Easter 2012

One of our favorite songs lately has been..."Like a Lion" by the David Crowder Band...here are a few of the lyrics..
Let love explode and bring the dead to life
A love so bold
To see a revolution somehow

Let love explode and bring the dead to life
A love so bold
To bring a revolution somehow

Now I'm lost in your freedom
Oh, this world I'll overcome

My God's not dead
He's surely alive
And He's living on the inside
Roaring like a lion

My God's not dead
He's surely alive
And He's living on the inside
Roaring like a lion

Let hope arise and make the darkness hide
My faith is dead
I need a resurrection somehow


After church, the kids were singing their little hearts out to this!! Love! We celebrated by going to church, had a yummy lunch at my parents & then dinner with the Gilliss family! The kids enjoyed a couple of scavenger hunts too:) 

This year we celebrated Ethiopian style....the kids have been begging to wear their ET clothes, so we thought Easter was the perfect day to do just that!!! Of course we wanted to include Ariyat in our Easter pics...here she is on Christmas wearing her beautiful Ethiopian dress!! 
          
Let Heaven roar and fire fall
Come, shake the ground
With the sound of revival

My God's not dead
He's surely alive
And He's living on the inside
Roaring like a lion.






                                                          xo

March 15th, 2012....hard, hard day.

The day we all dreaded. it was time. time to kiss & hug our girl with all of our might. promising we would be back. it was one of those times when you just need to get it over with. i could hardly stand the thought of saying "goodbye." If our two youngest would have been with us, I would've just stayed. That thought played over & over in my mind. it was a wish. not happening. so, we made our last trip to the orphanage gate...spent time with her for a few hours. we played & played. Finally, I just had to hold her. We sat on the step, her arms wrapped around mine. I can still remember her gazing at me that morning, and I couldn't imagine this day coming to a close. As the time came to leave, we had Yared explain to her that we would be leaving for awhile to America & we WOULD be back, hopefully very soon. She stood close to me, we hugged with tears in our eyes & the flood gates opened. As we said good-bye to her, I felt like I was drowning in my tears. Kate & Grant were so sad. Leaving that day was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Backing away from the orphanage, I glanced back at her & there she was...standing there wiping those big, beautiful brown eyes of her & blowing us a kiss. Soon, precious Ariyat, Soon!!!

The ride back to our hotel was miserable. And, I cannot even begin to imagine what her little heart was feeling. We spent the rest of our day packing, eating, driving through the city that held my daughter. longing to go back just one more time. what an emotional day. That evening around 8:00, we said our good-byes to our new friends at the hotel. The kids had such a hard time leaving..they begged to stay. We hauled all of our luggage to the van & off we went to the airport. Our flight left at 11:30. We were wiped.

                                                   Until next time Ethiopia!!!!

                                                                    "sisters forever"

March 14th, 2012...markets. {antica} lion zoo. Ariyat:) The Yod.

men are all the same:)

kate & elsabet!!

Sister Almaz

inside joke:) poor Yared...

sweet sisters.

                     

they spent many drives sitting this way...taking it all in.

                                               

yum...

silly guy:) joel making grant die laughing..

hand-washing.

love this place!

Our friend, Joel!

This was our last full day in Addis. We packed it full. How could we not!! We started off our day by going to the markets for a bit, followed by The Lion Zoo. One of Grant's requests was to see animals while we were in ET...so, that we did!! Their zoo is much different than here at home, but we love new experiences & that it was!! Between the gigantic lions, baboons, ducks (yes, there is a duck exhibit!) the kids were definitely in awe!! We also had lunch at a really fun outdoor restaurant, Antica!! Delicious pizza!!! After our morning & afternoon spent out & about...we headed to our girl!! The perfect way to spend our afternoon!! We finished off our last full day in ET by going to The Yod Abyssinia ( a traditional ET restaurant with dancing, singing & more!!) Knowing what the next day would hold for all of us, I didn't want to go to sleep!!!                                                  xo