Anastasia turns 23 and vacation

Yesterday, the 29th, my Anastasia turned 23. Those of you who started reading just lately and don't know much about our family, Anastasia has Autism and other disorders. She has been in a really good stage for some years now which is great. I would never disclose on this public blog what we have been through but some dear friends know. My Ana functions like a 5 year old or under with her brain but my friends who have met Ana love her just like anyone who have met her. She really doesn't like to communicate much but she loves to give people hugs and stares at them. Especially girls. She is infatuated with long hair. If you ever wonder why Ana always has the same hairstyle, that is because she doesn't like changes. This is the only way she likes her hair and is has to be flat to her head, it cannot be poofy. Ana can just sit down and eat and wonderfully cooked meals and gets the biggest smile on her face. She loves to eat home cooking. That is her favorite thing to do. And going on long rides in the car. When we adopted the little ones, I never thought in a million that Ana would do so well with them. She will just sit in their room and watch them play. All day if she can. Also she likes to make funny noises and sounds and the kids imitate her and Ana just gets the biggest kick out of it and starts laughing really loud. Not only do the little ones have been a blessing to us but also to Ana. I love her so much and she will always live with us. We will never ever put her up in a group home. Even if we are too old I am training up her siblings to take care of her. Danica already said to me that she would take Ana if we weren't around.

Another snapshot taken by Danica. Ana does not like to smile for the camera. She gets really annoyed.

Before the little ones came, Ana never ever had kids that age sit on her lap. She is really fond of Amira, but I think more so because she is a girl.

OUR FAMILY VACATION BELOW

We had a really good time. We stayed at the beach for 4 days. There was lots to do but we had most fun playing at the ocean and at the swimming pool. Ana didn't want to come out of the car. That is why she is not in the picture.

The kids and I are running from the waves but we got busted and flooded with water. It was so funny.

Trying to save Biruk from the waves

I love all these pics Danica captured. She is a really good photographer.

Official Re-adoption

First off I wanted to say that I do realize that I am posting like a mad woman this week but I wanted to make sure I could capture every day since so much was/is going on.

Today we had our re-adoption. Our kiddos are official Americans. We drove all the way to Port Townsend which is 2 hours away but it was so worth it. This court is so easy with the documents they wanted and the wait time. So I figured I'd rather use up a half day of going there vs. having all this paper stress and wait. They were running about an hour behind so the kids got really impatient and loud while waiting. Rightfully so. It was short and sweet. I think I was the most emotional, everyone else was like whatever, especially the little ones. I don't think they grasp today just how special this day was. All I need to do now is get American passports and everything is done, finally. Awhh, what a relief.

Notice Biruk's messy shirt? He had to be rude and not listen so he went behind my back and got his own water and see what happened. He was showing out a lot today, like at least 5 times.

Outside after the re-adoption This is what Biruk looks like when he is about to cry and scream like an infant. Its so funny, he will always put his left hand by his eye and about 5 min later he is about to go off.

This was another AAI family who joined us all the way from Bellevue. We met them for the first time but they came home from ET just a week after us. They had the most precious sibling set, ages 2, 7, 9. They too started all over again having a 19 year old bio son going off to college.

Biruk in his element with the other 2 girls

Having icecream after court

This amazing lady, Chris Little, came out today to help us through the date and final papers. She has adopted many from Ethiopia. I was so blessed to have finally met her in person. She is one of the families through AAI that had one of the first kids came home from ET I think she said 10 years ago.

Kevin fixing Biruk's shirt.

Waiting to be heard infront of judge

24 years

Today is our 24th anniversary. I love being married to this amazing man. I think I love him the most for being such an incredible father to our children. Me going to work all day and Kevin having to watch the little ones so much has really showed me how awesome he is and taking on a motherly role for a little while. It was a huge step for Kevin of having to start the parenting all over again as he was not nearly as excited as I was about adopting. Prior to our adoption, he was looking forward of just being him and me. He likes to have me all to himself and not share me but I have proven to him that I am "superwoman" and I can do it all, be a good wife, go to work and take care of my family and not neglect his time especially. My husband always comes first over anyone in this family and I have always had it this way and never will have it any other way.

Life is soooo good. I am waiting for Danica to come home so Kevin and I can have some time together this afternoon and she will watch the kiddos for us.

Kevin and I were resting at the beach and Danica took that little snapshot

Amira turns 5 and meeting the teachers

My Amira turned 5 today. Next year (after the re-adoption) her new birthday will be October 6. That was the closest I came from her mom's somewhat birth certificate I received. I wasn't off too much when I gave her her birth date. We had a wonderful little family birthday party at the ocean. Amira loves taking care of her dolls and have tea parties, so that is what she got. A little tea set and a bed and car seat for her babies. She is such a mommy. I love how unspoiled these kids still are. I have made it every point not to spoil them. I do think it is possible even though everyone tells me they become Americanized in no time. We will see.

This evening, I got to meet the children's kindergarten teacher. Amira's teacher is truly an answer to my prayers. I have prayed for their teacher ever since they came home. Everything I prayed for I feel so much at ease now about sending Amira to this teacher. Biruk's teacher, my gut wasn't feeling so good but I have great confidence that my boy will make it just because of the way his personality is. I am so glad this teacher isn't Amira's teacher. Anyways, next week they will start. They are really excited.

What a fun day!

I really have no business posting anything right now since we are leaving tomorrow and I have to pack and cook and.... and.. But I know by next week I will be behind with everything coming up and this post will be forgotten. The kids went to their "first" birthday party today and where amazed to come home with birthday treats. Amira was all decked out with a necklace, a fake cellphone with lip gloss and so on. Biruk didn't get that much, probably because it was an all girl party, but my man was in his element once again. This little girl who invited him says "I like Biruk, he is such a gentlemen". They actually met at summer camp. How prim and proper does that sound for a 6 year old.

Then we went on to go to my dear friend Karly's 30th birthday party. How do I love that girl and we have so much catching up to do still. The party was sooo much fun at the park and the whole family had a blast, including our Danica. We got to see many old friends. We had decided to leave for our vacation today but changed when we wanted to make sure we wanted to spent the afternoon with Karly and her family. Karly, Tara, and I (in the picture below and each of them have adopted a boy from Guatemala) went on a mission trip back in 2006 to Guatemala and when I just posted the other day about me not keeping up with friends, that's what I mean. These girls are so awesome and so worth keeping up with. Things got to change. I just have to try harder. How good to see them all. I also got to run into Laci, who is Karly's sister and adopted from ET. As you can see her kids are much bigger. Laci is not too far away and a visit with her family is way overdue.

Tomorrow we will finally leave for the ocean. This will be our family vacation. I hope it will be relaxing because upon our return, the next four days will be crazy because I have 2 birthdays, my anniversary and the re-adoption for the kids. Oh and meetings with the kindergarten teacher for the little ones. See why I posted tonight? That's why. I just couldn't let this precious day go by unposted.

Tara Karly and me below. Tara led our mission trip back in 2006 and Karly will be going on a mission trip to Guatemala with her husband next month.

The 4 Ethiopians. Laci's kids are Hannah and L'eul

Laci and I. I know I look big in the picture but that is really because Laci is so tiny.

Biruk and Mateo (Laci's boy) those 2 boys had so much fun tonight. They even exchanged phone numbers.

Biruk and some of Laci's kids.

They played a great volleyball game. Danica is on the far left and Anastasia is on the far right in all pink watching on the sidelines.

Biruk video-You have got to watch this one!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EGm0TmHTuA

Okay even though I only have a link but this is the funniest video. Enjoy. I finally opened a youtube account and it was able to download like that.

Amira and her shoes and socks

Please pause my music first before listening to the video. Its on the bottom. Amira called me at work today upset her daddy was going to put tennis shoes socks on with her girly girl pink shoes. So she called me and begged me to explain to daddy where her pretty pink socks were but he wasn't listening. Amira is very particular when she wears dresses. She likes to look like a lady. So this story I just put on camera I must have heard ten times tonight about her socks. She also ask me to take her to work. She does that every day. And her favorite time is reading the bible in the evening. I love doing these little videos because sooner than later they will lose their accent.

Virtual friends

I saw something like the above title on someone's blog and it really started to get me thinking.

I have never really been a social butterfly to begin with even though some of you might think that but since I have started my adoption journey back in 2006 I have literally lost all my friends.

When I am at work, I ALWAYS talk about my friends but really the friends I am talking about are virtual blogger buddies. I always have inspirational stories to tell and it sounds probably to my co-workers like I am a part of their lives like we hang out every day. I email with a few of my virtual buddies sometimes and a few more but that's about it. No phone calls or nothing. Oh and we have tried to visit here and there but that's the extend. Unfortunately, I don't have anyone even close living to me that I call my favorite virtual buddy. They all live at least 4 hours away.

Tonight I even got to thinking about it more because my dear friend Karly had a Bingo night to raise money for her mission trip and I was like wow, why haven't I kept up our friendship. We only live 30min away. I love Karly so much. I mean we like really never see each other since we went on a mission trip together back in 2006 and for the longest Karly tried keeping up with me but I let it fade after the mission trip.

I mean if I needed help right now for instance with a move or something, I wouldn't even know who to call. Even coming together and raising money for a mission trip! This is really sad and I think its all my fault. I let it happen.

The only thing I have working for me is that I am working all day and there is only so much time in the day when you have a family. The other thing is that all the people at my work are so worldly and my ears are hurting from them talking about worldly possessions all day and how annoyed there are by their children while my heart is stuck in Africa and for the lost and needy. Does that make sense? Its already so hard for me to go to work because I want to be home with my babies but when I hear people being annoyed by their kids after only seeing them a few hours per day, that's just too much.

Has anyone become anti social like me?

What am I up to...

Those who know me well enough know that since 2005 I always have something broiling in my pot. Sometimes you find out right away, sometimes last minute, sometimes months after it happens, or sometimes never. My friend Joy and Deanne can attest to that.

Well this time I don’t have to wait with my announcement since it doesn't concern my adoption drama. I like to humbly announce that I am going on a mission trip to Ethiopia next April. My sweet friend has allowed me to let her join her and the team.

I am thrilled beyond pieces. I really, really am. Lots of money to raise, and I am kinda doing it on my own here on the West Coast since I will be joining the team on the East Coast. When you are a working mom its not that easy to do things because of little vacation times. My vacation time is not too bad at the moment though and I should have enough where I can have time to do that, go somewhere for my 25th wedding anniversary and hopefully go on a family vacation. All in one year. The only people that have to suffer again are my folks in Germany but the calling is much stronger to go to ET. So Germany, once again, no visits in 2010. Sorry. When I think over the years how much I have visited and how much they have visited I hope that they would just have a chance to come here. Not that I am trying to be spiteful but it is what it is. The orphans and those in need come first.

Since I became a believer back in 2004 (yeah it took me that long), I have felt an immediate calling for international short term missions (I would do long term but hubby is not there with me). I still remember that overwhelming feeling in my heart and the holy spirit being right there with me telling me what it is. Since than, missions have never left my soul. Over the years I have only been able to go on 2 “real” mission trips because of all my failed adoptions holding me back in money and vacation time. But now that my babies are home I can get back to the things I feel I need to do most.

I am blessed to have a husband that understands how much I need this to be God’s hand and feed and he is supporting me. I think he mostly likes the changes he is seeing after each trip of how much more humble I have become and how much less I am of this world. So stay tuned.

Guatemala 2006

Me and my beloved Juan Antonia. The boy to my right kept following me around. He is in so many pics. Our amazing translators
Me and Thelma
The last night there. We had a huge party for all the kids.
I have to say I was the toddler momma. Nobody really wanted to be bothered with them too much because they were extremely poopy all the time. So every day we got to the orphanage, I ran up to the baby room and just brought them downstairs to be loved on "with poopy diapers". And the girl sitting to my right was Maria Fernanda. She was so possessive over me. And Carlitos on the left was a giant baby boy. Too huge really for an orphan baby.

NEW ORLEANS (4 mo after hurricane Katrina)

A moment of true sadness. The times we weren't working which was rare was when the reality sat in as to what has happened to the people in NE.

The really sad thing was that people truly last everything. That washing machine and everything in the house had to be thrown away. All of it because it all sat in water forever and now was contaminated.

That is truly what was left of the houses of the ones we were able to save. Some of them had to be torn down completely.

Tom Davis

WOW Tom Davis, you go!! What a true statement.

Tom Davis Interview by C.J. Darlington
"I’m a firm believer that everyone who claims to follow Christ is called to bring the Kingdom of God to earth. That means when we bring justice where there is none, we feed the hungry and clothe the naked. " -- Tom Davis