365 Days ago......,

365 days ago, at almost exactly this hour, I was getting into a tiny little blue  car with people I had never met before to take me to see my daughters  in person for the first time

I remember the buzz of excitement and yet the  nervousness too of what those first few interactions  would be like. And truly, nothing can really prepare you for the moment when your life changes forever by welcoming  a child into your life. It was one of those surreal, movie like scenes where the camera pans the entire area, the music swells,and  time is slowed dramatically  as it gives you pause to consider whatever magic is happening before your eyes.

And the magic of that day was two little girls getting a forever family.

As the past 365 days have unfolded in their course, we have learned more and more of what it means to be a family and the amazing ways that God was answering prayers we didn't even know were being prayed.  For example, when Bill and I got married our sweet little daughter was praying many nights for God to give her  and her baby sister a family, and He did, but it's humbling to think she had to wait so long....

But even if God had told me in a loud booming voice in 2004 to go to Ethiopia and adopt a kid, ( or two) would I have ever considered it? Would I have thought I was hearing wrong? Perhaps. Probably! Who am I kidding?? I was enjoying marriage! I was enjoying being an adult!. And further,  I was totally unaware of what God was doing behind the scenes.

Nevertheless, Bill and I  both eventually heard the call and the rest is history!

The past 365 days have been wild, fun, hard, exciting, challenging, mind bending, hilarious, ridiculous and just amazing really.

As I reflect this evening, I'd like to  tick off a few things that never got blogged, but that bless me, or make me smile about the past 365 days:

1. While on vacation recently, we had some serious gas problems going on  which resulted in some conflict between the girls that ended with one girl shouting at the other "WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO,  I CAN'T SEW MY BUTT!!! I know what you're thinking , how is this a blessing? Well, you see, I was blessed by the sisterly love that would even CONSIDER sewing ones butt shut to accommodate another! Bill and I laughed until we felt sick.

2. While driving in the car with some longtime friends, the girls were telling elaborate, albeit false stories about their boyfriends. ( neither one has a boyfriend , mind you, in any fashion. Telling random and ridiculous stories is just a way to pass time.) Our Friends were very polite, played along and asked questions that kept the stories going. That night before bed, while I was doing devotions with the girls, they began critiquing each others stories. " So wow, XXX I heard your story about your boyfriend tonight and it was AMAZING! ( heavily laden with Sarcasm)
Her sister's response, "Yeah, It was so AMAZING, I CAN FLY!"  .....What the heck??? I started laughing so hard I couldn't stop. It's just so funny hearing people argue in a new language!

3. Many times over the past 365 days, the girls have directly asked us to pray for them or others....and we have. And we've seen some cool things happen. One time I was driving in a really bad snow storm, and saw a car behind me spiraling out of control and careening off the road. I instinctively called out to God out loud to steady the car while lifting my hands in the air in "Moses" fashion as he may have done when parting the Red Sea. The girls whipped around in their seats to see the car cover a significant distance and right itself completely, back on course. The girls whipped back around and looked me in awe. Speechless at first.  "When you prayed mom, something happened!" They were talking about it for days. I think it gave us all a little faith boost really. :)

4. A number of times over the past eight months, we have sent packages, letters etc. to the girl's friends back in Ethiopia. ( At their request mind you!) It blesses me that our daughters gingerly select pieces of their own clothing, toy stash, and  even candy reserves  to give away. Freindhsip is beautiful.

5. In  a short eight months of being in  a new country, they've acquired the ability to ( Just to name a few) : Converse in English, Read in English, Ride a Bicycle, maneuver a Kayak,Swim alone safely, use silverware, check out at Kroger, floss daily, sing over 50 pop songs in English, play the drum set, play simple songs on the piano, do over 15 Zumba routines,  use a vacuum cleaner without freaking out, make their beds in the morning ( This is a favorite of mine! Ha!), sleep through the night, write little reports on the computer, dialogue about important issues like abortion and war and healthcare,  make some friends here, express feelings in healthy way ( much of the time)  and the ultimate news of the hour..... Do  a back handspring ( AS OF TODAY YEAH!!!!!!)

Girls, when you've got enough english to read this, know that Mom is VERY proud of you. I cannot wait to see what the next 365 days will bring!


Ewudeshallo!
Enay eh na tish nighn!  Emeliya-yae and Oliviya-Yae, Anche Wudenesh!

Love,
Mom

Just a Day In The Life of a Transracial Family

We've been so busy lately with the girls starting public school, moving to a new house, my job hours increasing as business in the counseling field is booming, that I have simply not had time ot blog.

But, as of yesterday, we are on summer vacation.  HALLELUJAH!

Here's a little bit about how our day went:

Woke up AFTER 5:50 am...which was awesome!
Ate a real breakfast! Never happens around here!
Went to a  couple doctors appointments for what I deemed was our "summer body tune-ups."
Discovered that "most eye doctors hate visine":  random I know.....I'm just telling you about our life.
Sat in traffic for so long on Polaris parkway that the girls started saying "This is just disgusting."
( Apparantly they learned that from me?)
Thanked bill for taking my car to the shop for a warning light that was on....
Discovered it was going to cost 750 smackers, so we decided to shop around for cheaper labor costs.
Found a cheaper place.
Got excited!
Discovered that our girls will actually eat iIlls favortie summer food, balsamic vinagrette chicken and grape salad. Got even more excited!
At the food.
Got ready for soccer camp and a birthday party.
Got ready for work...discovered my computer was goign on the fritz and probably goign to need to be replaced.....oh well....
I kissed everyone goodbye and drive off for a random evening at work due to the fact that I had locked myself out the day before and needed to make up sessions. :)
Bill took the girls in the other car to a party.
After dropping child off at said party, the car breaks down.
Bill stated he was glad that the windows were down at least so they wouldnt be so hot!
As soon as he says that it starts to pour down rain...and since the car wont start....some serious soaking action took place.
A good freind arrives to help
We are helped.

So, we may have drama here and there.
But, we are a fmaily and we do drama together!
I wouldnt have it any other way.

Heres a few pics of some recent together times!

So...Do Seams Go On The Inside?

So here’s the update on where we are at three months post settling down at home.

The girls are speaking all day in English!!! Yeah! There are some syntax things that need to be fixed, but in time! For now it’s a celebration that all day long, we are talking and understanding each other more and more.

The other day Kalkidan played with her dolls for the first time all in English! It was fun to know what was going on. Basically, one of the dolls was famous and everyone was trying to take her picture. The other doll was a friend and trying to keep everyone back and give the famous doll some space!  So cute!

It brought my heart joy because when we first got home, we had  tried to play together with dolls, but it was just so silent. I sadly  didn’t know any Amharic words for playing with dolls and she didn’t know any English ones. To think how far we have come in three months!

Homeschooling is  also coming along quite nicely. Although I will admit, teaching all day and then trying to do anything else is almost impossible. Needless to say, I DON’T do much of anything else.  J  Sorry to all of my friends whom I never see anymore and who longer receive birthday cards, messages etc from me!  And sorry to Bill who no longer has clean laundry.

When I look at all the work they’ve done, I am impressed. It’s been a  struggle at times, because the Ethiopian school system was very different than ours and even though we are schooling at home, we are sticking with a very traditional American model.  Lots of  writing, reading and math.

But, that's not to say that we haven’t done anything creative!  One day for an art project we  all sewed a dress for a doll! That was exciting until Bill came home and said, "Oh neat, but I thought the seams went on the inside??”  L

And well, it’s true , seams DO go on the inside.....