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

Heat Wave and some pics from Danica's summer classes

Don't know if they have talked about our state but we have had a serious heat wave here for the past two days reaching the low 100's. This heat was making history in Washington State in our town and surrounding towns. Yea, I know we are all wimps here and we like it between 75 and 80 but nothing more. Most of us anyway. I lovvveee my State by the way. I think what really made it unbearable is that hardly anyone has air conditioning, including us because it is not a hot state, so its unnecessary. The last two days even the air conditiong went down in our court house and jail so we had to work in 90 degrees, really! We were allowed to go home but we would have had to use vacation time. My little ones are at camp this week and this weather hasn't bothered them at all. They such troopers. I guess now I really know for sure I will never ever live in a hot state, I just don't like it. Plus, I don't like sitting under air conditioning all day. I like breathing in real fresh air and not fake air.

In the mean time, my Danica is finally done with earning some summer credits. She went to Blakely Island near the San Juans and studied Marine Ecology. This time she had a really good time and made some cool friends. I guess I am saying this because while there they are secluded from the rest of the world with no telephones or anything so she got really home sick the last time. The pics below are from different people that were in class with Danica. I am just glad I finally have my baby home for 2 months. Ha, its not that her college is far away but she is still is my baby and I miss her when she is gone.

Isn't this crazy. Her teacher did this with his high speed camera and Danica spelled out her name. Don't ask me how. Can you see the girls...

Danica loves these kind of pics. She used to do gymnastics and ice skating.
Ha, and now she got all her friends hooked. They begged her to do a picture like that.

This was a funny story. They were also having to do something with the seagulls but I guess when this one girl came to close to the nest, they were surrounding her with about 200 birds trying to protect these babies. Danica said she wished they could have captured this one video.

6 MONTHS HOME - JULY 14, 2009

To this day I am still on cloud 9. I am that serious. Every time when I sit and think I get overwhelmed with joy that my Lord and Savior has blessed me with 2 amazing kids like that. I am almost afraid to ever adopt again, I might get just the opposite:) I get really choked up. I truly feel like I birthed them and they really fit into the family so perfect. Amira is mine, Biruk is daddy's but we both love them equally like crazy. What I mean by that is Biruk likes doing boy stuff and Amira likes doing girl stuff. Also Biruk has just about every one of Kevin's personality traits and Amira just about has everyone of mine. Its really crazy.

My kids are now home a little over 6 months. Where did the time go. When I look back now, so much has happened. Biruk from the beginning was very healthy but Amira was pretty messed up. I have to report now that I think all is behind us. She had a giant, nasty fungus on her head, MERSA in her nose, surgery to her huge mollescum and oral surgery because most of her teeth were decayed. The only thing wrong with Biruk was that he tested positive for TB but chest-xrays revealed he was negative. He has to be on meds for 1 year. As to their HIV (+), Biruk was always fine. Still doesn't require any meds. Amira has been taking meds since she was at the orphanage (her viral loads used to be pretty bad) but after being home for about 2 months she became undetectable. They now only have to see the Dr. every 2 months to check in and have their blood drawn to make sure their viral loads are okay.

Here are some things about Biruk: Biruk is VERY outgoing and friendly. He will strike up a conversation with anyone (when he is with Kevin, when he is with me I am a bit overprotective because I don't think he should talk to every stranger there is so he is careful who he talk to) He is a neat/clean freak, talks ALL the time, loves true boy stuff, a pleaser (he wants everyone to think he is perfect until he comes home to momma). His English is amazing. Has crazy, crazy bonded with his daddy. I am just stunned how sneaky Kevin and Biruk are together behind my back, its hilarious. They even sneak out to ride Danica motorcycle (yeah really). The only think that I would have to complain about is that Biruk ALWAYS interrupts conversations and gets sassy with me when daddy is around, like doesn't want to listen at all but i know that is Kevin's and my fault and we need to work on that.

Here are a few things about Amira (almost everything what Biruk is, she is opposite): Amira is sooo messy but mainly in their room and it drives Biruk crazy. She doesn't care what people think of her and gets in trouble more often, she is a true momma's girl. Amira loves dolls and taking care of them. She is also an introvert. Although she is so sassy, I would say Amira is also very meek, sensitive, and shy. She is also very obedient. She loves, loves talking about ET and her mom in ET and she want to go back all the time but she wants me to come. Amira gets stuck a lot with her English but she is doing so well. I think the only think about Amira that bothers me is that she is still too friendly and wants to climb up on people like she is a little girl. She has gotten so much better though since she first came.

We had Dairy Queen ice cream (cookie dough), 6 candles for 6 months

Biruk has lost 4 teeth already, 2 on top and 2 on bottom, another one lose. The 2 bottom teeth are almost in. Amira unfortunately lost most of her teeth by force (surgery). The teeth she has in the front is all she has left and a few crowns. The rest was all pulled out.

Amira's ABC video

Amira saw her friend Zene on her sister's blog tonight and yesterday. Suddenly she was inspired by her abc's. She wanted to show of her abc's and also her princess dress she got from auntie Pia in Germany. Actually the dress belonged to her cousin Dara so it makes it more special. When she says can I wear it downstairs what she means is that is were Kari (her babysitter) watches her, downstairs) so basically she wanted to show off her dress for Kari. Also thank you Amy for referring this amazing Leap Frog dvd to me. My kids finally picked up the ABC right and left just like you said. Amira just gets a little shy when the camera is rolling. Ha, Mr. Macho Biruk wasn't in the mood to do a video.

A Weekend Away

First off I wanted to say that I have been completely off the radar following my favorite blogs for a whole week because I was sick as a dog for 2 days and the other 3 days were just crazy from catching up and than finally going to the ocean from Friday to Sunday. I know this sounds weird but I get really frustrated when I have to catch up with my blogs because I have the need to stay on top of my friends. It'll probably take me a few nights.

Well this is the first trip we did just "as a family", minus Danica (she is at school for one more week). It was so wonderful and relaxing. All that was missing was a bottle of wine. Nice bike trails for the kids, a pool, a playground, and of course the ocean (my favorite part). We also had nice weather for the WA Coast.

The kids really had a blast and of course didn't want to leave.

Anastasia allowed me to take her picture...

Love this picture below.

I just had to show off my fish dish. I went to this tiny fishstore that everyone highly recommended. I ended up spending close to $40.00 for these 3 pieces of fish in the middle (: I mean I like really wanted to cry because I usually spent half the amount getting double where I live. Anyways, so I tried to stay positive, went to the grocery store and got some fresh veggies and made that dang fish taste like restaurant style. I'll never go to that store again.