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This Blog contains the journey and adventure we are now a part of , bringing our Ethiopian son or daughter home.
God has blessed us and it is our turn, no, our privilege to tell this story.
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Monday, December 17, 2007
Bekah's Story Finally Complete
It has been six months since Bekah came into our family and finally with my heart aching I finished
her story (Check Ethiopian Adoption Stories). It was tough. Please forgive me for not blogging in awhile, but
after the major accomplishment of pouring my heart out, I hope you are touched by what still swims in my vision and heart. If
you feel called to make a difference beyond the many wonderful acts you are doing now, please go to Wide Horizons website
and consider sponsoring a child.
I apologize if it's not well written, or professional, but the story is the story of so many...it's
more than just Bekah's, though I wrote it for her.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Bekah's Story-Part One
This story has been difficult
one to write. Please forgive me for not writing it all at once. Anyway, here is part one of "Bekah's Story".
BEKAH'S STORY
Part One
Ten
years ago my family and I arrived back in the United States from being stationed in Germany. Unfortunately
we brought something back that we didn’t plan on….non-active Tuberculosis. Let me tell you, as parents,
this is a scary diagnosis to hear coming out of your doctor’s mouth.
Thomas, T.C., and Sarah all had non-active TB. For those of you that know me, I am very rarely away
from my children. How
did they get it? Who did they get it from? Why didn’t I get it? It was a mystery to us. As
the primary caregiver to all my children, it remained an unknown.
With a giant sigh of relief we found that TB is fairly easily curable, nine months of medication,
but easily curable. We wondered at that point…honestly…what the point was.
It took ten years to get that answered…. but let me get to that later.
___________________________________________________________
We
were very busy with four children (12,10, 6, and 4 years old). Being parents is the hardest and the best
job there is.
As a family we remained active in the kid’s school. I (Kat ) headed
an “Outreach” program at their school. It is a priority to us to bring
into our children’s lives a since of giving, of making a difference. During an "Outreach" is
where the seed, the slightest inkling of Bekah’s existence in our family was started.
Every year, at the the school, we do an “Outreach” called “Gods Little Lambs” which comes to the aid of orphans. I
sat down at our computer and Googled (our search engine) “Russian Orphans + Number”. Up
popped the results, Ethiopian orphans topping the list. Seven percent of the population seemed unreal at
the time. Could a nation have that many orphans? It was astounding. A few days later
we found our Agency started an Ethiopian program. We weren’t looking for it, the information found us.
The next week an Ethiopian Grocery moved in down the street. Within a short time TC started studying
the Ethiopian Eunuch at Church. Days later a “National Geographic-Africa” showed up. It
continued and continued. God was trying to get our attention. He succeeded.
Bekah was slowly being planted in our hearts. After seeking God, petitioning Him, pleading with
Him to make it clear…our path…we found Bekah…or the knowledge that we had a child waiting for us in Ethiopia.
It’s amazing when that knowledge is presented to you, how quickly you feel the void in your family. How
quickly you realize it was never complete and you’re missing a vital
component.
After seeking “Hope International” as our adoption agency, we proceeded at an alarming speed. Again,
things that were taking months took half that time. We were flying. Having been given
the knowledge that we were to expect 18 months from signing the contract to bringing our child home, we prepared to wait.
Approximately six months after signing our contract we received our monthly email from the “Co” agency we were working
with (Interagency Adoption: Hope International works with Wide Horizons and their Ethiopia Program). Toward
the bottom of the email there were pictures…new pictures of little ones that were just admitted to Horizon House Ethiopia.
Waiting Children. These children were either out of the age range most wanted OR, as was in our
case, considered Special Needs children. These children had either questionable Hep B status or a number
of other ailments. Ayane (EYE-ANNA) , as we knew her then, had a lump on the side of her neck.
It was extremely visible and of great concern to the nurses there. She was tiny, at a year…only
14 ½ lbs….the size of an average three or four month old in the U.S. .
She could only sit up by herself…nothing more. She sat there with her HUGE eyes in a boy’s dark
blue polo shirt, spit up decorating the collar. Her arms hung limply at her side like any sort of movement
was beyond her. At the time the email stated that she was 15 months old….we had stated the age range of
a maximum of one year old. She barely was outside of our age range…but there was something about her….a
connection.
When Thomas FINALLY (that’s the way it felt) arrived home from work I (very casually) said to him “Oh honey,” I faked
a laid back voice “we received the monthly email today and there is this beautiful little 15 month old girl on it named Ayane”.
I waited. Thomas cocked his head at me and smiled, he said “Well, why isn’t she ours?”.
That
is how our journey to bring Bekah home began. After a week of petitioning God (not just us, but Mark and
Michelle, Amy, our Church's Prayer Chain and of course Mom) we were matched with our little sweet Bekah.
We then started the planning. We were
given a beautiful baby shower by some wonderful women at Church. We received pictures of our quickly
transforming baby. Her medicals stated the end conclusion was that she had Tuberculosis in her lymph nodes.
It’s funny how ten years later we find the reason for that TB from Germany. It didn’t scare us.
It wasn’t an unknown.
We
also waited…and waited for the travel email. We shared with other adoptive parents as they got their travel
email and struggled to just walk in faith and wait knowing our time would come. TC and I danced (literally)
and screamed around the house when we finally found out that we would be in travel group #42!
We
set our airline tickets for May 29th through June 9th, ten days in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
TC (our 12 year old) and I would be traveling. It was too far for
both of us to be away from all our kids. We packed and repacked. We practically brought
a pharmacy, and ended up needing very little of it. Isn’t that the way it usually is?
As
the day approached we started to get that anxious, nervous, butterfly feeling. We were actually going.
Bekah, or Rebekah Ayane Emmali we would call her, was within reach.
I kissed our amazing kids (except TC) goodbye with tears in my eyes, and we
boarded our Lufthansa flight heading for Chicago; Frankfurt, Germany; and then on to Addis Ababa Ethiopia.
The
flight seemed to take an eternity. We were so thankful for the portable DVD player for TC (there were some questionable movies on the flights) and for each others company.
After 31 hours in transit we FINALLY arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Mulat, our Wide Horizons
driver, was there to greet us and all our bags (four overstuffed ones) arrived in Ethiopia with us (yea!).
We grabbed some Birr (Ethiopian currency) and bottled water at the airport and proceed out into a dark starless night
and a light, but steady downpour. We didn’t care, our feet were on solid ground and we were within minutes of meeting our reason for being there.
As we climbed into an older van, some chipped paint and faded posters on the inside, the windows quickly fogged up.
The only thing I remember seeing is a glowing Sun Microsystems sign. Of course TC remembers differently,
he remembers the glowing “Denver Broncos” sign…lol…of course.
As we turned into a dark alley, ramshackle shacks surrounded us on either side. It was odd…at the end of the
alley as we closed in you could see big, beautiful gray gates. Barbed wire surrounded the compound and
broken glass set in concrete. We pulled in front of the gates and Mulat honked the (odd sounding) vans
horn…it sounded like a toy car from inside the van. A uniformed guard pulled open the gates.
In front of us was a three-story building …three balconies
and fairly nice looking. To our left was a low setting row of what looked like multiple rooms….almost
like you would expect in a school. They were light brownish with corrugated tin roofs. Women
dressed in white stood outside and looked at us curiously.
We
quickly took our bags upstairs and hurled back down to meet our beautiful little girl. The women in white
turned out to be the nannies that took care of all the precious children.
This
orphanage is wonderful and the love these children get is immeasurable. There is usually one nanny (at
all times) to every 6 to 8 children. What is hard to comprehend is that many of these children are alive
because of the wonderful nannies and the nurses there. Most come in SEVERLY malnourished within weeks or
days of dying. Not all orphanages are as wonderful as where Bekah was, but most are gifts of our Heavenly Father. They help save the of these orphans.
As we shed our shoes before entering Bekah’s nursery we immediately see the walls lined with cribs. The
outer edge of the small room had every inch filled with either a crib or bassinet. To our left…in the very
first crib a curly head laid with a slight sheen of sweat. As we crept closer we could slowly see her beautiful
glowing skin and her long eyelashes, shut in a heavy sleep only infants experience. When asked if we wanted
to hold her, of course the answer was “Yes”. Maybe not the best answer we found out. Bekah
did not like being woken up and handed immediately to strangers, which is what we were to her at the time. We
then learned she could scream…lol. I felt so bad. Wondering (remember we had been traveling
for 31 hours) if I ruined our relationship forever. Ok, so I wasn’t really super rational, but was walking
on adrenaline alone.
Tomorrow was another day.
Long Time No Write-Good Intentions
I had
such good intentions…really I did! Two months from yesterday we arrived home from Ethiopia with our newest
addition…Bekah. Two months from yesterday I arrived home motivated….motivated with the idea of being different
than all the adoptive moms out there. Those moms that are not heard from for months once they bring their
child home.
Then I woke up and
I found that I was now living in reality!
*I had planned immediately
put my journal from our trip online.
*I
then planned to quickly write Bekah’s adoption story incorporating my
journals (I still do…when is the question now).
*Ok…I was at least
going to get my pics up quickly….lol.
*Reality….I’m
a mom of five….Bekah barely allows me out of her site.
*Reality…it been a summer of amazing blessings and amazing sadness (I’ll
talk about that one in another blog).
*Reality…My
kid’s smiles are worth more than any blog ( Do I hear an
AMEN!).
I’m here now at
about 1:00am. I have FINALLY put our pictures online. There are many more BEAUTIFUL
pictures from inside the orphanages, but we are asked not to post pictures of children who are not legally adopted yet.
This is a country law and we definitely follow it. Around December or January I will add the rest,
since the children will most likely all be home by then (at least the one’s that were there while we were there).
There are a few pics of children that are already home now…oh these kids are so sweet. I’m
sorry for the quality of the pictures…some are fuzzy or cut off, but all will help you see the reality of life in Ethiopia.
There are so many stories and so much beauty there. I will share these…I promise…it’s just taking
some time. You will also notice that our birth parent visit is conspicuously absent. This
is Bekah’s story and we want her to feel she can share it when she’s ready to.
Here is the link to look at these pictures: http://kitkatallmarrdup.spaces.live.com/
Anyway…We are alive
and well. All the kids are wonderful (that definitely includes our sunshine Bekah). School
starts in a week and I’m going a little nuts…hope you guys are nuts too…wait…no…well….maybe….being nuts can be very interesting.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
We're Here!
After thirty one hours of travel (from
the time we left our house) we were SO tired. Lufthansa was awesome, but be the
end we started feeling ill. In Frankfurt we had a special "that is so cool" surprise.
We left from the same gate that we left for Moscow to adopt Max from, to come to Ethiopia. It
was just cool and God giving us encouragement when we could barely lift our heads (literally, I could barely wake up TC on
the airport bench) before we started our last 8 hour and 45 minute flight. Half
way to Addis Ababa we did have to stop for refueling...guess
where? The Sudan! Actually another woman in our group had the same thing happen to them and they stopped in Beirut!
It was raining when we arrived and very
dark so we didn't see much of anything on the way to the guest house. After we
arrived we walked about...hmmmmm....10 steps to Ayane's room to meet her. She
was asleep and VERY mad to at us for waking us up. Though that didn't bode well,
the next day she at least would smile at us. She actually came to TC before she came to me! He will never let me forget that!
LOL...I eventually took her to the guest house where she cuddled and fell asleep on my shoulder. We took her up to our room and proceeded to completely conk out with her.
Ok, well TC listened to his MP3 player....but close enough (smile).
That seemed to be somewhat of a break through
with Ayane. She will come to me willingly now, but she IS very attached to her
wonderful Nannies. I don't think we will have her really attach to us until we
take full custody and are feeding, bathing, and changing her...only us. It's
wonderful and tiring at the same time. We are so in love with her, but remind
ourselves that she is only beginning to know us.
We went to the Hilton today to swim
(at least TC) with the older Horizon House Kids (older orphanage). We passed
a highly armed guard as we saw a BEAUTIFUL hotel. Erica (our Wide Horizon's Social
Worker) paid for the kids to go swimming.
I ran into one of the Hilton shops and found TC a swim suit so he could swim with the kids. Ayane conked out on me, but I really got to enjoy watching my oldest.
He has been and was wonderful! The water was about chest high for him
and he (almost the whole time) pulled, was rode, and hugged children back and forth across the pool until his feet literally
bled. It was one of those times as a mom that your heart just swells with thankfulness
and love for your child.
I told Thomas that he was lucky today. I met an adorable 12 year old little girl that was very spiritual and loving. She had suffered from Polio in her childhood.
She has a family waiting for her (though she doesn't know it yet). I'm
telling you though....if she didn't I would be begging, pleading, and especially praying to adopt her. TC and her hit it off really well too.
Well, it's 8:00 or so and TC is very sunburned
(awful bad mommy) and his feet are hurting. Ayane is doesn't want to leave the
nannies, but will let me kiss on her and hold her. She's fine accept for the
parting with the nanny part.
Tomorrow we go and meet the birth family
(the day had been changed) and we get to leave at around 6:00, so.....I'm gonna run....attempt to sleep, and go hug my older
and wonderful son. Have a wonderful day...night...whatever it is...I am So confused...lol
Well
we've met her birth father and we've taken custody, but Ayane is on my lap so
I'll try and write more later.
Monday, May 28, 2007
The Ethiopian Eunuch
At this time one year ago, after MANY signs
leading my husband and family to Ethiopia I went down to the Church building to retrieve the lesson plan for the following
Sunday. When I pulled the plan, it was about the Ethiopian Eunuch. In a moment of complete clarity I called my husband and said “Honey, I know what God wants us to do.”
Amazingly enough today was that lesson
in our class. One year exactly since that moment in time. We have come a full cycle, from the lesson that finally brought a clarity in what God had in store for
us TO leaving to pick up the child of our hearts. It’s amazing what one-year
can bring.
Tomorrow T.C. and I will be leaving
for a 10-day journey (12 if you include travel…smile) to pick up our little Rebekah Ayane Emmali . We are so blessed. There are times I have been letting Satan
sneak in letting anxiety take over, but God is in control. How much we can fit
in a suitcase doesn’t matter. We are following God and that’s what matters.
We live so much day-to-day normalness that
it is such an amazing feeling when you can really view what God has asked you to do.
It is such an amazing feeling knowing God told us we had a little girl in Ethiopia and knowing right now….this second…we
are in His will. We blow it so much that even through the anxiety of leaving
my children here (yes, I will miss my husband terribly, but there is something about your babies) we have found peace and
trust in the fact that for once we were listening (smile).
Thank you all for your continued prayers. They have blessed our lives more than you will ever know. Thank you.
Trip to Ethiopia:
Leaving with my son on Tuesday, May
29th
Arriving in Addis Ababa Wednesday,
May 30th
Birth Family Visit from Thursday, May 31st
to Friday, June 1st
Leaving Addis Ababa on Friday, June
8th
Arriving at home on Saturday, June 9th
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Eleven Days!
Eleven days and counting! Eleven days until
I hold my little girl. Eleven days until my heart is complete with my child in
my arms. Eleven days until God’s plan is fulfilled for this adoption. ELEVEN DAYS!!! I am SOOO excited! Could you guess?
We have some things to accomplish before
then. It really has been God’s perfect timing.
Next week is the last week of school for the kids. We have awards night,
kindergarten graduation, and Olympic day. Not to mention that the state of Texas
has a new requirement of a home visit within 30 days before placement (Thursday of next week).
Guess what I’m going to be doing this weekend? Painting and cleaning….lol.
It’s odd how people talk about Post Adoption
Depression, not because it doesn’t TOTALLY happen at times, but because I get the “blues” waiting. I go from hectic planning to wishing it was tomorrow. I am
insane…lol…I really am saner most of the time. My friends are all laughing now.
It seems my list of things to bring just
gets longer. I just bought and expensive transformer in hopes that I can power
our DVD player with it, charge our cameras, and of course (for my twelve year old) charge my PSP (yes, I did say “my”. My brother gave it to me for Christmas for this trip).
I now need to get some snacks, plastic bags for diapers, formula (yes, I know I can get it there, but I would rather
not “have” to). I’m sure there’s other things, who know…lol…pure craziness!
Our travel dates changed slightly for those
keeping track. They postponed our embassy date for a week and now instead of
leaving on the 25th of May we are leaving four days later on the 29th.
We’re just staying a little longer and coming back on the 8th of June.
See…eleven days until we travel! Sick of hearing that yet?
Well, the kids are quiet and my husband
is about to walk in the door, so I’m gonna run and grasp a little silence before the insanity begins. Have you noticed a trend here…the word insanity comes up an awful lot…hmmmm
Oh Ya, Have I told you it’s only eleven
days?!!! LOL
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
We're Traveling!
On March 12th we were officially matched with our newest daughter Bekah...yet we waited.
On March 19th we officially accepted the referral (because a lot of paperwork! Smile)...yet we waited.
Now on March 8th we finally got our travel email! Do you know what this means?! YES! She has been through court and is
legally ours!!!! NO MORE WAITING! (ok, so maybe just a little bit!)
We don't have our flight info yet, but our Embassy Date is May 28th!
I will post more later, but I'm too scattered to write anymore now! YEAHHHHH!!!!!
In My Weakness
There are times where I can’t do anything
right. I say the wrong things constantly.
I am a failure. Though my faith that God is in control is strong, my faith
that everything is going to be okay (at times) is weak. I feel like the Israelites
who saw Manna come from heaven, who saw the red sea part, yet so quickly they forgot.
There are many times in my life that I
live in prayer. I feel so inadequate for God’s purposes. I let the anxiety of not knowing what’s going to happen invade even my actions. I snap at my kids or stalk the computer waiting for my “travel email”.
I eat…yes, I admit it…I unfortunately use food for comfort. Yet God, in
His infinite wisdom, can use me in my weakness.
Paul wrote in II Corinthians 12:9 “But
he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest in me.”
I find that specifically in this
adoption and other areas of my life I try hard not to let others see my anxiety and doubt.
I try not to let other’s see what a failure I am. I’m not saying this
from a depressed state, but “we all fall short of the glory of God”. It’s a fact. I am weak. I sin. I doubt. I’m not always the example others should look to,
BUT…I am allowed to be weak, because Christ…God is strong.
He
is glorified in my weakness, knowing it is not me that is reflected when I do mirror God….but Him. People cannot look at me and think or say “Wow, she is just so perfect.”
It’s obvious I’m not….wow, is it obvious….none of us are. In our weaknesses….our
failures, we make it glaringly obvious the good that God does work through us.
I set here with my eyes brimming
with tears and recognize that I lack so much, but that God doesn’t. I set here
in my weakness praying that through this shell I call my body, He may be glorified.
I don’t do well with limbo. I don’t do well with not knowing what is going to happen. I don’t do well with wait. Yet in this weakness and anxiety
I can succumb to the peace God has intended for me. I can let God work to His
glory, not mine and can offer myself up “as a living sacrifice” praying that I can learn to reflect Him in all areas of my
life.
God is good and I’m glad I can reflect
Him in my weakness. If I couldn’t I would be in trouble.
Monday, April 30, 2007
When TB is a Good Thing
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!”
The Best Dressed Girl!
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!
Monday, April 23, 2007
The Worst Picture EVER!!!
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.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Anna
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).
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Celebration!
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!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Bekah's Photo Play
Well…I don’t know if you’re like me, but
for some reason I get my best ideas at around 11:30 at night when I’m trying to go to sleep and my brain won’t shut off. As my ideas develop they tend to get more and more elaborate as well (who’d of thunk
it!).
My latest invention (with my mom’s
help…BIG TIME) is a photo album (kinda) that Bekah can play with in Ethiopia until we get there.
I cut out pics, made a frame for them out
of scrap booking paper, stamped the back with “Tiny Little Feet, Great Big Blessing”, and laminated them. I’ve washed them, so she should be able to stick them in her mouth and everything! Child Proof!
My
mom made an adorable little purse type thing with a Velcro closure (adorable!). I
sprayed the purse with my perfume so that at least Bekah may recognize my scent when we arrive.
All that for a little “Photo Play
Pocket”. Let’s hope she likes it!
Love
I miss Bekah. How is that possible? I have never even met our littlest Marr
and I already miss her. I am so ready to have her snuggled up in my arms. Even after four children I still live in oblivion of how hard transition could be. It was tough in some ways with Max, but I have to believe in the joy of love. I can’t immediately love the pain out of her, but God can use Thomas
and I to do exactly that. Love is what leads us to make tough decisions for our
children. Love leads us to discipline our little (and not so little) ones. Love may lead us to doctors, or counseling….who knows!
Love also leads to blessings and happiness.
It makes me a tad sad, when authorities
in adoption say, “You can’t expect to just love the problems out of your child.” I
have read this a couple of times. This makes me think that this “authority” doesn’t
know what real love is. It’s not just snuggling and kisses, but
making the tough decisions as well.
Is the stubbornness that we have
battled with within Max easy? No, but it helped him survive in the orphanage until we came and held our little boy. Now we work and pray for the direction (towards God) to focus his stubbornness. This doesn’t go just for our children God called us to, but for the children God let develop in me.
They didn’t invent the phrase “tough love”
for nothing!
All this is to say that I miss Bekah. I miss the fact that I have never seen her smile.
I miss the fact that she has never fallen asleep on my chest with her little hand curled through my hair. I miss tucking her in at night or comforting her crying. I
miss knowing how she looks when she is mad.
I
miss Bekah.
_______________________________________________________________________
So the prayers begin…..
I pray that she stays healthy until
we come get her.
I pray for a travel date to go and bring
our little girl home.
But most of all I pray in thanks to God
for His love in discipline, in listening, in bringing us help when we need it. I
thank Him for His love of Holding us, Hugs, and Kisses on our foreheads (don’t tell me you haven’t felt that) and the love
that gave us His son, not just for me, but also for my sons and daughters.
Thank you Father.
Friday, March 16, 2007
So Little Time....Yeah!
I just received a mountain of paperwork,
suggestions, forms, and everything else you could imagine. I was a little overwhelmed,
wondering if I would miss something. After all I am not only taking care of myself and Becca, but T.C. too. There’s a ton of little things I need to take care of. You
know what though? This weekend I am going to sleep! I will tackle the mountain
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