Can you think of an instance when being told someone you love had TB would be good news?! Until today I didn’t think that was possible! 

 

Bekah Ayane, we were just told today, has TB in her lymph nodes and this is such a blessing! Ok, before you smack me upside the head for saying that, listen. 

 

For a while now she has had a lump on the side of her neck.  They’ve tested it for everything, even cancer (from what we can glean from limited medical information that is available).  They have not been able to tell what’s causing this.  Was it infection or something more serious that has yet to be diagnosed?  TB is treatable.  TB is curable.  Bekah is gaining weight and height at a rapid pace.  She’s happy….except for now maybe…she has to get a shot everyday…yuck!  This lump is just an inflamed lymph node because of TB.  WHAT A BLESSING!

 

Blessings come in such odd shapes and sizes and I’m not sure how to wrap this one, but I have to be thankful, because it could have been a lot worse.

 

  “Thank you God for letting this be TB!”

Sunday I was given a beautiful baby shower! I’m a little overwhelmed at everyone’s generosity….we were just given SO much!   My little girl will be the best dressed child EVER!  Notice I said “my”.    I’m not sure my husband will claim all the pink…lol.  No…he was lovin’ all the stuff too!

 

Our friends Amy and John gave us a high chair.  We ended up getting a Port-a-crib from the hostesses (we needed to do an exchange, but they were SO sweet about it!).  Marvel made us a BEAUTIFUL baby blanket and my Mom has been making adorable things right and left…not to mention the TONS of great clothes, gift cards and money for what Bekah may need,  and just baby stuff everyone gave us…WOW.  

  

A matter a fact we just received a box from my grandma with handmade blankets, sweaters, hats and EVERYTHING!   One of Bekah’s middle names is Emmali after my grandma (Etta Emmaline) and grandma just continues to bless us with her wonderful handmade treasures.  It stuns me the love and generosity from our friends and family.  What a blessing!

 

We are now just waiting for our travel date.  We are trying to lean on faith that it will come this week.  I should say, lean on God.  What God wills, we will.  Please pray for a travel date this week!

 

We got an update on Ayane’s health today…but that for a future blog! Thank you all for your love and prayers…we can feel them!

Ok, today I went to get a passport picture for my Visa to enter Ethiopia.  I am NOT joking….it is the WORST picture I have ever taken! LOL…and that’s saying a lot!  She took it from lower than my height and at some weird angle and it looks like I weigh about 100 lbs more than I do…NO JOKE! I am so stubborn….I should have just paid to have it retaken, but I didn’t want to spend the money on something I won’t use more than once or twice. 

 

So now I’m a little depressed.  I have a vision of what I will look like a 100 lbs from now and it’s NOT pretty.  I definitely need to lose some weight, and now I have an even greater incentive after seeing THAT picture….UGG!  Even my mom, who is always positive and encouraging about my pictures, had to admit that “it was not your best”….lol.

 

I’m ready to get our travel info now….I have even had to let go of ALL vanity to do it…lol.  

 

Yesterday we received some BEAUTIFUL new pictures of Bekah Ayane.  Ohhh….she has grown SO much.  I wish I could post her pictures, but as of yet she has not been through court (as far as we know).  Once court happens we will definitely post pictures.  Bekah’s cheeks are so full AND she has a DIMPLE! Sigh…I ache to hold her!

 

You may be wondering, after talking about Bekah, why this Blog is titled “Anna”? 

 

After school yesterday we gave all our kids the new picture of Bekah (thanks to my mom).  All of them exclaimed in joy!  Anna started kissing the picture and Sarah, while she just climbed into the van at carpool, jumped out instantaneously to show her teacher (with a whole line of cars waiting behind us).  Our kids are just so excited!

 

So, here what I HAD to blog about.

 

Last night Sarah and Anna were watching a movie in Thomas and I’s bedroom (with the lights off).  I don’t know why we were surprised, but they fell asleep.  After getting Sarah in her bed, Thomas picked up Anna.  Hanging in Anna hand was Bekah’s picture.  Even in sleep Anna wouldn’t let it go. 

 

My heart just swells with love for my kids.  Now I just want to have Bekah home even more (if that’s possible). 

 

After celebrating the baptism of our two oldest Thomas and I are SO happy.  They made their decisions individually and we are just so stunned and so thankful.  We now just wait for Bekah to come home!

 

We continue to be blessed and are sometimes taken aback by our friend’s and family’s generosity.  A wonderful woman at my Church is having a baby shower for us…me…us…Bekah…well, you know what I mean! LOL….I really would never have thought I would have a baby shower for my fifth child, but somehow we made a big blooper when we gave EVERYTHING away after we adopted Max.  Everything, that is, except a crib….which I just broke…smile.

 

I have SO much to do!  We don’t have our travel date, but probably will in the next couple weeks.  If things go along like they have been we should be traveling in the next 3 to 5 weeks.  PRAY FOR A TRAVEL DATE…smile.  Can you tell we just want to go! Lol…who cares if we have everything ready!  Ok, so I care a little bit….

 

I have a suitcase full of donations from people.  You wouldn’t believe how much Tylenol and Motrin you can pack into one suitcase.  We actually went out today and bought a foldable duffle bag.  Yes…we already have a nice one, but it doesn’t compact for our trip home.  This duffle should do (we hope…kinda) for all the rest of the donations.  I say kinda, because we really do want to bring as much as possible.

 

Did I tell you that we found a Church of Christ in Addis Ababa? I can’t believe it! I am so stoked to go worship there.  I’m going to email them this weekend!  An awesome couple at Church found it for me.  They were friends with a man that ran an orphanage for the deaf (very cool) in Addis Ababa and we were trying to track him down (still are…smile) and he came across two Churches! Yea!

 

One last item before I leave.  Guess what? Bekah (in just a 6 week period) gained two pounds and 1 ½ inches.  They say she smiles and laughs easily and doesn’t seem to fuss much.  YES! YES! YES!

 

Well…I have to go build a volcano.  No, I do not think I am God…but somehow the teacher’s have it in their minds that we need a little faith.  You know….faith can move mountains…and it better, because I’ve never built a volcano before.

 

Have an awesome day!