December

December highlighted two big events. Danica went to Germany to visit my family and Misrak and Micah celebrated their first Christmas in America. Danica went for 10 days and came back Christmas day. She was able to celebrate with my family there and with us right here at home. She was also so very blessed not to get stuck at the airports in any snow storms because they were all around her, in Belgium and on the East Coast.

My family in Germany was calling Danica an angel. Here is why: I guess when you live around family all your life you often don't appreciate what you have. I, for instance, am envious every year of everyone that is with family, yet the people that have family tell me don't envy me it gets old after a while. Well Kevin and I haven't been with family in nearly 25 years for Christmas or most of the holidays so its always just us 8 and before us 4.

Anyways, so my folks in Germany really haven't been spending that much time with each other during the season but when Danica came they were all together, everyone, pretty much every day until she left. So they are calling her the little angel that brought family together. Danica insisted that everyone needed to be together during her stay.

They welcomed her so incredibly like she had lived their all her live. Even though she hasn't visited in nearly 10 years, they took her in like she was me, just because she is my daughter.

Misrak and Micah were amazed to celebrate their first Christmas. I tried REALLY HARD to teach them the real meaning of Christmas how we celebrate int his house "Jesus Birth". Although it looked like we had lots of presents, we really didn't. After all, we are a family of 8.

Misrak really wanted a bible and Micah really wanted something from Toy Story so they both got what they asked for. I let the 2 of them open the first gifts and then everyone else got to dig in.

All in all it was wonderful and I really enjoyed this month of December for once just enjoying my family and not being pre-occupied with another adoption.

IN GERMANY

Everyone went bowling (my oldest brother and his family are not in there, he is in Scottland)

They all went on the sleighs being pulled by a car. Very common in Germany during the winter.

My mommy received the throw of my family for Christmas

My sister Pia and her family, minus Vincent who belongs to my other sister.

My sister Nicole and her husband and my baby brother

Danica and my baby brother Svenni

Danica with Svenni's girls. One of them is missing in the picture

My mommy and daddy

Hanging out in the city for a late night shopping trip

Micah's in his new robe and slippers

Misrak and her new boots

Misrak at the ceramic store with her special friend

Christmas party at my work

Another Christmas party for the children

Danica is in Germany!

12/22/10 Danica just posted this on f/b last night

Danica left for Germany last Wednesday. My heart nearly broke into piece not because I didn't want her to go but because I knew she had never ever left the country by herself (I was scared). The first night was horrible. I couldn't sleep until 4:00am in the morning until I knew she made it okay. Then I was worried she was homesick.

As she so described it on f/b, she arrived on a blanket of snow. They have Winter Wonderland. Its in the 20is all week with snow piled up everywhere.

Well now I am feeling really happy for her because she is doing just fine and having the best time. Mainly because at the age of 22 she is getting spoiled rotten. Not just by my mom and aunties but also by her cousins. Its like she is royalty over there.... So funny. The last time they seen Danica was when she was in 7th Grade. Now she is a young lady.

Last night she went dancing with all of them. That was always her dream to go to a German club.
Her main focus of the trip really was to see how she likes it because she was thinking of either going there for 6 months after college or even study some more over there. She will graduate this coming summer. Okay that part I wished she wouldn't because I don't want her to move away...

The neat thing is that we will have her both for Christmas. My family celebrates Christmas on the 24th and she leaves on the 25th. So she will arrive at about 2pm on Christmas day. We all have decided that we will wait to open presents until Danica gets here...

I will post some pics of her trip after she returns.

Preschool Christmas Performance

Scroll down to see the video.

Micah is in LOVE with his teacher Brittany

This picture seriously cracks me up

Seriously, my boy was the smallest kid in there. Those kids were towering over him. What are they feeding these kids in America, lol.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Tree Farm

I figured I better post my pictures so I don't get too behind. I have been so swamped with stuff I haven't even checked my favorite blogs.. Hopefully this weekend. I love December so much but why does it always have to get so busy?

Anyways, we always get a fresh tree from Home Depot but this year we started another new tradition and went to the tree farm. WE LOVED, LOVED this tree farm. We love the fresh scent we have in the house of a wonderful smelling tree. I am glad everyone agrees in our family that the only way to go for us is a real tree.

All the children were just amazed and had so much fun looking at all the trees.

We had hot chocolate afterwards and when we got home Danica did some paper snowflakes with the kids and then 3 of the kids decorated the tree a little bit.

As of right now the tree or house is still not fully decorated. Hopefully I get done this weekend. but who knows. Office party, kids' school plays, and on and on..

Arriving at the tree farm

Our beloved tree. Kevin is cutting him and everyone is helping
Its falling..

Ready to carry it to the street for pick up

We did it!!! Micah is mad again, lol, who know about what this time:)

The best part! Hot Chocolate

Danica wanted to take this picture. She was cracking up how his height was almost matching the tiny trees

Danica teaching the kids how to make snowflakes.. Micah is up to no good:)

Trying to rough house his sister

Decorating the tree. I always let the kids do the bottom of the tree where they can reach

Hanging out with friends

Last weekend we had a really good time. We were all meeting up with Courtney and Jesse and the kids' friends from ET.

Deception Pass

Kids are anxiously waiting for their friends to arrive

Sammy and Micah were at the same orphanage.

Jesse and Kevin

I LOVE this boy picture. Biruk and Tekalgn (in the front left) were at the same orphanage.

Micah has an infatuation with Jesse but I think the feeling is mutual.

Watch this:Carolyn from Project Hopeful made it all the way to CBS news! Go and fight for our HIV kids, Caro!!!

Guess what???

Tonight Micah showed me that he doesn't require a step stool anymore to get on the toilet or in his bed. He was so proud. Those are huge steps for him. He also showed me how he can almost reach the light switch. He is such a little monkey. I don't know how he gets on the things the way he does.

Truth Pandemic

Happy Birthday Micah/Happy Thanksgiving/Firsts

In love with his turkey.

I think he found the gooey stuff inside the pumpkin soothing.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! I hope you had a great one.

Oh this year was so perfect. I am so thankful for my family God has blessed me with. I felt really content this year and at peace of not having another adoption going on. My little bunch of 8 just felt so good. This year we started a new little tradition. After Kevin gave grace before dinner everyone had to say at least 3 things they are thankful for.

This was also Misrak's and Micah's first Thanksgiving and they were just amazed by all the food. But mainly they have really enjoyed this special day to be together as a family.

We also celebrated Micah's birthday today. He turned 4. He wanted injera and Turkey, lol. I told him that his birthday wouldn't be on Thanksgiving Day every year but I don't think he understood. He wanted a Buzzlight action figure and a bright yellow car that makes loud noises. He wanted a white/white cake with vanilla ice cream. Hardly anyone ate though, we were all so full.

Okay this is funny but for his activity he wanted to carve a pumpkin with his sibs. Danica kept them nicely occupied with that pumpkin for a good 2 hours.

Now they are watching "The Grinch", with Jim Carey. That is our favorite family movie after we eat dinner.

So much to be thankful for.

Snow and Bittercold

November 23, 2010

I love the firsts about adoption. Biruk and Amira are done with their firsts but Misrak and Micah still have a bunch of firsts coming up. Yesterday my precious ones experienced their first snow. They of course have never seen snow before and absolutely loved it. The night before they were staying by the window watching for hours as the snow came down. I think they played outside for a good 2 hours. Afterwards we had hot chocolate and homemade cookies. I was off from work because even the County closed their offices so it was a really awesome day for all of us.

The one thing I need to be pro-active about is buying snow boots ahead of time and neutral color to hand them down. 4 pair of snow boots put a huge dent in my pocket as you can imagine. Kevin made fun of me saying "you Washingtonians go nuts when the weather gets cold". What he meant is that I really didn't have to buy snow boots because we don't get many snow days here, lol. But I wanted it to be a good experience for them and not having frostbites on their feet and hands. Although its true we don't get many snow days here, but we are suppose to get a bitter cold winter and that I believe. We are in the 20is today and that is very unusual for us.

Back to my Thanksgiving cooking and baking. Just wanted to post this really quick so I don't get behind.

Retiring the old Turkey Roaster

In the past 2 years we went from a family of 4 to a family of 8. Although I noticed last year that my turkey roaster was getting a little too small for the big turkey I was cooking, I knew this years I had to retire my beloved old turkey roaster that I have used for 25 happy years because I went from an 18 pd turkey to a 24 pd turkey. That little roaster has such special memories because its been with me ever since I have been married. A young bride, barely 21, trying to make her own first turkey:) I was bound to prove myself that I can hang with the Americans and their famous Thanksgiving dinners, lol.

Thanksgiving is also so very special to me because in Germany we don't celebrate Thanksgiving. When I got married I asked Kevin what do you eat for Thanksgiving and I basically inherited all of his mama's Thanksgiving dishes that I have copied from her over the years. I have thrown in a few German dishes but not too many. I love Thanksgiving. It's has become one of my most favorite holidays of the year. I now especially love it because I love to cook and now I get to cook for a nice size family that loves my cooking.

That belly

This picture on the left is from December 10, 2009. I had my agency take this picture because I wanted to make sure Micah's limbs were in tact and he looked well proportioned. Normally they don't take pictures like that of the children but the nurse wasn't surprised at all by my request because by that time Micah was 4 years old and obviously had the statute of a 15 mo old.

The main reason I put the picture up is because look at his belly how huge it was and how much smaller it is now. Incredible.

Danica turns 22

Uggghh, Danica is going to kill me but oh well, that's life, lol.

November 5, 2010

My precious daughter Danica is another year older. I am crazy in love with that girl. Its funny because when she was young we used to fight so much (she has my temper) and now the older she gets the more identical we are. Kevin keeps telling us that it freaks him out just how much we are alike. I think the only thing we don't have in common that Danica is really reserved when something is on her mind and she wants to speak up (except with us of course) while with me when I am hurt it just comes out, actually flying out.

Also when I was 22, I was the mother of a 2 months old daughter, Anastasia. Years ago it grossed me out to think that my daughter could possibly be a mother that young. All I wanted for her is have a great career. Now on my walk with God, nothing would give me more pleasure for my baby to get married and have children, such a gift from God. We will see what her future holds and I cannot wait to see. Whatever she does will make me happy. I hope I taught her right.

Danica and I were reminiscing the other day that with the land we have next to our house we might as well give it to her so she can have her family right next to me. To some it might seem crazy but not to Danica and I. We would truly love that.

She has also fallen so in love with all of her new sibs from ET. I never thought this would be possible but it is truly amazing and makes my heart melt how she love those precious kiddos.

Ughh on a side note: Her roomis from college made her two cakes. They looked like 2 breasts. She said they made them for her because she flashes them just to get a reaction. That girl of mine is just crazy:) Hopefully one day she will release the picture so I can post it here.