FIRST WEEK

Well we have been home a week and God was right when He told me last spring, when I was feeling that we had hit a dead end in our journey, that "the best was yet to come."   Our house has been full of giggles and laughter literally all day long.  The boys are really enjoying their new sisters too.  They love it when the girls copy everything they say.  The girls have delighted in all the wonderful toys that were given to them, especially the doll house.  They have even done small bits of school this week.  They can count to 100, know their basic addition facts, their alphabet and some phonics.  They did not have school prior to the orphanage and are only at a K5 level.  I thought communicating would be difficult but it really hasn't been.  They understand quite a bit and catch on quickly.  They are both super smart.

We have been laying low at home as much as possible to get them comfortable with us and our family life.  It has been amazing to me how they have already become so much a part of the family.  We have yet to see tantrums or tears (although I am sure they will come at some point).  The girls have slept 11 hours a night since the first night home.  I think it helps that they have each other.  The noise level has certainly increased in the house.  There is something about girls and high pitched squeals and screams; they just seem to go together.  I do love listening to the girls chatter in Amharic as they play in their room.  Sometimes they will play Stephen's African drum and sing Ethiopian songs.  Today I had Michael capture their sweet singing on his Ipod.  

In some ways the girls are like having a couple of toddlers in the house.  They want to explore everything, test limits and even put things in their mouth.  Everything is new to them and it is like going back to the exploratory phase of life for them.  Definitely a drain on my energy level!  It has also been a struggle to find time for my devotional quiet time.  We will certainly find a new normal; it will just take time.

The girls have certainly experienced love in their past and have been taught to help.  The first thing they do when they get up is make their beds.  They clear their dinner places and like to help me rinse the dishes.  They fold and put away their own clothes.  They both love to share and think of others.  Because their previous living conditions consisted of a hut or the care center, they have been a bit hard on the house.  The stickers they brought home from the doctor went immediately onto their furniture.  Gum was found on the floor and wrappers strewn along the halls.  Kitchen towels have been placed on their seats and place mats under their table settings to keep berbere stains off the chairs and table cloth.  I have relaxed my expectations over the years of a "clean house" but they may get relaxed even more!

When I was in Ethiopia, I brought home a big bag of the national spice, Berbere.  It is going quickly.  The girls sprinkle it on everything.  Betty has been more adventurous in trying different foods but Jeri is having a much harder time adapting to American food.  She does like pancakes, toast and jelly, pasta and rice which helps.

The girls went to the pediatrician last Friday.  He ordered a wrist x-ray to determine age (hope to find out the results tomorrow) and lab tests to determine what vaccines they have had and what they still need.  We also learned from the vision screening that Jeri needs glasses.  She could see only the first row of letters and became quite upset with big tears falling down her face when she tried to read the next row.  We have an eye exam set up for next week.  I also felt bad Monday when I took them to the lab and they took out 5 vials of blood!  I'm sure they thought I was a mean old mama.  Luckily there was a drug store next door and we picked up some gum and gummy bears to make up for their pain.  Betty will see a pediatric orthopedist Thursday to check the healing of her broken arm.  The pediatrician says it turns out some when held straight which will limit her mobility.  

We have been so appreciative of all the friends and family who have supported us with food.  It has been a blessing not to have to go to the grocery store or cook and especially helpful with all the appointments I have had the past two weeks for both the girls and the boys (fortunately I got all my appointments out of the way before picking them up.)  All the help has given me time to bond, read, and play games with the girls.  It has also given me time to try to establish a new rhythm for homeschooling.  I am also appreciative of the friends that have helped me with "hair."  Today a friend brought over a hair dryer to try and coconut oil and Thursday a friend who knows how to do African hair is coming over to take out their braids, wash it and teach me how to style it or braid it.  I found out that the $5 we paid in Ethiopia was a bargain.  I priced braiding here and it was $50 at the low end!  We are truly blessed. 

Below are a few more photos to enjoy. 

Psalm 118:25 - Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.

A family welcome at the airport.  The girls' big sister Amy greeting them.  Grandma and Grandpa were there also as they took care of the boys while we were gone.

Our friends decorated our house for our arrival home!

Fun at the park.  Sure is colder than Ethiopia!

First snowball fight!  Snow was also fun for stomping through.

From shy to acting silly!

Smiles over new toys and bedroom.  The bears were given to them by some adopted children that live in the same city as my Aunt Nancy.

GRANDFATHER

I just received these photos of the girls with their grandfather when he made a trip for Embassy.  Wish we could have met him but we did not want him to make another trip for us when he was sick and it is such a long trek.

PICTURES

Picking up the girls at the center.  Jerusalem was sad about leaving her friends.  Bethlehem still has her cast on:

Smiles in the hotel:

Playing outside.  Our hotel did not really have anywhere to play with the kids.  This is their idea of a play yard, moving the cars off the parking pad:

A stop at Compassion to introduce the girls to our friend, Tsehaywota Taddessee:

We hired Joel (Eyuel Hosana)  from Life Tours to show us around Addis.  He was formerly a Compassion sponsored child.  This was his first time to meet the director:

Lunch of traditional food while out on the town:

Saying good-byes to favorite nurse, teachers and nanny at the Care Center.  Bethlehem now has her cast off:

Last ride on the Merry Go Round.  By looking at the photo, you can see why we didn't get pictures of other kids.  Older kids were at school and the younger ones taking a nap.  They did bring the older kids to say good-bye but I am unable to post that photo.

Last evening in Addis at the Yod Abysinnia restaurant.  Will post more photos of our dining and show experience later.  Joel got us a great seat right up front.

Good-bye Ethiopia.  We will miss your beautiful country and people.  We thank you for the beautiful gift that you have given to us.

ETHIOPIA PART II

GOTCHA DAY
On Saturday, February 11th, we left to go pick up our girls.  We flew Ethiopian Airlines this time which required an overnight stay in Washington DC.  It was nice to start out our trip with a nice date, dinner and overnight stay at the Hyatt.  On Sunday, the 12th, we took off on a huge Boeing 777 for the 13 hour flight to Addis.  We arrived on Monday the 13th and after a quick lunch, we headed out to pick up our girls.

I really didn't know what to expect when we arrived.  I guess it is every parent's wish to see excited children running their way and jumping into their arms.  However, that is not what transpired for us.  It broke my heart to to see both our little girls standing at the back of the courtyard crying when we arrived.  Jerusalem was especially sad about leaving since she has become very attached to her friends this past year.  Our girls have experienced so much loss and grief in their short little lives.  Now they are losing their friends and their culture.  All the older kids were at school and the toddlers were napping while we were there so the staff told the girls they could say their good-byes on Thursday when we came for a coffee ceremony.

It is nice the girls still have each other.  Once we were back at the hotel they interacted with each other and smiled.  After a bath, they put on their new clothes.  Woo hoo, thankfully everything fit!  Next, we tried out all the games and toys I had brought to entertain them.  The big hit was the memory game.  They caught on so quickly and had no trouble beating David and I every time we played.  At first, Bethlehem would help us out if she knew where a piece was located but she quickly learned that the winner is the person with the most pairs.  No more help after that!  It is incredible how quickly they pick up on things and learn new things.  I thought communicating would be hard but they have been quick to pick up on words also.  I think they may know a little more English than we initially thought too.

Friday night was difficult again.  Bethlehem went right to sleep but Jerusalem cried and cried.  She finally quieted down and drifted off to sleep as I sang her some songs.

EMBASSY DAY
On Valentine's Day we left for Embassy.  Embassy was quick and uneventful.  The officer asked a couple of questions and sent us on our way.  We learned from the Embassy's interview with the grandfather that he is indeed 86 years old and made his Embassy trip while he was sick with malaria.  What love and dedication to provide the best opportunity he could for his granddaughters.  We also learned both parents died of malaria.  Two of the girls' older brothers live with the grandfather and the other two live with other relatives.  I imagine they are old enough to help out on the farms.  I hope that someday, when the girls reach adulthood, we can go back and locate their brothers and extended family.

Before Embassy, we gave the girls a Valentine's Day Card and small box of chocolates.  The agency employee read the cards to them.  We asked the girls if they would like an American name or if they prefer to be called by their Ethiopian names.  Both chose their current name.  So the names Jerusalem (Jeri) and Bethlehem (Betty) will stay.  Kathryn and Rebecca will be their American names should they ever wish to change names.

Both girls are incredibly shy around people.  It was difficult for us to have someone interpret for us because they are extremely reluctant to talk to others.  Jerusalem will turn her body and look the other way from others when we are at a table.  On the other hand, they have no trouble coming alive when we get back to the hotel room.  They are constantly chatting away with each other and giggling.  Betty has a laugh that is simply contagious.

Tuesday afternoon we took the girls to a beauty shop near the hotel to get their hair washed and braided. When the beauticians were unbraiding their hair, they kept pulling out gobs of loose hair.  Alarmed, David ran over and asked if that was normal for so much hair to fall out.  Boy did we feel dumb, the beautician rolled her eyes at us and said they were taking out extensions that had been braided in.  We felt bad that the nannies had probably put them in to make the girls look extra pretty for their gotcha day. But, how were we to know.

A DAY ON THE TOWN
Wednesday we hired Joel from Life Tours to take us around Addis. We had a good day doing some shopping.  It was a bit overwhelming for the girls to choose a new dress because the vendors would not stop shoving dress after dress in front of them.  Too many choices for little girls who have grown up with nothing!  Next we went to Compassion to introduce our girls to our friend.  We also enjoyed eating at a traditional restaurant and playing at Africa Park.  It is sad that most of the local people can not enjoy the parks since admission is charged.  Each time we drove by the parks, they were empty.

COFFEE CEREMONY
Thursday Betty got her cast off.  Yeah!!  It was getting pretty dirty and smelly.  We were so happy she did not have to wear it home.  At noon, we headed over to the care center for our good-byes and coffee ceremony.  The older kids were pulled out of school to say their good-byes and we took some group photos.  Their teachers also came by with Betty and Jerri's report cards.  We learned that they both have been attending Lower Kindergarden.  Apparently they did not have any schooling before leaving their family.  Both girls scored at the top of their class in all areas.  Nice to know I will have some bright students to homeschool!

Thursday night we went out to dinner with Joel to Yod Abbysinia, a local Ethiopian restaurant.  We enjoyed the traditional food and watched a great show.  Joel had reserved a great table right up front for a good view of the show.  We listened to Ethiopian music and watched dancing from the various cultures within Ethiopia.  Bethlehem especially enjoyed the dances and laughed out loud at some of the silly costumes and movements.  It is amazing what those people can do with their bodies!

DEPARTURE DAY
Friday we prepared for our departure.  The girls saw us start to pack and immediately began packing all their clothes and things.  Then we sat and sat waiting for a late 10:30 p.m. departure.  Waiting had to be hard for the girls because we couldn't really explain anything to them.  We tried to get them to take a nap but they both kept chatting excitedly.  Finally, we moved them to separate beds which resulted in Betty falling asleep and Jerusalem being reduced to tears again.  Without a nap, Jerusalem's eyes were barely staying open when we finally got on the plane.  However, the adrenaline started pumping once they saw the TV screens on the back of each chair.  They were all giggles and smiles as they flipped quickly through all the menu options over and over again.  It didn't help that the airline turned on all the lights and started serving a dinner after we took off.  It was a few hours before any of us had any sleep!

Flying back home was much longer.  Because the plane is flying against the jet stream, it is a 17 hour flight requiring a stop in Rome for fuel.  After what seemed an eternity, we flew into Dulles and then had to take two more flights before finally arriving home late Saturday afternoon.  We received a sweet greeting at the airport by our family group and found our front porch brightly decorated when we arrived home.  Unfortunately our luggage didn't make it.  It finally arrived sometime during the night and was left on our porch.  My parents who had been taking care of the boys had to leave upon our arrival due to my 99 year old grandmother being sick.  Fortunately, our older daughter and her husband prepared us a nice dinner and then it was early to bed.

FIRST DAY HOME
Today was a great day.  The girls had so much fun exploring the house and their new room and toys.  The boys kept them engaged with games and puzzles.  I loved watching how excited the boys were with their new sisters.  It was a bit like having a new puppy in the house.  I imagine that won't last long though once sisters start getting into their things!

I was worried about what the girls would eat since their diets have consisted mostly of injera and sauces prepared with Berbere.  However, I think after the airplane food, they both realized things were going to be a bit different and that they would need to try new foods or starve.  So they ate a few pancakes for breakfast, seemed to enjoy a PB&J for lunch and gobbled up pasta for dinner.  I brought back Berbere spice to sprinkle on our American food and that seemed to help too.  My sister also left us an Ethiopian lentil dish that they enjoyed.

We also enjoyed a cold outing to our neighborhood park today.  The girls put on heavy coats probably for the first time in their lives.  A little snow was left on the ground in places and Betty had fun stomping through it.  At one point, she picked up some snow in her bare hands and let out a sharp squeal when she realized how cold it was!  Then the boys showed them how to throw snowballs at us.  That brought about some more laughter!

We are so thankful for your prayers that have sustained us and protected us over the past week.  We appreciate the meals that will be coming this week.  We feel truly blessed to be the parents of these incredible daughters and to have such wonderful friends and family be a part of our new life.

Truly God does put the lonely in family (Psalm 68:6) so that we fill that emptiness with children without any family at all....

Sorry I have posted with no pictures but they will be forthcoming as soon as David downloads them!

EMBASSY

We got our first choice of Embassy date 2/14.  What a great Valentine's Day gift.  Grandparents are on the way and the tickets are almost booked.  God is good.

Many people have asked what they can do to help.  Jen Hatmaker in her blog titled "How to be the Village" has some great ideas - http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2011/11/02/how-to-be-the-village.  Just click on the link and scroll down to the part "Supporting Families after the Airport."

May you have a blessed Valentine's Day as well.  We appreciate all the prayer and support of our friends and family.

CLEARANCE

Praise God, we got our clearance from Embassy to travel.  Woohoo!  We are requesting interview dates of either next week or the following week.  Now I am in panic mode to get ready.  Suitcases are basically packed already but I have lists to make for my parents who are taking care of the boys,  and grocery shopping and cleaning, etc. to do.  So exciting our girls will be here soon!

COURAGEOUS

Have you seen this new movie?  We just watched it this weekend.  I'm so thankful that I have a husband who is a "Courageous" man.  He has become the spiritual leader of our home and takes the boys to Bible study each week.  He is mentoring our boys to grow them into honorable men through a program they attend called SONS (Society of Noble Sons).  He spends time with them backpacking, hiking, camping, fly fishing (tying flies for their almost weekly fishing trips) or just playing games.  He is a great dad and a great father and I can't wait to see his relationship with our new girls.  He is so excited to get them home and tells me they are going to become great fly fishers too!

The girls' grandfather travels and has an embassy interview this Wednesday.  Hopefully we will clear and know when our travel dates will be soon.