Archive for May, 2008

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Shower of Blessings

May 31, 2008


The adoption shower last night was so much fun and we are so blessed by the friends and family that came. A HUGE thank you to Stacey for doing this for us. This is the second time she’s done such a shindig for me – she threw me a surprise shower when I was pregnant for Natalie. She’s had a crazy week with sick kids, dr. appts, and getting ready to go on the high school mission trip but she still found time to put this together. Her mom opened up their beautiful home for the night and we had a blast.

We ate yummy food and then quizzed all the ladies on their Ethiopian Trivia Knowledge. I was pretty impressed that both Grandmas got 6 out of 8 questions right! (Although MeeMaw cheated and asked Natalie the answer to one of them. Lucky for her Natalie is a good guesser.) :-)

Jen’s surprise was AWESOME! There is an African tradition called Blessing Cards. She handed each of the ladies rwo 4×6 sized card w/ a hole punched in one corner and they each wrote a special prayer or verse or blessing – one for W-boy and one for B-girl. Then, for each child, they chose two matching beads. One bead is attached to the card and then the other bead is strung on a string for the child. How cool is that? There’s a picture in the video below.

The cake was beautiful and yummy as I knew it would be. I asked for chocolate and said “Can you work peanut butter in there somehow?” So Michelle did a peanut butter mousse in the middle and some peanut butter in the frosting. It was delicious! (Hm, I’m thinking I’ll head to the refrigerator for some leftovers after this.)

We were totally blessed by all the gifts we received – bikes, scooters and helmets for both kids, clothes, pajamas, socks, sheets, games and coloring stuff to do on the plane, books, CD players, hair stuff (yeah!), a Frog Pod, wallets for the boys and purses for the girls and tons of gift cards. I am amazed and forever grateful.

So here’s some pictures from our fun night.


Song “Swept Away” by Geoff Moore

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One Step Closer

May 30, 2008

One more hurdle is down. I heard from our AWOP case manager today that our kids legal papers are all done. This means that once our dossier is finished in translation (which I’m hoping it is – you usually don’t hear but it’s been 3 weeks) then Hope can file for a court date for us.

Tonight my wonderful friend Stacey is throwing me an Adoption Shower which is bound to be amazing. I hear Jen’s got a surprise up her sleeve and I’m very curious. Also my friend Michelle is doing the cake and they are always amazing creations (like this and this that she did for my kids birthdays). Can’t wait!

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Congrats Bruyns Family!

May 29, 2008

I am so excited to announce that our friends the Bruyns are the official parents of little Netsanet Grace. They had quite a time getting through court due to power outages in Ethiopia. Nettie is beautiful and will make a wonderful addition to their family along with Mason, Abigail and Judah.

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Missing Them

May 26, 2008

It is difficult to explain, but sometimes I am overcome with waves of emotion when it comes to our new kids. Sunday morning we went off to church, got the kids checked in to their classes and came in to the service as worship was starting. I think the song we were singing was “Happy Day” and as I stood there singing and clapping I was suddenly overwhelmed with just the strongest wave of missing my kids and wanting them there for that moment.

It was a family day, they are our family and yet they are not here with us and at times it seems unbearable. My comfort comes in knowing that they are being well cared for and are with their grandmother and that our time will come soon enough.

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Four Things

May 26, 2008

Okay, my officemate Derrick tagged me with this one so I’ll play along.

Four jobs I’ve had:
1. Burger King (2 different ones)
2. The Limited clothing store
3. Secretary at a law firm
4. College Campus Taco Bell Rep (free food)

Four movies I’ve watched more than once: (I could name way more than 4)
1. Pride & Prejudice
2. The Cutting Edge
3. While You Were Sleeping
4. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

Four places I’ve lived:
1. Phoenix, AZ
2. El Cajon, CA
3. Siloam Springs, AR
4. San Antonio, TX

Four TV shows I watch:
1. Bones
2. House
3. CSI: Miami
4. Anything on HGTV

Four places I’ve been:
1. Berlin, Germany
2. Edinburgh, Scotland
3. England
4. 49 of the 50 States (all but Alaska)

Four people who email me regularly:
1. Stacey
2. Mark
3. PVC staff
4. Kristen

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Mushrooms
2. Pasta
3. Bread
4. Chocolate

Four places I would love to visit:
1. Paris
2. ETHIOPIA!!!
3. Italy
4. Australia

Four things I’m looking forward to in the coming year:
1. Bringing home my kids
2. Growing the non-profit adoption ministry I’m starting with friends
3. Finding God’s call on our life
4. Getting a new niece or nephew on Mark’s side and hopefully one on ours when my brother and sis-n-law adopt

Four friends I’m tagging:

  1. Stacey
  2. Jen
  3. Kim
  4. Jenny
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We must

May 25, 2008

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It has begun

May 23, 2008

In about 10 minutes my oldest will burst through the door (quite literally) and it will officially be summer vacation. Natty’s last day was Wednesday. I always sit here on the last week of school and wonder what on earth we will fill our summer vacation with. Then suddenly it is August and I’m saying “Wow, that actually went kind of fast.”

So what are we going to do this summer?

  • Mark’s brother and his family (5 cousins) arrive late on Sunday and are here for two weeks. The kids can’t wait. Natalie is dying for Averee to see how long her hair has gotten.
  • Vacation Bible School is the second week in June. This is the first year that Natalie is old enough to attend and she’s excited.
  • The kids have been begging to go back to Makutu’s Island – a 20,000 sq ft indoor play area. If you live in the Phoenix area you gotta check it out.
  • Finish a few projects in the backyard like painting the playhouse and getting the flower beds done.
  • Repaint Noah’s room since he’s outgrown the “firefighter” decor.
  • Find bunkbeds for the girls room.
  • Spend lots of time on the water slide in the backyard.
  • Crash our friend’s houses who have pools :-)
  • Arrange two dozen play dates with friends.
  • Go to the cabin to escape the triple digit heat.

And hopefully we will be going to Ethiopia to pick up our kids!!!

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I just THOUGHT we were done with the paperwork

May 21, 2008


Found out this morning that apparently Ethiopia has changed their requirements for the Power of Attorney that is part of our dossier and gives Hope’s lawyers legal right to act on our behalf in court. When they first announced the change a few weeks ago, we thought we’d be grandfathered in but apparently not. So it is one new piece of paper that has to go all the way through the process – notary, state authentication, Washington authentication, Ethopian Embassy and then sent to Ethiopia. Another $150 in costs at least.

The good news is that nothing is held up because of this. As long as it is there by our court date we are good.

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More on the "girl stuff"

May 21, 2008

So my surgery went extremely well yesterday. The hardest part was being hungry in the morning (nothing after midnight Mon) which didn’t help my headache. We arrived at the outpatient surgery center around 11:30 and went through the check in process then waited just about 15 minutes before they took me back to get ready. My favorite part was the paper booties – HA!

The put an IV line in with some saline and then right before they wheeled me back they gave me something to relax me. I remember getting from the gurney/bed to the operating table, the doc putting the mask on and then the nurse, my doc and the anesthesiologist (all women) talking about who would win American Idol last night.

The next thing I remember was waking up in recovery – covered up all cozy, even with a blanket or something around my head. The recovery nurse was talking to me about something, asked if I wanted a drink (apple juice) and if I was cramping. It was not so much my stomach as the time as it was going down my legs (which I often get w/ menstrual cramps) so he gave me some LOVELY Demerol :-) Mark came back, he went over the pre-op stuff with him then I got dressed and they wheeled me out. I kind of dozed on they way home and went to bed when we did get home – slept until about 6:15.

Stacey brought a really yummy dinner that I totally scarfed – I was sooo hungry!

I’ve only had to take ibuprofen up to this point and it has managed the cramping well. This morning I haven’t even taken anything yet so maybe I am past the worst of it.

Thanks for all your prayers!

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I spoke too soon…

May 19, 2008

It officially became a migraine about 11 p.m. – just as I was trying to go to sleep. I tried ice packs, I tried sleeping sitting up – really the only time I was remotely comfortable was when I was standing up. And I just couldn’t figure out how to sleep that way. At midnight I got nauseous. At 1 a.m. I went downstairs to try and eat something. Then I felt shaky so I drank some juice.  Then I hugged the porcelain tank for about 15 minutes. At that point I gave in and took 2 Tylenol. Feel asleep sometime around 2 a.m.

This morning it is better but it is still hanging out in the back of my head. I’m hoping it stays there.