Olivia "S" update!!!

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 up every room that she is in. I would just gravitate towards her. I saw her in the walker, in the bumbo seat and I saw one of the special mothers holding her hands and work on walking with her. She is just a sweetheart. Her laugh is very contagious. You can just look at her and she starts her silly little giggle. I sat on the floor and played with her in her bumbo and she just laughed and laughed and arched her back. I also talked to Almaz about her as well. She said that she has done a 360 change in the past couple of weeks. When she first got to HH her personality was completely flat and she said she has never said that about a child before. The only thing that she would respond to was food and it took her about 3 weeks to get adjusted and let her personality show and now she is just a little character with SO much personality! I can't wait for you to meet her and I can't wait to see updates on her as well. She definitely stole my heart!! And the special mothers just love her!!


let me tell you, she is CUTE! and very smiley and full of personality, and from what i understand it is all within the 2 weeks since she got there and i wanted to reassure you she is doing really well and has really come to life, according to almaz who said that she was very "flat" when she got there and you all had been told that in the referral?? well, that is no longer the case at ALL, she is a bit of a ham really so i thought you'd be happy to know she is in good hands at HH until she can be with you guys!!



So as you can tell, she is going to fit in just swell around here:)

HILARIOUS!

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?!?!?!!

Learn Amharic

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 Amharic is crazy hard. And it would be really great for families adopting older children..... It has some much needed phrases like Do you need to use the bathroom? Are you hungry? And so on. Anyways check it out I think you will like it.

Museum of Science and Nature

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 and plant seeds.

planting seeds


gathering eggs

a quick tractor ride

what farm trip would be complete without milking the cow?

mommy trying to help out

both boys getting in on the action

sand table fun

learning about hot air balloons

Then we headed over to the dinosaur dig area and Jackson wasn't so excited about taking his shoes and socks off for the sand pit.....He actually hated it.

The boys are on the left in the sand

Our last stop was the air table....Jackson's hair was hilarious!

ugh...that is nasty...one second to take the picture and he is putting stuff in his mouth.

uh I think it is nap time:)

Friday morning we headed out on our very first camping trip! It was SO MUCH FUN! I promise to post about it tomorrow! Stay tuned......


for those who are counting: Tara received a referral of a 4 year old girl (she changed her age range last week) and so we are 1 spot lower. Her march official number was 4. Congrats Tara!! We are so happy for you guys!!

My heart breaks....

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.

A day at the arboretum!

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 boys would rather be pirates on Captain Hook's ship than care about any flowers!

Here is the treasure island playhouse:)

Captain Jack


Captain Hook's ship
This was the Eragon playhouse...I had never heard that story before.

1 Fish 2 Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

Looking at some real fish:)



refusing to turn his head for a picture.....

This is part of the Little House on the Prairie town...

Jackson kept saying I am cooking a hot pot dinner!

Perhaps the only picture of his face....

In the bunkhouse of Little House Town

In the schoolhouse, Jackson was the teacher:)

They had about 15 playhouses in all but the boys were too worn out to see much more so we headed home for our afternoon naps. Next stop is the Museum of Nature and Science on Thursday.....stay tuned:)


Adoption Update: We are most likely back at 5 or possibly 4 due to some lost referrals....this has been a really trying period since we were expecting it this week.....we are just pushing through and knowing God is in control. It may be April but we ask you to join us in praying that it is soon.

Adoption is a messy thing.....

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 that it is the right plan for us and that God is at work in our adoption. I just grieve the loss that my child will face and that her birth mother is also facing. It is weighing so heavy on my heart.

Please pray for our friends Kristi and Will as they grieve the loss of their precious referral of K. Her birth mother came back to the orphanage yesterday and took her home. I know this is the best thing for this little girl. I think that the best situation for a child is to stay with their birth family, in their birth country. Adoption is the last possible choice. But, I also know the pain and heartache that the Johnson's are now facing. Please pray that the Lord will give our new friends peace and understanding in this great sadness.

Moving SLOWLY up or is it down?

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

Sorry....

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 about what college he has decided on.

Yes, these are all milestones that I would love to be sharing with you along with how I have started the nursery and bought a double stroller on Craigslist....I have even taken pictures like a good blogger does but instead.....I am going upstairs to take a nap:)

Congratulations TROY AND AMBER!!!

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!

CONGRATULATIONS KRISTI!!!!

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

Please Pray

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 loved and receive someone new.....I don't know if I could do it.


I feel tired of waiting....maybe a blog/number break is in order.....maybe.

Officially 8?

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 Kristi still hasn't heard anything and she is still officially #2. So maybe we are unofficially 7 or lower if numbers 1 and 2 on the boys list got referrals and were on the girls list.....there is really no way of knowing. To me it sounds like we are lower than 8 but who really knows..... I guess we will find out in March:(

Jackson's first black eye.

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 him

You can't really tell by this picture but it is pretty bruised under his eye.... Jackson is so overly cautious that he doesn't really get big injuries often. He plays rough and hard but I think he has a low tolerance for pain like his momma so he tries to avoid falling down at all costs!

Serious Life Magazine

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 and published by a family who have seven kids, three adopted and one who has Leukemia (www.riggsfamilyblog.com). The magazine gives away a bunch of ads to charities and ministries. Besides great articles on interesting people, there is a lot about family, adoption, personal finance, spiritual life, humor… all sorts of “life” topics.

Again, the subscription is free, and I know you’ll enjoy the magazine, so take a minute to check it out and sign up to get future issues. www.seriouslifemagazine.com

Happy Gotcha Day Ellie!

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 wimped out and just went for mashed potatoes instead of an authentic Guatemalan side:)

they had a steering wheel so Jackson didn't really eat much.

LOVE the toddler playground....Jackson always gets so mad when he can't climb up in the tubes!

So being a Southern girl, I really liked the fried chicken! We will definitely be going back because the playplace was really great for toddlers and the tables were in with the playground so no fits to be had in the middle of the restaurant....although he did eat the majority of his dinner in the car on the way home:) And I want to try the plantains next time.


So Happy Gotcha Day Ellie! We enjoyed celebrating your special day from afar!