New Words and Ladybugs

We still hear a few Amharic words from Dawit and Israel.  Dabo for bread and Carmela for candy.  One that has been a necessity from the very beginning is my least favorite word, shinta bet for bathroom.  When we needed to ask them if they needed to go to the bathroom we said, need to go shint?  Does not sound that great rolling off the tongue.  Especially when you are in public.  My older kids hide every time.

Today at lunch I suggested that we go outside when we were  done and as usual my sweet little schedule guy, Israel went through what  needed to happen in order for us to go outside.  First bathroom and then wash hands.  I agreed and Dawit repeated it with first Shint and then wash hands.  Israel as plain as day(which does not always happen) said no more shinta bet we call it toilet.  We pee in toilet.  I smiled and was kinda of  sad.  As an Ethiopian man in our community met them last spring he said they will be Americans.  They are from Ethiopia and keep that alive for them.  Read to them about their home country and the traditions and folk stories but as he looked at his kids playing, they will be Americans as mine are.  Some might not understand as you look around at our wonderful country but to me, after being in their country it is sad.  Unexpected emotions and adoption go hand in hand. 

OK no more pee posts!!!

Last nite Israel and Dawit caught a lady bug.  It was the highlight of the day, well except for the chocolate chip cookies Mrs Myers sent over!  They sat on the floor for about a half an hour playing gently with this poor little bug.  Sean joined in on the fun and these 3 boys were having a great time......until it flew away.  I was shocked that it was still alive.  Dawit was shocked that it left him.  He was really distraught.  I convinced him that it needed a nap and he said well tomorrow jkhjdhf  jhjdhfdh  jduadsere hfakjhdfjdhf jkhdfjdjhf eywqjdwe.  Not a typo.  I have no idea what he said just like you have no idea what was typed.  All I know is there was a plan for tomorrow.

Here are a few pics of the lady bug fun.

 

Happy Friday!!!

Today

I am watching Dawit and Israel play in what snow we have left today and I am in awe of how far they and we have come.  There are days when I get a little fustrated with the pee situation.  Aim? Not so good, but getting better.  Night time?  Still wearing pull ups which, well let's just say I wash sheets almost everyday.  I mentioned it to a friend how fustrated I was.  I feel like all I do is clean up pee.  She so nicely said well at least it is not poop!!  How true.  A nice little reminder that if this all I have to complain about I have it pretty good.  It still can annoy me.  Just ask my family as I screech at wet sheets and wet toilet seats but I am reminded daily how blessed I am.

As Dawit and Israel scoop up snow and try to cover up the green grass with it I realize there will be a new season soon.  Green grass, graduations, busy summers and well maybe still lots of pee.  :) But at least it is not poop!!


Here is a sweet video of  Dawit and Israel's first bath in the Guest House we were staying at in Ethiopia.  We had just gotten custody of them and stuck them in the tub.  They only had ever taken a shower.  They were not sure what to do with it.  They have come so far!! 

Eyelashes

Picture of the day....

These eyelashes are so precious.  Pure sweetness.

Picture of the day!

Israel sledding on ice.

               After a challenging morning at work I came home to this!  Couldn't get any better.

Picture of the day!

Look what I taught Israel today!  They thought I was pretty cool.  I am not sure my teenagers would have had the same thoughts!  :)

Remembering

A year ago this week Mike and I were on an adventure that changed our lives forever.  On the 22 of January 2011 Mike and I traveled 8 hours to Durame, Ethiopia in a white van with 8 other families.  It was such a great day driving through Ethiopia and getting a better sense of this beautiful country that our boys were from.

I remember watching children running through fields, playing with sticks, and herding their families herds of goats or oxen, or hanging out in front of their round mud huts.  What a wonderful, simple, beautiful life they have and I wondered if my boys had come from a different circumstance if they would  be running around in these fields, playing with sticks and rocks and living with such joy in the simple.  You see with adoption there can also come a sadness about what these children are losing.   I would never want to take a child from such a wonderful, rich culture but our boys had no alternative.  They were orphans in a third world county with no other options.

When we were choosing our adoption agency something that was so important to me was that adoption was the last resort.  An agency that had people, and organizations in place that could help these families in country. I wanted what any mother would want, help to keep my family together.  I wanted an agency that would know the culture, the needs, and heart to help the people.  Whether that be a health clinic, education, mother and children's centers, or simply sponsorship.  An agency with an amazing reputation and integrity. 

A new hospital being built with the help of our agency.

As we drove  back to Addis Ababa after meeting Dawit and Israel's brother Ufayesa I was so sad, so burdened, so blessed, and so honored all at the same time.  I was sad that they could not stay together.  I pictured my oldest Sean having to make this hard decision and being separated from his younger siblings.  I was so burdened to help the remaining part of our boys family and so blessed that God had chosen me to see the miracle of Ufayesa's prayers being answered through our family coming along and saying yes to God when He asked us to adopt.  I was honored to meet such a wonderful young man who was raising the rest of the family on his own and learning and growing not only educationally but spiritually.  I was honored when he said to Mike and I you are now my new mother and father.  Yep a few more tears flowed when he hugged us goodbye and said that to us in English.

What an incredible and incredibly hard day that was.  One that is permanetly etched in my mind.  The sights, sounds, smells, emotions, and absolute assurance that we were doing what God had intended us to do long before we knew.

One Whole Year

It is hard to believe that we are coming up on a year home with Dawit and Israel.  Our family is busy, fun, crazy, loud, and totally in love with these 2 boys.  Life is not perfect.  We are a normal family with all of our stuff.  Sometimes I think when we read blogs about adoption or family life we can get the idea that things are perfect and the kids smile all the time, don't fight, don't argue about curfews, never make big mistakes, always smell wonderful, and eat their broccoli without being begged. I will be the first to say that we are normal, real, dysfunctional and have trained the finer elements of arguing and sarcasm to our offspring.  So with all of that said let me show you a video of our first year with Dawit and Israel.  All of our shining moments.  Smiling,  joyful pictures!!  Because you know what?  It is ok to celebrate and say in all our realness we had a blast this year!!

We love you Dawit and Israel.  We are so grateful that God gave us such an amazing gift.  The two of you!!