Court. A day to celebrate. A day to pray.

Today we headed off early to the court house. The court house is not far from our guest house, but we piled into the agency van with two other families. All anxious about the morning. We took the familar steps upstairs, about four flights of stairs that makes you winded with altidude by the time you reach the top floor. You pile into a large open room where a broad range of people are all waiting. Many are other families just like us, waiting anxiously for their verdict from the judge. The stories of others in the room are hard to take in. Today a woman probably my age, with a worn look of a hard life I will never know, and about 6 children following behind her with one small infant on her back sound asleep where there with her. She looked mostly at the ground, while the older children sat closer to a caucacian family in the same room. They all got up at the sound of the family name and entered the room. It was hard to see the story unfold in front of me. This mother was giving her consent to this family for her children to be adopted.  I have seen the conditions these families live in. Adoption provides a hope for these children to live. A chance at life, vs at times death, and others a very hard life alone on the streets from a small age defending for themselves. Just last night it was pretty much dark. We were walking from the small shopping area in Bole, to our guest house. A small girl about 3 or 4 years of age approached us, tattered clothes, dirty feet, and desperate for attention. She began dancing and singing for us, just as the women do at the Ethic Ethiopian Resturants do. She was a gem. She followed us from the shopping area to our to our guest house, asking us for birr or money. We asked her if she liked dabo, (bread). She lit up! So we went inside our gate and got all the bread we could find. And within minutes she devoured it. In her case this child at night, hungry and alone, is raising herself. She needs a family a home. A mother. Adoption is an amazing part of what God has asked us to do. But in other cases Adoption fails the mothers and fathers, walking up the steps of the court house and having to sign over their precious children, to other mothers and fathers because they don't have enough. Especially when the world has plenty. Adoption is not always the answer to this crisis. For the already 6 million orphans needing homes it is! But for the families on the verge of losing their children today... it is our responsibility to help them keep thier children right here with them. This is my prayer today. That no mother has to do what this mother did today.

There were three families today at court. We all entered the judges room together, which is something different. She asked us all the questions, and we all answered, "YES"! She went case by case. The first family, was a " Suspended case for 4 days later."  as well as the second. Expecting the same our Eftu was called. But we were humbled. She proceed to say, Family of Eftu. She is yours. We are overjoyed. But yet our heart remains with these familes that are still waiting. We are celebrating today. Samiah Tegist Rees is now our daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece...... to our family forever. But there are families that are still waiting. So in the midst of our celebration, we still are on our knees praying hard for these families needing paperwork, letters, and signatures so they too can celebrate. A true celebration is one where we can celebrate with Christ's body. We will have our true celbration once our friends recieve their news! We pray that soon like he says in Isiah 43 He will bring our sons and daughters from a far, and they will come home. We trust that they will come home soon.

Introducing Samiah Tigest Rees:  13.5lbs  Born June 26th, 2010  6 months old. Our doll.

More photos to come once we return home!!! Love you all !! Flying home tonight.

Coming Home.

This is the bittersweet part of our trip. It is the part where we look anxiously forward to walking on to the plane tomorrow night and entering the embraces of two little boys back home that we have not seen for almost two weeks. But what we are leaving behind, leaves a knot in my throat.

Today was our last day here with Samiah. We had a great visit with her. She was very happy as always. She loves us so much, we can tell. She finds us when we are talking and loves to watch Awan wherever she is. She is a dream. I held her close and just watched her sleep and wondered what will she look like when we return. Will she be sitting by herself? Will she be crawling? Or even walking.... or perhaps will I miss her first birthday? I think not knowing the timeline is what makes me most anxious. With Tadios, we were told it will be 6-8 weeks and 4 months later we returned. Others we know it was 10mo. All in all, we must dedicate this next part of this adoption journey to God like we have the rest of it. Why not. My mom gave me this verse just minutes before getting on the plane in DC. Isaiah 43. I was reading it tonight, thinking about this trip, Samiah, and all the amazing friends we will be leaving behind.  In verse 2, it starts: " When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you. When you wak through the fire; you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord  your God, the Holy One of Isreal, your Savior;"  This verse has reigned true in our lives for the past two years. Christmas Day will make the two year annivesary that marks the day we as a family started this Adoption process. We sat at our kitchen table and submitted our application for two unrealted children in Ethiopia. And tomorrow we hope to walk out of court with just that, confirmation that this is the last part of this journey. That when we leave Ethiopia tomorrow God has his hand on Samiah, and that his presence will continue to walk with us through this journey as we wait for Embassy and we return for her. Leaving her today was so hard. We had a time where we sat together as a family and got to pray over Samiah, for her during this time of waiting and for our quick return. I didn't think it would effect Awan much. And well, I lost it.  Samiah had taken turns previously running her hands across Jeremy and Awan's face touching it and mummbling baby talk. And then just before falling asleep she gave me a full baby lecture that she was going to be just fine and that she would be waiting for me when I came back for her, and she snuggled her head into my chest and fell fast asleep. The white van came through the gate of the transition home and my heart knew it was time. Time to say goodbye. I stood and walked her up to her room, her sleeping on my chest, and Awan holding onto her small finger in her hand. I didn't think this would effect Awan much since Samiah is just a baby, but as we walked up the stairs, there was a tear running down her face. Of course I lost it then. We walked together till we reached the nursery, I handed her over, we kissed her goodbye for now, and left.

When you read on in Isaiah it says "Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth-everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." Soon enough just like his love for his people of Isreal, he will too, return Samiah to her home. She will come home.

We are excited for a wonderful homecoming with our boys. Being away from them has been so hard. We will love being with them again. But we will also miss the many friends we have become so close to while being here. We are so blessed to be apart of such amazing place. A few years ago I started praying the prayer of Jabez. Thinking it might help with some financial issues at the time. LOL But as we travel the streets of this amazing country and have gained a new language and culture of friends here. I have seen this prayer answered in an amazing way. Thank you Lord, for expanding our territory beyond what we could ever dream, this has been the greatest blessing we have ever recieved. 

Tomorrow at 9AM we await the final court hearing, with anticipation, for a favorable decree. We appreciate your prayers. And then 10:30PM here we will be flying home, home just in time to celebrate Tadios's first Christmas. We love you all can't wait to see you!

What time of year is it again?

Here in Addis the weather has been cooler than what we are used to. Mornings and evenings it is in the 40's but by noon it is back up to the average Ethiopian temp of 75. The sky is blue and the scenery here reminds me of the Gungor song,"Beautiful Things" It talks about about how God can take the things from the dust and turn them into Beautiful Things. Drive after drive of people laying on the streets, families setting up houses on the side of the alley out of tarps, and most of the buildings just emerging from the dust. But with all of the poverity and all of the dirty roads and tattered buildings, I have found a culture that has emerged beyond the brokennes most see and can't get past. What I see here are beautiful faces I have grown so much in love with. There are a group of boys just beyond our gate, most carring 20 liter jugs ready to shine anyones shoes, or clean anything for that matter. We call them water boys, because you notice the bright yellow water jugs they are lugging around with them. They started early in the week asking to shine our shoes every time we exited our gate, but a family staying with us took notice to them. We were blessed by there heart for these boys. We got to share in the blessing of a pick up street frisbee game and a soccer game with these boys. They love it! We loved it! What I forgot to mention is, one day earlier Awan decided she would hand out snacks to them. It started with three boys, soon there were more than 20. Poor Awan was in a sea of brown faces, and soon the engery of this fun occasion became a tiny bit hostile. The boys were afraid they were not going to get one, they were hungry. They needed this snack. The older boys were trying to help Jeremy get the smaller boys away from Awan, but some punches were thrown! Awan made it out safe but was startled by the experience! LOL She laughs now, because these boys have become her friends. Today we found out these boys are from Sodo, the region where Tadios is from. It's more than a 6 hour drive to Addis. Heaven knows how these boys got here. But they are here, and they are working, and for now, thanks to our guest house friends, they have helped us realized that just beyond our gate are boys just waiting to play!

I had a startling realization that you all back home are preparing for Christmas. I was on facebook briefly today and saw a number of crazy posts about Christmas and getting things ready. How silly of me to forget about Christmas. But we have. There is no sign of Christmas here on the other side of the world. Ethiopian Christmas is celebrated in January, but as I have been asking, it is nothing like our celebration. They actually have a bigger Easter celebration. I really liked that! They have told me that here Christmas is simple they have bread with family, they go to church and they celebrate. Most don't exchange gifts, but if they do it is done at Church with families of other finanical levels. I thought for a moment and then realized what accountablitiy that would be for us if we had to open our gifts or our kids had to open their gifts in front of others in our Churches whom may have nothing this season. This trip has been the best kind of season for us as a family. We have receive priceless gifts. A handwritten letter in English by an 8 year old girl who speaks mostly Amharic. A mother who lives in a 10 sq home who embraces me with a hug, another mother who prepared us her finest bread and popcorn and soda and coffee to celebrate our company in her home. These things have been priceless gifts that can't be store bought.  Though there are no Christmas jingles, no snow fakes falling, no sign of Christmas here in the air, I have a feeling that this culture embraces the real meaning of this season of giving and community more than we will ever understand. It comes without headache or complaint. It comes with complete honor and graditude. It comes with hope. At each of our sponsor's homes, I noticed one thing. Each family had barely anything in their home. But what they did have placed in plain sight, was their first sponsor letter with each of our childrens photos posted to the small mud hut or tin wall. Can you put a price or value to walking into a home a world away and seeing your child's photo on their wall? One mom said she looked alone, so I put my daughter's photo with her! Oh the love and grace that dwells in the hearts of the people here. Though Christmas is not seen here, and most will never see a package this year or have a tree. They have something that emerges from the dust of the Ethiopian streets, it emerges with in the hearts and souls of each of the people, living and breathing and leaning on each other. What I have seen here, this trip has truly been Christmas in a way I hope to always see it from now on. Christmas here is beauty emerging from the dust.

Compassion: A Day with Family

Today we set out early to meet Zadyn and Awan's Compassion International Children they have sponsored for about three years now. Each child is the same age as them. Atkilt our represenative from Compassion, came to help us through out the day. We set out towards the first project where Endokachew, Zadyn's sponsor child is. On our way we had decided to bring a gift for his and Tigest's family. We first stopped at a number of markets in search for sugar. Stop after stop, we found that finding a simple resource like sugar was very hard here in Addis. After about the 6th stop we finally found enough for both families. We decided to also purchase oil, but that was a no go. There, was only one oil found, and a lady at the market was waiting to purchase it. So we decided maybe grain would be better for the family. We purchased 50 kilos of teff, which will last each family 3-4 months. The sugar and grain was a mere $30 total for both familes. But for these familes the cost for them would be huge. From there we went to the first project where we met Endockachew. He was amazing. Zadyn you and him would have loved each other so much. I so wish you could have been here to experience this day with us. He was in Math, when we arrived. We got to see where he played and then we got to go to his home. His mother came to the playground. When she arrived, she shook my hand and with tears she muttered something in amharic. I asked for a translation, because most say "Salamano". He looked at me and said, " She say you are the World." Both Endokachew and his mother were quiet, and reserved. We took a small ride to a gated area where they led us into a dirt brick block building where one of the small flats was called home for their family of 5. Endokachew had just lost his yougest sister this past year to a large tumor in her neck that was considered not treatable. When we asked about her, his Mom began to cry. She had just recontly passed making Endokachew the youngest in the family. We entered his home, well greeted by one of his sisters eager to meet us. She was 10. And loved Awan dearly! The home was not much more than 10 sq feet. Enough room for 6 people to sit but not move. The walls were painted a bright samon pink but there were no windows, so the home was dark like it was night. But it had a sense of home to it. There we fell in love with Endokachew and his mother and sister. We brought him a soccer ball so Awan had fun playing with them outside and they all began laughing as if they had been friends forever. We then got to treat them, by taking them out for lunch. A rare occasion. His sister ran inside with a huge smile at the sound of the invitation. She came out with a tattered but yet still resembled a beautiful white embelished dress. She was beautiful. This was a special day, she was wearing her best. Her mother did the same. She put on her best Ethiopian wrap, and Enokadchew put on his new clothes we had brought him. We went out for Coca, and Injera. They were all smiles. It's hard to put into words the meeting with this family. When you think sponsorship you think faraway child you are supporting right? But now he is real to us, she is real to us, now they are family. As we had to say our good byes, I went to tell his mother good bye. She reached out her hand and I bye passed it, and went for a hug, she wouldn't let go. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But this hug was worth far more. Though she could not communicate a single word to me she spoke a million to me in this hug. She didn't have to say anything. I knew. Her love for our family was deep. And ours for hers. Deep as well.

Tears filled my eyes, I didn't want to say goodbye. And we watched them wave untill we couldn't see them anymore. We headed for the second project where we met sweet sweet little Tigest. Tigest means patients in amharic. So much of this adoption journey has required patients. Tigest is 8, just like Awan. She is in the 3rd grade just like Awan. Something amazing happens when two girls on the other side of the world meet and you instantly know they are sisters at heart. They were inseperable. Infact Tigest asked if Awan could spend the night! Oh, they would be best friends if they lived in the same city. We also go to visit her home and meet her mother. She lives with her mother and her grandmother. Her father works far away from Addis and he only comes home every 4 months to check on them. Then goes out to work again. Tigest and Awan drank orange soda and giggled on the sofa. Tigest, liked her doll, purse, hairclips, and Awan helped her color and work in her books. The girls were instant friends. We were all amazed at their instant bond and friendship. They will be friend for life. Tigest wrote Awan a note it said, " I love you sister."

Today was just that. A day of meeting family. Sponsorship is family, and now we have had a one on one incounter of meeting them. We have been blessed by each family. And can't wait to see them again! We love you Endokachew and Tigest. We will see you soon.

Dear Kayah,

Dear Kayah,

 (For those of you who don't know my dear little friend Kayah, let me introduce you to her: She just turned 6 on December 9th. She is a wonderful little girl, wide eyed and always has a bright smile. She is best friends with my three kids. This year for her birthday Kayah did something most American kids would never dream. She decided to forgo her birthday presents and requested every one who attended her birthday celebration to bring shoes. Shoes for kids in Ethiopia where our son Tadios is from. She wanted to help other children like her friend Tad.)

Kayah you have no idea the day you have blessed us with today. We took off early this morning and headed north of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to a town called Duber. It took over an hour to travel there by truck up the mountain. This village is outside the city and is in the rural country side. We were blessed to partner with Children's Hope Chest a ministry through Tom Davis. Fikre our assistant for the ministry road along with us to a compound called Trees of Glory. There they minister to 120+ children. 15 of which live at the compound with an amazing lady Simret. We arrived at a large open area in the mountains where we saw several large concreate buildings. Where they have been blessed to be able to minister to  rural children and give them food and educations. Most of the children have lost their parents to HIV and are living with guardians such as older grandparents or older siblings. They are the poorest of the poor. No electricity, no clean water. Nothing. They have nothing. Today was a very special day. Before we left the city we got to go to a local market to purchase fruit for the children. We bought 150 bananas, and bread. (moose and dabo). We spend under $30 for all. The children rarely get fruit so this was very very special. Also today was rice day. So the children where over joyed. We got to see the living quarters where the 15 orphans lived with Simret. She burst forth with love and energy for life like no one I have ever met. The children were singing when we arrived. There voices sounded like thousands. They have a sense of apprecation in each other, just being together, and knowing that this place provides them with a future. Fikre, told us just a few years ago these children had never seen people outside their village. Never white people like us. They were extremely shy and had no sense of a world we all know and understand. Their world consisted of their tin shack, their mud hut, or a blanket somewhere on the ground. Now they have education, books, food, and sponsors from the states that make all this possible. As they finished singing. The children began welcoming us. Mostly with graditude, or statments of well wishes for their sponsers in the states. One litte girl stood up and said, " Please Please, tell Meridith, Thank you. I hope to see her soon!" It kept going.... child after child kept asking us to tell thier sponsor back in the states, with their deepest graditude. These sponsors give them their food, education.Thier life. You think sponsorship isn't a big deal? Tell them. Tears formed so many times in my eyes out of humility. These children have forever changed my life.

We then got to feed them fruit and bread, and see them devor it and the rice. All greatful for what was given. They took Awan by the hand one after the other holding her hand and hugging her. She was ushered into their solo swing and they swung her so high she fell right out of it on the ground, they all ran helped her up and clapped! Awan red but so happy with them! Jeremy and Ewenetu took the kids rides on the merry go round till one girl took a twirl right off! They all were cheering for the fast speed the guys could make them go!  I was in the center of a group of children following me and my camera. Most of the children have never seen themselves. So they would croud around me as I took shots of each of them showing them their photos. They would all smile in pride, at their reflections. So different than at home.

This all sounds amazing and it was. The children mostly. But the best part came when we rolled a suitcase into a small room and opened up the shoes. Simret burst out with a huge smile and loud, "Praise GOD!!" I had your story Kayah translated to the helpers, and I showed Simret your cute litte photo. She said tell Kayah, God Bless her. God Bless her. Kayah, you are just  a child, but what you did today has changed me, an adult. Your small decision to forgo your birthday presents has issued over 20 children shoes. The children would smile, their feet were in very bad conditions. One girl, about your age came into the room. Everyone burst out in cheering. We all looked puzzeled. We looked down. This little girl she came into the room today barefoot. The translator told us, This today, is her very first pair of shoes. Kayah. I have reaped the blessing of your gift in a way I can never tell you. Your small act has effected so many today. Most of the children who recieved shoes today came into the room with shoes that were barely on their feet. They were tattered and torn and they left restored. Very much like what Christ does in our hearts. Today my heart traveled to this rural area tattered and torn, but because of your gift Kayah I have seen Christ restore my heart because of  many children. May God Bless you Kayah, as much as he has me today. This is a day in Ethiopia I will never ever forget.

Oh, She is a doll.....

Today has been my highlight! I think we all would agree. Samiah (Eftu) is a doll. She is perfect. She loves her sister. She likes to stare at her, and keeps her eyes on her wherever she goes. She is so small! Maybe I am used to kids 5 and up but she is like a newborn. And in many ways her motorskills are that of an infant. But she is bright eyed! And we even got to hear her giggle! She was perfect. I guess I said that already. The only problem we had was that we all three faught over who could hold and love on her next. She can't sit up on her own, and has a pretty hard time stablizing her head. More like an infant of 3 month old. But she is content. She is peaceful and a dream come true. It feels sureal, sitting here thinking that a week from today we could get the offical decree that she is ours. Her first court was Tuesday, and we found out today it was a possitive verdict! This is great news for our court date because we know she has all her paperwork. If there is anything missing is more on our end and there shouldn't be any issues since we just passed court with most of the same documents. So things are looking good. We are hopeful. We got to spend most of the morning with her. It surprised me she was so happy with us. She melted in my arms as if she had been waiting to be held by us as much as we have been waiting to hold her. She was so at ease she even fell fast asleep in my arms. All I could do was look at her. For me this is emotional. It has been a long time coming. I think I counted I have been through 9 pregnancies with friends and family members during my wait. I have one friend who has had 3 children during this process. Some had trouble conceiving, and then finally were blessed with a child. She is now almost 3. So today has been an overdue delivery! I could have sat there all day and just held her and watched her sleep! Awan is more than estatic. She was the star of the day! Samiah (Eftu) would giggle and almost imitate her say HI! HI! Did I say Samiah is perfect? Awan had fun with the kids at Acacia. Ranging from 10 and under. She started to show off her gymnastics and then got out done by a boy who could do a running no handed cartwheel in the air! She was floored. But loved hanging out with the girls and trying to speak what tinish( little ) Amharic she knows. They would laugh because they thought it was neat she knew so much. Jeremy has been complemented on his Amharic, he is almost bilingual. Just Kidding! For a white man he is!  I am just in a dream of seeing Samiah and Awan together. We have been dreaming of this day for so so long. Here is it is. And with see Samiah for the first time, I say the long wait was indeed worth it.

Awan enjoyed seeing Acacia. She has new understanding for Tadios. She has seen where he ate, and slept. She said Mom I never knew how much Tadios had to live through before he came to us. She has embraced the culture. And cried today because we told her she wasn't coming back with us on the second trip. She insisted. Progess! She is now out in the Nannies quarters, where she has spend most of her time. She is getting her braided like the other girls, she is fitting right in! The Nannies love her! They want her to take photos of them! She is becoming quite the photographer. I haven't taken many photos, so I am excited the photos will reflect her perspective of Ethiopia!

Today was amazing! Can't wait till Monday so we can hold our little princess again! She is conjo! (Beautiful!)

The Gorge.

Today we all woke up about 4am Ethiopian time. We were wide awake! Awan and I layed in bed and talked and Jeremy took the time to read. Awan was still feeling homesick so we decided to read a little. We had gotten her "Jesus Calling for Kids" before we left. We opened it to today, and long in behold, it was talking about Christ, and how he is never changing. He is constant. That what changes around us may make us upset, or anxious or even afraid. Our God, is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow. This was huge for her. And gave her peace. I think she needed reminded that even though nothing is familar God is still the same and she can trust him through this journey. It has been harder on her than I had expected, but her heart hurts for every child she sees, and every experience that is outside of her norm. Life in Ethiopia is nothing like home.

We took a 2 hour trip outside the city today, on bummpy roads, but the landscape is like nothing I have ever scene. It is breath taking. We went to an area called the gorge. It is a smaller version of our Grand Cannyon. Which I have never seen. So this was spectacular! The beauty was beyond words. I just kept saying, WOW! We also took a tour of an Ethiopian Orthadox Church.

We finished the tour and came to the side of the mountain where they pointed to the top, and said, there was a cave church up there. Of course Jeremy had to go! And I wasn't about to stay alone. So we hiked up the mountain. Keep in mind my lungs are not sufficent! LOL I have struggled with asthma and this was like signing up for a torture session. But Jeremy so lovingly insisted we climb! I told him I didn't know how I could hate him and love him all at the same time. LOL After about a 20 minute climb up a rather steep incline, on a pathway of large and small rocks, I am so proud to annouce. I didn't pass out! I made it. And Awan was super proud of me too! It was a lesson for me. I realized that this climb is not much different than what we have asked of Awan on this trip. She has been thrown into a new cluture, and nothing is familar, and she at times can't breathe. But there are glimpes of this wearing off. She looked at me on our way back from the gorge, and said, " Mom I think I will be a photographer, and travel to new countries." We are both taking baby steps and we will both overcome our weaknesses. Funny, enough. Sunday before leaving a friend, prayed a simular prayer on me. She reminded me that God would be sufficent in my weaknesses. A message from the Lord. Honestly I was puzzled by the meaning but now seeing how homesick Awan has been I understand that being a Mom to a daughter that is homesick is hard. We will overcome this together. I thought for a second. Maybe she shouldn't have come. But now I see that Awan must rely on her faith to pull her through this week. I will be hard for her. She doesn't have her Nana. But the great thing is that she can now learn to lean on the Savior who never changes even if our circumstances do. She will get that by next Thursday!

She just came running back in the guest house. Smiling ear to ear.... Mom I met a boy on the road and he wanted my light up sticks, and I gave them to him. He was so excited!!! She is understanding the moments and glimpes of the Kingdom of Heaven. Now that is a trip worth working through.

Tomorrow is a huge day. We get to meet Samiah for the first time. We are so excited and can't wait to hold her!   We love you all and appreciate the prayers.

Ethiopia Again!

I think it was somewhere about the 7 hour mark on the Ethiopian flight, Awan leaned over, with a slight tear and said, "I had no idea it was this far! Especially, when I told her we had at least 5 more hours to go. Keep in mind she had woke up at 3am to go to the Indy airport to make our flight to Dulles. She had been traveling 15hours. I think about this same time fear struck me. Why did I bring her! It's so far! Why do we make this crazy journey! Is it worth it? Flying that long you go through some emotions of regret! LOL But the moment of truth came for me, as we approched Addis, the sun rising and the mountains in the clouds, and I said to myself, "This is why!" We are home again, We are in Ethiopia Again.

Today has been filled with new emotions mostly from the perspective of Awan. She has been such a trooper! But whoever said kids don't have jet lag, well, she does! We all do. Worse this time than our other two trips! We managed to get through the airport seemlessly, our ride to the guesthouse, was late so we grabbed a taxi! Awan thought this was fasinating! No seat belts. She said " I forot to pack my airbag MOM!"  The things I love about Ethiopia all came flooding back so fast. The smells, the people, the beauty! It was good to be back.

For Awan the walk down Bole was overwhelming. I forget that I had 30 years of world experience from school, college and other sources to prepare me for this, she is seeing things here for the first time. It ate her up today. She came back to the guest house and cried. Home sick already, and completly exhausted! We all slept for about 6 hours, that is why this note is so late. But for Awan she has awoke with a new look on Addis! How ironic, Addis meaning new! She ate Chineese food tonight and loved it!! She said I wish Tucker was here he would be all over this!! Her outlook is looking better with a little sleep! We are not sure what the day holds tomorrow, but Thursday will be our first day with Samiah! We are here, we are happy and are ready to see what God has for us! But as Awan keeps reminding me, "Mom this is a BIG! Trip!" Miss you all already.

Ethiopia Bound

Today we head off to Indy for another great Ethiopia adventure. But this time is one that will redefine our memories of Ethiopia. This trip we are so honored to be taking Awan with us. We will be seeing Ethiopia this time through the eyes of a child, and we are so excited to have this perspective.

It seems like a dream that this trip in particular is coming true. 6 years ago Awan was only two  years old, she was sitting in her feety pjs on her bed praying her soft prayer, "Be with my sister in Africa." It was this prayer that set us on this amazing journey and that has given us so many incredible memories already! Memories of a country we never knew and now a little boy who has forever changed our life. Now we will be taking off together to finish what this prayer first started, to meet this sister! We are so excited and words will be so hard to explain our emotions because the wait has been so long! But we are finally here! We are Ethiopia Bound.

We will be updating this site as we travel and hope to share with you our experience of our trip. We love Ethiopia so much and hope we can paint a portion of the beautiful experiences we are so blessed to be apart of while we are there.

We take off early at 5 am in the morning so we are leaving for Indy this evening!  We will return Christmas Eve, God willing! LOL Praying we make it home in time for Tad's first Christmas in the USA!

Thanks for joining us as we travel this journey!

Holiday or Christmas. The big debate.

As we prepare for this special time of year I can't help but notice the huge debate about the correct terminology that is required now when wishing someone a Happy Holiday. Oh, geesh. I screwed up. I mean Merry Christmas.

Just the other day, I was surprised by something. My daughter has two friends that come over to our house quite regularly. Sometimes I think they are additional daughters here, and I'd be okay with that! They are precious! Awan had one of the girls upstairs and I had put out a fisher price Manger scene for Tad to enjoy because the Christmas story for him is somewhat a new concept for him this being his first Christmas here.  Awan asked her friend who is also 8, hey do you know what this is? She looked at Awan quite clueless. Awan began to share the Christmas story with her, well with her childlike twist! She told her about Jesus and Mary and Joseph being his step parents, ( I liked that part!) Most kids these days can relate to that, and then she shared about the shepherds and the here is the part I love!! Oh yeah, she said I love these guys, here are the three amigos! And continued to tell her story. I grinning from ear to ear with her translation of her story. Loving every minute of it. Her friend sincerely asked why a barn? That seems silly.  Awan surprised even me with her response. She said. Oh, my God isn't one that has to have much, he knows he already has everything. Wow. Such profound truth from someone so little. And from someone who thinks God was visited by the three amigos.

So I have seen so many posts on facebook, and angry ones at that. It is OUR SEASON. Call it CHRISTmas.  This fight or demand we put on ourselves that we think we have to keep this time of year Holy or Pure. Well, she reminded me. It is Holy, It is Pure. It was a Holy holiday when God choose a Manger not a Palace. God's stature tells us that he is and will always be God. We all know that. He has his name written on everything. On the living trees we cut down, that smell like fresh pine. On the fresh white snow falling from the sky, from the sound of a baby crying, from the sound of hearing jingle bells being sung because he has given them the ability to sing. He never asks for the credit or fame. That is not who he is. He represents love. Sacrifice. Hope. Joy. And the gift of grace to a person standing at the counter wishing you a Happy Holidays. We can honor him much more not by demanding a certain phrasing this year, but by remembering who he is. Humble.  The word Holiday means this:

a day fixed by law or custom on which ordinary business is suspended in commemoration of some event or in honor of some person. Is this not true? Is Christmas not a day in which we set it aside to celebrate  or commemorate and honor CHRIST?  

My challenge is, lets refocus ourselves off of how we wish someone happiness, lets just wish them love no matter how they wish to gift it to you this season. I have a beautiful Holiday Tree up, and I know what it stands for. It represents the grace, that came with a baby, who humbled himself to something that would not intimidate us.  We can hold, a baby, love a baby, and are not threatened by a baby. He offered us a Savior we can hold. Not one we have to fear. He was born in a barn. If he was offended by words or actions, I think this would have been first on his list before the way we greet people. Um. people a barn, really?  Not I am not okay with the word Holiday because I deserve Christ in Christmas. Or maybe he would be more offended by the excess of money we waste on the more fortunate vs the needy this time of year instead of how we use our terminology? Lets offer the people who really don't understand this story a feeling of love vs a feeling of humiliation for calling it the wrong thing. We don't have to defend God. He is God. We can  defend his people. They are the ones needing his love.

1 Year Ago & A New Court Date Ahead!

 We received Tad's referral in August of last year, and to be honest his first photo that came up on his referral document was not a sight of the little boy that I wake up to everyday and I know today. In fact the first photo I saw of Tad almost made my heart sink in fear. He looked sad, empty, alone, and lost. He looked unhealthy and in some ways I was unsure he could find restoration back to a happy healthy laughing child! 1 year ago this week we took the scariest trip of our life. We, Jeremy and I, had neither one been out of the country ever! Canada does not count. LOL.  I guess it does but not really. We stepped onto a plane that took us 17 hours across the world not only to experience a culture far from ours but to meet a 4 year old boy that was to about to become our own.

It's funny how the morning of our court one year ago this week most would think it would be flooded with excitement and giddy thoughts! But for me it was terror! I was so afraid to meet this boy! I was afraid he would reject me! And how really are you to communicate with a child who speaks another language than you? I wore a yellow sweater. It buttoned up the front. Tad and I didn't connect the first day.  I felt sort of defeated but knew God had brought him in our life! He was small, fragile. Jeremy would throw him in the air just to put him down, because he was to frail to be playing with like that. He had on size 18mo pants that hit him in the knees.. but fit his waist. I was terrified that day our first day with him. I didn't know how to be his Mom. There are days even now I feel lost with that! But what I love is a few days ago I was doing laundry and Tad came running in with my yellow sweater. He held it up to me and said, " Mom do you know what this is?" I said, "It is my sweater." He said, " It is the day you came to be my Mom, it was the first day I meet you and Dad!." What in my mind had been a day of a horrible connection and terrible fear, to him he remembers one thing. His mom. And she had a yellow sweater.



This week is a family celebration. We met him him for first time and he legally became our Tadios, our son!

But to add to this amazing week of celebration we get to also celebrate a our new court date! We will be leaving in a month, to walk a familiar path, this time to meet our 6 month old daughter Samiah and appear at court for her on December 23rd!

Pray for our boys, they will be here, and we will possibly miss Tad's first Christmas, but we have to do some creative thinking on how to celebrate it before we go.  But Christmas is a time to celebrate life & family. And what better gift to give, than to give a little girl a family! We celebrate family this week! And restoration. As you can see Tad has become a new creation, God has given him new life with us. And his photos speak it all. We hope the same for Samiah!

When not so heavy things become burdens.

Here at our new home fall has been quite the adventure with leaves! At our old home we had no trees! So here it is like a leaf wonderland. Leaves, leaves and more leaves. It's quite beautiful really. But there are literally tons of them!

This week our church started a new series. One on healing. Healing from relationships, addictions, any kind of hurt or pain that life has thrown our way. As I was raking this morning I realized something significant to me. That hurt and pain sometimes doesn't come to us in one major traumatic instance. Sometimes it does. But sometimes it can be us experiencing something that seems weightless or even something we feel isn't worth dealing with. It floats down into our life and we do nothing. We feel like it has no weight or huge significance. But when  it comes time to cleaning it up or making room for real healing we have this major mess to clean up. Then these things that were once weightless, aren't so light anymore.

I heard Tad yelling with his rake in hand. DADDY!!!!! With groans and grunts. I came to see what the problem was. He said with a disgusted look, "This is HARD!" He was moving around piles of these weightless leaves. Then it hit me.  I reached down and took Jeremy a leaf. I handed it to him. And asked, "Is this heavy?" He replied, "NO. Why?" Looking at me like I had lost my mind this morning!  I smiled, and said, "Yes it is."  And grabbed him by his hand and led him to a little boy who was trying to move thousands of them by himself.

I have realized this is my journey. Nothing majorly traumatic has made my heart feel wounded, and broken in one instance, but the realness is that these weightless things that I let enter in and take up space in me I allow them to build up into piles and soon, I too am crying out for my Daddy to come help remove them, it's too heavy. I can't possibly remove it all on my own. Who knew a leaf was so heavy?

In my life I have allowed things that seem weightless or harmless take up space. Today I have seen their true weight and how healing must take place. They must be removed. And to do this now, it will be hard.  Now the challenge begins today to clean it up.... and to stop the ones floating now before they land on my heart in heavy piles. And if I find do find piles, which I know there are, it's really not to late. Because my Daddy has a rake too. And he will rake with me if I ask.

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Matthew 11:30 MSG

 ^28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

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When the wrong things become offensive.

Wednesday evening Jeremy told me he had special plans for us! I was excited, there are few times since the family expanding that we have had a date that involved special plans vs running errands or checking things off the to do list while we were kidless! To my surprise he had gotten us tickets to see David Crowder Band in concert! How fabulous!

While we were there we were introduced to an organization that is connected with the work Bono is doing called "One" Organization.  My heart has been feeling stretched in so many ways with a huge perplexing issue. Since our trip to Ethiopia, and being part of seeing the extreme poverty there but also seeing the effects of that poverty still in the eyes of my little boy every day I have felt anguish over what to do! In the meantime I have been reading, "Kisses from Katie" a story of a twenty something girl that has given up everything for others.  I was intrigued by the ONE organization, they just needed my name and email and zip code to petition for aid for famine and relief for the hungry and hurting in Africa. So today I logged on to facebook and decided to give them a look up! I was sorta floored. Floored shocked, and then after my shock settled I was amazed with myself and the lesson I had learned. I'd like to share it with you!

If you go to the ONE organization facebook page  you will see a video that pops up. Them being at the David Crowder Concert, I assumed to find a emotional, compassionate, video to promote me to sign up for their cause. To my surprise I was caught off guard. The video started with a several people saying F***, over and over again, and my eyes were wide and confused and thinking David Crowder what are you thinking! LOL Then After several people ended their words, with beeping, they began saying one word... FAMINE, FAMINE, FAMINE, FAMINE....... as they started talking I was posed with a question of my own. Why was this word F***. So Offensive to me? The emotions it provoked made my heart race, it made me want to do something to stop it from happening, it made me want to act and to tell them to stop. Then the thought occurred. What has become offensive to me, in one word has created more emotion to me than something that followed it. FAMINE. Something so much worse. Something that is man made, something that takes life, something that can be stopped, something we can be offended by, yet so often we choose to be offended by the wrong thing. We fight to stop things that hurt nothing, but choose to ignore the things that flood countries and wipe out thousands. If we took the harshness we feel about these little things with the same intensity to the realness of what we can do something about, what could we do? Could we start changing our sights on the minimal words that might not be so offensive after all in comparison to the word that follows. I agree with the ONE campaign, FAMINE is a much more offensive word.


Click Here to See ONE video.

Brotherly Love.

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Romans 12:9-10

I was thinking back about 8 months ago when Tadios stepped into our home speaking no English. And for Zadyn meeting his new brother for the first time was quite terrifying. If you think about it, they had no way to communicate. But on specific day they both were forced into brother-hood.

I think about what these photos say about these boys today. And tears stream down my face at the hurdles they have overcome. Two boys not related by blood, culture, having no similarities except one, they are practically the same age. Which could have for them spelled disaster in every form.  When I see these photos I guess what is so intoxicating about them is the pure genuine love they have for each other. That what started out terrifying for them both, has been a journey like no other, they have found their best friends, they have become brothers. They have over come sharing a room together, being the youngest together, they have learned how to teach each other who they are without a language. A knot starts to form in my throat just thinking about the love that has developed between these brothers. Something so fantastic, so complex but yet so simple. I admire the love they have for each other, it is remarkable that 8 months later they see not the differences in each other as a division to a friendship but an opening to new kind of love. That of a brother. 

Transition: A Baby on the way!

Today I was driving with Tadios and he noticed a tree that had already turned for fall. He shouted, “Mom, look that tree it’s a rainbow!” Then it came to me that for Tad this is not normal, trees stay green all year they don’t turn colors, he has never experience this new season called Fall! 

There have been many new seasons in our life lately! More than most families could handle I would say! LOL Tad has been apart of our family now 7 months and we all would agree we don’t remember life without him. It’s as if he has always been here. We moved about a month ago downtown and absolutely love our new community and home. It has been a transition but a wonderful one! Zadyn started Kindergarten, and Tad started preschool. I thought I wasn’t going to be super emotional but when my shy Ethiopian boy walked into his preschool room, and greeted everyone with a huge smile and said, “ HI! I am Tad, what is your name?” And ran to give his teacher a hug, I burst into tears! My little boy had transitioned beautifully.  So many changes some fast some slow. Just like the leaves we forget to see the gradual transition of things in our life. Sometimes they just happen because we forget to see things with eyes like Tad new ones. We miss out on the excitement of the slow transition of the colors changing and merging us into this new season called Fall! 

This week we received an answer to prayer that has been 6 years in the making. One that has taken many years to see change and now we are finally seeing the colors of this coming into our lives! We as a family yet again enter on another journey to Ethiopia together! This time to finally meet this little sister that Awan since she was 2 years old has been praying for. I remember her so small praying her sweet words, “ Be with my sister.” Awan. You don’t have a sister. “Yes, my sister in Africa.” She prayed these words for 4 more years until we as a family made the decision to adopt two children from Africa. Tad just happen to come to us first! But Tuesday this prayer was answered. We got to see for the first time Awan’s sister in Africa. She is a beautiful wide-eyed 4 month old little girl. Words can say how excited we are! We have decided to call her Samiah. I love one of the photos her eyes are as wide as they can be she is in complete awe of the camera flash! lol We bursted out laughing at her the poor thing, being humiliated at age 4 months!  Zadyn thinks it's her response to having him as a brother! We laughed and laughed! 

We now wait! We don’t expect a court date till after the first of the year but we don’t know for sure. We will travel to Ethiopia the first trip to meet her and go to court, and visit we hope her area and Tad’s area out of the city which we have yet to do.  Once we have approval at court and she is legally ours. I can't post photos until then. So no photos! Sorry! Then we wait for an Embassy Appointment, that could be 4 months or as we have known others who have waited much longer. So I guess all in all she will get here when she is good and ready! LOL We in the mean time will continue to poor out love for our other three kids and anticipate the changes that will redefine us as a family tree once again! 

Moving On. Finally.

It was three and a half years ago that one Sunday Jeremy and I took a drive down some downtown streets and it ended us up on 5th street. We noticed a man and a boy about 7 moving furniture out by themselves. We couldn't help but pull over and see if they needed some help. Jeremy jumped out to see what he could do. I noticed that Jeremy wasn't picking up anything. About 30 min later not moving anything for this man he got back in the car. I was confused. Why didn't you help him? Jeremy said, quietly... I think I did. I listened.

Come to find out, he had been paying payments to a lady for his home and well, she didn't. She lost the home and took his money.

 To be honest with you, growing up most of my life on the farm and in our newer housing addition, I was embarrassed that I had first of all never been down half the streets in my own town, but also had ignored the heart ache that was happening just miles in my own town. You see Jeremy I we were on the only path we knew. The American Dream. We had a home in a great housing addition,  were working hard for us. This moment was redefining for me. I remember sitting in the car thinking. Oh no, what if God calls me to move downtown?

What happened next was an extreme passion to help people like this man. To listen, bring them hope and help bring a renewed spirit to the hopeless. We began building relationships downtown, little by little, and soon enough we even found ourselves switching to a Church downtown. Our whole lives in a short time had been not so focused on the dream we had once thought was the only option for us, but found that bringing hope was a better dream for us.

Three years ago we decided to sell our house. We placed the sign in the yard, and to my immature faith I assumed that overnight the offers would roll in and our new dream to move downtown would be just minutes away. Isn't that always the stories you hear? I was called and before we could put that sign in the yard we had an offer! Year one, year two, and this spring.. year three past. No offers. Not even one.

The battle raged inside me. Why at first did I not want to move there and now it is my hearts desire? We had placed our whole calling on one thing. Our house selling. Just when I would give up someone would call to see the house. Jeremy and I still felt like God was asking us to move. And we wanted to be listen. But how if this house would not sell?


I started reading a book that challenged logical decision vs emotional decision according to what God asks you to do. Point in case. David and Goliath. Not logical, emotional.  I began to see that maybe God wanted us to just move. Today in the economy logical advice would be NEVER do two mortgages. There was a voice in our hearts that said we should. We should GO.

We took a step of faith and made an offer on a beautiful home, on yes, you guessed it. Beloved 5th street. A street I have had the opportunity to pray daily for, over the past 3 years. It has become my hearts desire, and this home is more than anything I could have ever imagined for Jeremy and I to raise our family in. I am amazed at this journey. It has been so painful at times. Wondering if God had been mistaken, was that call for us? Where we to move there?

The day after we received an accepted offer on our new home. We leased our current home for 3 years. It's almost comical to me how one step of faith leads to an open window. The whole time  I was looking for this wide open door of our house selling. It never happened.  But what did happen was greater. I have learned that it takes a mixture of dependence on God and a confidence in his calling big enough just go where he asks even if it requires waiting. I am so glad we did.

We will finally be closing on our new house this Friday. And this long journey of moving downtown will be behind us. But a new journey begins. Our life on 5th street is about to open up new doors, and new windows and we are so excited to see where they will lead us!

Where Does Grace Fall

I have read many heart felt posts about the verdict for Casey Anthony.  I think as Mom's we want justice especially when children are involved. But I tend to think that as we poke aim at this woman for something really we are speculating or guessing or we think we have a gut feeling about.  So often our sense of justice means taking life for life. Eye for eye, tooth for tooth? Don't we always forget to read on.... it gives us more hints to help heal our hurt for our injustice we feel.  For some reason inside us we think that our hearts will mend if someone else pays for an injustice that happened to someone else. The reality is. It does nothing. We only lose another life. I know this is controversial and my opinion will not be accepted by very many, but I do tend to feel that in our need to seek justice we forget why we wanted it in the first place.

We degrade the people who took time out of their lives to sit on the jury stand away from their families who sit and listened to this day in and day out and say they made a wrong choice. We say they had the easy job of terminating another life. Hum. Not so sure I would have been able to with stand being away from my kids, listening to that information, dealing with what they have to deal with for now and forever and now the rest of America criticizing their time, while we sit back and say we have more information and better discernment then them? 

I think we forget that people good or bad all deserve life. If we choose that we are pro life people we  should stand by that for people of all ages. The unborn and mothers that make mistake.  I we believe in Christ's resurrection power then we believe that life for her is the winning solution here, she has a second chance here to relive a legacy for her little girl, to change her choices and to find the Grace she so deserves. The Grace we get every morning. The grace we get when we have "murdered" someones character without knowing the full truth to the story or what really happened.  If this sweet girl's life was taken by her mother well, we know what kind of hell she is living in every day, with the loss of missing her laugh, her dancing feet, seeing her smile, don't we forget that in the systems of life in general there is a "justice" of our own torture that we face. I think that is true for this mom. My fear is that we as the American public have offered her no life beyond this, given her no hope that she can be more than a murderer, and given her no chance at grace. I will be the first to say, I am praying for restoration. I am not praying for justice. I am praying for grace. For someone to offer open arms of love, forgiveness, and support to family that is living in a world that hates them.  I guess I hope that grace falls before justice this time.

Beauty instead of Ashes. ( Through the eyes of Tadios)

"to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor." Isaiah 61:3 

I have been on a life long journey unsure of my own beauty. Not that I thought I was repulsive or anything, but I guess for me my self confidence and freedom to be me has been a life long struggle. It has been a pursuit or rather battle field of the mind. I battle with what people think of me a lot! Wondering if they like me or what they really are thinking of me and how I am "put together".  I think as  girls we probably all would admit some kind of insecurity. But for me I guess mine has gone deeper to my spiritual life. I have begun to see myself as only ashes. Ashes of sin. Day after day looking in the mirror I would see the reflection of a burnt pile of ashes. I would be reminded of my sinful nature and the humble stature that I must repent and admit my sin to God in fear of judgement. Maybe it is the message that is so often thrown our way. Repent, be saved. YA DA YADA...

Sounds pretty grey. I began to wonder why is this called the "Good News"? It doesn't feel so good. I felt so dead, and if this life was to feel abundant why did I feel so bad? 

I think so often in our society we begin to focus so much on  sin and judgement. We would rather debate who is right and who is wrong, That we end up forgetting the real Gospel. God is on our side. (Period.) If you are poor. God is on your side. If you are sick. He is on your side. If you are confused. He is on your side. If you are alone. He is on your side. If you are depressed. He is on your side. If you are insecure. He is on your side. If you are angry with him. He is on your side. If you are addicted to something. He is on your side.  The reality of the good news is that God is on our side. He is for US. Why do we miss that? Why do we only hear the doom and gloom? Why is the message so grey? Why do we only hear sin and judgement and hell?

The good news is about trading our ashes for a crown of beauty. It is about God restoring us not him demolishing us. Why do we forget that this story is about restoration.

The reality of my life in Christ has become so real in the last week and half. The good news has been a reality lived out in a 4 year old boy who has been given a second chance at living again. 

I can't tell you how enslaved I have been. How I have been reluctant to move my arms in the air in case I look silly, afraid of what would others might think! My insecurities had overtaken me. Not sure who has been given the good news. Tad or us. I think we are experiencing as a family what Christ said in John 10:10 

" I came so that they may have life more abundantly." 

Life is different. We are living life through the eyes of a child who is living life as if he is apart of the kingdom of heaven. He is wide eyed. Everything for him is a miracle here. Life here is a blessing just to wake up and know that his shoes are there waiting on him every morning when he awakes. 

It's time stopping. Just to run outside to experience snow falling and really feeling it hit your face and feeling the cold as if you have never felt what cold feels like. And laughing, with joy, with each flake as it hits your nose because you can.  He is teaching us how to really live. How silly we were to think we were going to teach him.

For me the good news is in watching him eat his first bite of ice cream, and grinning with excitement and confusion of brain freeze. You see two weeks ago Tadios was in Addis Ababa, alone. Yes he had us waiting for him but he was still 7,000 miles from us waiting, shy and not talking or interacting very much. One year ago in his three year old little life his mother, out of desperation, had to say good bye to him. Had to kiss his forehead and squeeze him one last time. I can't comprehend the heart ache for her and the devastation for Tadios. He was not only poor, alone, and lost, but he was an orphan. He was ashes.

They say that when he came to the orphanage his hair was yellow because of starvation. I don't share these details of his background lightly. They are personal. But I want you to understand where he was in his little life. At the bottom. I am sure some of us have felt like God has given up on us. Or maybe like me I am insecure at times and unsure he has enough love for me. But the essence of the good news is in the adoption story of Tadios. 

We are all adopted. Tadios has a choice to accept us. He can reject me as a mom or accept me. He can deny my love and my gifts or accept them it's up to him. There are times he hates me when I am holding him body locked in bed and he is kicking and screaming and rivers of tears are flooding his bed because he does not trust I know what is best for him, I get that. That is the same with God though, I think he gets that too. He understands our immaturity. But loves us all the same. 

The good news is that God is ready to wake up to do life with you. Like we are with life with Tad. God is ready to experience it with you. Tonight we did a bubble bath in my garden tub! Hilarious! We filled it to the top and warned him it would be loud! Started the jets, and he went wild! He started slapping the water or wahoo, as if it were attacking him personally, screaming like a wild man, until he realized it was making the bubbles in tub grow, then with more joy then I have ever seen in my life, he began to laugh and yell, bubbles!!!! bubbles!!! I started crying over his joy. I have never seen joy like this before. This is the good news. 

Once he got out of the tub I noticed he had a cut and was bleeding I kissed his knee grabbed a box of bandaids and grabbed a blue one and fixed it up for him. With pride he ran to Daddy and showed him his knee. I told Jeremy. That bandaid, is more than a bandaid to him you know.  He smiled and said, yes, " It's means he has a Mom." 

Tadios finds joy in the tinish "little" things. He started this morning playing with a yellow balloon he got from Tree of Life with his favorite animal a lion on it, and as of 7pm this evening it was still in his hands. He cherishes everything. 

He spent one evening with a small paper airplane and Uncle Layne flying them off our balcony over and over again, excited for another new adventure with life with his family. 

Daddy to Tad is his favorite thing. He is always making sure he is in sight or nearby watching. He runs up his bunk bed ladder and down just to have Jeremy catch him and to do it all over again, and repeat for hours. He is happy. He is joyful. 

My favorite thing about Tadios is that he breaks into dancing. When he gets really excited he stops everything and does a 20 second tribal dance. He has begun to break the chains that have been so tightly bound around my arms and legs. I notice that I start to dance with him. He doesn't laugh and say you are to silly Mama. Or someone might think you are stupid. He says, "GOBEZ!!" MAMA" GOBEZ! and shows me a new move to try. Each day he is breaking the chains of my insecurities and showing me a life of freedom in Christ. One not bound by what others think but one dancing in joy in front of his Savior. Why? Good. News. 

Tadios, is no longer living a life of ashes. He is not starving. He is no longer on a pathway to death, he is no longer alone, he is not poor, he is not an orphan anymore. Tadios has traded his ashes for a crown of beauty and is now a Child of God. Adopted and accepted to the kingdom of heaven. We too,can live and breath and participate in  his kingdom everyday if we just decide to experience it with God.  Heaven is not just when we die, heaven is now. Tadios, understands this. He is living there.

Because of Tadios I am ready to trade my ashes for a crown of beauty. I am no longer going to act as if I am an abandoned rejected orphan not good enough for anyone, questioning myself and being insecure. I am going to step boldly with my son, leading me, dancing, experiencing what my Father has to give me. He has adopted me just the same. And the same joy that Tadios is experiencing is the same joy we can experience as we follow Christ. How exciting! 

What new things will we all do and be apart of tomorrow! I can't wait! Life = joy.  God has traded Tadios's morning for joy. This little shy boy we picked up a week and half ago is now a new creation, he is a beautiful in every way. And teaching me more about who God is, his loving restoration, acceptance and love for us all.   

Christmas Day, Again.

We have been experiencing Christmas again here. Yesterday was Christmas at the Rees house. We all woke up before Tad. Jeremy went in and slept on Zadyn's  bunk till Tad woke up so he wasn't lost since he fell asleep in the car on the way home from the airport. We decided not to wake him and just let him sleep.

But he slept great! And he woke up about 9:30 as if he had been asking for over a year for one thing... a family. He came sliding out ready to explore his new house! He was most excited about the wosha's our dogs. His favorite is "Buna". He can carry Buna. But hasn't gotten the concept that the wosha has a name.The first thing he asks for before he even gets out of bed is his shoes. He has to have shoes on no matter what! And is so excited about clothes. He didn't get to take anything with him. He brought a pillowcase with him and that is it. So he is thrilled that he gets to pick what shoes or clothes he gets to wear! Zadyn decided to go out and bring in a cup of sleet to show him and Tad kept saying co cazza!!! Which is COLD!! Tad is adjusting so well. Each moment for Tad is as if he is unwrapping a new package. He likes getting water out of our refrigerator, he likes light switches, and is excited that water comes out of facets. He likes feeding his food to the wosha's the dogs. LOL  I got him a tooth brush which he had never had. He had only used his finger. It scared Zadyn because Tad's teeth are so sensitive he started brushing and his teeth started bleeding, and Zadyn freaked out. But he's a good big brother and was there to help Tad! Awe! But Tad's tooth brush is a Thomas the train and it plays a song, it has been going since I brought it home. Tad has the song memorized now. He keeps singing it. How cute! We gave Buna a bath and then he decided he needed one too! And loves baths! He likes to be head first blowing bubbles.

I am amazed with his transition. He is so happy. He loves us so much and us him. Zadyn has had some issues losing his spot as the baby of the family, but we are hanging out today. Lexie came today to take Awan to a movie so she was thrilled! And Tadios is watching his first movie Veggie Tales and is laughing and giggling! My aunt and uncle and cousin and Mam-maw came yesterday and Tad was so great with them. He colored a beautiful picture, better than I could do! He can count 1-10 in English and Amharic and knows most of his colors.  He acts older at times than 4 but he has times he acts younger too.

He is silly! He runs outside when he has the chance! Around the bushes and has no regard for the road. We run after him and chase him down! LOL.

Tad has brought us back to the simple things. He is showing us joy in the simple things of cleaning up dishes and the joy he finds in doing it for his Family. He is loving it! It's his excitement in things he's never seen, like ceiling fans, slides and certain food. Yesterday and today has been Christmas again through the eyes of Tadios and the joy of a little boy who has wanted only one thing. His family.

Recap of an Amazing Trip!

So much has happen over the last 5 days I can't begin to capture it all in words for you but I will try! Before we started our journey to Ethiopia, my emotions were going crazy. The US Embassy had just changed things. Before they would assign a date for you and then you would travel accordingly. The Embassy in Ethiopia was only doing adoption work on Tuesdays every other week. We received a call from our agency that we were approved for travel to the country but they Embassy wanted us to give them three dates so we did but they only work half days on Fridays so we didn't get a return call confirming a date. So Friday morning Jeremy talked to our agency director and decided it might be in our best interest to just get to Ethiopia in case the Embassy decides and picks Wednesday for our date. So we called our travel agent and booked 4 tickets for Jeremy and my parents for Monday morning!

In the meantime, Zadyn had just been diagnosed with pneumonia, and a double ear infection. We took Awan to the ER on Sunday morning, for a 104 temp and I felt like a horrible Mom for leaving them both! But they both insisted that they wanted Tad to come home and wanted me to go! How awesome are they! I too was sick. I had a sinus infection, and ear infection, and my doctor told me if I wasn't going to get my son there was no way she would let me travel. But she understood that I had waited this long for my son and she wasn't going to be the one to tell me not to go! So I decided to buck up and suffer through it and go. But there was a part of me that was in denial. All the way even to the airport I felt as if I was just pretending. I didn't have confidence that this trip was going to be successful. I was for sure something was going to fall through. I was trying to prepare myself for a malfunction of the adoption process I guess. I was for sure the Embassy was going to postpone our appointment once we got there or something was just going to fall through. So I had some large emotions that I packed along with me even before we got started.

My parents made the trip with us, which I am so thankful for. I can't even imagine making that trip without the extra hands and emotional support. It was amazing for them to get to see Ethiopia and experience Tad's culture. As I mentioned before our first experience in Addis was the yellow taxi's with our luggage packed to the sky, as they pushed my parents in and off they went! So funny! But we all made it to our guest house just fine. We stayed at a different Guest house, it was a new experience the area around the guest house was very poor. Where the guest house we stayed in November was in a more business area. The kids would wave at us every morning from our balcony and it was fun seeing them drive the cattle down the street to the local butcher market that was near by. The dogs in the city run wild or they are there to protect the family territory but at night they bark and bark, especially when the hyenas make it into the city then it sounds like a dog amusement park! My dad was ready to stuff them by the end of the trip for the lack of sleep they caused!

The trip to Addis, takes a 12 hour plane ride there from Washington DC. There an 8 hour time difference and once we arrived we had no idea what our week or week and a half was going to look like. That made me a nervous wreck.  I like to have the plan! We left Monday morning at 6 am and arrived to Addis at 7am their time Tuesday morning. We spent the first day showing my parents around the city. They were surprised by how much poverty there really is there as well as how modern some parts of the city is as well.  We finally found out that we would be able to go get Tad on Wednesday and my emotions started to take a change to more excited instead of skeptic. And sure enough we woke up Wednesday and early that morning we headed first to the CWAE offices to finish our paper work so it would be ready for Embassy. Once we got to the offices they told us our Embassy date was that day! That we would go see Tad, and they go straight to Embassy! We were so excited we wouldn't have to wait till the following week! But once we got to the transition home where Tad was the Embassy had postponed our appointment till the following afternoon. Which turned out to be a huge blessing. We got to spend most the morning and afternoon at the transition home with Tad. He came in to see us again and walked straight for Jeremy! He was shy, but happy! We got him his own pair of sunglasses to match Jeremy's and he was so excited and wore them all day! CWA asked us to sign the release form for Tadios and it brought tears to me. I guess I had so many walls up I didn't think we'd get to this point. I was expecting it to fall through. But here we were, getting ready to take our Tad. The nanny got scissors and cut off Tad's name band and Tad giggled with excitement, he was going home, he now had a forever family. 

Tad had almost nothing of his own. Other than the stuff we had sent after court the only thing he had to take with him was his name band from the transition home, and his pillow case he slept on. We brought him close and undies and changed him so they could keep the cloths to use for other kids. He was so excited to have his own clothes. And his shoes, let me tell you. The first thing he asks for every morning is his shoes, they are on before his feet hit the floor! He had only one little friend that he wanted to say bye to, who will be moving to Wisconsin soon! We can't wait to let them get together once Levi comes home to his forever family! Once he said his good byes, we headed for the guest house. Tad has always been shy and quiet with us. The first trip he said maybe three words. And all so quiet we had to guess what he was saying. So we assumed his transition with us would be very slow and hard. We expected tears and emotions of him being scared and unsure. But it was more a story of Christmas morning. A little boy who had been waiting for a family for a year day after day and well today was his day. He was finally...happy! 

Our first night with him felt like a dream. We asked him where he wanted to sleep and he chose to sleep in between us and he slept so good! He cuddled with us and the next morning we tickled and poked him to wake him up! The next morning, he played soccer with Jeremy for hours! He kicked the ball, bounced it, threw it.  He ran and sometime mid morning, he began singing, and dancing! He would stop playing soccer to dance and sing a Walyatta dance he must have been taught from his life in Sodo before his days as an orphan. We assume he had decided it was okay to sing and dance again, he was home again. Jeremy finally got it on video for me and my parents to see, because he was still being shy with us. But later that day once he saw himself on video he decided it was okay for him to be Tad with us too!

We took the trip to the US Embassy. It was a little intimidating showing our passports going through security just to get to the first gate. But we made it to what I would say looked like an extra large BMV area. We took a number and waited for over an hour. Tad sat on my lap for a while and then my Mom's and for over an hour remained well behaved and quiet. And finally we heard our name called. I didn't expect the emotions to follow. Our adoption was complete. And amazing enough they would have his passport and visa ready the next day! Here we were thinking we might have to say another week, and we could go home in a day or two! WOW how God Works.

Communication there is impossible! The internet was dial up but worse. And most days it never connected. Using phones are impossible unless you can find a phone that is unlocked for international use. We finally got it figured out but got our tickets moved for Friday night so we could get Tad home and adjusted to life with the Rees family!

My favorite moment with Tad in Ethiopia was Thursday night, Bath time! I was nervous about how he would act! We are new to him how awkward for him! But we managed to get about 2 inches of water in the bath, they had some water problems there, and threw some toys in and I have never seen a boy take his clothes off so fast and get in! He loved it! He had water everywhere! He was splashing and kicking and even had his little face under the water blowing bubbles. And giggling and snorting water out his nose! Then he shivered and shivered getting him out of the tub and got him in his new pjs and hung out on the bed talking and giggling together. He started mumbling something to Jeremy. As we listened closer I started to cry, he was saying.. I love you. In a short 48 he had fallen in love with his daddy. ( I can't blame him.)

The flight home was hard. I'd lie if I said the trip was bliss. The trip was way more emotional than I ever expected. I was overwhelmed just as any parent would be with a new child. But I had this overwhelmed feeling over me that was hard to shake! I can't explain it but it was hard. As we got on the plane our seats were not all together, Jeremy had to beg some people to switch which is hard to do on a 17 hour flight home. But we got it done. I started the flight out in tears though. Not sure why. I guess a brief bit of loss for what we had at home that would never be the same again. Don't take me wrong. I love Tad! I am so excited about him in our life and the new family we are, but there is a loss you feel for the family of 4 you once were, there is fear, that your kids will hate you for it all! But I also know it was Satan trying to pull me down.

Tad was so excited about everything with the plane. He was wide eyed! He was most fascinated with the TV screens on the seat backs and wanted to play on off with them. We let him for a while but once he started pushing buttons and getting rated R movies popping up we decided we better turn them off. Well then our battles started. He is 4 like any other kid. He wanted to the TV ON! So we played battle of the wills for about 2 hours. Keep in mind he is with two stangers on a plane he has never seen and it is 3 hours past his normal bed time. He began kicking and crying and huge tears started pouring out.. the same from his Mama too. I began to realize that these were not tears from a strong willed child they were more tears of a child that was fearful, and a child not sure where he was going with two strange people on this strange machine with weird noises.  He finally cried himself to sleep and we began our 17 hour flight home.

Our flight was more like labor for me. The hours grew long, Tad grew restless and so did I. I just wanted to be home. The flight was rough because of turbanlance about 6 hours left to go Jeremy got air sick, and several people on board began getting sick. I just started praying that Tad and I could hang in there. Washington Dullas even made the news for record winds and planes getting damaged on landings it was so rough! But we finally after 17 hours with over 40 children under the age of 5 and a sold out plane of over 300 people packed full we landed in the US. I just wanted to kiss the ground. I always thought watching parents with their kids entering the US with tears of joy was all about them finally having their kids and the adoption being at the close. Now I know they are tears of Praise GOD we made it HOME!!! LOL!!! Immigration went like a breeze, no problems, and now Tadios is not only our forever little boy but American as well. A feeling of relief set over me. I was still overwhelmed we had two more flights, one to Chicago and and one last one to Indy, but we were getting close.

We waited in more lines, going through customs and more security, and on to more waiting for more planes, and all the while our little Tadios was as good as he could be. We sat in Washington at a  restaurant where a waitress was from Ethiopia, and started a conversation with Tadios! It was great. We showed her the video of his dance he had been doing and she told us it was a wedding dance that had been done at her wedding a few weeks earlier from the area he is from. She told him he would have two more planes that would be small flights and then he would be home! It was great to see how God planed things for Tadios all the way home! On our flight from Washington to Chicago we took our seats and Tadios went crazy with two small girls in front of us. Started talking and playing. I talked to their mom and they had been in his orphanage in Sodo! He acted as if he were their big brother! It was so sweet. He was so happy to see them it was a small homecoming celebration in this small airplane. 


On we went. We almost ran to our next plane in Chicago. I had to go so bad so my mom waited for me! LOL  A girl has to do what a girl has to do! LOL But we made it just before they closed the door. Took our seats and in a short 25 minutes later we landed in INDY! I started crying just at the thought of being home hand in hand with my boy! Is this a dream?


We told Tadios, no more planes! He smiled! We told him Awan and Zadyn and he almost took off running. He was so excited. As we walked towards the bagging area I couldn't believe we were at this point after all this waiting. That God had taken us this far, even in the midst of the pain of waiting he had overcome all and here we were.  I will never forget seeing our family waiting for us... All of them. We are so blessed. They all wanted to come. They asked. They called and wanted to be apart of this moment with us. With Tad. To have a family that cares so much about us and Tad and want to be apart of this journey with us priceless. We traveled with a family that wasn't so blessed. Neither had parents that supported their decision to adopt from Ethiopia because of race issues. We can't express our gratitude for their love and understanding. I started cracking up at little Zadyn. Awaiting his new little brother, just like he would. With shark glasses on and smiling. That is my Zadyn. Nothing has changed. And Awan, there ready to be big sister and the first to be friend her brother and accept him every part of him. Even the cousins were there. Kevin and Tucker.  They could reject Tad, and not care, but instead they brought hot wheels and sat in the bagging area and played cars with him while we waited for lost baggage. The amazing thing.... we were a family. All of us. We were home.