A full of joy and tears Merry Christmas!

Jackson says, mom you may not have any presents under the tree. I said, that's ok buddy. Look around, what could I possibly want. A new house, the girls, healthy boys, a husband that leads us and a God who loves us. This is going to be the best Christmas ever buddy.

With tears streaming down my ten years olds face, he looks at me and say, "yeah, but this won't be a good Christmas for Abebech(ET birthmom)".

I cried and said your right buddy, I never even thought of the that. So I pray for her.

6 Months and a Day.

Yesterday was six months since we met our girls in the flesh, face to face in Ethiopia. It is a lot to take in trying to remember all that has happened in the past six months. I don't know if I have really absorbed all that has happened in the last year. From January, when we saw our girls in the AGCI waiting list email, to February when AGCI said we were designed to be their forever family. To March, when we got the paperwork rolling and into April when we sent off the dreadfully beautiful Dossier. May brought notice that we passed court and we got our tentative travel dates for June. June we hopped a plane half way around the world to a gorgeous country where our girls were born and raised.

From there, man, it has been a whirl wind. June, welcome to America! Welcome to a family, your family, that has loved you since we found out about you. July brought chicken pox for the girls..I had NO idea what they were, sun poison? rash? nope, chicken pox! August, the school year begins, Jersey is enrolled in our churches private school. She can't wait. September, new house is coming along almost ready for us..Lord knows we are ready for it! October, hello new house! So much room, we still don't know how to act. November, girls first Thanksgiving. They said they are thankful for mom and dad..awe tears. December, first Christmas program and first Christmas with gifts to boot. Also, they got their first frosting of snow.
Thank you God for keeping our lives so full and vibrant. Living for you is never boring!

If a picture is worth a thousand words..

This one can tell a story about our Holiday. Relaxing with family for beautiful days that God has given. How can we want anything more?

I'm Baaacckkk!!

Just in time to give so many thanks to our wonderful God who has given us (me)more than I ever deserve. Actually more than I could have imagined. He took my prayers and multiplied the blessings from them. I will be starting the new year with a new prayer list that the Lord will hopefully guide me to.

We have been more than busy and full of life in our household since the girls have joined us physically. We have moved into our new house, in a new town, our kids have joined our churches private school M.A.P.S - Mid America Prep School and I was chosen to be a Postmaster Relief for our small villages Post Office. Plus we just hooked our internet back up sooo..these are my reasons for leaving this blog abandoned.

To try to sum up the last 7 months as brief as possible, many people tell us it's like the girls have always been here. The Sunday School teacher say this, other couples we hang with say this, the family says this. The boys grew into a love/hate bro/sis relationship by the second day:) The girls love church. The church loves them. Our family is the same way. There's not more to be said other than, they are meant to be here with us.

In closing I would like to speak a little list of Thankgiving unto our God who outdoes Himself everytime:

Thank You for loving us, our girls, their ET family enough to give us all each other. Your hand is mighty in this process.

Thank You for a husband who can hear from you. I am so blessed because of that.

Thank You for keeping me and correcting me. I could not live without your love in my life.

Thank You for three boys who are tender after You and want to serve You. I pray it never ends but grows.

Thank You for these two girls who have taught us so much. Much of which I hope the feeling is mutual someday. They know who You are. They fear You and adore You. They love to worship You and are strongly passionate about Your ways.

Thank You for letting us know You. We love You Jesus.

Summer is slowing down..

I thought you would get a kick out of these. Can they be any more happy to be in front of the camera...no way! I can't believe how big Jerusa Mahder's belly is. No more siga(meat) for her. Ya right!! See that spot on her belly..that is where the chicken pox originated for her and then spread to Jersey. Both of our girls had them so that was miserable for all of us. That did not help the sleeping issue either. Poor babies.



Can't remember if I got this picture posted here previously yet but twice won't hurt anyone. Jersey B gave my mom corn row braids! That's my mom with the glasses..she will be *ifty this year:) The boys are being funny too.

After we got thru the 2 weeks of chicken pox we took a road trip to Wisconsin Dells. Thought of you Cass and crew!! How do the girls like a big water park in your hotel, you ask? They LOVE it!! Here they are with their cousins getting ready to putt-putt. Jhet did the best out of anyone..I think we may have found something special for him to pick up. I think golf is a great sport for him.

Quick pose by the flowers on the putting greens. Which flower would you pick?

Since we have been home we have learned more about the girls life before America. Some stories that snap us into reality from our cooshie life real fast are ... The story of when the girls cried at night because they were hungry and mom gave them water. They drank and drank and then she said go to bed.

When the bmom sat and counted Birr and cried because there was no more birr left.

We had a thunderstorm and the rain made the girls flash back and remember when mom walked and walked to find food only to bring back a banana..they cried being all by themselves.

The day they came to Hannah's Hope. Who came with them, what they were wearing, what they did when they said goodbye.

During our prayers for their family members back home, they cry hard not knowing when or if they will see them again. Jersey wants to pick up the phone and call them.

One question that the girls answer the same. Do you love Ethiopia? NO! "Yes, we love Ethiopia. Mommy love Ethiopia, I say." No, we love America. They really do.

I'm sure the honeymoon stage mixed with memories like these sway their opinions. I just ask God to give them an everlasting love for ET and the people so that one day they may feel the call to return and give their people a gift in Jesus and show them how great He is.

Our girls are so loved. In this photo we added Nivea to the mix..she is my cousins cousin who couldn't wait to meet her chocolate cousins.

It is still hard to adjust. The girls do not like for me to leave them. They are getting more comfortable with Daddy and even their grandma's. There has been many restless nights for Jerusa Mahder. She wakes up in the middle of the night if I or Dad am not by her side. She can feel us and often times sleeps on my stomach. I do not enjoy sleeping on my back.

We have had one outbreak per girl with bumps and fever that lasts for 3 days. It may be an allergic reaction, it may be chicken pox..I still don't know for sure..

Food is never a problem and they are not hard to please. They don't like any milk or anything with cheese. They love fresh fruits and avocados. Are avocado's a fruit?

What else? Oh they love church and swimming and going anywhere in the car. They hate the word Doctor let alone the actual thing! The boys are loving and annoyed all together. They get nervous about their ds's getting messed up, or sharing something that the girls shouldn't have. The girls don't like sharing either and they will not back down from anyone. They are very strong in attitudes and physically. Jersey B. picked Jackson(the oldest) up of the ground one night!!

We are tired and feeling blessed all at once. I'm still trying to work this blog into my life. I don't get near the alone time I did have with three kids..imagine that! I have convinced Jerusa M. that she can leave my lap so here I sit for a bit.

I think of all of you and wonder what is new in your world. I know God's hand is strongly upon all of us. Just want to follow where He leads.

Oh What a Night!

(RANDOM PHOTOS OF MY KIDS WITH ME, MY MOM AND MY SISTER!!)


Last night is a night worthy of writing here for all the world to read..and for my failing mind to remember. Just to give you a slight glimpse of where my mind is or isn't..I have lost my car keys twice this week. Yep...I did.

Last night was our first Wednesday night at church. Jersey Betty went to Super Church last night for the whole time. She stayed the entire time. This is like Sunday School for ages 5-12 for an hour. The leader sang "Our God is So Big" from veggie tales just for her. They did the motions and everything. Jersey was so excited. She talked about that for a long time.

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(Jersey says "hi")