. Last day with his first Sunday School teacher
8. First time on a two wheel bike (I'm not sure why-just seemed big)
9. First Christmas performance at church (and each one since)
10. First time writing his own name
Admittedly I didn't cry when he slept through the night or went to big boy undies. Maybe tears of joy!

Adonu had a first a few days ago that made me cry for a whole different reason. His first filling. I cried because he cried. I cried because I felt GUILTY! It was so painful to watch him go through this. Before the procedure started, the dentist said, "I see kids from Ethiopia who are 16 with perfect teeth. It isn't until they come to the United States and start eating so much sugar that this happens." I think he was basically telling me that the cavity was all my fault. As if I didn't feel bad enought! He then started drilling on my baby who started to scream and had to be held down. I was feeling very low! So was Adonu!



Following this difficult visit to the dentist, I decided to take my kids to the zoo for the day. I even bought the kids a treat while there and tried hard not to feel GUILTY!




Personally, I think my boys have very beautiful smiles. What do dentist know anyway?

Children's HopeChest

This is an oldie but goodie. A few posts back I talked about my feelings of being overwhelmed by all I saw in Ethiopia. I have also talked about the impact the boys at Kolfe had on my family. In fact, I still email some of those young men! I can't believe the difference in the facilities at Kolfe from before Children's HopeChest intervention to now. There is a picture of Kolfe in the video. The boys are sleeping on mats on the cement floor. There is no paint or comfort. This is not the helpless picture of Kolfe I saw when I was there. The kids had bunk beds, cubbies, a television, painted walls and curtains. They had chickens, a garden, a kitchen, a soccer field. Awesome the life skills these guys are learning and all they have done to their home! When we visited I could tell they took great pride in their work and are preparing themselves for adulthood. This is so important for the future of Ethiopia. I think Children's HopeChest has an awesome program going on. I would love to hear stories from those of you who are sponsoring children.

The other morning we had a missionary at church. He gave a visualization of a pile of treasure on one side of the pulpit and an illiterate African man on the other side. He asked us which is the bigger treasure. He challenged us to think about what we value and what we spend our money on. The work at Kolfe and all the other orphanages in the video has been accomplished with about a dollar a day per kid you sponsor. Really? I spend more money on my coffee than that. Yet my husband and I had ourselves convinced we should sell our other house before making a commitment. I can see the progress that is being made and am feeling ashamed of what I have been valuing. God is really pricking my heart these days.

Wondering

I'm wondering how many children are going to bed tonight without a kiss from a mom or dad? How, in a world this beautiful, can this happen?

Post Adoption Blogging is hard!

I thought I would start my post with some new photos taken by a good friend Gail. You can check out the rest of the pictures on her website at www.gtphotgraphy2010@weebly.com. I can honestly say that this was one of my favorite photo shoots. Very relaxing. We surprised Dad with these photos for Father's Day this year. He had no idea. So much fun!

I think post adoption blogging is so hard and I have read other blogs that say this same thing. I do continue to check the FBI list almost everyday as I pray for the families in process. I feel as though Adonu is so much a part of our lives that I hardly think of HIM as being adopted. That doesn't mean I don't think of adoption though. In fact, I think of Ethiopia and all those faces of children growing up without a family each and everyday. My heart goes out to them all. I have a very tender spot for all those older children. In their eyes I see my children, nieces and nephews and I think who is reading to, praying with, kissing on and loving these children. They are the same as my children at home, needing love. Not a day goes by where I don't think these things. It seems so big. I spend money and have beautiful photos taken of my four children, but what about all those orphans. I am having a hard time blogging because I can't get this out of my mind and yet I do nothing. Honestly, I feel overwhelmed and don't know where to start. Does anyone else out there have this problem. It is like I feel called to do something, but what. Sponser a child, adopt again, support a program like Kidmia? Does this problem of orpans and where to go post-adoption overwhelm anyone else out there? Seriously maybe it is a form of postpartum depression but for adoptive families? I think I have been subconsiously avoiding blogging because I feel as though I'm doing nothing for those we left behind. All those beautiful faces longing for a family. Ethiopia was the most mentally changing event of my 35 years, but what about life changing?

In the end, God has the answers and I know he will lead me and my family as we continue this journey. For now, I pray for guidance and pray for the ability to surrender my will to his plan for my life.

We moved

The last four months have been insane. We bought a new home and an apple orchard. We now own about 187 apple trees and a goat named Socks. We purchased the fifteen acres behind our new house two years ago. When our new house and the orchard went up for sale we decided to take a look because it borders our land. Our thoughts were if we absolutely loved it then we wouldn't have to build. Worth a glance, right? Guess what? We loved the house and land and well...here we are. I'm happy to say we are moved, back online, and adjusting to it all. If someone would have told me I would move 31/2 months after bringing my son home from Ethiopia I would have laughed hysterically. Praise the good Lord Adonu is such a happy going little boy. He hasn't missed a beat with the move. He has so much room to play now and it has been fun watching the kids adjust to country life. I mean, a goat, come on!!!! I was a total city girl and now I own a small hobby farm. We are learning a lot as a family about caring for apple trees and I'm even composting. Who would have thought! Two nights ago I actually mowed lawn on a John Deere riding mower. WOW!

Through it all, Ethiopia is on my mind daily. I was so happy to get back to the FBI list and check out the adoption world. We are excited to see the wonderful Tucker family is adopting again. What a blessing. I'm also excited that a local family just submitted their final paperwork to Gladney for an Ethiopian adoption! It is truly amazing to watch God work in the lives of so many!