5K Race AGAINST HIV/AIDS

Today was truly an unforgettable day. All good things happened. The main reason we went to this event was to participate in the 5K Run against HIV/AIDS. We had nearly 300 runners (including kids:). At least I believe that is how many signed up. Much of the money will go to my beloved REACH ministry who puts on the most amazing camp once a year for children with HIV.
But to make it so much better, Biruk and Amira got the surprise of their life this morning when we got to the race to be surprised by their friend Tekalegn (Tek). The sad thing was I wasn't there when they met face to face but Kevin said it was amazing and heartwarming. Tek was the last one out of their little cool gang from the orphanage that was left there and it seemed like forever for him and his brother to come home. He just came home 3 weeks ago. My heart just like really dropped when I saw both of them. The whole gang is now in the USA. They have actually two friends named Zene and Zeri who were not able to make it when we have functions because she lives on the other side of the coast but they are always included in their hearts. Courtney and Jessy are the two amazing parents to these two boys and I was so blessed to spend time with them today also. They live the closest to us, about 2 hours.

The gang of 5. Zene and Zeri are not included. They were the first ones to leave to the US. They left just a few weeks before I arrived to pick up my kiddos. T. is on the far right. Nes and Eden are on the far left.

The one thing I truly love about older child adoptions v. infant adoptions is that they never forget their roots and friends. Depending on their age it only gets deeper. I think all of us 7 parents in this group of friends have the kids' best interest and want to make sure our kids can stay in touch as much as they can.

Also today I got to see one of my favorite friends Lisa who came with her 4 smallest girls and her friend Michelle. We were able to spend some nice quality time together. After the run, all of us packed up our kids and went to the Ethiopia restaurant up in Seattle. This has only been the second time my kids went. After we left the restaurant there was a store right across the street selling injera so I grabbed some. The kids were just in injera heaven today. Biruk really missed his Nes today and I missed my Sig. Hopefully next time.

Biruk, Tekalegn., Amira and his brother Sammy in the back.
Goodness, it looks like Biruk is about to make his friend Tek fall. MY MOST FAVORITE PICTURE. THIS ONE WILL BE BLOWN UP!!

Biruk and T. Below and above

Biruk and Dimples

Biruk and Lisa's girls.

Oh these kids love their injera.

Video of Kids Fun Run - Beginning And End

Parent Teacher Conferences

I have met with both of the teacher and both of the kids are doing extremely well. Biruk's teacher is still so in love with him and just loves him and can talk more about him. He is truly her golden child in the classroom. He is obedient, helpful, always finishes his work, and sits right by her side when reading to the kids. Doesn't have any problems making friends and the other kids adore him too. On the home front, things are good too for the moment. I think I will get a sticker system going with Biruk like I am doing with Amira. He still has his days often but Kevin and I are trying hard to work together and he is starting to see that. Smart kid.

Amira's teacher has grown quiet fond of her. I have been in touch with her non stop telling her about Amira's hard life and told her about the orphanage which lead her I think to have huge sympathy for Amira's behavior at times. But for a while now I have reminded Amira every morning that her teacher has her longer than I do each day (unfortunately) and she deserve a heck of a lot respect and that she has to be the teacher to 24 kids and not just Amira. She has really taken it to heart I think and has made huge progress. Teacher also said she is really, really smart. Couldn't believe she has only been here for 8 months and mainly talking just baby talk before coming. She was talking alright but people had a hard time understanding her in ET.

This Friday, Amira will have finished her 3 weeks of stickers (no wetting in school). Since we can't do it on Friday, we will have our princess party this Sunday because we have to leave the house early Saturday morning for our 5K run fundraiser for REACH and need to go to bed early Friday night.

Saturday, October 17, 2009 DONT MISS THIS DATE

Would you please, please put this on your calendar and shop on October 17 at Macy's?? AHOPE is very dear to me even though I haven't adopted my children from AHOPE but hope to one day. If you are not aware of AHOPE, you can find it to the right of my blog. Here is what came in my email below directly from AHOPE:

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Since 2006, Macy's Shop for a Cause event has partnered with non-profit organizations nationwide to raise more than $28 million for their ongoing charitable efforts. This is your chance to be part of this monumental event on Saturday, October 17, 2009.

Shop for a Cause gives you the opportunity to help AHOPE for Children by purchasing a $5 savings pass* for exclusive savings and special offers in every Macy's store. As a participating charity, AHOPE for Children keeps 100% of the proceeds from the sale of each pass. Plus, you can enter to win a $500 Macy's Gift Card (each store will have their own drawing)!

Update on the Kids/Raising Boys

I have to say, school is going well and the kids like it a lot. We have parent-teacher conferences next week; I will find out how the kids are doing.

From when I posted the last time, Amira started wetting her clothes almost every day in school. After I couldn't take much more, I thought of a fabulous idea my friend Amy posted on her blog some time ago. I pretty much copied Amy's idea to the T. Thank you Amy! I told Amira that for every day she wouldn't wet her pants in school she would get a sticker and after so many days of not wetting she and I will have a princess party. We are into our second week and she had no more accidents. Every day she comes running home ready to put her sticker on the calendar. Really all I am doing is when she is done she gets to wear her princess dress and crown, and we will go have ice cream and 2 hours of special mommy daughter time. As to her behavior in school, I haven't heard much from the teacher but I guess I will find out next week.

Now my Biruk has been more than a handful. He and I had our run-ins almost on a daily basis and it hasn't been fun. He has become extremely mouthy, disrespectful, and rude to say the least. I am not getting much more into this as this blog is public and too many people just come here being ..... I'd rather leave that with some trusted friends. I thing the biggest part has been that his English is becoming nearly flawless and he is getting really good with having the right words at the right time that are not very honoring to his parents. I am sure I can fault some of this on mine and Kevin's parenting as Biruk only has these bad behaviors when Kevin and I are home together. He is perfect for me when its just me and the kiddos. Kevin and I just need to pull together strong and do the same at all times. Kevin is more easy and let's him get away with murder until he can't take anymore where I just don't tolerate many things. I often hear boys will be boys and even though Kevin is a boy, he hasn't raised a boy. Biruk is a smart little cookie and has already figured out how to play us. I do think that these kids who have lived at orphanages need structure and not wishy washy.

On the school front he is picture perfect and every time I talk to the teacher she tells me she want to take my son home. I guess if I had the choice I'd rather have him act up at home vs. outside the home. Kevin and I have never raised boys so I bought a book by James Dobson called "Bringing up Boys" and it has helped me tremendous understanding what boys are all about. But the one thing he says is that disrespect is not ever acceptable and I feel the same. Unfortunately this book doesn't talk much about disciplining but we will get there. I am sure this is a phase we will overcome eventually.

Abortion?

This video is so true of what "THE WORLD" thinks. Can't afford, me, me, me. How Do I love Voddie B. ministries and what this amazing man stands for. He has got to by my most favorite advocate and preacher ever!!

http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2009/9/29_Shocking_Abortion_Video.html

Its a bit graphic so watch it alone first.

Grandma came to visit

I was very happy, especially for Kevin that his mom came to visit us. After the kids being here for 8 months, she was the first one out of both of our decent size families to see our newest additions. Bless her heart. She always seems to be the first one. Grandma adored the little ones and of course they felt the same about her. Kevin and her got lots of sightseeing and talking done (he is her baby boy and they share a very special bond) while I was at work and the little ones at school. I do love spoiling her with my cooking every day and she appreciates this very much. So I whipped up all her favorite dishes....

These are the times when I get very homesick and I want to see my folks, brothers, and sisters in Germany. I haven't been back in almost 5 years again since I have been spending all my vacation on adoption and mission trips. But it was so worth it. You can only do one or the other. Plus with our family growing, it gets pretty costly to fly a family of 6 to Germany or the East Coast. Won't happen anytime soon. Hopefully one of these days family members get as homesick as I get and just pack up to come and visit us since all of them have pretty tiny families.

Biruk and his Girlies!!!

I have been meaning to post about this for a while now but I kept forgetting. This story was simply to cute not too. Just to rewind back to when the kids first came here, Biruk was infatuated with Jesika, who is Danica's best friend. After he met her he wanted to call her every day and always asked me if she could come back to visit so Jesika came over every Sunday to visit Biruk and have dinner with us. When Jesika came, Biruk had the biggest smile on his face and even would blush.

Now, there is Eden, who is also from Kidane and after a few month of being here started to visit us with her mom Lisa just so we can keep up their friendship. When Eden comes to the house, she has no interest in Amira, she goes straight for Biruk and hangs out with him the whole time even though Amira says "Eden is her best friend from Kidane", bless her for that. Amira just tags along.

Now fast forward to the camp we just went to. When Biruk saw Eden he kissed her hand and said "I love you". I never saw it of course, but Danica told me. When we arrived home, Danica told Jesika what Biruk did and Jesika told Danica "I am going to show him who his wifey" is and proceeded to mail him a package since she is now in Arizona attending college there. 2 days later, Biruk seriously got a package from Jesika in Arizona. We even tried to put Biruk on the phone with Jesika but Biruk started running and said "I never kissed Eden.

Don't get this post wrong to think we are promoting for our son to be chauvinistic because he already is and hope to get this out of him pretty soon. He will be raised in a godly way but this will be cute for Biruk to look back to one day while he was young.

Here is the package Biruk received from Jesika after she found out what Biruk did.

Three pics of Eden moving on to proceed to kiss Biruk.

Biruk's first love Jesika when he came to America. In the background Amira is combing Jesika's hair.

School Updates

To say the least, the first almost 2 weeks of school have been extremely stressful and draining on me. I think the honeymoon is finally over, 8 months to this date, and let the headaches begin. I see now that when kids are sheltered inside the home its easy to do well, with no pressure from the outside. At least that is how I have experienced it. There is just so much pressure outside.

I start out with the funny story which became quiet annoying after a week. The kids get a warm breakfast from Kevin and I every morning. I get up an hour early just to cook it and have some quality time before school. I have also packed them a nutritious lunch every day. Last week I ask Kevin to go to the school to put a little money in their lunch account so they could have pizza last Friday. As he is about to deposit money, he finds out we owe the lunch room outrageous money, lots of money. Mind you, everything is double. Basically what they did every morning since school is get off the bus and have another breakfast in school and then have the audacity to have a school lunch on top of their home lunch. Kevin thought it was funny, I didn't at all. He was cracking up telling me the story; I hang up the phone on him I was so perplexed. We can point fingers to the teacher or the lunch aides but the truth be the truth is that my kids were greedy and glutting and had no reason. They deliberately did what they did because I told them not to have breakfast/school lunch. I guess I wouldn't have been so upset if I had given them cereal for breakfast every morning. So we scolded them last Thursday and Biruk listened well. He didn't try one again. Amira went and lied to the teacher and told her her mommy didn't pack lunch so she had school lunch last Friday, a day after her scolding and she had another breakfast this Monday morning. Well, after today I hope I took care of of this problem and hope it doesn't happen again. I was extremely serious.

Amira continues to interrupt the classroom, cutting up projects to miny pieces; just gets up. She continues to be disrespectful to the teacher in every way she can but the teacher and I are working hard to help Amira succeed. She actually decided not to have a conference and she wants to get to know Amira some because we have conferences the first or second week of October anyway.

Biruk's teacher is totally in love with him. He is a pleaser outside the home so after I busted him about the lunch infront of the teacher that was quiet embarrassing to him so I think he tries really hard because he wants to impress her. I have noticed that the kids are really just the opposite. Biruk is perfect outside the home and acts up at home and Amira is perfect at home but wants to act up outside the home.

This is all new to me because Danica was always, always perfect for me so God blessed me with the opposite this time around.

Revelation Song by Biruk and Amira

This has got to be one of our favorite songs right now. Since nobody can sing in my family, we usually worship by the computer on you tube. Here is a sneak peak of the kids singing. Funny, my dear friend Andrea posted that as her favorite song just the same night as we were recording and worshiping to the song.

Summer Camp

This was our second year at camp. Last year the little ones weren't here so we only stayed for a day. This time we stayed the whole time, from Friday to Monday. Anastasia stayed at her favorite respite place where she hasn't been in over 2 years. She was thrilled to go there. The camp would have been too overwhelming for her. We had such an amazing time, words simply cannot describe. ALL the kids love to go to this camp no matter how old they are and look forward every year to returning. They have so many activities planned throughout the day. The kids did horseback riding, went on a train ride, in the evening we got to have a Hawaiian night and and Cowboy night. The parents got to have special parents nights were we just got to talk to the adults. It was a little sad this year because many of the new families but also the old families weren't able to return. The good thing was that we as adults made wonderful new friends and three of the families are from this area. I especially missed my Signe.

Danica even had the time of her life. We really didn't see her at all except when sleeping but when she came we were already sleeping. What was so awesome is that I knew Danica would enjoy this camp but she thought I was crazy and came along for the ride expecting a dumb camp. She like really misses all the friends she made already. Last night she even told me that she had wished she came to Idaho with me when we visited Lisa and Signe because she really connected with Lisa Q's oldest.

Everything was just so perfect and wonderful and we are so incredibly grateful to have this camp and hope we will always have it.

Kevin playing a game with the kids in the room during break time

Face Painting and Amira made a skirt

I just pray Danica doesn't look at my blog cuz she might kill me for putting up this picture. The young adults had a game in the mud.

Danica rough housing Biruk for fun

Danica swinging her sissy

The crew with Nes missing

Hawaiian night

My son got some serious rhythm

Lisa and I. How I loved seeing her again.

Amira and Stephanie, the camp director

The kids made me beautiful flowers

Biruk and his new friend

This 16 old boy was so amazing with all the little kids.

Danica and some of her new friends

First Day of School

Today was the kids' first day of school. They were very excited to start. At first I was supposed to take them but since I had to pick them up, Kevin and Danica went to drop them off. Funny thing is just like I predicted, Amira's teacher was all organized and it was sweet and settle in classroom. Biruk's classroom was pretty wild and the kids were running everywhere. But I am sure sooner than later things will settle in that classroom also.

Anyways, as I picked them up, Amira's teacher told me that she needs a conference. So I am waiting for her to contact me. Lots of defiance and not listening and she wants to nip it right away, I hope? She couldn't talk much. If anyone can fix my little girl it will be this teacher. Awhh, it was kind of sad because I thought she would be nice at least her first day of school. I confronted Amira about it later and all she said is "I didn't pee in my pants". What she means by that is that "be thankful for that mom and let me have some attitude".

Otherwise both of the kids loved school and are ready to go back tomorrow. Biruk also visited Amira during recess and lunch and played and sat with her.

I made back photo because those backpacks are tiny and they still look large on them.

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