{"and though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great"}

 As I was looking through the pictures (again!) from Kasey's trip back to ET to pick up our girl, these were a few that I just loved, that I felt like sharing!! I absolutely love the picture he took of the verse....Job 8:7 "And though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great." This was hanging up at Jemo, in the chapel, i think:) Jemo is a community right outside of Addis, that our church will be sponsoring through Children's Hopechest. He and Ariyat spent a wonderful morning with the children and community there. Kasey played soccer with a bunch of the boys & Ariyat even had the chance to stand up on the stage in the chapel to sing with the children. She loves looking back at that video & vividly remembers the songs...music to my ears:) Many times throughout our day, I will find Ariyat singing in her most precious little voice, song after song in Amharic. She has been trying to teach us the songs she knows along with the dance moves....she kindly instructs us to shake our shoulders & our hands should be on our hips:) Not quite sure we can keep up with her, she has quite the rhythm!!
It definitely sounds like visiting Jemo was one of many highlights of the trip!!! We so look forward to going back and spending time with the precious community there!!
                                                                     xo


                                                       

                                       
                                Hope and anticipation for what their futures hold:)

                                                                side streets of Addis.

                                                Our precious friend & driver, Biniam:)

{injera. 1 month home. prayers.}

 What a fun evening this was!! What started out as a small get together with some friends of ours, we turned it into a fun evening celebrating Ethiopian style! While we were getting everything ready, I realized what a perfect evening this was to celebrate....Ariyat has been home with us for 1 month! She's been letting us know lately how much she loves injera..."momma, injera goooood!!" So, with advice from other adoptive families, we ordered our injera online at http://zelaleminjera.com/ ..... we were so pleased with how it tasted!! Along with our injera, it was our first time making ET food... on our menu was...injera, beef tibs. doro wat & shiro....Ariyat's favorite was the shiro!! The kids also thought bananas & white buns were in order!! Ageze, Tesfa & Ariyat have always loved bananas, so they thought that was appropriate & white buns is a pretty special treat in ET:)

We love incorporating anything Ethiopian into our daily lives here...and, it sure brings plenty of smiles to the kids' faces:)

One month home....wow!!! She is doing amazingly well. She is such a sweet little girl. We continue to lay pretty low... she does not like too much noise or crowds of people. Lately, she has been trying to explain some of her memories from her life in ET. I listen as tears are welling up in my eyes. I hug her. tears stream down her beautiful face. tough. but, so good that she is going through the grieving process.   The kids (yes, all 5 of them!) continue to camp out in our room...Ariyat loves being near us, so we feel that this is whats best for the time being...hoping & praying that when it's time to venture back upstairs, it won't be too hard of a transition. But, for now...everyone loves waking up each morning to all 7 of us in a room:) Like I said, we are really trying to cocoon to the best of our ability & even though it can be tough at times, we certainly can see that it is what is needed. So, thank you for understanding & loving our family during this time. 

We would appreciate your prayers in a few different areas... Ariyat's ear...she is on round 2 of meds & her ear could definitely use healing. We pray that her hearing hasn't been affected. 

We are trying to decide what to do as far as her starting school this fall....should she start or wait, either is an option. Trying to discern whether it's in her best interest or not. Yes, she might pick up more english skills that way, but feeling not so sure about putting her in a classroom setting just yet. 

Pray for healing in her little heart and mind. 

We are so thankful that God chose us to be Ariyats family. What a blessing she is to all of us:) Thankful that after one month home, we are all growing closer to one another and God. xo

Embassy trip....2012!!!

Here are a few pictures from Kasey's trip to pick up Ariyat...I'm sure I will post more, these were just a few that I have enjoyed looking at! Since we decided that it was best for me to stay back here at home with our other 4 during the Embassy trip, I've loved looking through these pic's over & over. Makes me feel a tad closer to the experience they had. It's been 3 weeks now since she arrived here at home & we feel as though she's been here forever. Not saying that she doesn't have times of grieving/sadness, she does. But, overall...the transition is going as well as it possibly could:) She is one silly, sweet, precious little girl!! Enjoy a glimpse of their time in ET.....xo

4th of July...2012!!!

What a fun day we all had!!! We had a very leisurely morning just hanging out at home, followed by lunch & water fun at my parents, and finished our day off with a bonfire at home!! I'll let the pics say the rest:) I have 5 kiddos that want me in the backyard for some bonfire fun!!! 

Hope you all had a safe & fun 4th!!!!

xo