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.