A Miracle of the Heart

Laying awake for hours waiting for it to be time. A bumpy taxi ride. Washed-out muddy streets. A locked metal gate opened before us. A long driveway. Up six steps, we are ushered into the care center living room.

And then this:



My son. The first time I am able to take him in my arms. To kiss him and tell him I love him. We are together. My heart will never be the same.

Red

Thematic Photographic - Leaves Two

Leaving leaves behind this evening. But before we do I have just one more picture to post for Thematic Photographic this week.



Autumn 2007. This was the first fall my baby experienced here in the Land of Enchantment. Can't believe it was two years ago. We went out in the backyard for another first for her - a family photo. We took many pictures that day and this was one of them. This one must have left a more lasting impression on her though, because she talked about it for months and months afterwards..."Remember when we threw those leaves in the air...?"

Love Thursday - Follow Your Heart

I can hardly believe how quickly time seems to fly by. Wasn't it just Saturday? And now the week is almost over.

It's Love Thursday. A very good day. Over at Chookooloonks Karen is talking about following your heart.

My followed my heart when it told me that, though it sounded crazy, we needed another son and not just another daughter.

I followed my heart to Ethiopia.

I followed my heart and it lead me to this amazing incredible guy.



Here's to Love Thursday and to following your heart.

Photo Hunters - Together

We waited a long time for all our children to be together.

Sometimes it feels like a dream that now they actually are.

Photo Hunt - Together

click to enlarge

Togetherness.

Photo Hunters - Family

It wasn't hard to decide what to choose for the Photo Hunters theme this week. We were looking for photos of "family." In this, I am richly blessed.

How could I choose anything else?

Photo Hunt - Family

More family photos here.

Photo Hunters - Wild

What a fun theme for this week's Photo Hunters. We're looking for a picture of something WILD! So many possibilities. I've already been perusing the entries and there are some really interesting takes on the theme. My post is two-fold.

Photo Hunt - Wild

Here is a lioness that we saw last August at the "Lion Zoo" in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We were pleased to view her from afar.


And here is the Ethiopian lioness that I was glad to bring home. And no! You can't have her.


More wild things..

August 6th

August 6th...

One year ago today, our "paper pregnancy" came to its end, when we walked into an orphanage in Ethiopia and a nanny put our daughter LemLem into Pastormac's arms.

That day forever changed our lives.

Adoption experts say that it can take up to a year for life in the adoptive family to settle down to the "new normal." The addition of Bear last February has made this process take longer for our family.

One year has past and I can say, with feeling, that August 6th 2007 ROCKED MY WORLD.

Now that I can breath again, albeit shallowly at times, I'd like to share some of the things that I've learned and experienced over the last year. I've learned a lot about adoption and perhaps more importantly about myself.



So come back soon. I hope to have my first installment up next week.




Join the Blog Train

Photo Hunters - What IS that?

A little late joining The Hunt this week - couldn't find my camera!

Should be a fun Photo Hunters day. We are searching for a photo of something that makes you ask, "what IS that?" Can't wait to see what everyone chose. I'm always amazed at the talent and eye of the Photo Hunters I visit each Saturday.

Today I'm going with two photos that fit the theme.

Photo Hunt - What IS that?

It's not just the angle, they really are pretty big. Good thing my son doesn't have any trouble swallowing large pills. My second son, Joe Cool, has Benign Rolandic Epilepsy of Childhood. These babies are the medicine that he takes to control his seizures which vary from very mild all the way up to Tonic-Clonic. Lucky, he won't have to take these forever. He most likely outgrown this condition in a few years. For now, I'm very grateful for the pills in this bottle.

Now for something fun.



This is a picture into a bag of berbere. Berbere is wonderful stuff and is a key ingredient in Ethiopian cooking. It's very spicy and delicious and my Ethiopian kids love it (and so do I!) When I opened the bag to take the picture the same thing happened to me that always happens when I smell berbere - my mind rushes back to Ethiopia and all the memories of our short time there come flooding back to my mind. Just a whiff and I'm transported. I hope it will always be this way.

Stop by TNChick's for more photos.

Photo Hunters - Shoes

Photo Hunters are posting pictures of shoes again today. Almost a year ago we were searching for a picture of "shoes" too. Back then I posted a picture of these little cuties. I had found these shoes before I even knew who our daughter would be. Back then they were a just a symbol for me, a symbol of the little girl who was waiting for me in Ethiopia.



And now unbelieveably, less than a year later, she is here. She is mine. She's spunky and smart and tough as steel and fits perfectly in our family. Blessings upon blessings.

And those shoes that were a symbol are now just her shoes. I put them on her feet and tie the laces. She is home. We are together.

Photo Hunt - Shoes

Thanks to TN Chick for all her work on The Photo Hunt.

Photo Hunters - ANY Photo

It's Photo Hunter's choice this week. We get to post a photo of anything we want. This one was pretty easy for me.

For the 4 or 5 of you who drop by here and are wondering, "What happened to your blog?" I present Exhibit A - Bear and LemLem.

Photo Hunt -ANY Photo

Adoption happened to my blog...

Adoption happened to my blog...to my life. It's been a wild, amazing, white-knuckled ride that has me hanging on for dear life at times and enjoying the rush at others.



How could my life ever be the same? How could I want it to be?









Drop by TN Chick's for a look at her "Hunter's Choice" photo.

They're Coming Home!

We've jumped through all the hoops, we've filed all the necessary paperwork, we've paid all the fees. Our Bear is finally "free" to come home.

As I write this, Pastormac & Bear are in a jet flying over the Atlantic Ocean on their way home. Each day Bear has been getting more comfortable with his new papa and there is a lot of love waiting here for them. I wanted to blog during the week but doing the single mom thing with the six kids here at home sucked the life right out of me. Each night I was just too beat to do much but climb into bed and rest.

Tomorrow night, The Production welcomes it's newest member. We can hardly wait to kiss this face.




free: clear of obstructions or obstacles

Photo Hunters - Heavy

A week ago last Friday we received an email with a copy of our son's new birth certificate. The note said, "should hear about an embassy date soon." Well no kidding, because about thirty minutes later our adoption case worker was on the phone telling us that we had an embassy date on the 12th of February! She asked if we thought we leave for Addis Ababa on February 9th! Needless to say the week was a mad dash to make that happen - plane tickets had to be purchased, hotel reservations had to be made, we had to decide who was going, orphanage donations needed to collected, bags packed, etc. The initial plan was for me to travel with our oldest daughter, Sweetanlo. Unfortunately on such short notice, she was unable to go. Pastormac and I decided that if only one of us could go, it was best for him to be the one. (The bright side is that it saves us $2000.)

So today, he is on a plane to Ethiopia. He won't arrive there until Sunday night - it's a long long trip. He'll have our Bear in his arms in the morning on Monday.

Photo Hunters was a no-brainer for me this week. We were searching for a picture of something heavy. I spent a good deal of the day yesterday making sure these weren't too heavy.

Photo Hunt -Heavy

130 pounds of luggage



Suitcase = 50lbs.
Pink box of donations = 50lbs.
carry-on = 15lbs.
backpack = 15lbs.


Wonder what TN Chick chose for "heavy."

Finally! We have another son!

Yes! It's finally official! We have another son.

We totally weren't expecting it and in fact didn't even know that we were having a court date. Truth be told, I had quit hoping that it was going to happen - too many dates had come and gone. I was resolved that it would happen when it happened.

Yesterday, in the early morning, we learned that while we had been sleeping on Wednesday night, a judge in Ethiopia had made us parents for the seventh time!

We have been waiting eight months for this day.

So here is our Bear - the newest member of The Production.




Now we wait for a new birth certificate to be issued - with us listed as his parents! And other official documents to be translated into English. Then our agency representatives will apply to the US Embassy for an appointment to apply for a US Visa to bring him home. That's when we'll the word to make our travel dates. Likely this will be in about a month.

Last August I had to hug him "goodbye" and leave him there. Soon I'm going back to hug him "hello" and bring him home.

Here's one more picture of him. I really love this one. The expression on his face is priceless.

On the other side of the world right now...(Updated)

an Ethiopian judge may be making me a momma once again!

The elusive final piece of paperwork that confirms that our Bear is indeed eligible for adoption is finally in the hands of our agency representative in Ethiopia.

So today, perhaps God will see fit to complete our family with one more son.

_____________________________________________________

Update:

We learned today that our case goes to court this NEXT Wednesday - 9/16. Silly us - we thought "this" Wednesday meant this Wednesday.

If you're so inclined, we would so appreciate your prayers. He's been waiting a long time.

Photo Hunters - Small

"Small" was the Photo Hunters theme of the week. So much room for creativity, this topic is wide-open.

Since August we've had a new small person in our house again. We have small things scattered all over. Here are the photos I've chosen for "small." I've included some big things/people, by way of comparison.

Photo Hunt - Small

That's one pair of small sneakers.

And here is the smallest person in our home, pictured with her sisters...she's such a squirt.



But what she lacks in size, she MORE than makes up for in personality.


There is an interesting picture of "small" over at TN Chick's place. Don't forget the Photo Hunters Site-of-the-Day - drop by Pea in a Pod for a look at an amazing photo of "small."

Photo Hunters - Red

Photo Hunt - Red

Red Amaryllis Blossom

And here is a picture of my own flower blossom, LemLem, (LemLem = flower blossom in Amharic) all decked out in red.






TN Chick's photo for "red" is a cute one. Drop by Snowshoe Diaries - the Photo Hunters Site-of-the-Day - for a look at his delicious choice for "red."

Photo Hunters - Pink

Photo Hunters were looking for something "pink" this week. Today I surfed around to check out the early posters. GHD has a beautiful photo of a pink roses and 33:6:8 posted a picture of some lovely azaleas. I decided to post a pink blossom of my own - LemLem, my Ethiopian princess. (LemLem = "flower blossom" in Amharic)

Photo Hunt - Pink

Of course, once I had the picture, I had to hang the coat and hat back up in the closet because the temperature today was in the 70's! She's all ready though, for her first big snow with her very own heavy winter coat. (a first for her) Wonder what she'll think.


TN Chick's pink photo is something I'll never forget and drop by Just Another Day - the Photo Hunters Site-of-the-Day.

Photo Hunters - Practical

I've been wracking my brains for over a week trying to come up with something for this week's Photo Hunters theme. But I just couldn't come up with anything for "practical." Until this evening, when by a stroke of luck I came upon this picture, that I took while we were picking up our LemLem, of a traditional Ethiopian meal before we devoured it.

Photo Hunt - Practical

See the bread underneath all that delicious goodness? It's called, injera. It's the bread for the meal, the plate and also the fork/spoon. Doesn't get more practical than that! Yum!


TN Chick has a photo of something practical that we use regularly. And The Nelson Gaggle is the Photo Hunters Site-of-the-Day.

Sweetanlo's Birthday List

In keeping with birthday tradition, I'm giving Sweetanlo a chance to post. She's celebrating her 15th birthday so she's doing her list of 16 - one for each year and one to grow on. This year's list is a little different.

Sweetanlo's Birthday List

16 things that happened while my parents were in Ethiopia

• 1. My 7 year old brother, Joe Cool, got his first migraine on the first day.


• 2. I attended the most stressful church service ever (trying to keep my siblings happy, quiet and still.


• 3. One of the ladies that my mom had scheduled to help for two days had such a bad allergic reaction to our cats on the first day that she couldn't come back the second day. (I felt so bad.)


• 4. We ate some really good homemade German Chocolate Cake. (Not made by me.)


• 5. I went on a massive grocery shopping trip with the help of one of my best friends. (We did some very creative car packing.)


• 6. One of our friends took us swimming at an apartment pool, and Shorty made me hold him the entire time.


• 7. I got a break to spend a day with Hula Girl, one of my best friends.


• 8. Hula Girl used her brand new driver's license to take me to the library.


• 9. We had pizza three times.


• 10. Shorty decided that Lucky Charms were the next best thing since sliced bread.


• 11. We mastered a Wii game that my dad bought for us to play while he was gone.


• 12. The dog became depressed because she missed my dad so much.


• 13. We ate banana splits.


• 14. My brothers had their first motorcycle ride.


• 15. We met my parents and new sister at the airport along with a lot of other people from our church family.

and one to grow on...

• 16. I had a small taste of what my parents do and I am very glad I don't have to do it on a regular basis

Two of the best birthday presents - EVAH

Eighteen years ago today I received the most awesome-est birthday present evah - the best husband a girl could ask for. This weekend I arrived home with the second best birthday present - my Ethiopian princess. Now, I've gotten other great gifts through the years but none can rival these two. I am indeed richly blessed.