Names

Since the girls have been home for over eight weeks, it's time to make name decisions and apply for their Michigan birth certificates.

M has asked that her middle name be either "___" or "___," in honor of her Ethiopian Grandmother.

E came up with "Livinia" - the snotty girl from the movie, "The Little Princess." She then pretends to be like that charactor until her famous dimples show, and she breaks her act with giggles. A better option we're discussing is "Sarah," or a version of her Ethiopian Mom's name, "Adanu."

For L, my favorite is "L ___." L's two favorites reflect her favorite English words - "L Hamburger" and "L Chocolate Cake."

Breaking the rules

** Photos deleted... but if you'd like to see them, I will happily send them to you privately (S. May 31)**

Well... I'm really breaking the rules here. I am totally NOT supposed to post photos of waiting kids from Layla. If you know me at all, you know that I actually have a very active conscience/guilt factor. I'm happy to follow even the obscure rules ~ things like: turning into the proper lane in traffic, putting the grocery cart in the rack thingy before leaving the parking lot, not sampling produce before purchase, etc.

However, someone needs to know that these kids are waiting, and have been waiting for quite some time. These are delightful kids who need a mom and a dad, need a brother or a sister, need grandparents, uncles and aunts, church family... need someone to help them establish a life and heal. The majority of them were breast fed babies, well loved toddlers, cherished children ~ their parents didn't abuse them or disown them. They died.

So, for them, I break the law... at least temporarily. I balance the injustice of their situations with the rules. In a few days I'll get back online and delete these photos. In a few days will someone recognize God's call to these kids? Or will they wait another month, six months, year, 3 years?

For each child waiting at Layla, there are dozens more on the street or in villages who are waiting to take their place...

If God is calling you, please don't turn a deaf ear.

Clouds

I get two kids and a husband back late tonight! They've been in Canada to celebrate Opa and Oma's 50th. It's been a very busy weekend for me, but hopefully a great weekend for them!





On Thursday I got a very fun phone call from them during their short layover in Denver.

Ic: "Guess where WE are, Mom! [giggle, giggle]"
Me: "Well HI, Ike! Are you in Denver?!?"
Ic: "Nope!"
Me: [thinking... did they get re-routed or hung up somewhere?] "Where are you?"
Ic: [in a very animated voice] "We're in COLORADO!"
Me: "Oh, cool! So you're not in Denver then?"
Ic: "Nope!"
:)
More quotes regarding his first trip in an airplane:

"I loved going down! We went THROUGH clouds! Right THROUGH the clouds! It was SO COOL, Mom!! ... (giggle, giggle)" and, "I didn't even puke! ..Cuz it was just too much fun!" I wish there had been some way to record it.

I can hardly wait to get M here so that I can get her impressions. The Denver call was ended before I got to hear from her. I'm wondering if she'll gush as much as Ic did or if, at 10, she's 'far too mature' for such things. Either way, her hugs are worth a million and I intend to be a hug billionaire by Monday evening.

biker gang

Missing only E, the photographer

Needed Laughter

You think you're having a bad day?

http://welovebigfamilies.blogspot.com/2008/05/from-good-to-bad-to-worse.html

Ethiopian Feast

Thanks to a lovely family who must have spent their entire day cooking, we had a big Ethiopian feast to celebrate 3 weeks home (April 12). It was our loudest meal yet ~ everyone was in a great mood, and it was a big party!

Thanks, Adsmonds!

Bilingual

Suppose you have 3 new sisters who speak a language foreign to you. As they jabber on in Amharic, you and your siblings are quite certain that they are saying rude things about each of you.
Try this:
Eak-spay ig-pay atin-lay. It-ay ill-way eally-ray et-gay eir-thay oats-gay!

Unfortunately, it has been proven that a group of children painting rocks at a picnic table only escalate the conflict over foreign language when using this method.

Sheeesh.

Written for me

I just posted about this same site a while back, but I'm quite amazed as I read it. She's writing almost exactly what I've been thinking... including many similar experiences in Ethiopia. She was there with a mission trip group just one week after we left, and her group was brought by AAI staff to many of the same places. Bern and I had been their guinea pigs the week before...

Enjoy reading. it will give you a great picture of our trip... You know, the one I just can't make myself write as I wander through this post-adoption fog.

http://willinghearts.blogspot.com

"Great" Day ~ April 14

On the 14th of April, Mo, Ed, L, Ic, and I made the trek to a town South of us to have the girls meet their 'new' Great Grandmother. Grandma was in the hospital then, and had a very uphill battle to get healthy enough to return to her apartment. I think we all knew that her time on earth was drawing to a close.

We arrived at the hospital armed with a little handful of pussy-willows, one of Grandma's favorites. Grandma was sitting in a chair, with a twinkle in her eye and big smile on her face. She seemed quite delighted to meet the girls, and they were excited to meet her... though they stayed reserved and nervous. It was a sweet time.

When we left the hospital, the girls were full of questions... especially, "Where is Great-Grandma's home?" They begged to see it. Instead of bringing them to an apartment building, we headed over to the home-place... the farm. That is really the place she would call home.
Once there, we found Uncle Allen working in his shop. He accepted the interruption with a big grin and warm greetings. After some chatting time we headed over to the famous tire swing, where he gave each kid a ride. Well... at least L, Ic, and Ed had rides at thrilling heights. Mo was terrified to even touch the swing. We eventually coaxed her into sitting in it briefly to give us her super model smile for a photo. She did seem to want to swing, but her insecurity won out. Uncle Allen was great with them all, and they left thinking he was a pretty cool guy - I would agree.

We loaded back into the van and headed West, just down the block to Uncle Larry's house. As we drove by his land, we could see Uncle Larry's truck back in the field but decided to check at the house anyway. Aunt Karen was quite surprised to find us at her door, and a few minutes later Uncle Larry drove into the yard. We all wandered to the back yard to see the critters and sights. While Uncle Larry and I were chatting, the girls, Ic, and Aunt Karen disappeared into a little building to look at her rabbits. I went to find them back, and felt transported back in time as I stepped into Aunt Karen's rabbit building - a whole childhood of fascinating memories flooded back, complete with the smell of rabbits!

Then, while Aunt Karen and I were chatting, the girls, Ic, and Uncle Larry disappeared. A few moments later they zoomed back into view, all aboard Uncle Larry's golf cart. Seeing them all piled on and laughing was not a big surprise - seeing Ed DRIVING was a definite surprise! Each child got a turn driving this foreign contraption, with Uncle Larry chuckling the whole time. Despite the fact that he was sitting right with them controlling the gas petal and his hand ready to grab the steering wheel, the trees and barn more than once took the brunt of their driving!
We eventually extracted the girls from the golf cart, gave our farewells, and loaded into the van for the drive home.
I can't even describe the feelings I had watching my new children connect with such a deep part of my childhood. Some of the dearest people in my world welcomed them lovingly, just as they had loved me through my childhood.

Less than a week later I talked to Grandma on the phone for the last time. I told her that I loved her and said my good-byes. She told me she loved me, and said that it had been so good to meet the girls. The next day she was no longer able to speak, and the day after that she left for heaven. We gathered together for Grandma's funeral the following Sunday afternoon, where the girls got to meet more family and see the Great Uncles and Aunts again.

I treasure the sight of my Grandmother, my hero, so proud to meet her new great-grandchildren... And my Uncles and Aunt, who gave the girls such a memorable day. What fun to watch my kids enjoy the Greats.