tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57955013097886558012012-01-29T19:55:27.766-06:00Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.comBlogger2001100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-32116901039901677152010-02-25T21:46:00.004-06:002010-02-25T21:50:03.939-06:00

Head on over to our brand new blog!!! raising3babesinthe3rdworld.blogspot.com

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-77117781493205970282010-02-16T19:15:00.005-06:002010-02-16T19:37:07.845-06:00

Look! I am posting more disney pictures and keeping up on my end of the deal! What was your end of the deal? yeah....I didn't think you had an end either....oh well. So the new website is on its way and should be ready by next week. My fabulous blog designer Nikki is hard at work and I am excited to see what she comes up with! I know the suspense is killing you but that will just insure that

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-54882206986692020972010-02-15T13:54:00.003-06:002010-02-15T14:17:41.204-06:00

doing a popcorn dance in front of the castle....it was very funny.Yep, last week we survived a week with two toddlers and mickey mouse! No really, they were actually really good and it was so much fun! Jackson is a typical character groupie and filled his first autograph book in less than 48 hours. Olivia, however, was not really diggin it. She was OBSESSED with them as long as they kept their

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-42958993662614610942009-12-24T12:45:00.001-06:002009-12-24T12:46:20.880-06:00

Maybe after the new year I will feel like blogging more.....if any of you are still out there reading:)But for now let this tide you over!

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-2722066703695463612009-11-19T17:29:00.004-06:002009-11-19T17:42:11.675-06:00

We had our family pictures taken a couple of weeks ago so I thought I would share some of my favorites over the next couple of days:) Enjoy!

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-70363483158534291482009-10-31T21:01:00.006-05:002009-10-31T21:26:42.341-05:00

We went to our friend's for a huge halloween party. She had at least 15 families over for a yummy dinner and bounce house fun before going out trick or treating! We had a great time, thanks Amanda!Here are the three fireman and the two sister dalmatians:)we attempted at a group shot but you can see it didn't go so well....plus we are missing several kids in this.They had a great time going house

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-60385448726451767162009-10-30T14:10:00.006-05:002009-10-30T14:54:10.282-05:00

Well with only one day left in October I suppose it is time to reveal our pumpkin patch photos!Here they are climbing on all of the pumpkins:)Then we put them on the trailer to get some pictures together......these were the best two:But the best are the hilarious outtakes:Jackson, put your arm around sissy......no not like that!here hold a pumpkin instead."Wait I dropped mine! I'll just take

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-33545008941431186552009-10-29T12:57:00.005-05:002009-10-30T14:49:36.002-05:00

Readoption Day! We had to get Livi legalized in the states (her citizenship not her actual adoption) and change her name to Olivia Shataye :)realizing I should of taught my dad how to use the zoom on my camera:)the court room is fun on adoption day!waiting for our names to be calledwaiting with PopPop's glasses onfinally our turn with squirmy kiddosthis one with the judge is a little blurry but

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-42505678452403513552009-10-29T12:30:00.008-05:002009-10-29T12:57:04.758-05:00

Excuse me while I try to catch up from a month worth of no blogging. Here is when we went to the state fair back in September:) They are too cute not to share.....with big texThen we headed over to see the dog show followed by helping hands on the farm. They sure were helpful......watering the trees and picking the fruit.carrying the goods.after milking the cowsthey planted seedsand drove the

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-12053358478310308522009-10-06T17:03:00.004-05:002009-10-06T17:29:18.774-05:00

Daddy is taking a class at the seminary on Tuesday nights so we decided to watch some TV, pop some popcorn and do hair! I love to practice with Livi's hair.....it doesn't need to be styled right now since it is still short but it is important for me to practice parting and for her to practice sitting still.

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-8960232257884857822009-10-06T13:43:00.005-05:002009-10-06T14:05:12.964-05:00

Last weekend we went to my grandparents house to introduce them to their new great grandbaby:) Jackson loves their farm, the animals, and especially the tractor.cousin Tanner:)

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-9122651696884631942009-10-04T21:45:00.004-05:002009-10-04T21:57:21.934-05:00

Every year since Jackson was born we have been going to the Balloon Festival in the Fall. We have a great time watching all of the balloons take off and this year we stuck around for the balloon glow at night but snuck out before the fireworks:)I am sure the other side of this balloon was impressive:)balloon glowAnd because I have enjoyed watching my little family grow, here are our family

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-6117244434443102162009-10-03T19:10:00.007-05:002009-10-03T20:38:23.621-05:00

So it has come to my attention through my last post and Amy's post that not everyone has Mother's Day Out.....how is this possible? How do you people live your lives? Ok, I kid....I am not that desperately in need of MDO......well, sorta. Ok so let me try an explain the wonderful world of Mother's Day Out.Down here in the South, there is like a huge church on almost every corner, and almost

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-70612350581954985852009-09-10T17:54:00.005-05:002009-09-10T18:08:33.412-05:00

Today was Jackson's first day of Mother's Day Out. I used to teach at the preschool and he was down the hall.....today I was down the hall in women's bible study:) It was a nice break from kids and I loved that they both missed me terribly (well ok they just missed me a little). I thought I would post all of Jackson's first day of school pictures for fun:)Jackson's very first day of MDO with

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-69774041550277934312009-09-04T22:32:00.002-05:002009-09-04T22:35:42.838-05:00

Ahh this weekend is FINALLY here! It is RLC staff retreat weekend and I get to hang out with some awesome blogger friends! AMY BOTTOMLY.....you and me tomorrow, I can not wait! I promise, I will be a good blogger and bring my camera:)

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-21230952086018143052009-08-31T17:25:00.002-05:002009-08-31T18:09:31.004-05:00

Ok so out of desperation of having the same meals over and over and over again I started looking for some new recipes.....I love to eat and I LOVE to cook so I am often bored with my same ole repertoire. Then I found this blog, Life's Ambrosia. It is so yummy and so very easy:) My favorites so far (and this is by no means healthy or low fat stuff.....this is the good stuff) cheesy sloppy joes

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-91136436756700187262009-08-31T14:52:00.008-05:002009-08-31T20:50:21.697-05:00

This morning was BEAUTIFUL! Technically it is still August in Texas and it was actually cool today! You know like low 80's? Yeah that is cool here. So I loaded up the kids with all of our fun park stuff, lunches, picnic blankets, etc. and headed to our favorite park. Jackson and I usually do this once a week all year long from September-April, so this was Olivia's first time at what will soon

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-88337058440398264162009-08-29T21:09:00.011-05:002009-08-29T22:24:03.569-05:00

Today Paul turned 29:) We took it easy today and just had a great time as a family. We started out at the spray park with the kids. I had not fished out my camera battery yet, which ended up taking some work to get it out, so I took some pictures using Paul's cell phone.After that we ran through Steak and Shake drive through for yummy mini burgers, fries, and milk shakes. The kids were in

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-50267302701270287812009-08-28T17:25:00.003-05:002009-08-28T17:29:14.264-05:00

Olivia was busy doing this.......That would be my camera battery stuck in the bottom of Olivia's play baby bottle.

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-90703746770111032112009-08-27T14:00:00.004-05:002009-08-27T14:15:53.007-05:00

Ok so I am getting some pressure for some people to be a better blogger so I will try to do better this week I promise!!Last night was so much fun. We have been a part of an awesome playgroup this summer. There are 5 families and we meet each Tuesday at a different location. Each mom has a turn hosting, which means she picks the place and brings the snack. Last night we ended our summer

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-82782130054892261392009-08-21T13:34:00.001-05:002009-08-21T13:35:51.998-05:00

I am not one for forwarded emails but I got this one today and thought it was pretty funny..... especially #7.1. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong. 2. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call. 3. The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text. 4.

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-88185995106625303632009-08-20T08:04:00.005-05:002009-08-20T08:22:46.605-05:00

I know that Thomas' story is a crazy one but I am glad to say it is a very rare one. I have had a lot of time to think about his story since I have known about it for over a month and another agci family asked me the other day if I would use AGCI again. The answer is yes. I really loved our experience with AGCI and yes it was frustrating at times but that is how adoption is. I would ask more

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-69291925712080217452009-08-17T18:25:00.005-05:002009-08-18T13:44:48.427-05:00

I have struggled a lot with things since we have gotten home. The poverty in Ethiopia was very similar to the gypsy camps of Romania but on a bigger scale. I expected this and knew that my heart would be effected. It took me several years to readjust to my life in America when I came home from Romania and this time seems to be no different although I am easily distracted by life with two

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-62606444502786149722009-08-12T22:54:00.002-05:002009-08-12T23:00:39.339-05:00

Well, I really do want to finish our trip posts and tell you more about life at home but I seem to be having a hard time keeping my head above the water lately. Little Olivia didn't seem to get the memo in Ethiopia that her new family are extremely good sleepers and we highly value it......nope, Olivia seems to only want to sleep in 2 hour intervals which puts a bit of a damper on things. We

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-15967426210932872252009-08-04T22:13:00.008-05:002009-08-05T11:35:15.309-05:00

We had Olivia dedicated two Sundays ago and I wanted to post about it before too much time passed. Jackson of course tried to steal the show when our pastor handed Paul the microphone so that he could read our letter/prayer to Olivia. Jackson grabbed the mic and said " I WANT TO HOLD THE MICROPHONE!" I almost died right there! I thought this is gonna be REALLY bad, and in front of the whole

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-6109792795627678522009-08-04T18:28:00.008-05:002009-08-04T19:37:21.283-05:00

That night Olivia wimpered a lot in her sleep. She is actually having quite a hard time sleeping at night but we just found out she has giardia (an intestinal parasite that 95% of kids coming home from Ethiopia have apparently) so hopefully once that is taken care of, she will sleep better. Just trying to keep it real for you other adoptive mommies out there:) Anyways she woke up at 4:15 and

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-36857339280160333872009-08-03T14:22:00.005-05:002009-08-04T11:39:02.962-05:00

UPDATE: I posted a cute video of Jackson at the bottom since blogger was being crazy yesterday!I promise to finish up my posts about our trip but I just wanted to send a little update about life at home with two small toddlers:) We are doing so well and Olivia is adjusting to us perfectly! I am still trying to figure out her sleep patterns but last night she did sleep through the night so

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-78120196791168891632009-07-24T21:02:00.010-05:002009-07-29T21:18:04.940-05:00

Sorry to delay this post so much! I have been deliberating on whether to make a cool video to show you but since I want to bind this blog into a book I decided to just post all of the pictures instead. I promise to edit the video and post it in a week or so.This was Monday, the day we met Olivia! We wake up around 6:30 am after being up several times during the night because we still aren't

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-60383451028084988432009-07-24T20:26:00.002-05:002009-07-24T20:27:17.522-05:00

So remember our USCIS problems? Well I just got our new FDL in the mail today. Thanks USCIS, we have been home a week now. (with just a hint of sarcasm.)

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-23678566049584888262009-07-24T19:39:00.004-05:002009-07-24T20:16:20.491-05:00

After we went to the restaurant, Tatuk drove us around Addis and pointed out things like the prime minister's house (Tatuk doesn't like him), the president's house, Addis Ababa University, and other things. Then he took us to the Ethiopian National Museum. This is supposed to be where Lucy's (the oldest human-like creature) remains are but they are on tour in the U.S. right now. Ironic? Tatuk

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-47339643419324833582009-07-24T17:21:00.003-05:002009-07-24T17:24:48.562-05:00

I just wanted to send out an invitation to those of you who are local. This Sunday Olivia is going to be dedicated at our church then we will have an Open House from 1-4pm if you want to come by and meet her. If you don't know where we live send me a comment and I will give you the details.

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-76519261665879031332009-07-23T13:17:00.005-05:002009-07-23T13:52:16.988-05:00

4:30 am I am awake and can't seem to go back to sleep. I think I would have been able to if I wasn't so excited and nervous. There is electricity every night from 7pm until 5:00 am and every other day. So at 5:00am I hear the water heater turn off and realized the electricity just went off. I quickly wake Paul and tell him we better take a shower or it will be cold. I find out later that it

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-20000777857263648622009-07-22T14:32:00.006-05:002009-07-23T00:14:58.562-05:00

July 11Somewhere on the 16 hour flight and getting to Dubai we lost Friday so I am just going to pick back up on Saturday morning in Dubai. Paul was very nervous that we wouldn't wake up in time since I didn't pack a travel alarm clock (TIP: bring this! it is very important!) just my wristwatch which doesn't have an alarm. So he woke up at 5:20 and our wake up call was a good 15 minutes late at

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-27231424208943238442009-07-22T12:35:00.002-05:002009-07-22T14:30:07.020-05:00

Olivia Shataye Aarseth

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-91048208942710439542009-07-21T14:45:00.007-05:002009-07-21T15:21:33.478-05:00

So I want to be sure to document our trip so that I can hopefully turn this blog into a book one day....has anyone done that yet? If you know of a good place to bind your blog send me a comment!Thursday, July 9thAt 9:00 my mom came over to pack us all into her car and drive us to the airport. I was pretty nervous about leaving Jackson but as I read with him in his morning devotional book I was

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-59962532921503890242009-07-19T17:43:00.003-05:002009-07-19T19:38:35.213-05:00

Sorry that I haven't posted. I am really sick (although I wasn't sick at all in Ethiopia) and we came home to a air conditioner that leaked into the living room so Paul has been replacing the ceiling on top of being totally jet lagged. Olivia is doing really well except that she is terrified of the dog so she is screaming every time she comes near her. Jackson loves being a big brother but is

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-2980371134925370042009-07-17T17:24:00.002-05:002009-07-17T17:27:45.575-05:00

They have arrived in Houston! It appears that their American Airlines flight #2020 is on time to leave at 7:30pm and arrive at DFW at 8:45pm on time - Gate A 15. If you are planning to be at the airport you might want to check again after 7:30pm to make sure it is still on time. They sounded great - exhausted, but great! See you there.GiGi (aka Dee Dee's Mom)

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-47595564699704339642009-07-14T09:40:00.003-05:002009-07-14T09:49:59.772-05:00

Hello everyone, this is GiGi - DeeDee's mom. I am in charge of Jackson while they are in Ethiopia, or should I say, Jackson is in charge of me! Wanted to let everyone know that they called this morning, it was almost 5 pm their time. Olivia is doing great and is a very happy baby. The special moms at the orphanage said she was the Princess of Hannah's Hope. DeeDee said Olivia had slept 11 hours

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-1261624851460222152009-07-10T12:02:00.001-05:002009-07-10T12:02:59.964-05:00

Hi everyone! We are in our hotel room in Dubai. For those of you whoare adopting families, we flew Emirates from Houston to Dubai and theymake you have a forced layover but they give you hotel vouchers andmeal vouchers during your stay and it was cheaper than flyingEthiopian. Emirates is a super fancy airline and we absolutely lovedit. They have individual TVs for each seat with hundreds of

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-24862422060481499792009-07-08T23:29:00.001-05:002009-07-08T23:29:03.502-05:00

For those of you who are local we would love to see you at the airportfor our return. We get back on Friday, July 17th at DFW. Americanflight #2020 from Houston (you don't have to wait for us to comethrough customs since we will do that in Houston) at 8:45pm. I willtry and post in Houston to make sure we are on time.We leave in about 12 hours! I can not believe the time has come. Weappreciate

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-47011935673605468752009-07-08T15:21:00.000-05:002009-07-08T15:22:04.360-05:00

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-72409205298046500402009-07-08T15:15:00.001-05:002009-07-08T15:15:49.446-05:00

This is a test to see if I can blog from my email in Ethiopia.......hopefully I can figure out how to put on a picture as well.  We leave TOMORROW!!!!! I am so sad to leave Jackson though, please pray that I have peace about leaving my little man for 8 days!

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-41087374763525947992009-07-05T21:52:00.006-05:002009-07-05T22:21:03.624-05:00

Well, according to our original travel dates, we were supposed to leave for Ethiopia yesterday on the 4th but now I know why we had to wait until Thursday. We had an amazing day with lots of family time and getting to love on Jackson who will soon no longer be the center of attention.....It was really nice and very needed since I don't want to leave my baby for 8 days. We started out the

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-92180404543472380992009-07-03T22:06:00.005-05:002009-07-03T22:21:45.311-05:00

Ok the nursery is pretty much finished. The walls are a very pale pink, they look a little darker in the photos. Paul is the master photographer, not me and I didn't want to interrupt him cleaning the kitchen for me:) We are waiting on one bookshelf but you can get the general idea......The chandelier has pretty clear and pink crystals hanging from it.Paul and I made this for her room:)Olivia's

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-5679448882729805232009-07-02T18:07:00.005-05:002009-07-02T18:14:22.408-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posting! We have been running around like crazy getting everything ready for Miss Olivia. Tonight I ran by the Ethiopian Market near our house to pick up the essentials to make some shiro and lentils to freeze for when she gets home. I have been trying really hard to get everything from the bottles she uses at HH to familiar toddler foods like shiro and lentils so that

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-14567592114621844592009-06-25T12:24:00.003-05:002009-06-25T13:09:25.355-05:00

We are finally all confirmed and clear to travel and our USCIS problems are FIXED!!! Yes you read that correctly! We leave Thursday July 9th and return Friday July 17th!! We are so excited! I can't believe it.Update on my 90 day Challenge: I am a little behind because of all that has been happening this week. I am still reading everyday, just not as much as I should. But I suspect that a 15

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-59025481583418116702009-06-23T17:41:00.002-05:002009-06-23T17:43:11.770-05:00

We were just informed that we wont be traveling until the following week. I am upset but at least we have a CONFIRMED embassy appointment. Now I am just waiting to make sure our USCIS problem is indeed fixed since the embassy doesn't seem to think it is. If you are reading this shortly after it is posted please say a quick prayer that someone will pick up the phone at the National Visa Center

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-28460873300249066072009-06-18T11:42:00.003-05:002009-06-18T12:20:24.104-05:00

I just heard from Christy that Olivia "S" is OURS!!!!! (I am not sure if I am allowed to post her picture or name yet though....I'll add that to my TO DO LIST)WE WILL BE IN ETHIOPIA JULY 5TH!!!!!!!!!!Please keep praying because I don't know if our USCIS issue has been resolved yet but I will be contacting our congressman if it isn't! I should know more soon!We are totally freaking out around

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-69460040838334977552009-06-13T19:37:00.005-05:002009-06-13T19:43:58.807-05:00

I decided that in the midst of all of these trials we are going through with our adoption, I wanted my mind set not on earthly things but on my Father who I need to run to. So I am joining Rebecca (who has a great homeschooling blog that I just found) on her 90-day challenge of reading through the bible! I told Paul and he said I was crazy! He said, "You do know how many books are in the bible

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-83933846607153041992009-06-09T16:04:00.002-05:002009-06-09T16:08:02.342-05:00

Christy finally called to tell us that we did not pass court last Thursday. Olivia's birth mother has two last names (which is common in the southern region of Ethiopia) but the paperwork that the court had only stated one last name. Now she has to travel home (I think it is like a 7 hour bus ride) and get her paperwork sorted out and then travel back to the capital in order for the judge to

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-89782808794119768132009-06-09T11:38:00.003-05:002009-06-09T11:50:48.467-05:00

Jackson's morning devotional brought me to tears this morning:Kaitlyn is so excited! She and her family are going to a camp where they will have lots of fun. She waited and waited. And now the special day is here. Have you you ever had to wait for something special? It's hard to wait for something that we know is going to be very good. The Bible says that God has many good things for us on

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-18815935649666063342009-06-08T15:54:00.001-05:002009-06-08T15:56:02.314-05:00

We took a random trip to Chicago over the weekend and we just got back in town......but I still haven't heard anything. Some families on the listserv with June 4th court dates posted that they passed today so I have called and emailed Christy (Julie our caseworker is in Ethiopia right now so we have Christy now) but she was at lunch I think................I am frustrated and just want to hear

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-1458274958492709432009-06-04T22:11:00.001-05:002009-06-04T22:14:04.233-05:00

I know you are all wondering about our court date and well, so am I! I have been told that some families find out that day and others have to wait a week......So I will update when I hear something! As far as CIS goes, our meeting this morning went better than last week and I was able to email the actual person that deals with our case......of course the reply I got was, "Thank you Mrs. Aarseth

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-67926309663482012732009-06-03T12:21:00.003-05:002009-06-03T12:26:09.439-05:00

Tonight while we sleep a court in Ethiopia will decide on whether or not Miss "S" will become an Aarseth!!! We are a little nervous, ok I am A LOT nervous, but standing firm on God's promises and blessings to us. Please pray with us tonight for "S"'s birthmother and for our agency and for the judge! We may not know the outcome for several days but I will post as soon as I hear something! Oh

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-76370341739061639992009-06-02T14:09:00.001-05:002009-06-02T14:09:36.028-05:00

I quit.

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-72503873084850639792009-06-01T10:09:00.004-05:002009-06-01T10:18:24.025-05:00

So I have decided to start potty training Jackson today to get my mind off of our court date and our current paperwork predicament...... Potty training isn't quite as fun as I thought it would be. (who actually thinks potty training is fun anyways?) Well it is currently 10:11 and Jackson has had 1.5 sippy cups of Sprite and 1 of Gatorade and .5 of water and still NOTHING......It is like a

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-23507711230433076172009-05-28T14:13:00.002-05:002009-05-28T14:16:27.833-05:00

Today I had a meeting at the immigration office......it didn't go as well as I had hoped. I still have some tricks up my sleeve and hope that this will indeed work out sometime next week but I was pretty upset to say the least this morning. However some wise words from Mckmama have really helped to change my view on things today. It is very strange how much comfort and support I find in the

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-14068080357966290122009-05-26T17:15:00.003-05:002009-05-26T17:25:33.242-05:00

It is only 10 days until our court date and I am officially starting to freak out. I called our case worker today for no other reason than reassurance. Yep, that is right, I didn't have a question, or need anything really from her. I just needed her to tell me that this will get worked out. There are a lot of crazy details about how and why our paperwork is messed up and if you want to know,

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-12121682206087004972009-05-25T13:16:00.003-05:002009-05-25T13:25:20.358-05:00

We got two updates (and some new pics) from some families that traveled last week! HER HAIR IS GROWING LIKE CRAZY!!! I need to go buy clippies and bows now!!! I am so excited and so grateful to these families for giving us a glimpse into her life. Here is what they had to say:I did get to spend some time with your little girl. She is in the same room that our son was in. The special moms in

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-59270423494132215242009-05-23T22:42:00.005-05:002009-05-23T23:09:56.021-05:00

Today is Olivia's 1st birthday and we decided to honor her with a big celebration with all of our friends and family at a local Ethiopian restaurant. It was so much fun to share our love for Ethiopia with everyone! Over 50 people came! Here are some pictures of the great party!Here is the awesome cake my friend Ashley made!AJ and Jeanne came in their Africa attire!The boys ran around like crazy!

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-33102040974386107262009-05-22T14:24:00.002-05:002009-05-22T14:27:24.452-05:00

I was too lazy to scan our nice wedding pictures so I just grabbed this one off of facebook!5 years ago I married the man of my dreams:) He is my best friend and I am blessed to be his wife. I can't wait to see what the next 5 years bring. I love you!

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-84439247315040724732009-05-19T22:06:00.002-05:002009-05-19T22:09:13.510-05:00

Our caseworker called this afternoon to tell us that the U.S.CIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) messed up our paperwork. I have to contact our congressman in the morning in order to get it fixed and I am super nervous that this is going to set us back. Please pray with us that this can be resolved smoothly and most importantly, quickly.Ugh. it hasn't been a really good

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-7800999404753583292009-05-13T14:02:00.002-05:002009-05-13T14:05:05.121-05:00

We finally got our court date today!!! It is JUNE 4TH!!! Oh my gosh that is SO SOON! I can not believe this.... Please pray with us that we will pass the first time and we can travel to go get our girly!!! We are beyond thrilled. oh my goodness it is 3 weeks and 1 day away!!!!!! wow.

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-11482095038604549412009-05-11T17:47:00.004-05:002009-05-11T18:07:35.621-05:00

I know that you are all wondering if we have a court date yet and I am too! I was really hoping we would have it by now but I have learned not to get my hopes up in adoption......you are always waiting for something.Yesterday was a great Mother's Day although I wished I had both of my babies there. My mind was on another mother far away, praying for her health, her sorrow, her world. I think

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-74416677493210653462009-05-03T13:50:00.002-05:002009-05-03T14:01:37.882-05:00

So last Thursday and Friday, Paul and I went to the Christian Alliance for Orphan Care's big conference called Summit V. It was really amazing to see all of these people we know in blog world, authors of books we have read, and leaders of some great organizations we have been blessed to be apart of. It was a great time of fellowship and we learned so much about orphan care, it was unbelievable.

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-9529008799660194452009-05-02T22:49:00.002-05:002009-05-02T23:00:23.887-05:00

Renee checked in our cutie pie while she was there picking up her son:) I love getting updates from traveling families. Just knowing a little bit of what she is doing during the days makes it easier.I wanted you to know that I did see your little girl. I belive she was in the walker everytime time i saw her but there may have been one time she was sitting on a blanket. I didnt get to check her

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-79564067630508616802009-04-29T14:11:00.002-05:002009-04-29T14:18:08.249-05:00

Two families that were picking up their kiddos last week emailed me to tell me that they checked in on our precious little "S." We knew that she was having a hard time adjusting to being at the new orphanage but we are so glad that she is back to her normal, funny self:) Here is what they had to say:I have to tell you that your little girl is HILARIOUS!! She is just so much fun. She lights

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-45659118551272199852009-04-24T11:22:00.002-05:002009-04-24T14:41:59.785-05:00

Ok, how many of you out there are coming to Dallas next week for Summit?? We are volunteers so I can't wait to see everyone! I know so far Mandy , Daniel and Whitney, Angel, and Amy will be there..... Anyone else? Daniel is going to be a breakout session speaker so I am really excited about it!Julie sent us more pictures of Olivia "S" today!!! She is soo cute I can hardly stand it. This alone

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-75410389206199764972009-04-23T15:08:00.000-05:002009-04-23T15:08:38.386-05:00

Today our little angel is 11 months old.....I can not believe it! So in true blogger fashion here are 11 things we LOVE about Olivia!1. We love that you are HILARIOUS! You are going to fit in our family perfectly!2. We love your little bald head.....I have already bought special shampoo and conditioner just for you:)3. We love your little feet! Your GiGi just bought you the cutest sandals

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-37756853930747480482009-04-22T18:37:00.001-05:002009-04-22T18:40:16.870-05:00

Here is the email I got today from Tisha:I got this from Dawn... she wanted me to let you know!!! could you do me a favor please? could u please send deedee an email and tell her that i spent lots of time with her little girl and she is SO cute and HILARIOUS! tell her i'll email her when we get back.. but i thought she'd like the little bit of info. :)How exciting is that?!?!?!!

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-70357015877819407572009-04-16T15:24:00.002-05:002009-04-16T15:33:55.890-05:00

Now we wait for our court date..... We have signed a power of attorney so that our agency can represent us in court in Ethiopia to legally adopt Olivia "S". But first our paperwork has to be merged with hers and it has to be submitted and go through some bureaucracy over there before they can issue us a date. Normally people get there court dates around 4 weeks after they get "the call." So

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-52958147450417387462009-04-15T22:44:00.002-05:002009-04-15T22:47:09.875-05:00

Just wanted to say that our paperwork left my hands at 1:00pm today and should be in Julie's hands at 10:30 am tomorrow.....Praise God! I took a picture of it but I am too tired to upload it right now. Tomorrow I will post all the answers to the What happens next? that I have been hearing for the last two days:)

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-69731262049191921612009-04-14T20:27:00.007-05:002009-04-14T21:15:32.251-05:00

I did not sleep one wink last night and it is catching up to me! We are still on cloud 9 though!!So here is the story of our call. I knew we were number 2 but with the way things had been moving I had really expected it to be next week.....I have been jumping at the phone a little bit but really not thinking too much about. So Monday morning Jackson and I went out to the post office to send

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-68370559241718666392009-04-13T16:13:00.002-05:002009-04-13T16:22:09.848-05:00

AHHHH! Julie CALLED US! I know I am still freaking out!Ok the details. I can't post her name or picture because she is not legally ours yet. Baby "S" is 10 months old and was born on May 23, 2008. She is 17 lbs. and 28 inches. She barely has any hair and looks a little chunky but I know she is petite. She is beyond beautiful. We are so excited!!!We plan to name her Olivia "S" Aarseth. If

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-83384046007249390182009-04-13T10:04:00.006-05:002009-04-13T10:30:10.147-05:00

Our Easter started on Saturday since we knew the weather was going to turn on Sunday, so off to the park we went with our best friends and their son Aidan. It started out with some swinging.....Then Daddy tried to get the kite going.Jackson giving it a try.Fathers and Sons.While all that was going on the mommies hid the eggs.handsome boys.A very sleepy boy getting his basket on Sunday morning.

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-56514118991568568622009-04-08T13:18:00.002-05:002009-04-08T13:22:51.686-05:00

Julie just emailed me to let me know that we are officially numberI knew that we were either 1,2, or 3 so I guess this is pretty good, at least we aren't still at 3! Movement is SLOW so I'll take what I can get. I'll admit that I am nervous and anxious and just ready to see our baby's face! The Lord says do not be anxious in anything so I am trying to have a quiet and content heart but

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-42711905067143543332009-04-03T20:21:00.002-05:002009-04-03T20:26:30.629-05:00

Well I was hoping to get our bi-weekly update tonight but it didn't come.....So I will just share this with you... It is simple Amharic for adoptive families! We bought this like a month or so ago and I will just admit that I haven't been using it much because it makes me sad to think that we still don't have our referral.....BUT it is really fantastic. It comes with a CD because you know

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-54260228706777314632009-03-31T19:47:00.001-05:002009-03-31T19:47:25.637-05:00

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-26328944309470586712009-03-30T17:49:00.002-05:002009-03-30T17:54:10.834-05:00

We are so happy for you guys!! I seriously have been crying all afternoon:) So now we areor possibly even 2! I am really unsure with the numbers with all the craziness that has gone on lately......if you have a guess then leave me a comment:)

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-45999000673552536282009-03-26T15:53:00.008-05:002009-03-26T16:25:24.869-05:00

Ok let me first say that Paul and I are not campers. We have never camped other than a one nighter with the youth or sunday school here or there....and then we had people helping us. So we have been wanting to change that and make camping a family tradition but we really have no idea what we are doing. So when some friends of ours invited us to join them during Spring Break we jumped in! You

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-8908943407695670022009-03-23T08:41:00.006-05:002009-03-23T09:15:00.743-05:00

We are really sad that Spring Break is over:( I can't wait until the school year is finished so I can just be with my kids..... Thursday my friend and I took our boys to the Museum of Science and Nature because they have a great Children's Museum and we just became members. Here are the boys playing at the water table.Then we headed over to the Little Farm and got our bags to fill with veggies

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-23307254507442607592009-03-18T09:08:00.002-05:002009-03-18T09:14:05.605-05:00

Yesterday morning I read some really sad news. Mrs. Haregewoin Teferra passed away in Ethiopia. This woman's story changed my life and I (and thousands of others) am incredibly grateful for the work she has done and inspired others to do for the children of Ethiopia. If you haven't read There is No Me Without You by Melissa Fay Greene then you REALLY need to.

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-78387913839144317632009-03-17T17:53:00.011-05:002009-03-17T19:04:43.887-05:00

It is Spring Break and since I teach preschool 3 days a week we had to get out with the crowds and enjoy our week off! My friend Darci and I took our boys to the Arboretum today and they had a great time. There were so many beautiful tulips and flowers....we don't have any pictures of those because the boys were too interested in the exhibits. Right now Storybook Playhouses are touring and the

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-6958926627407296232009-03-14T20:49:00.005-05:002009-03-14T21:30:18.885-05:00

My little man turned 2 yesterday and we had a huge Elmo party today for him. It was originally supposed to be in our backyard with our nice big patio and yard but it has been raining since Tuesday and our backyard now resembles Lake Michigan. So we moved the party to the fellowship hall at our church! It was a really great substitute. Jackson was very excited about borrowing his friend

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-86178996550726295892009-03-10T21:56:00.002-05:002009-03-10T22:07:09.136-05:00

It is hard for me not to get on the bandwagon that adoption is a beautiful, wonderfully orchestrated work of God. I do believe that, I really do. But the thing is adoption is also ugly and messy and would not be needed if it weren't for sin and this fallen world. For me it has been hard to forget the pain and grief that comes with adoption even though I try to focus on the good in it. I know

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-56887376353303418772009-03-05T14:49:00.004-06:002009-03-05T15:25:27.065-06:00

Julie called and left a message and we are officially 5 but Troy thinks we are 4 and he is now over the unofficial list so I am excited about that. Hopefully I will be able to talk to Julie this afternoon and find out some more info..... getting pretty anxious around here though!Just a few more to knock down!

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-30103297523964832022009-03-03T20:51:00.002-06:002009-03-03T20:56:02.779-06:00

Jackson is really taking an interest in playing simple computer games. Right now I am just letting him watch some ABC learning "games" on starfall.com and some games over on the Sesame Street website. I would really like to get a computer game that he could play himself (with help) although we only have a lap top so I am a little nervous about it. I think it would be a good way to work on his

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379859517975476731noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-31721068513109345632009-02-23T13:29:00.002-06:002009-02-23T13:39:24.892-06:00

Ok so Melissa over at A long way from the Theta House did this and I thought I would try.....Go to google an put in your name needs...for example I put in DeeDee needs and these are the top 10 things that came up.1. Your prayers---wow Google you are impressing me so far.....I went on to read that DeeDee is a rat terrier in need of prayer....nice.2. Certified for publication court appeal.....uh

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-65634174014296369562009-02-20T22:36:00.002-06:002009-02-20T22:39:48.079-06:00

I am a child of the 80's so this is my way of saying we are now number 5:)

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-59461732116826104192009-02-17T14:51:00.003-06:002009-02-17T14:57:02.695-06:00

I really do have blog posts to share with you all but I am soooo tired. For instance, I would like to tell you Jackson has successfully moved into his new bunk beds with not one problem at all (and the pictures), and how he also peed in the potty for the first time, and how all of the sudden decided he doesn't need his pacifier anymore..... Yep, all in one week. Next week I will be blogging

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-44721463630027183772009-02-12T15:02:00.002-06:002009-02-12T15:05:27.767-06:00

yep lots and lots of movement this week! I was blessed by seeing pictures of both Kristi's and Troy's new babies!!! Ummmm, I am ready for mine NOW!!!! Still not sure what my numbers are but I did get in contact with Tara who is 2 spots before me on the list!!! YAY! Hopefully we will be able to travel together!

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-77817965296535934532009-02-10T18:47:00.003-06:002009-02-10T18:53:34.117-06:00

So my blog friend Kristi has been stuck at the number one spot for WAY too long! But she just got the call, so go on over to her blog and say congrats!!!! AHH!! I can't believe it! I really hope the next 6 babies come really fast so we can travel with you guys!!! I am so happy:)oh yeah and we could be lower but I know at the highest we are

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-5721365179632971972009-02-06T17:01:00.002-06:002009-02-06T17:05:31.786-06:00

A family in our agency was waiting for travel and received devastating news that their baby girl had passed away. That is all I know but I am having a really hard time processing this, my heart aches for this family and I ask you to pray for them at this time. I do know that they will be receiving another referral any day and that will definitely be a very hard time....to let go of one that you

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-66182997757802054372009-02-05T14:43:00.003-06:002009-02-05T14:47:00.898-06:00

Ok so our case worker sent us our official numbers and we are 8 which is what I thought but she also included this little gem: Of course, it is good to know that there are a few referrals that were recently made that have not yet been factored out of the list as we are awaiting the official acceptances, but congratulations on your movement!I am really unsure who she is talking about since

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-61011922815702434352009-02-04T18:33:00.004-06:002009-02-04T18:42:18.937-06:00

Today at Mother's Day Out Jackson pulled a pretend shopping cart over on himself and got his very first shiner. I wouldn't be a good blogger if I didn't properly document this event.Here he is telling his GiGi all about it while eating a cheese stick and notice whats laying in the floor behind himYou can't really tell by this picture but it is pretty bruised under his eye.... Jackson is so

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-91333390740225347812009-02-02T08:30:00.001-06:002009-02-02T08:34:42.408-06:00

I wanted you to know about this publication I’m a part of called Serious.Life Magazine. They just published the February issue today, and I am in their Featured Blog Directory. It’s a very high quality magazine… you’ll really like it. The magazine includes a lot of great content from bloggers you’ll appreciate, as well as great features, photos and other content. The magazine is owned

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-40262814397123377032009-01-30T19:34:00.004-06:002009-01-30T20:02:58.832-06:00

A year ago today our friends Daniel and Whitney brought home their daughter, Ellie, from Guatemala. Paul and I have always talked about adopting but God really used Ellie to show us that now is the time and it is not as scary as we thought it would be. So in honor of Ellie we went to Pollo Campero for dinner! It is a Guatemalan fried chicken chain in the south.my food and my lens cap:) I

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-52185660363674906492009-01-30T17:08:00.003-06:002009-01-30T17:10:01.991-06:00

yeah I just boosted the economy by buying thisI couldn't help myself....it is too cute and it is really hard to shop for a child when you have no idea what size she will be.

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-27512566325115187242009-01-29T22:19:00.004-06:002009-01-29T22:32:18.285-06:00

We are really excited to start learning some simple phrases that we can use with our daughter. I thought it would help her to maybe not be as scared if we could comfort her in a language she is familiar with, especially if she ends up being closer to 12 months old. I am pretty sure I sound ridiculous so it will be a miracle if this actually sounds comforting to anyone:)Amharic is super hard!

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5795501309788655801.post-1024157654062800072009-01-27T16:37:00.003-06:002009-01-27T16:47:25.948-06:00

First to Audrey, Thank you so much for the comment. I would love to read your blog and try to answer any questions you might have! However, when I clicked on your name, nothing came up. Could you leave me another comment with your blog address?Reading blogs was really how I got so much of my information when we first started out and well I guess since I am not really a newbie anymore......(

Paul and DeeDeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12331984466932474305noreply@blogger.com4