Pictures of Ethiopia

Go ahead! Fall in love with Ethiopia!

 City Life in Addis Ababa

 Country Life outside Addis Ababa

I can go somewhere and never miss it again. But Ethiopia is different. I spent a week there with Dad and Mom back in March. It was fun sometimes, but most of the time I just wanted to go home to America. Now, however, somehow I miss Ethiopia. I'll smell banana bread and I'll remember the delicious banana bread there. I'll make pizza and remember our cook's wonderful attempts at pizza! I'll smell car exhaust and it will bring me back to driving through the city. I miss Ethiopia! I want to go back! Maybe someday we can go back with Minte. That would be fun!

Thank you for Crying!

Every day whenever Belly Boy gets hurt, he comes on the run with tears and loud crying. It's a sad time as "hurts" are taken care of either with kisses, rubs, or the ever-amazing Elmo Boo Boo Buddy. As he runs towards you with tears rolling down his face, you can see in his face how much he trusts you to take care of him and make his ouchy better.

Back in March when Minte first came home however, there was really no crying for sympathy. Usually when Minte got hurt we would scoop him up and he would sob one-two times and then he was done. He rarely EVER cried longer. It was so sad.

Now, though, the little guy knows Daddy, Mommy, Emmy, Bob, Sports Dude, and Miss Bossy all love him and are ready with hugs and kisses for his ouchies. And Elmo is sitting in the freezer waiting.

Birthmoms

Birthmoms are not a secret in our family to Sports Dude, Miss Bossy, and even Belly Boy if he understood. We don't talk of them all the time and rarely to people outside the family, but my parents don't pretend they don't exist.

Lately Sports Dude and Miss Bossy have become more interested in the women that gave them life. Dad and Mom looked up pictures of them and after showing the pictures to the kids, they remarked on how much they looked like their birthmom. The same nose, mouth..

Since lately we've been teaching Belly Boy to answer yes when someone asks if he's from Ethiopia, the other kids have become interested where they were born and they always love to hear the story of how Dad and Mom came to see them and bring them home from the hospital. Since Sports Dude and Miss Bossy weren't born out the States, they have memorized the citites where they WERE born and will eagerly remind each other and sometimes even argue on which city is better! It's kind of funny!

The only reason why my parents may not talk about birthmoms to the kids, is if it is causing them security issues. It's very important that they always feel like a part of this family and not an "outsider" because they aren't!!!

Birthmoms are usually spoken about in our family as the women that loved the kids enough that they knew they couldn't give them a good home and gave them to us. They are never referred to as "your other mom" or anything that could cause confusion or insecurity. I don't believe that birthmothers should be a secret to kids as they're growing up because it's likely the older they get before they hear the truth, the harder it will be to accept it.

Happy New Year!

Hello, 2011!!! I wonder what this year brings!!!

Catching up with other families

It's been almost 10 months believe it or not since we met and brought home Belly Boy. While we were in Ethiopia we got to know some of the families who were adopting children too at the same time. We talked to these families each day at the breakfast, lunch, and dinner table and oohed and ahhed over their children.

It was fun to talk to these parents and fun also to watch them attach to their child or children. And then for me it was almost sad to say good bye as each of us went to a different state to adjust to a new life.

We said good-bye to everyone at the Addis Ababa airport and even shortly after then I was wondering how these families were doing on their flights home and as the months went on, I was wondering how the kids were adjusting and how they had changed and so on. My mom found one of the moms on facebook so occasionally we will look and exclaim over how much the baby has changed.

Because of the holidays, we have started to hear from the other families and have seen pictures of their children! It has been SO exciting to see how each of these kids have changed and also to hear and see how well they've adjusted to their new life in America. It has just been so much fun!!

Each of these little kids look so much stronger and healthier than when they were in Ethiopia! One girl who was adopted at 6 years old is going to school, has friends, and (the most amazing part), is actually reading at grade level! Wow! In ten months she's that far! It's encouraging to hear all this!

I've enjoyed so much catching up with everyone! I can't wait for us to send out Belly Boy's pictures and update! Everyone will be shocked to know that he can't get enough of meeting people! He was so quiet and nervous with everyone in Ethiopia! He has changed a lot!

Merry Christmas!

We celebrate Christmas a day early because of traveling to family on Christmas, so everyone here is becoming excited for tomorrow, the day we get to celebrate our Savior's birth!

And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for ALL the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."


"Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"

Luke 2:10-12 and 14

Ready for the holidays with a new little guy!

Okay, I like to keep comparing posts from a year ago with things now and it's just kind of neat to see how things have changed and how we've finally reached the things I only dreamed about last year. For example, last year at this time we knew about Belly Boy but he was far away in Ethiopia. We got ready for Christmas and even celebrated Christmas without him and it was kind of sad. BUT NOW we're celebrating the holidays with Belly Boy!

It's been cool to teach him all the little things we do each year in preparation of Christmas such as putting up the tree, hanging up the lights and ornaments, decorating the house, and all the fun stuff around this time! He also was introduced to snow which he declared was a BIG MESS! He did not like the cold snow on his face and he did not like how the snow covered his swing and everything outside! How could Miss Bossy and Sports Dude be so excited for this...MESS?

Yesterday we hung up ornaments and Belly Boy was so cute as he VERY quickly learned how to hang all the ornaments and ran back and forth for more and more. He liked the final tree with all its lights and sparkles! The poor kid must be really confused with all these new activities though!

So anyways this last month or so has been really fun to spend with Belly Boy! We are so happy to have him home to share Christmas with us!