7 years of marriage...our love story

We are us.
We aren't always perfect, but we are us.
Him and I.
In it to win it.

We started dating in March 2001. I was a senior in high school and he was a freshman in college. It was rocky to start, I won't lie. There were break ups, there was lots of time spent apart. But we just kept coming back, because we knew...we were better together than we were apart. This is what he does for me. He makes me better, he pushes me, me challenges me.

...and God was faithful.

We had finally decided this was it, we were together forever and started talking wedding plans...August 2004. (August did turn out to be a momentous month for us, but it wasn't because of our wedding!) After a surprise (which was taken better by Lincoln than by me), we pushed the wedding up to February 2004.

...and God was faithful.

Our wedding February 2004

"Introducing Lincoln and Ashley Redburn!"

On our way out of the sanctuary...we did it!

Coming out of the church!

Those first few months were rough, there were times I wanted to quit, but he stuck by my side...and made me start to trust that he wasn't going anywhere...ever.

...and God was faithful

Becoming parents for the 1st time
August 2004

2004 was a learning year for us. It was a growing year. We bought our first home. We spent the night away from Hunter for the first time on our first anniversary. We went to a movie and then got a frozen pizza from Walmart. We went back to the cabin that we spent our wedding night at, but after a run in with a mouse we ended up at my Mom's house, while she was at our house with Hunter!

...and God was faithful.

2005 brought our first heartache, a miscarriage at 11 weeks. We began our journey on relying on God in our marriage.

...and God was faithful.

Feb. 2005

2006 pushed us farther than I ever thought we'd go. We lost yet another child, our daughter Claire was born at 24 weeks...just 2 weeks before our 2nd wedding anniversary. I'm not sure we even spoke on our anniversary this year. We sold our first home and bought a new one next door to my Grandma is October. I began my personal love story with God this year, and we realized that He was the only thing that was going to keep us together.

...and God was faithful.

2006
Becoming parents for the 2nd time
Feb. 2006

2007 was a healing year for us. We came out of the depths of despair stronger and brighter on the other side.

...and God was faithful.

February 2007

We started our year off strong, with our first family vacation to Disney World.

March 2007
Trip to Disney

In April we found out we were expecting another blessing...and Graysen joined our family in November 2007 after a long, hard, scary pregnancy.

...and God was faithful.

Becoming parents for the 3rd time
November 2007

I think this is how we felt most of 2008 - overjoyed with our children, and each other. We finally had a quiet calm year, and rejoiced with the Lord because...

...God was faithful.

2008

As our personal relationships with God grew we started working on letting Him lead our marriage and family as well. God had written adoption on our hearts many years ago, and He wouldn't let us go this year...so, we started the process to adopt from Ethiopia in March.

...and God was faithful.

2009

God transformed our hearts and lives during 2009 and 2010. We changed more as individuals and a couple than we ever have. We were beginning to cling to the Lord and pray to be radically used by Him.

...and God was faithful.

2010

In May we traveled to Ethiopia to add two beautiful 6 year old boys to our family...and to be changed forever! Our eyes were opened, and we knew we could not pretend not to know anymore.

...and God was faithful.

Becoming parents the 4th (and 5th) times

2010

2011 has just begun. We are celebrating our 7th year of marriage. We don't know what this year will hold for our marriage and family, but we do know this...we are welcoming whatever comes our way! It may not be easy or fun, but as long as God is on our side, no one can stand against us...and we know He will be...because...

God is always faithful.

February 2011

Sometimes I just get tired.

I want this blog to be real. Yes, I want it to be encouraging to others, and to my children when they read it someday, but I don't ever want to put on an "act" that I always have it all together or that I'm a super mom. Because I'm not.

Sometimes I just get tired.

Tired of answering questions. translating broken English. matching clothes. folding clothes. entertaining. fixing lunches. solving arguments. teaching appropriate American customs. eating healthy. smiling. teaching kids. answering questions. fixing English grammar. answering questions.

Most of the time I am sincerely happy. But sometimes, some days, I just want to run away. I want to lay on the beach in a chair and read a book, and take a nap, and listen to the ocean. All by myself, or with my mom and sister, or heck, even my husband!!

I know that this is a season of my life. I want to bring honor to God in my every day life. In the grind of chores and laundry and raising kids. I want to worship Him because of Who. He. Is. Not because of what He's given me, or how I'm feeling at the moment. And I will continue to try...while I'm answering questions and fixing grammar, and solving arguments, and teaching proper American customs, and answering yet more questions.

(But sometimes I just want to run away...even to my bed!)

Birthday Days.

Blake Bizayehu's 7th birthday: February 23, 2011.

Grammie came over to take Blake to breakfast on his birthday morning! He also got an Iron Man character complete with lights and sounds from her that morning.


Blake chose chocolate cupcakes with red icing and red chocolate crowns on top for his classroom party. He also took injera and shiro to his class to share. The kids did NOT like it...and let us know! It didn't seem to upset him any though, so that was good!

Blake spent his entire evening playing X-Box football. These children are obsessed with it! I'm sure it's because we rarely let them play...but if we didn't limit it, they wouldn't do anything else, I'm convinced!

Blake chose spaghetti, cabbage, and mashed potatoes for his birthday dinner! (yes, we all eat whatever the birthday child chooses...no matter how odd the combo!)

Blake and Silas got a joint gift on his birthday night from Grammie and Papa Charlie...a new DVD and Book that is Amharic for Kids! We popped it in and they were dancing up a storm! I hope that they will watch it and that some of their native language (although it's the national language of Ethiopia, not their tribal language) will come back to them.

Blake wanted a white cake with chocolate frosting for his birthday! 7 Spider-man candles topped it.

Blake and Mommy on his birthday night. I adore this picture, he so rarely will take a picture with me, that I really cherish this one!

Silas Sintayehu's 7th Birthday: February 24, 2011

Silas and Grammie on his birthday morning. He got a mosaic art kit (he loves them!) from her, and they were headed out to McDonald's for breakfast before school!


A picture with Dad during his classroom party. He was kind enough to let Daddy wear his Birthday Crown. The kids in Silas class were much more receptive to the injera and shiro! I think it made him feel really good that his friends asked for more and were very polite even when they didn't care for it.

Silas chose white cupcakes with golden frosting and rings on top for his classroom party.

This is what he did the entire evening...no surprise there. Those three boys played enough X-Box in these two days to last them two months!!!

Silas' dinner choice was cabbage, raw carrots, baked beans, and mashed potatoes. Funny boy!

Silas chose a strawberry cake with chocolate frosting. He wanted a round cake, so I made two, put them together with white frosting in the middle, and then frosted the whole outside with chocolate.
Silas and Blake got another joint gift this night. A daily devotional book from Grammie and Papa. Coincidentally their devotional for that night was a story about Africa and giving all that we have to God's work!


I think the boys both had good birthdays. It was very hard for the other one to step back and let the birthday boy make decisions. I hope that they won't always have this competition on their birthdays and learn to just enjoy each other's day!



Happy 7th Birthday my sweet boys...I'm so excited to start birthdays with you!!!!!

Praise God! He is Good!

About 4 weeks ago we found a lump on Graysen leg.
A HUGE lump.
And I was scared.

I took her to the Dr. the next day and he gave us antibiotics for an infected lymph node, and said that if it didn't go away he would want to do an ultrasound and run some blood work...
but that it didn't feel like cancer.

The "C" word...did he really have to say it out loud?

She took the 5 day antibiotic and it seemed to be getting smaller.
I analyzed it every. single. day.

Until Tuesday night...
It was big again, protruding from her leg - pink.

So, back to the Dr. we went.
All I could think about was cancer.
Sure, I knew that it was probably cat scratch disease...
but cancer...
what if?

He gave her more meds, this time for 2 weeks.
He also ordered blood work.
He told me that we would get the results of the lymphoma test back the same day.

As I held my 3 year old little girl on my lap while she was getting blood drawn all I could think about was...
more tests. chemo treatments. more pain. more tears.


In the 4 hours that followed my mind was full of fears.
"So this is what our 7th year of marriage would hold.
Silas' birthday would be forever tainted by the news we would receive today.
hospitals.
hair loss.
fighting for her life. every. single. day.
losing another child."

The pain was so scary it started to grip my heart and then I stopped.
God is all mighty.
God reigns.
God has already won this battle.

Why was I questioning?
Why did I fear?
This little girl isn't mine anyway.
She is His...and He loves her more than I ever could.

At 1:05 p.m I got the call...the test was negative.
God is good.
All the time.

Sole Hope Party!

On February 20th I hosted a Sole Hope Party at my house. Not much excites me more than being involved in a project that is a sustaining type project that helps multiple people. This project is just that! We were helping widows around Africa get a head start on making shoes. This will not only provide them with an income, but it will put shoes on orphans feet! Call me crazy, but if that doesn't excite you, I don't know what will!!!





"Dear friends,

You just never know where in the world we'll be serving next...right from our own living rooms! First it was women in Ethiopia, then mothers in Haiti, and now...widows in Uganda!


February's project is going to be for Sole Hope. I had the privilege of getting to know Asher Collie, the founder of Sole Hope, at the Created For Care Retreat that I attended this past weekend. She is currently waiting for her referral for a baby from Ethiopia through AAI, our agency!

Sole Hope desires to provide HOPE to widows, orphans, and others in impoverished and forgotten communities around the world through the trade of shoe making.

Asher leaves on March 2nd to travel to Uganda to start teaching the women there to make these shoes. She said we could help her out tremendously by cutting out the top part of the shoes!"

Do you think these women are excited about this opportunity?!

I know we are! Eight women gathered in my home that night and whipped out 35 pairs of shoes! Ah, to picture the faces and hands of those women who will be sewing the shoes, and the faces and hearts of the little children who will slip them on their precious feet. I can picture them running and running. It makes my heart soar!


I will update you all after Asher gets back from her trip...hopefully she'll bring back pictures and video for us!



I will leave you with this...music to my ears!



If you want to get involved with Sole Hope, please visit this website! I know they'd love it!

An Interview with Silas Sintayehu: the Birthday Boy

An interview with Silas. He was not nearly as excited as Blake was to sit on my lap and talk with me! Again, these responses are not corrected, English is what it is! Enjoy!

Silas, what is tomorrow?
My birthday

How old are you going to be?
Seven


Wow. Are you serious?
Yeah
How can you be seven?
I don't know.
*shy hug*
It's because it's my birthday.
You're right.

Am I old enough to have a 7 year old?
Um yeah
I am? Am I really old?
No.
Oh good.


What is your favorite color?
Golden and blue and red and purple and yellow.
That's a lot of favorite colors
and green.
Wow.
And black and white.
Ooh, are there any colors that you don't like?
I don't think there's any.

What is your favorite game to play?
Um a football game in the Wii and the racing game that we use for trip.
The gameboy?
Yeah. I play on it the racing game.
So you like electronic games?
Yeah. and the Wii
What about not electronic games?
I like them.
I know, but what's your favorite NOT electronic game?
I like all of them. All of the video games. I like it.
I know, but NOT video games...what games do you like to play that aren't video games?
A War and A Goldfish and a Tic-Tac-Tow In A Row.
I like to play that.
Okay good, I like those too.


What is your favorite thing about Ethiopia?
Playing with my friend and Sintayehu.
A different Sintayehu, or being called Sintayehu?
Um, different Sintayehu, my friend.
Okay.

What is your favorite thing about America?
Playing the football game and having fun with my brothers and you and Dad.
*laugh and hug* I love you.
I love you Mom.


What do you want to be when you grow up?
I don't know. Maybe I change my mind and do another stuff.
That's okay, you can always change your mind, but if you had to get a job right now, what job would you want to get?
Driving rocket!
Driving a rocket?
Yeah
Wow!
And an airplane really fast, but not in nigh-night time
Oh, okay.

What do you like best about Hunter?
Playing with him and having fun with him.


What do you like best about Blake?
Playing with him and jumping in the trampoline with him.

What about Graysen?
I like to play with her, um, tag with her and jump with her. That kind of stuff


What do you like best about Mommy?
Everything!
Everything?
*hug*
What's your favorite thing?
Um, playing the football game!
I don't play the football game!!
Best of things?
What's your best favorite thing about Mommy.
Oh, I thought the video game.
No, we're not talking about video games anymore.
Um, I like to play with you, and I like to sleep in your bed.

What do you like best about Daddy?
Sleeping with him. and play with him. jumping with him in the trampoline and playing with him and tickling him and Daddy tickling me too.

Now is it done?


Who is your favorite person in the whole world?
You and Daddy!
Are you just saying that because I'm sitting here?
No.
Daddy and I are really your favorite people?
Yeah! I like to have mom and dad. I like to stay with you guys.
Well, thank you! I like to have you too!
You know why I like to have mom and dad?
Why?
So I won't be lost and go everywhere. So bad guys don't get me.
Oh, Silas, you and your bad guys.
*laugh*

What is your favorite animal?
A lion and a cheetah.
Why are those your favorites?
I just like them, they are cool.


What is your favorite place to go?
To the mall!
To the mall?
Yeah!

What is your favorite food?
Salad! Ummm...
*laugh*
What?!
Nothing, you are sooo funny!


What is something that you would like to do this year?
Playing the football game.
You already play the football game.
What's something new you would like to do this year?
Play with my brothers.
You already play with your brothers?
What's something NEW? Something different, something you've never done before?
I don't know.

What things do you like to do around the house? Whats your favorite chore?
Chore? What's chore?
Like when Mommy gives you jobs...
Putting up the plate and putting drink on the table. I like that.
Okay!


What makes you sad?
Um...when nobody is playing with me. Sometimes, when nobody is playing with me I sit all by myself and run and go the slide.
Are we done yet?
No...

What things make you happy?
Playing with my brothers, and playing with my friends, and playing with you and Daddy.

Do you know how much I love you?
um...*long pause* yeah!
You do?
Yeah!
Good!!