11 more days and counting!!!

Really need advice

Sorry I sound like a broken records; I know I have asked this question before. For those of you who have little kids like 3 and 4 year olds can you please help me? I have 2 different foot tracings of my kids. Amira is 8 and 9. Biruk look like a 9 and 10. Still waiting for one more tracing to come in the mail. I bought Amira a size 10 shoes. That is one size up. Does is sound right that at the age of 4 Amira could have a size 10? These shoes just look so big to me for her size. Could she just have a tiny body and huge feet? What size do they have? And what did you do when you picked up your kids?

Biruk will get a size 11, he is just a little bit bigger. Honestly I really don't want to buy crocs because I don't like crocs but that might be the only thing I could get away with to be fair to the sizes. I am just worried none of the shoes will fit.

Dreaming

Ever since both of the kids finally made court, I keep dreaming and dreaming about them. It's so sweet and precious. I love going to bed now. I really hardly ever dream. Before I had sleepless, restless nights when all these uncertainties were going on. Kevin keeps cracking up at me and he thinks his precious wife is finally coming back to life! 17 more days!

So little time, so much left to do

It's hard to do everything if you go to work all day and than there are only a few hours left in the day. Family time, baking cookies, cleaning, gift shopping and so on. I still haven't finished the kids room ($$) and I know they don't care but just the bare necessities aren't getting done. Amira still needs her mattress. Biruk's bed is all done, including the mattress. Now I am working on Amira's side piece by piece. I pray that it will be done before I leave here. I can't trust Kevin with the bedroom. I think I have a half suitcase left for myself so I gonna have to see what I can bring. I also still have to buy some comfort foods. I'll get it all figured out.

To be honest, I am really excited I am stuck in Ethiopia for almost 3 weeks. That will give a great time to really bond with my little ones. I am so looking forward to it, just them and me and no one else. I know I shouldn't think ahead of time but the thought of me only having them until February 16 all day and then I have to go back to work makes me wanna puke. Before I became a Believer, I had to be the tough career, just had to work. Now I want to stop working so badly but that is just impossible at the moment because Kevin is in college full time. Keep dreaming Andrea:) But I am so thankful that I can finally pick my kids up and that God will give me the time that I have to spent with them even though it will only be so many hours each day, really I am jealous of Kevin because he gets to have more time with them than I do. I hope Amira is not going to start acting like a boy being around him all day.

This is not intended to be a negative post, I am really grateful to be able to have a job and feed my family and I am so thankful that God is finally granting me my precious children in his own timing. I just wanted to voice how badly I want to be a stay at home mother. Kevin and I working on it. When he is done in 3.5 years we will just swtich places were I ought to be a long time ago.

Best Friends Forever

Zena, Amira, Eden

This is one of my favorite pictures. I have it enlarged at my house and at work. With the permission of the moms of Zena and Eden, I would like to introduce them. It's really funny, I don't know how you feel but when I got to chose from the AAI video, those three were my absolute favorites of all the girls. Erin can attest to that. Now I am friends with both of their moms and our kids are coming home very close together. Actually we were all supposed to travel together but Lisa and I didn't make court again in Oct so Cindy is on her way today to get her precious Zena. Yeahh Cindy! For some reason I just think those three are really good friends at the orphanage. I am not sure when Zena and Eden got there but they were there when Amira was there. They have been together at least a year. I get to travel with Lisa to pick up our kids together and am so looking forward to that. I also really want to travel with Melinda but I am hoping to catch up with her in Ethiopia. We share many of the same passions and I think have a lot in common.

I know there a little boy named N. at the orphanage that is always with my Biruk but I haven't figured out whoelse is really his good friend. I surely will ask SR. L when I get there.

Family tradition continues

Yeah, we got our fresh cut tree tonight. We don't like articial and never will. We like how the whole house smells like pine. Danica came home from college so she could help pick out the tree. She is so picky all the time; the two of us always end up fighting over which tree because no one else cares but us what the tree looks like. Ever since she was very small. We then all end up going to Starbucks afterwards for some hot chocolate. But it was so much fun. Well tonight may have been the last picture before we are a family of SEVEN. YEAHHH. Lets keep it growing. See why we need a boy in there?? Poor Kevin.

Danica, me, Anastasia behind me

22 Days and Counting

This was the first picture I ever received from a parent of the kids together. I never forget this day. Thank you Julie Armstrong! I don't think you realize how much joy you brought to my live that day.

I will leave for ET on Dec 28 and have my kids in my arms on Dec. 30. Wow. I just can't believe it. Okay so I am already stressed out because I have to get my Christmas tree (tonight, family tradition, fresh of course), decorate the house, buy a few presents for the kids, and have to pack. My head is spinning because I really can't think about Christmas right now (I am talking the dumb commercial Christmas) except for picking up my kids. I had already packed up the kids 2 months ago but as I was going through their suitcase last night and I noticed I had packed too much. I can only take 2 suitcases because I am traveling alone. So I have no clue what I am going to do. I also need to bring some toys and blankets because I understand it gets cold at night. After all I have to plan on being there for almost 3 weeks. I am stressing, I need to calm down or I am going to give myself a heart attache.

This weekend I need to concentrate on my family at home and get that all in order. I think once the house is all decorated and they are ready for Christmas then I can focus back on my trip. Oh and I have to bake cookies with my girls. It will all work out.

Yeahhhhh 22 more days!!!!

IT IS FINISHED!!!!!! HE IS MINE, MINE, MINE, MINE

With a humble heart and so overjoyed, I can't begin to describe, I "FINALLY" like to announce my amazing son Biruk Isaac Hill. He became my son on paper this morning, on December 5, 2008. It is hard to fathom that it is true at last and I am the proud momma of Biruk and Amira. How I have longed this moment. I am so thrilled to finally add a “boy” to our family. It was long, long overdue, especially for my husband Kevin. From what I understand is that my son is all boy and that is what we need in this house. Girls are overpowering this place.

Photos of Biruk Isaac Hill

I have tried to arrange the photos so that the one on the top is when he came to KM and you can see how he has matured over the months... When I pick up my Biruk, he has been at the orphanage for 1 year and 7 months. Today is Biruk's day. Later I will post the pics of Amira and Biruk together.

Above June 2007

Above Jan 2008 (pink sweater)

Above This was my referral photo. Awhhh. How can one deny this precious guy.

10/07

Happy Picture of Amira

After posting my sad picture of Amira, though I think that picture is just beautiful even though she looks sad, here is my precious girl when she was being loved for me by my friend Joy.

Awhhh, enjoy!

Blessed by Joy again

Lately lots of people have traveled to pick up their children so I have been pretty blessed to have gotten pics.

Last week, my friend Joy made a trip to Kidane (while picking up her sons and not with my agency) just to see my children. When she asked me in the very beginning if I would mind her visiting my kids I was thrilled beyond imagination that she would do that for me.

Well she saw them and she was also able to bless Kidane with wonderful donations and hopefully we get to talk on the phone soon about our kids but in the mean time, she wrote this:

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I will just tell you now that I will be totally truthful to you about your kids and the truth is that they are true gems. I loved them so much and it was so sweet how Biruk watched out for Hiwot. He is more bold and louder than she is. She is so quiet and will love to be cuddled. She just would back up and sit on my knee when I was bending down to visit with the kids or open the stickers. She pet Janae’s hair and hardly made a peep, but has such a sweet demeanor and smile. Biruk is more spunky, but didn’t seem naughty at all.
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There was other stuff I am not going to share just for the sake of orphanage and children but this was truly a blessing for me that my friend went to see them and love on them for me.

Can it get any worse?

So today my wonderful friend Crystal shared some pics when she was there just a few days ago and the kids look soooo sad. Like they want to say "when is it my turn". Honestly they look so sad. Especially my boy. I have to share this picture if he ever makes it... Well this is Amira by herself.

2 days before Thanksgiving 2 years ago (2006)

2 days before Thanksgiving 2 years ago, my Juan Antonio was one day away from being legally abandoned and free for me to adopt him. Unfortunately his mom came back to claim him just one day before his hearing. Mind you she hadn't seen him in nearly 4 years at the orphanage. Not once did she come to visit him. Obviously God wanted my boy with her not not my family. Today it stings badly to think about that and look at my continued failure at adoption. Hard to see all of my buddies that started out with me to ALL have their children home except for me. It's hard to believe today that my turn will come one day. I am sick and tired of waiting. Nothing for Thanksgiving, nothing for Christmas. I know that doesn't sound very graceful but that is just the truth and tonight I am bluntly honest of how I am feeling and after all I am very, very human just like we all are. I am at a point now where I am just holding my breath and see whatever happens if it happens or see what came down this time that it didn't happen. What was suppose to be an easy fix signature had to sit there for a month with no action. Going on 2 months wasted since the first court hearing on Oct 14. Granted Amira is mine but I can't pick her up anyway because I was told my kids have to be picked up together for reasons I am not in the mood for to get into anymore. I am just tired. I haven't even received Amira's birth certificate in the mail but I probably won't get that either because they are "processed together" even though they are not sibs.

I love you Juan Antonio, you are forever and ever and ever in my heart and one day I will see you in heaven.

Another picture of Amira (just came in)

Wow, what a smile. I think this is the first picture ever where she has such a big smile. I am so so blessed beyond my wildest dreams. Hopefully one day I can add B, but for now I had to crop my precious son out. My B looks so macho in this picture like with his chest out saying "yeah I am her big brother" I think the picture is to die for once I can add him in. Enjoy.

Emails from very special friends

Wow, so happy to have gotten these emails but how much longer must my heart bleed. All I can dream about is holding them forever and ever and ever and ever. Just embracing their hugs for the very first time, sitting on my knees and holding them until it turns dark outside. But in the mean time I am so thankful to these dear friends like Crystal and Marissa's husband who took the time to love on my kids. BTW, my husband loves Crystal's girls that she is picking up at this moment.

************** Thanks Marissa (John met my kids just Sunday)
My husband visited KM while we were sleeping last night and sent home these pictures. He said that Biruk and Hiwot are just the most beautiful and sweet little children. He just fell in love with them! He's got more photos and I'll get them to you when he gets home. I just thought I'd send these along because I know I loved it when I'd get pictures that were just a few hours old. :)
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************* Thanks Crystal (she met my kids Tuesday, just hours ago)
I got to meet your kids yesterday!! They are so sweet. The sister is much more kind then I was told!! Your little one loved my husband. They love his facial hair! They climb on him the whole time. I want to stick them in my suit case and take them home. They are so beautiful. B even spoke a little English. Love ya- Crystal
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