Hello from Camp Chaos!! (this is our new name for the Ritmo)
Today was Embassy Day. It was a huge "hurry up and wait"...we got there and sat for about 1.5 hours and we went up and had a 2 minute interview with an American guy behind a glass window (like buying a movie ticket). He handed us our paperwork and we were on our way. One thing I did learn today is that the boys will lose their Ethopian citizenship when we readopt in the US....makes me sad.
The house is driving us CRAZY. WE are sooooo ready to come home. There are 6 families staying there, with a total of at least 10 kids. It's nutzo. Included are some "real fine ones" in Lincoln's words. We have made very good friends with two other families and love them to death, but could totally leave the rest! We are ready to lock ourselves in our room and not come out until our plane leaves!!!!! Actually, we're just going to spend as much time away from Ritmo as possible!
We ate lunch and took a nap after Embassy and then took the boys to Layla for art class and we walked to the Adams Pavillion. We are using the internet cafe (power was out at Ritmo still / again)...I'm going to a salon to get my hair washed (the water here is doing TERRIBLE things to it Kara!!!) and we'll sit and have some coffee with one of our friends and chill a bit. I had a small break down after Embassy and need some "me" time. There are so many emotions to process and it's so "charged" at the house that I just needed to get away. There's really no way to explain what it's like here, but we are very excited to watch the videos and look through pictures with you all. WE have so many stories to tell that will be much better in person than through email. After yesterday and then today, I'm a wreck and ready to load back up on that plane and get to AMERICA! Bad as it sounds.
Tomorrow a.m. we're supposed to do a field trip swimming and ice cream to the HIlton with the kids...we'll see if the weather holds out and then in the afternoon we'll finish our shopping. Friday we'll probably spend most of the day packing, at Layla, and then the boys' going away party is at 3ish. They are SOOOO looking forward to it! They talk about it and the airplane every day...mulitiple times! Our friends will join us there to help celebrate. Then we'll leave for the airport somewhere around 8:30ish and be home 22 hours after that! Yippy!
We're so glad to hear the kids are doing great. Makes it easier. Keep counting down the days with them! The boys told the Embassy guy today they have "Brother Hunter and Sister Graysen". They can't wait to meet them. We look though their albums every day.
Kara - have a great time on your trip, soak up the sun! :0) Are you moved in yet?! I can't wait until the boys realize you live next door, they are going to just LOVE it! WE are giving them kisses for you, don't worry!
Everyone needs to buy stock in Shea Butter and keep some at their house, the boys use it several times a day, wait until you see them rub it on their faces and heads. Too funny. They wash their face and hands before every meal and after as well.
GET READY TO TALK WITH YOUR HANDS!!! We've gotten pretty good at it. They still don't know hardly any english, we've also learned some Amharic to help get by, so if you hear us speaking weird words and doing odd hand motions don't fear, we haven't really lost our minds! :0)
I don't even know what else to say, we love you all very much, keep emailing us, it SO helps when I do get to log in!!
Love from the great country of Ethiopia!!!
Chao,
Ash
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tuesday in Ethiopia!
We hadn't heard from Ashley since Sunday evening and received this Tuesday, what a relief to finally hear from her!
The power has been down at Ritmo since Sunday evening. We finally got out to shop this afternoon and stopped by the Hilton to email. We miss you all terribly!!! We are doing great, the boys are absolutely wonderful...hyper, but awesome! They are attaching to us well we think. They call us mommy and daddy and when one of us walks out of the room they run looking for us. They are practicing Hunter and Graysen's names and are getting pretty good. Graysen is very hard for them to say. They are a bit smaller than Hunter is we think. We are taking lots of video and photos, but mostly soaking in the country and people.
We have Embassy tomorrow morning and then we are taking the boys and their class on a field trip swimming and maybe to ice cream on Thursday morning. The boys are very excited about their party at Layla on Friday and flying on an airplane to America.
Kara - they call you Sissy every time they see your picture, they really love you already! :0) It's very cute. They even told their Mom your name this morning when we gave her her photo album.
They don't like football very much, sorry Chad, but Lincoln has been working on playing catch with them. They are soccer PROS!!!! They will school ANYONE OF US!Monday we spent some time at Layla, and we went to the Leprocy Colony and the Silk Factory.
We have a wonderful driver, his name is Dawit and he's very helpful. He told us today that Illibubar (where the boys are from) is known for their coffee farms and is very green. That's about all the info we've been able to find out except that it takes 2 days by city bus or car. We will definitely go there our next trip back.
I feel like there's so much to tell, but we're pressed for time. Just keep Hugging Hunter and Graysen for us. We're starting to miss them very badly. We haven't slept very well at all the last two nights. We're ready to come home, but are really trying to soak this in, as we know we will be back and want to be prepared to answer all the questions the boys have between now and then. There are TONS of families staying at Ritmo with us, two others that we have become very close to. We love them and couldn't imagine this trip with anyone else. I know we'll stay in touch forever.
We can't say enough about the boys. I've been journaling and will fill you all in when we get home. Although we know you're all very excited to see them at the airport try to kneel down and let them come to you. I think they will be shy - especially Sintayehu...he is DEFINITELY a Daddy's boy!!!! He will probably hide behind Lincoln and Bizayehu laughs a lot when he's nervous, so be prepared for that.
We will email as soon as we can, keep sending us emails in the case that we can get on and read them. We miss you all and are looking forward to be united again!!!! :0) :0)
Love you,
Ashley
The power has been down at Ritmo since Sunday evening. We finally got out to shop this afternoon and stopped by the Hilton to email. We miss you all terribly!!! We are doing great, the boys are absolutely wonderful...hyper, but awesome! They are attaching to us well we think. They call us mommy and daddy and when one of us walks out of the room they run looking for us. They are practicing Hunter and Graysen's names and are getting pretty good. Graysen is very hard for them to say. They are a bit smaller than Hunter is we think. We are taking lots of video and photos, but mostly soaking in the country and people.
We have Embassy tomorrow morning and then we are taking the boys and their class on a field trip swimming and maybe to ice cream on Thursday morning. The boys are very excited about their party at Layla on Friday and flying on an airplane to America.
Kara - they call you Sissy every time they see your picture, they really love you already! :0) It's very cute. They even told their Mom your name this morning when we gave her her photo album.
They don't like football very much, sorry Chad, but Lincoln has been working on playing catch with them. They are soccer PROS!!!! They will school ANYONE OF US!Monday we spent some time at Layla, and we went to the Leprocy Colony and the Silk Factory.
We have a wonderful driver, his name is Dawit and he's very helpful. He told us today that Illibubar (where the boys are from) is known for their coffee farms and is very green. That's about all the info we've been able to find out except that it takes 2 days by city bus or car. We will definitely go there our next trip back.
I feel like there's so much to tell, but we're pressed for time. Just keep Hugging Hunter and Graysen for us. We're starting to miss them very badly. We haven't slept very well at all the last two nights. We're ready to come home, but are really trying to soak this in, as we know we will be back and want to be prepared to answer all the questions the boys have between now and then. There are TONS of families staying at Ritmo with us, two others that we have become very close to. We love them and couldn't imagine this trip with anyone else. I know we'll stay in touch forever.
We can't say enough about the boys. I've been journaling and will fill you all in when we get home. Although we know you're all very excited to see them at the airport try to kneel down and let them come to you. I think they will be shy - especially Sintayehu...he is DEFINITELY a Daddy's boy!!!! He will probably hide behind Lincoln and Bizayehu laughs a lot when he's nervous, so be prepared for that.
We will email as soon as we can, keep sending us emails in the case that we can get on and read them. We miss you all and are looking forward to be united again!!!! :0) :0)
Love you,
Ashley
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sunday Night in Ethiopia!
It's the middle of the night in Ethiopia now, received this from Ashley about 5 o'clock their time!
Well, it’s the end of day one. It’s been far more exhausting then I expected. The communication especially. They really, honestly know no English to speak of. Odd words, like elephant, monkey, and airplane they have come up with on their own. It’s hard for me to form complete sentences or thoughts, so excuse the broken way I’m writing… We had a few funny firsts today – cold water! They had apparently never had cold water out of the fridge. They both made the funniest faces, I wish I had caught it on film! They drank it good after it had been sitting outside for awhile and was warmer. Brushing their teeth with electric brushes…they would’ve brushed all night if we’d let how them. Speaking of teeth…whew, we’re in for some work! LOL B has an extra tooth that needs pulled and S’s bottom two look rotted…hopefully they’re baby teeth. They are being very loving, calling us Mommy and Daddy already, it brings tears to my eyes almost every time. Their accent is adorable. I just know you are going to love them! B is a ham, he’s always making me laugh. S is just so quiet and sweet, I know he’s going to be precious with Gray. They are such brothers though, constantly trying to wrestle each other, especially while playing soccer. They are scared of Lizards though Hunter, you’ll have to show them that they aren’t going to hurt them. We saw one outside today and they ran away from it! I can’t possibly think of everything to tell you all, it’s been very overwhelming and exciting all around. I think it’s going to take me some time to process it all…but eventually it will all come out. B LOVES to dance, when there’s music on, he just can’t help himself from dancing. They both also love to sing! I knew they were made for our family! :0)
Well, it’s the end of day one. It’s been far more exhausting then I expected. The communication especially. They really, honestly know no English to speak of. Odd words, like elephant, monkey, and airplane they have come up with on their own. It’s hard for me to form complete sentences or thoughts, so excuse the broken way I’m writing… We had a few funny firsts today – cold water! They had apparently never had cold water out of the fridge. They both made the funniest faces, I wish I had caught it on film! They drank it good after it had been sitting outside for awhile and was warmer. Brushing their teeth with electric brushes…they would’ve brushed all night if we’d let how them. Speaking of teeth…whew, we’re in for some work! LOL B has an extra tooth that needs pulled and S’s bottom two look rotted…hopefully they’re baby teeth. They are being very loving, calling us Mommy and Daddy already, it brings tears to my eyes almost every time. Their accent is adorable. I just know you are going to love them! B is a ham, he’s always making me laugh. S is just so quiet and sweet, I know he’s going to be precious with Gray. They are such brothers though, constantly trying to wrestle each other, especially while playing soccer. They are scared of Lizards though Hunter, you’ll have to show them that they aren’t going to hurt them. We saw one outside today and they ran away from it! I can’t possibly think of everything to tell you all, it’s been very overwhelming and exciting all around. I think it’s going to take me some time to process it all…but eventually it will all come out. B LOVES to dance, when there’s music on, he just can’t help himself from dancing. They both also love to sing! I knew they were made for our family! :0)
We're Together!!
Tell Hunter that the butterflies are out here in Ethiopia. We saw a few this morning while we were waiting for Gail and I thought of him.
We have the boys!!! Gail picked us up and we went. We were seriously at Layla for about 15 minutes, we got them and left. We are planning on going back this evening around 4 and then out to dinner. There are two resturaunts we can take them to and they don’t cook dinner at Ritmo on Sundays. They were shy when we first met them, but took our hands and showed us their beds, and went to get their gift bags from us. We walked back to Ritmo. They are perfect. Very active, just like Hunter! They will all mesh perfectly. We played soccer outside for a few hours and boy are they talented! Seriously! They bounce it off their heads and the whole 9 yards. Then we had a dance party in our room. Then they wanted to watch TV, so we put in The Prince of Egypt for them and they are sitting on the couch watching that right now. They both love their backpacks and have had them on pretty much since we gave them to them. They ate a huge lunch! Way more than Lincoln or I ate. Bizayehu does not like carrots…he let us know that right away. Lol They don’t speak hardly any English, but are eager to copy any English words that you say. I know they’ll catch on very quickly. Bizayehu can count to 28 in English! Sintayehu is very quiet, just as everyone has said. They both love taking pictures with our camera. They both have a bit of a cough, but nothing terrible. They both have smiles that light up the room. Im going back to cuddle with my sons, but I wanted to let you all know that we’re together – finally, and it’s beautiful.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
It's Sunday Morning!!!
Just recieved this email from Ash its Sunday morning there! Keep Praying!!!!!
Good morning from Ethiopia! I am feeling much more “with it” this morning, after almost 8 hours of sleep. The bed is definitely not the best, but I feel pretty good this morning. I woke up to the call to prayer this morning. It’s someone over the loud speaker in the city and it is beautiful!! I jumped out of bed and stood outside our door to listen. It’s a sing songy thing, and I think I could listen to it all day! I don’t know what religion it’s for, but I know that I’m going to use that time every morning to pray to the One True God and thank Him for being able to experience His creation here in Africa. As I walked around the building to come in the main house our gate keeper was standing outside reading his Bible, I’m hoping maybe we can do that together one of these mornings. Speaking of the gate keeper, he lives in literally a metal shack right inside the gates to the Ritmo, and I hear has to pay rent for it. His door was open this morning when I came around and it is LITERALLY big enough for a twin size mattress to fit in…that’s it. The poverty here is going to kill me, no doubt. Everyone here is so very hospitable and kind.
Last night we unpacked and it was so fun to lay the boys clothes out knowing that we are FINALLY going to meet them today. As we were laying in bed (it’s a king), Lincoln asked if I thought they would sleep with us tonight…I told him I didn’t think so, but we are praying for that kind of comfort level between us. We are praying that the boys will know immediately that we are here to love them uncondititionally forever and ever! They are really our sons! I am really amazed at how God brings families together, and although I know this wasn’t His plan A for these boys, I’m grateful that I get to be a part of God’s plan, whether B, C, or otherwise!
Gail should be here to pick us up, Lincoln and I, and Sheryl and Joanna in 3.5 hours. I can’t decide what to wear. It feels so much different than birth. Sheryl told us not to expect some ceremonial introduction to the boys, but that most likely they will just kind of shove them in our direction when they find them. Joanna has said that she will video for us. Keep praying for us and the boys please!! Sheryl is getting an 8 mo. Old baby, I’m excited to be able to play with him while we’re here as well!
Mom and Kara – can you believe this is the morning?!?! Oh. My. Goodness. I can’t wait to email you and let you know how the meeting went. Oh, Sheryl also told me that we can take the kids to the Leprocy Colony here…what an experience that is going to be. I can’t wait to do that! It’s hard for me to keep figuring out the time difference, so sorry if I’m confusing! I love you both very much and miss being home, but I woke up this morning realizing that this is really a once in a lifetime opportunity and I need to quit wishing I were home and soak in as much of this country as I can. It’s beautiful so far and I know that we’re going to want to keep it somewhat a part of the boys’ lives…it’s too amazing not to! I hope someday when Graysen is in HS we can ALL come back here together…seriously. Kara, how did your trip to Springfield go? Are you getting excited about the beach? Mom…one more week of work (with all the kids anyway)! I hope it’s a rather smooth one for you…
I love you both very much – please keep kissing the kids for me!
Ash
The First Email!
Ashley's First Email: Saturday, May 15th
Well, we are here! We met Sheryl and her sister in Frankfort. Our flight arrived right on time and the visa process and customs was very smooth. Our driver was waiting for us, and we all fit with our luggage comfortably. The drive to the guest house was, well…interesting, to say the least! Mom, I’m sure you remember, it was very much what you’ve described to me about Italy. The guest house is nice, I think we’ll feel safe here. The walk to Layla is not very far. After we got here, we unloaded our things and then our driver took us to a resturaunt to eat. We had spaghetti and bottled water. We’re back here now and getting ready to head back to our room and get unpacked. Gail says she’ll be here around 10 am to pick us up in the morning…I’ll email as soon as I can , but it will most likely be tomorrow night, probably after the boys go to bed. It’s so crazy to me to think that I’ll be putting them to bed tomorrow night!!! The country here is beautiful, but everyone is exactly right, lots of poverty…it’s going to be a tearful week I’m sure. Whew. Well, I’m off, give Gray and Hunter LOTS of hugs and kisses for me and tell them I’ll email and tell them all about their new brothers!!! Thanks for all the emails mom, it makes it easier to be away.
Lots of love to you!!!
Lincoln and Ashley
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
3 days
I would venture to say this is the last time I'll sit down and try to write anything before we leave. Today is kind of a "down day" for me. The kids and I have just been hanging out. We built a tent in the living room this morning and played in there for awhile. Now Gray is playing with a jump rope and Hunter is playing a game of football. I've got Spirit FM blaring from my bedroom while I repack all of our donation tubs and tape extra zip ties on the underside of the lid.
I teeter between feeling like I could throw up and cry all at the same time and feeling so very excited I could drive to the airport and hop on board right now! I pretty much always feel like I have the flu (you know, the weak muscles, hot flashes, etc.)...I'm sure it'll go away after I've met the boys.
Watch my blog for updates while we're gone. I'm going to try to email updates and have Mom or Kara update here...stay tuned!
To my kids - we are all about to start on another life adventure together. I love that we get to explore life together. I wouldn't want anyone else by my side. I don't know what the next year will hold, but I do know this...we will be together. Life is one crazy, fun adventure that God has allowed us to ride on. Let's stick together and live life for Him, okay? As long as we're loving each other, supporting one another, and living every moment for God, we'll be GREAT.
I love you all to the depths of the ocean and back,
Mommy
I teeter between feeling like I could throw up and cry all at the same time and feeling so very excited I could drive to the airport and hop on board right now! I pretty much always feel like I have the flu (you know, the weak muscles, hot flashes, etc.)...I'm sure it'll go away after I've met the boys.
Watch my blog for updates while we're gone. I'm going to try to email updates and have Mom or Kara update here...stay tuned!
To my kids - we are all about to start on another life adventure together. I love that we get to explore life together. I wouldn't want anyone else by my side. I don't know what the next year will hold, but I do know this...we will be together. Life is one crazy, fun adventure that God has allowed us to ride on. Let's stick together and live life for Him, okay? As long as we're loving each other, supporting one another, and living every moment for God, we'll be GREAT.
I love you all to the depths of the ocean and back,
Mommy
Monday, May 10, 2010
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Birthmother's Day
Today is Birthmother's Day. This year this day has a very different meaning to me than ever before. As I prepare to leave for Ethiopia in 6 days, I am filled with anticipation of what is to come...
Last year I wrote this letter:
"Can this be a "Happy Birthmother's Day"? Is there such a thing as a happy birthmother? As this is the first year that I have even known about "Birthmother's Day", or even sat and contemplated what it means to be a Birth Mother, I have very mixed emotions.
Today is an odd day for me. I don't even know our child yet, but somehow, I feel drawn to you tonight as I sit in a quiet house with your son's 2 siblings sleeping in the rooms across the house. I dream about what it may be like a year from now. Will he be here with us, sleeping in a crib next to his big brother who has asked and prayed for him for months now? I pray that you have peace in your heart tonight like I have in mine.
I know that this is not what you wanted out of your life. I know you didn't grow up
as a little girl dreaming of the day that you would give up your child to a family
who would take him from his country and raise him across the globe. All I can do
is thank you for your brave decision to do what was best for your child. I can
thank you for allowing us to love him, comfort him, nourish him, and teach him about
the love of Jesus Christ.
Next year on Birthmother's Day I hope to know a little more about you, and certainly
know more about our baby boy. Our hearts will forever be entwined with a love for
the same child...this I know already.
Last year I wrote this letter:
"Can this be a "Happy Birthmother's Day"? Is there such a thing as a happy birthmother? As this is the first year that I have even known about "Birthmother's Day", or even sat and contemplated what it means to be a Birth Mother, I have very mixed emotions.
To my child's birth mother,
Today is a day to honor you. I don't know your story yet. I may never know. I wonder if you planned your entire pregnancy to give up your child, or if you were forced to take him to the orphanage after several months of desperately trying to provide for him. I wonder if you are alive and crying for him each night, or if God has already taken you from this Earth. I hope that someday I know a little bit about your story. I hope that I have something to tell my child about the mommy that grew him in her tummy. I know he will be curious to hear stories about you, and his country. I earnestly pray that I am able to provide him with all the information that you would want him to have.
Today is an odd day for me. I don't even know our child yet, but somehow, I feel drawn to you tonight as I sit in a quiet house with your son's 2 siblings sleeping in the rooms across the house. I dream about what it may be like a year from now. Will he be here with us, sleeping in a crib next to his big brother who has asked and prayed for him for months now? I pray that you have peace in your heart tonight like I have in mine.
I know that this is not what you wanted out of your life. I know you didn't grow up
as a little girl dreaming of the day that you would give up your child to a family
who would take him from his country and raise him across the globe. All I can do
is thank you for your brave decision to do what was best for your child. I can
thank you for allowing us to love him, comfort him, nourish him, and teach him about
the love of Jesus Christ.
Next year on Birthmother's Day I hope to know a little more about you, and certainly
know more about our baby boy. Our hearts will forever be entwined with a love for
the same child...this I know already.
I will write again then,
Ashley"
This year my letter is very different. It's too personal to share
on here. I do want my boys to know that I am writing their
mother a letter every year on Birthmother's Day. I will save
them all together and they can read them when they get older.
Boys, please know that I have the utmost respect for your
mother, and I love her with all of my heart...
Mom
This year my letter is very different. It's too personal to share
on here. I do want my boys to know that I am writing their
mother a letter every year on Birthmother's Day. I will save
them all together and they can read them when they get older.
Boys, please know that I have the utmost respect for your
mother, and I love her with all of my heart...
Mom
Friday, May 7, 2010
this morning I fell out of bed on my knees.
literally.
Never before have I been so completely terrified.
Never before have I lived this many days with the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Never before have I been so completely terrified.
Never before have I lived this many days with the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.
I woke up this morning, having not shaken the feeling overnight, and decided there was no better way to deal, than to turn it over to the One who can calm all my fears. So, this morning, I rolled out of bed and straight onto my knees.
I prayed for peace, patience, and the motivation to complete my to do list rather than just hugging Hunter and Graysen all day.
I prayed for safe travels, for Hunter and Graysen's hearts during the time while we're gone. I prayed for those who will be keeping them, I prayed for Sintayehu and Bizayehu.
I told God I was turning all of these fears and insecurities over to Him. It's only been a few hours since I woke up and I'm already fighting the urge to take back the worries.
I keep telling myself that He would not have gotten us this far in the process if NOW was not the time for these boys to join our family. We would not be preparing to fly to Africa in 6 days if God hadn't planned and blessed this entire journey. His hand prints are all over the whole adoption and I've got to keep remembering that. Remembering the miracles that have happened over the last year, and the people who have been His hands and feet during our journey.
I prayed for peace, patience, and the motivation to complete my to do list rather than just hugging Hunter and Graysen all day.
I prayed for safe travels, for Hunter and Graysen's hearts during the time while we're gone. I prayed for those who will be keeping them, I prayed for Sintayehu and Bizayehu.
I told God I was turning all of these fears and insecurities over to Him. It's only been a few hours since I woke up and I'm already fighting the urge to take back the worries.
I keep telling myself that He would not have gotten us this far in the process if NOW was not the time for these boys to join our family. We would not be preparing to fly to Africa in 6 days if God hadn't planned and blessed this entire journey. His hand prints are all over the whole adoption and I've got to keep remembering that. Remembering the miracles that have happened over the last year, and the people who have been His hands and feet during our journey.
Here's to a great day together, further preparing our hearts and home for two more precious children of God!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
10 days
Well, the airline tickets are officially purchased. We fly out at 9:55 a.m. on May 14th, making it just 10 days until we are off to finally meet our newest family members! We will be back on May 22nd around 6:30 p.m. Yes, you counted right, that's almost 9 days away from Hunter and Graysen. I'm not sure how I'm going to make it, but I know that God's Grace will see ALL of us through those 9 days.
I made the boys' first Dr. appointments today. Wow, it was odd calling and making Dr. appointments for kids that I've never even met, yet I called them my sons with pride!
I'm trying really hard to continue with my everyday life, such as laundry, work, and Pampered Chef shows, but it's getting harder and harder by the day to concentrate on such things. I just want to get packed and spend the rest of the days cuddling and playing with Hunter and Graysen before we leave on this journey for so very long. I've only been away from them for 2 nights in a row...8 nights is going to be a shock.
Kids, please know that your Dad and I love each and every one of you more than you'll ever know...well, until you have kids of your own maybe. Although it is killing us to have to leave Hunter and Graysen, we are thrilled to know that we're going to bring home Bizayehu and Sintayehu and learn all about Ethiopia, which is a country that will forever be a part of our hearts and lives. It's so hard to be a parent to 4 children who are split across the world. I feel so guilty letting Hunter and Graysen down while we leave, but Sintayehu and Bizayehu need us too, it's just so emotionally draining.
On that note I'm headed to do more laundry...
Ash
I made the boys' first Dr. appointments today. Wow, it was odd calling and making Dr. appointments for kids that I've never even met, yet I called them my sons with pride!
I'm trying really hard to continue with my everyday life, such as laundry, work, and Pampered Chef shows, but it's getting harder and harder by the day to concentrate on such things. I just want to get packed and spend the rest of the days cuddling and playing with Hunter and Graysen before we leave on this journey for so very long. I've only been away from them for 2 nights in a row...8 nights is going to be a shock.
Kids, please know that your Dad and I love each and every one of you more than you'll ever know...well, until you have kids of your own maybe. Although it is killing us to have to leave Hunter and Graysen, we are thrilled to know that we're going to bring home Bizayehu and Sintayehu and learn all about Ethiopia, which is a country that will forever be a part of our hearts and lives. It's so hard to be a parent to 4 children who are split across the world. I feel so guilty letting Hunter and Graysen down while we leave, but Sintayehu and Bizayehu need us too, it's just so emotionally draining.
On that note I'm headed to do more laundry...
Ash
Monday, May 3, 2010
13
13 more days my dearest children,
So much has been happening in the last few days. So much physically, mentally, and emotionally! Yesterday was spent preparing for Hunter's Pre-School Graduation. We cleaned the house and even did some more deep cleaning! We laid down a new rug in your room and made all of your beds. Your room looks so cute, I can't wait to peak in late at night and see all four of my sleeping children. It will make my heart very, very happy.
Hunter, you did awesome at graduation. Daddy and I were so very proud of you! You sang loud and knew all the verses. You smiled and shook hands like a little man. You're really growing up and we're very proud of the boy you're becoming. Keep up the good work baby! I want you to know that I'm praying for you during this transition Hunter. I know that even though you have looked forward to having more brothers for a long time now, it will be hard to make the change to having two more kids to share your home with. I pray that you will create a bond with your brothers that no one can break, a love for each other that will not fail.
Graysen, we are praying for you too! You are a little possessive of your family members, and we're afraid that it might be hard on you to learn to share your Bubby, Mommy, and Daddy with two more siblings. Don't worry, we'll carve out special time for just you, we promise! I know you'll be very patient with your new brothers as they learn all about our family and lives together.
Sintayehu and Bizayehu, Daddy told me last night that he doesn't want to do anything else before he gets to hug you. He doesn't want to work, eat, sleep...nothing will be as good until he can hug you. You boys sure are lucky. Your Dad loves you so very much and can't wait to show you! I'm buying our airline tickets today and we're having lots of friends over on Wednesday night to help us pack...after that we'll be ready to come meet you! We wonder when they will tell you that we're coming. We're praying that you'll be ready to meet us as well!
All my love to my four beautiful children,
Mommy
So much has been happening in the last few days. So much physically, mentally, and emotionally! Yesterday was spent preparing for Hunter's Pre-School Graduation. We cleaned the house and even did some more deep cleaning! We laid down a new rug in your room and made all of your beds. Your room looks so cute, I can't wait to peak in late at night and see all four of my sleeping children. It will make my heart very, very happy.
Hunter, you did awesome at graduation. Daddy and I were so very proud of you! You sang loud and knew all the verses. You smiled and shook hands like a little man. You're really growing up and we're very proud of the boy you're becoming. Keep up the good work baby! I want you to know that I'm praying for you during this transition Hunter. I know that even though you have looked forward to having more brothers for a long time now, it will be hard to make the change to having two more kids to share your home with. I pray that you will create a bond with your brothers that no one can break, a love for each other that will not fail.
Graysen, we are praying for you too! You are a little possessive of your family members, and we're afraid that it might be hard on you to learn to share your Bubby, Mommy, and Daddy with two more siblings. Don't worry, we'll carve out special time for just you, we promise! I know you'll be very patient with your new brothers as they learn all about our family and lives together.
Sintayehu and Bizayehu, Daddy told me last night that he doesn't want to do anything else before he gets to hug you. He doesn't want to work, eat, sleep...nothing will be as good until he can hug you. You boys sure are lucky. Your Dad loves you so very much and can't wait to show you! I'm buying our airline tickets today and we're having lots of friends over on Wednesday night to help us pack...after that we'll be ready to come meet you! We wonder when they will tell you that we're coming. We're praying that you'll be ready to meet us as well!
All my love to my four beautiful children,
Mommy
Saturday, May 1, 2010
15
Bizayehu and Sintayehu,
We are leaving in 15 days to come and meet you. I've been studying your pictures and praying for your hearts for almost 4 months now, but suddenly it's becoming real. Your Dad and I are really flying 1/2 way around the world to come and experience your country, your culture, and most importantly, meet both of you. I am praying without ceasing now. I have cried lots of tears since yesterday when we got the email asking if we could be there by the 18th of May.
I have so many mixed emotions right now. I'm over the moon excited to finally wrap my arms around you and tell you how madly in love with you I am. I am anxious about your adjustment to our country and our family. I am fearful that you will not be excited to meet me or to leave Ethiopia and come home with us.
Please know that your Dad and I will love you without fail, unconditionally, no matter what. We will continue to pray for your hearts every single day. You are both very strong boys, and we are amazed by you already.
16 or 17 days boys, and we will finally be together...and our life journey begins!
All my love,
Mom
We are leaving in 15 days to come and meet you. I've been studying your pictures and praying for your hearts for almost 4 months now, but suddenly it's becoming real. Your Dad and I are really flying 1/2 way around the world to come and experience your country, your culture, and most importantly, meet both of you. I am praying without ceasing now. I have cried lots of tears since yesterday when we got the email asking if we could be there by the 18th of May.
I have so many mixed emotions right now. I'm over the moon excited to finally wrap my arms around you and tell you how madly in love with you I am. I am anxious about your adjustment to our country and our family. I am fearful that you will not be excited to meet me or to leave Ethiopia and come home with us.
Please know that your Dad and I will love you without fail, unconditionally, no matter what. We will continue to pray for your hearts every single day. You are both very strong boys, and we are amazed by you already.
16 or 17 days boys, and we will finally be together...and our life journey begins!
All my love,
Mom
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
A little life update
There's really a lot going on in our lives right now and I want to make sure they are documented somewhere...where else but here?!
1. Yesterday was a great day! I woke up to an email from our agency saying that they have the missing paperwork at the Embassy. Praise God! Although I know that I serve a mighty and wonderful God, sometimes it's easy to get lost in the "I've got to advocate for myself" mindset and remember that God has this orchestrated already. He knows and works everything for the good of those who love Him.
2. We got the boys' birth certificates last night. Their birthday is February 23, 2004. I find it very funny that they were born 5 days before we were married! ;0) This is also another blessing in disguise because February is such a hard month for us, and now it's got one more awesome celebration in it! It makes them 5 months older than Hunter, so I really will have triplets for 7 months out of every year! So much fun!
3. I am working Monday - Thursday for the next three weeks leading up to Recital. Boy will I be glad when it's over! ;0) I'll miss the kids and seeing my co-workers so much, but I am looking forward to concentrating on my OWN children again! Lincoln has been very supportive of the late nights and me missing so many functions. I guess it's just like any other job when you have a big project coming up, overtime it is!
4. Hunter has his last day of Pre-school tomorrow and Graduation on Sunday! Wow, I can't believe my little boy has completed his first year of formal schooling! We will be having a little family BBQ after Graduation with my cousin and her daughter Ally who is also graduating...which means I'd better get my house cleaned before Sunday! I have adored Solid Rock Christian Church Pre-school and highly recommend it for anyone looking for a Christian environment for their little one to flourish in! I will miss them next year, as Gray still has one year at home with me before she starts. We will send her for 2 years, simply because I love it there so much!
5. We have been doing some major home projects lately...trying to make our home more functional for 6 people! Just to name a few: I've gotten 5 little hooks up by the front door for backpacks and coats, and rug underneath it for shoes. Lincoln's grandpa put the mantle back on our fireplace and Lincoln and I stained and it and repainted all around the fireplace. I've done touch up paint all over the living room. I've reorganized the laundry room completely, adding a deep freeze and laundry sorting / folding/ storing area! I've cleaned out the kids closet and dresser drawers, keeping clothes up to size 7 in there, as we don't know for sure how big the boys will be. I got a shoe rack for their closet floor, making the shoes much more manageable!
6. We're just chomping at the bit to get to Ethiopia and our hands on our two new little additions! Please pray with us that we get the first June Embassy date...I don't know that we can take it much longer than that! They are looking so very handsome in all of their recent pictures, and I just can't wait to say "Welcome home, we love you unconditionally!"
1. Yesterday was a great day! I woke up to an email from our agency saying that they have the missing paperwork at the Embassy. Praise God! Although I know that I serve a mighty and wonderful God, sometimes it's easy to get lost in the "I've got to advocate for myself" mindset and remember that God has this orchestrated already. He knows and works everything for the good of those who love Him.
2. We got the boys' birth certificates last night. Their birthday is February 23, 2004. I find it very funny that they were born 5 days before we were married! ;0) This is also another blessing in disguise because February is such a hard month for us, and now it's got one more awesome celebration in it! It makes them 5 months older than Hunter, so I really will have triplets for 7 months out of every year! So much fun!
3. I am working Monday - Thursday for the next three weeks leading up to Recital. Boy will I be glad when it's over! ;0) I'll miss the kids and seeing my co-workers so much, but I am looking forward to concentrating on my OWN children again! Lincoln has been very supportive of the late nights and me missing so many functions. I guess it's just like any other job when you have a big project coming up, overtime it is!
4. Hunter has his last day of Pre-school tomorrow and Graduation on Sunday! Wow, I can't believe my little boy has completed his first year of formal schooling! We will be having a little family BBQ after Graduation with my cousin and her daughter Ally who is also graduating...which means I'd better get my house cleaned before Sunday! I have adored Solid Rock Christian Church Pre-school and highly recommend it for anyone looking for a Christian environment for their little one to flourish in! I will miss them next year, as Gray still has one year at home with me before she starts. We will send her for 2 years, simply because I love it there so much!
5. We have been doing some major home projects lately...trying to make our home more functional for 6 people! Just to name a few: I've gotten 5 little hooks up by the front door for backpacks and coats, and rug underneath it for shoes. Lincoln's grandpa put the mantle back on our fireplace and Lincoln and I stained and it and repainted all around the fireplace. I've done touch up paint all over the living room. I've reorganized the laundry room completely, adding a deep freeze and laundry sorting / folding/ storing area! I've cleaned out the kids closet and dresser drawers, keeping clothes up to size 7 in there, as we don't know for sure how big the boys will be. I got a shoe rack for their closet floor, making the shoes much more manageable!
6. We're just chomping at the bit to get to Ethiopia and our hands on our two new little additions! Please pray with us that we get the first June Embassy date...I don't know that we can take it much longer than that! They are looking so very handsome in all of their recent pictures, and I just can't wait to say "Welcome home, we love you unconditionally!"
Designer Babies, Designer God
Oh how I wish I could write like Missy at It's Almost Naptime!!... I wish I could come out and speak the truth in such a blunt, easy way to read. Someday maybe, but maybe not...maybe that's not my God given gift. I'll just be happy I have her to read!
"It's been quite a day.
This morning I read this article about a pregnant woman who, upon discovering that one of her twins had Down Syndrome, scheduled an abortion. Only problem was that the doctor aborted the wrong twin. The healthy, wanted baby was killed instead of the undesirable, imperfect baby. Upon discovering the mistake, the mother rectified the situation by aborting the "right" baby. And then there were none.
Then later this afternoon I read how doctors are taking mitochondria from one egg, implanting it in the egg of a woman who carries a genetic defect, and creating an embryo. The baby, therefore, has three parents.
And a ob/gyn named Dr. Frankenstein.
Last summer I sat by a neighbor's pool when a newly pregnant friend of mine revealed that her doctor had offered her the opportunity to take a new blood test that can determine the gender of the baby during the first trimester. My friends gasped at the fun of finding out so early.
My worries exceeded my excitement. "Now, people will abort that much earlier when they don't get the sex they want." My friends called me ridiculous. "No one will do that, Missy. Tsk tsk."
I cocked my head at their ignorance. "Yeah, they will," I nodded, and whispered, "For sure they will." I let it drop. They didn't want to go there.
Many countries already do this regularly. China is facing a fifty million girl shortage due to gendercide that had become the norm. I am sure they will be delighted to abort mere weeks into a pregnancy than to wait until they have felt her kick, or to suffocate her once she is born.
It is believed that 90% of babies diagnosed in the womb with Down are aborted. Many women who choose to implant several embryos during in vitro fertilization routinely "selectively reduce" the babies down to a number that is desirable, a practice I have always found the epitome of irony. And I can guarantee you that children are being aborted in this country because they made the mistake of not developing into the girl or boy that their parents were striving for. We are not morally superior to the Chinese.
Nor are we any less hedonistic than our friends the British, who often abort babies for such simple, correctable abnormalities as club feet (which Olympic champion ice skater Kristi Yamaguchi was born with) and extra fingers and toes. One English father aborted his child with a missing hand because he feared the child would not excel at sports.
As the field of genetics and prenatal testing continues, it won't be long before it is routine to abort babies for reasons of eye color or height. "Tsk tsk, Missy," you say. "No one will do that."
To which I will reply: untold millions of babies have been aborted for much lesser reasons.
Tsk, tsk.
Not so long ago, if you wanted a car, you went down to the lot, and you picked one out and drove it home. You didn't custom order everything down to the color of your steering wheel. If you wanted curtains, you drove to Sears, you decided which ones matched best, and you hung them up on your windows. At a restaurant, you had several items to choose from, not a ten page booklet. And they didn't make it your way. They made it their way.
But this is not the world we now live in. I am constantly overwhelmed by my choices. I've literally burst into tears in Lowe's paint department trying to choose between the sixty five different shades of light green before me. And as much as I love online shopping, it drags out a purchase considerably. Decisions to buy a camera or, heaven help me, one of those custom ordered cars, take hours of research and add stress to what should be a delightful purchase.
Because there are so many options, I feel obligated to design every aspect of my life down to the smallest detail.
Is it any wonder that we feel entitled to do this with our offspring? To create a perfect reflection of ourselves and reject the inferior version?
Is it any wonder we feel entitled to do this with our God?
Back in the curtains-from-Sears day, there was also little to no God shopping. The God of the bible was the God you got. You could take Him or leave Him, but you weren't encouraged to redesign Him.
Then God, like cars and cell phones, got marketed.
And marketing appeals to the consumer, not the product.
"Repent for the Kingdom is at hand"? Way too depressing. And, well, judgmental. Let's replace that with "Join the Excitement!"
"Prepare ye the way of the Lord"? We're too busy choosing a new cell phone for that. How about, "Become a Better You"? Now that, I could squeeze into my schedule.
"Rejoice in your sufferings?" Suffer? Why suffer when you could "Live Your Best Life Now"?
"Blessed are the poor"? Pshaw! Joel Osteen says, "God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money."
This Extreme God Makeover is nothing new. Paul spoke of it almost 2,000 years ago in his letter to the Romans: "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles....They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator..."
None of us probably worship lizards or cats.
But I know a lot of us worship a god of our own creation.
It is a god who wants nothing for us but perfect health. A god who is only interested in our finances to the extent that he increase them. A god who is tolerant of and even encouraging of sin, especially if we claim we can't help it or were born that way. A god who doesn't care if we worship him in a pew or at IHOP. A god who would never, ever send anyone to hell. Well, maybe Hitler. But not our friends, our nice friends.
A god who above all else wants us to be happy, no matter what we have to do or who we have to hurt to achieve satisfaction.
A god who never judges, never condemns, never disciplines. We find ourselves saying, "My god would never do that."
But this god that would never do anything we don't like is a refurbished computer. He was pieced together from different parts, some of them functional, some of them garbage. And the problem with this god is that he frequently crashes.
This designed god offers no explanation when our cancer is diagnosed. This god of wealth's impotence is revealed when our house is foreclosed upon. This god stingily withholds the abundant joy that is found only from turning away from the behaviors and attitudes that are slowly and certainly killing us. This god can make nothing new, especially our hearts.
And this god not only denies us access to eternal life, he can't even give us clear directions on how to get there. This god shrugs his shoulders and suggests that we just try and be as nice as we can be and hope for the best.
The true God, however, reveals himself to us, sometimes gently, sometimes forcefully, in one place alone: his Word, which He so graciously wrote to us. The true God offers only one pathway to Himself: his Son, which He so sacrificially gave to us.
The true God sometimes says and does things we don't like. Like the parents of these "designer babies" will very shortly learn, even the best "designed" children will have minds of their own. So does this God.
The true God who sometimes takes away things we love most. The true God who is completely intolerant of sin, not only the sin of a child molester, but the sin of a dishonoring wife or gossiping neighbor. The true God who assures us that indeed, we were all born that way, but that doesn't mean He's okay if we stay that way.
The true God who makes it abundantly clear that being nice is never, ever going to be good enough to go to heaven.
But -
He is the true God who shows us that peace has nothing to do with the storm that surrounds us, but everything to do in trusting in the One who is mightier than the storm. The true God takes the most horrific circumstances of our lives and makes them beautiful. The true God works all things - especially the painful, frightening and confusing things - for the good of those who love him.
The God who planned great works for us before we were ever born - in order that we glorify Him, not ourselves. Because in that, and that alone, we find happiness.
The God who believes a child with a deformity or a difference is not something worthless to be discarded, but a sign of his glory. The God who takes our greatest fear, death, and makes it our greatest blessing.
The God who wants to love us with the strongest, deepest, most unquenchable love, now and forevermore.
He is a God so much better than any that we could ever design for ourselves, who has such a better life for us than that other god could ever imagine.
Which God do you choose?
The one you designed, or the One who designed you?
"It's been quite a day.
This morning I read this article about a pregnant woman who, upon discovering that one of her twins had Down Syndrome, scheduled an abortion. Only problem was that the doctor aborted the wrong twin. The healthy, wanted baby was killed instead of the undesirable, imperfect baby. Upon discovering the mistake, the mother rectified the situation by aborting the "right" baby. And then there were none.
Then later this afternoon I read how doctors are taking mitochondria from one egg, implanting it in the egg of a woman who carries a genetic defect, and creating an embryo. The baby, therefore, has three parents.
And a ob/gyn named Dr. Frankenstein.
Last summer I sat by a neighbor's pool when a newly pregnant friend of mine revealed that her doctor had offered her the opportunity to take a new blood test that can determine the gender of the baby during the first trimester. My friends gasped at the fun of finding out so early.
My worries exceeded my excitement. "Now, people will abort that much earlier when they don't get the sex they want." My friends called me ridiculous. "No one will do that, Missy. Tsk tsk."
I cocked my head at their ignorance. "Yeah, they will," I nodded, and whispered, "For sure they will." I let it drop. They didn't want to go there.
Many countries already do this regularly. China is facing a fifty million girl shortage due to gendercide that had become the norm. I am sure they will be delighted to abort mere weeks into a pregnancy than to wait until they have felt her kick, or to suffocate her once she is born.
It is believed that 90% of babies diagnosed in the womb with Down are aborted. Many women who choose to implant several embryos during in vitro fertilization routinely "selectively reduce" the babies down to a number that is desirable, a practice I have always found the epitome of irony. And I can guarantee you that children are being aborted in this country because they made the mistake of not developing into the girl or boy that their parents were striving for. We are not morally superior to the Chinese.
Nor are we any less hedonistic than our friends the British, who often abort babies for such simple, correctable abnormalities as club feet (which Olympic champion ice skater Kristi Yamaguchi was born with) and extra fingers and toes. One English father aborted his child with a missing hand because he feared the child would not excel at sports.
As the field of genetics and prenatal testing continues, it won't be long before it is routine to abort babies for reasons of eye color or height. "Tsk tsk, Missy," you say. "No one will do that."
To which I will reply: untold millions of babies have been aborted for much lesser reasons.
Tsk, tsk.
Not so long ago, if you wanted a car, you went down to the lot, and you picked one out and drove it home. You didn't custom order everything down to the color of your steering wheel. If you wanted curtains, you drove to Sears, you decided which ones matched best, and you hung them up on your windows. At a restaurant, you had several items to choose from, not a ten page booklet. And they didn't make it your way. They made it their way.
But this is not the world we now live in. I am constantly overwhelmed by my choices. I've literally burst into tears in Lowe's paint department trying to choose between the sixty five different shades of light green before me. And as much as I love online shopping, it drags out a purchase considerably. Decisions to buy a camera or, heaven help me, one of those custom ordered cars, take hours of research and add stress to what should be a delightful purchase.
Because there are so many options, I feel obligated to design every aspect of my life down to the smallest detail.
Is it any wonder that we feel entitled to do this with our offspring? To create a perfect reflection of ourselves and reject the inferior version?
Is it any wonder we feel entitled to do this with our God?
Back in the curtains-from-Sears day, there was also little to no God shopping. The God of the bible was the God you got. You could take Him or leave Him, but you weren't encouraged to redesign Him.
Then God, like cars and cell phones, got marketed.
And marketing appeals to the consumer, not the product.
"Repent for the Kingdom is at hand"? Way too depressing. And, well, judgmental. Let's replace that with "Join the Excitement!"
"Prepare ye the way of the Lord"? We're too busy choosing a new cell phone for that. How about, "Become a Better You"? Now that, I could squeeze into my schedule.
"Rejoice in your sufferings?" Suffer? Why suffer when you could "Live Your Best Life Now"?
"Blessed are the poor"? Pshaw! Joel Osteen says, "God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money."
This Extreme God Makeover is nothing new. Paul spoke of it almost 2,000 years ago in his letter to the Romans: "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles....They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator..."
None of us probably worship lizards or cats.
But I know a lot of us worship a god of our own creation.
It is a god who wants nothing for us but perfect health. A god who is only interested in our finances to the extent that he increase them. A god who is tolerant of and even encouraging of sin, especially if we claim we can't help it or were born that way. A god who doesn't care if we worship him in a pew or at IHOP. A god who would never, ever send anyone to hell. Well, maybe Hitler. But not our friends, our nice friends.
A god who above all else wants us to be happy, no matter what we have to do or who we have to hurt to achieve satisfaction.
A god who never judges, never condemns, never disciplines. We find ourselves saying, "My god would never do that."
But this god that would never do anything we don't like is a refurbished computer. He was pieced together from different parts, some of them functional, some of them garbage. And the problem with this god is that he frequently crashes.
This designed god offers no explanation when our cancer is diagnosed. This god of wealth's impotence is revealed when our house is foreclosed upon. This god stingily withholds the abundant joy that is found only from turning away from the behaviors and attitudes that are slowly and certainly killing us. This god can make nothing new, especially our hearts.
And this god not only denies us access to eternal life, he can't even give us clear directions on how to get there. This god shrugs his shoulders and suggests that we just try and be as nice as we can be and hope for the best.
The true God, however, reveals himself to us, sometimes gently, sometimes forcefully, in one place alone: his Word, which He so graciously wrote to us. The true God offers only one pathway to Himself: his Son, which He so sacrificially gave to us.
The true God sometimes says and does things we don't like. Like the parents of these "designer babies" will very shortly learn, even the best "designed" children will have minds of their own. So does this God.
The true God who sometimes takes away things we love most. The true God who is completely intolerant of sin, not only the sin of a child molester, but the sin of a dishonoring wife or gossiping neighbor. The true God who assures us that indeed, we were all born that way, but that doesn't mean He's okay if we stay that way.
The true God who makes it abundantly clear that being nice is never, ever going to be good enough to go to heaven.
But -
He is the true God who shows us that peace has nothing to do with the storm that surrounds us, but everything to do in trusting in the One who is mightier than the storm. The true God takes the most horrific circumstances of our lives and makes them beautiful. The true God works all things - especially the painful, frightening and confusing things - for the good of those who love him.
The God who planned great works for us before we were ever born - in order that we glorify Him, not ourselves. Because in that, and that alone, we find happiness.
The God who believes a child with a deformity or a difference is not something worthless to be discarded, but a sign of his glory. The God who takes our greatest fear, death, and makes it our greatest blessing.
The God who wants to love us with the strongest, deepest, most unquenchable love, now and forevermore.
He is a God so much better than any that we could ever design for ourselves, who has such a better life for us than that other god could ever imagine.
Which God do you choose?
The one you designed, or the One who designed you?
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
Joshua 24:15"
Joshua 24:15"
Sunday, April 25, 2010
For One Day...
I wish that I could be the mom that has it all together.
The mom whose house is totally clean and picked up before she leaves the house in the morning.
The mom who is dressed and ready before her children wake up.
The mom whose children eat a well balanced breakfast,
are nicely dressed,
and are to church on time.
For one day,
I wish I could be the mom who has lunch and dinner planned before it's time to start making it.
Just for one day, I wish I could be the mom that others look at in admiration and wonder...
how does she do it?
The mom whose house is totally clean and picked up before she leaves the house in the morning.
The mom who is dressed and ready before her children wake up.
The mom whose children eat a well balanced breakfast,
are nicely dressed,
and are to church on time.
For one day,
I wish I could be the mom who has lunch and dinner planned before it's time to start making it.
Just for one day, I wish I could be the mom that others look at in admiration and wonder...
how does she do it?
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Dear Cat,
Dear Cat,
Hunter and Graysen just love you.
I think you're alright...I mean, you are pretty quiet, and hardly ever cause me any problems. You're real sweet and cuddly (when there's only one person in the room).
But that hair. I just can't take it. I have to vaccum every. single. day. I've had to create a laundry basket filled with the loner socks for you to lay on in the laundry room or you lay in my clothes basket...which I just can't take. No one can hold you after they are ready to leave the house, because you get hair on their clothes. Can you please quit shedding? I would think you were the bomb diggity if you could...
Only about half of my heart,
Ashley
Hunter and Graysen just love you.
I think you're alright...I mean, you are pretty quiet, and hardly ever cause me any problems. You're real sweet and cuddly (when there's only one person in the room).
But that hair. I just can't take it. I have to vaccum every. single. day. I've had to create a laundry basket filled with the loner socks for you to lay on in the laundry room or you lay in my clothes basket...which I just can't take. No one can hold you after they are ready to leave the house, because you get hair on their clothes. Can you please quit shedding? I would think you were the bomb diggity if you could...Only about half of my heart,
Ashley
Friday, April 23, 2010
Blessings.
These girls and these kids have been a blessing in our lives.
These are the children of our small group members.
Their parents have provided support and prayers for us when we didn't have the strength to do it ourselves.
These kids have become the best of friends with our children. They play together every Wednesday night, and when one misses, the others always ask about them.
Ashley and Tiffany have been the best "babysitters" we could have ever asked for. They are structured, yet tons of fun...and most of all, they LOVE our children! I don't even know that I can call them babysitters, they are more like older sisters to our kids, they are a part of our family!
These are the children of our small group members.
Their parents have provided support and prayers for us when we didn't have the strength to do it ourselves.
These kids have become the best of friends with our children. They play together every Wednesday night, and when one misses, the others always ask about them.
Ashley and Tiffany have been the best "babysitters" we could have ever asked for. They are structured, yet tons of fun...and most of all, they LOVE our children! I don't even know that I can call them babysitters, they are more like older sisters to our kids, they are a part of our family!
Since this picture was taken we've added Gavyn (newborn), Beckham (age 4), and will soon add 2 more newborns and our two new boys (age 6).Yes, that's right, these girls have their hands full...11 kids between 6 couples!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Waiting and Watching
What are you waiting on or watching for?
No really, tell me. I love hearing from you!
No really, tell me. I love hearing from you!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Did You Know?
And I wondered why I'm tired all the time!
Interesting...See, we're universal mom's!
Sooo sad...but I must admit, before we got rid of TV, my kids may have been right there...
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