I love the Christmas season! (Yes, I realize it is April.) What I love most about the season is that so many are so willing to give.  As Christmas day approaches the gift trees have very few tags left hanging as so many have granted a wish or a need of the name hanging on that tree, the donation boxes are overflowing with hats, coats and scarves, so many in cheerful moods, smiles meet at every turn.  I wish this was a feeling people kept in their hearts throughout the year, not for just a few very short months. I know many give to a charity monthly, which is fantastic. My challenge to you is to break out of your box and bring back your giving heart, keep it throughout the year, give to a family in need, a child in need, have a garage sale and donate all the proceeds to your favorite charity.
My inspiration was from a friend of mine who set up a lemonade and cupcake stand with her children last summer and all of the money donated was sent to help those suffering famine in the horn of Africa.

Do you have a favorite charity?

Friends

A few weeks ago we hopped in the car and took the kids to an indoor water park for a few days. On this getaway we meet some friends. Mrs. V and I have been in touch since early in our adoption processes, nearly 3 years, I think. It was great to finally meet in person. We have chatted and followed one another blogs for so long it felt as though we had already met. We had great conversation and had fun watching our girls play together.  Our Little Miss was reunited with Mrs. V's daughter, Miss Z. Miss Z is such a special friend to our Little Miss. They were roomies in Ethiopia. They slept in cribs side by side at HH in Ethiopia. I am so thankful we live close enough to get these two girls together once in a while.

This was our babies bedroom at HH; the crib on the right was E's and the crib on the right was Miss Z's. The crib next to the door belonged to another special little guy that lives fairly close to these two. This little heartbreaker may have two beautiful Ethiopian girls fighting for him in the future. ;) 

Special Friends then (Jan. 2011) in Ethiopia

Still friends in the U.S.A (Feb 2012)

There were 5 or 6 babies in the room our Little Miss, Miss Z, and The Heartbreaker slept in at HH. I have thought it to be amazing that 3 of the 6 ended up within hours of each other, and one of which has the same birth story as my Little Miss. 

There were two other babies in that room that had an unbelievable story. These two babies, a baby girl and boy, were brought to HH at different times and referred to families at different times. As the director, Almaz, of HH began getting the papers ready for court she realized these two babies had the same surname. Almaz researched more and realized they were first cousins; she immediately contacted the adoption agency in the U.S. to have them placed in the same  home, but it was too late. The two had already been referred to different families. Which could possibly have been across the country from one another. The agency looked up the referral information and realized they were place in the same town within a mile of one another. Truly amazing!!!!  God had already had a plan for these two. I believe God also had a plan when he placed Little Miss, Miss Z, and The Heartbreaker within a close range to one another also. 

This and That

Little Miss Shine is beginning to love books! One of my true loves is reading, so I am so glad she is enjoying it also. Her favorite book is "Hop On Pop" by Dr. Suess. I don't know how many times we have read this book since Christmas. "Hop On Pop," she says as she enters the room with the book. Little Miss also likes Sandra Boynton books. She knows that brother can read now too, so when Mom and Dad are busy, she will find brother. He enjoys reading to her as much as she loves him reading to her. 

As for the hat this is her favorite. She finds this hat everyday and brings it to either me or C and wants it on. Much of her day is spend wearing her owl hat. :)

We are planning a mini vacation, so I pulled out the suitcases to start packing. Little Miss was loving climbing in and out. While we are gone, we are planning to get together with a couple that adopted a baby from Ethiopia also. This little girl slept in the crib right next to Little Miss. It is going to be so fun to get the girls together. Mrs. V and I  have shared many emails and followed one another's blogs for the past few years as we shared our adoption journeys; I am looking forward to meeting.

As for the dresser behind Little Miss, I would like to repaint it. Any color ideas????

Bring In The Reinforcements

I have spent much time thinking about our "Obama" incident and can't help but wonder how can I teach my child how to stand up against racism. Is it possible for a caucasian woman to teach a little African American girl how to do so?  I know I can teach her to be self confident and to stand up for herself, but I cannot teach her to be an African American woman when all I know how to be is a caucasian woman. How could I possibly teach her how to be a strong AA women? I can't. I have read many books about biracial adoption and knew there were going to be issues like this. I was just so surprised how early they surface. I have come to the conclusion that it is so important for Little Miss to have an African American mentor. The unfortunate problem is the demographics in this area; 98% caucasian. This quest will be difficult, but I believe it will be worth the search.

Did you just call my baby Obama?

The strangest thing happened today when the kids and I were at the grocery store. I was pushing around the ginormous cart. If you are a mother you know the one with the little car attached to the front. Any time we are a store and there is a cart with a car attached to the front, it is a must. We had made it to the cereal aisle when Big Brother hopped out of the driver's seat and is drooling over all of the cereal choices. We stopped in the middle of the aisle.  Little Miss was sitting in the little car pretending to drive when a woman started to approach us. I watched as she looked directly at my little baby. She approached the cart not taking her eyes from my child. I grabbed the cart handle, ready to pull it back if the woman would try to touch my daughter.

Side note - Many times when we are out in public people believe they have the right to come up and touch my child, usually her hair. I don't understand it. I would never walk up to a stranger and touch their child's hair. Weird.

The woman leaned down and said in a very calm manner, " I will not be voting for YOU again this year. I hate what YOU have done to this country. The health care plan is just a big joke. She finished with saying, "Well, I will give you one thing YOU sure do know have to give a good speech!"  Then she stood up turned around and walked away.  I think my mouth was touching the floor.

What was that?! It was so unexpected; I didn't even know how to respond. She was addressing my sweet girl as Obama! WHAT THE HECK????

I kept an eye out for her as we finished our shopping. I had decided if she tried to approach my cart again I would tell her she was not allowed to address me or my children. What was that?

I mean, does this look like Obama to you?

Happy "Gotcha Day!"

One year ago today we landed in Ethiopia to bring our daughter home. We traveled for just over 17 hours. I think I only slept for about 2 hours the entire flight; I couldn't wait to be reunited with my daughter. I knew every moment I was closer and closer to my child.

We landed in Ethiopia around noon. Our agency told us a few days before we left that we wouldn't be reunited with our child until the day after we arrived in Ethiopia. I thought I would be able to rest when at the hotel. I was wrong.

When we arrived at the hotel, we were handed our itinerary. It stated that we would be taken to HH and we would be bring our child back to the hotel with us that day! I was SO EXCITED!!! My baby would be in my arms in a matter of hours! No more nights without my sweet baby girl. Then the panic set in....I hadn't slept for over 24 hours....what if she is frightened and cries all night?

My husband and I checked into our room. He took a nap so at least one of us would be coherent if Little Miss would have a rough night. I prepared everything for our first night with our little girl. Bottles in place, formula unpacked, pacifiers, diapers, blankets, toys, etc. Then I packed the diaper bag. Before we knew it we were on our way to HH, the last time we would make the trip without our little girl, no more goodbyes or "see you soons." I would be able to tell her the waiting is over it is time to go home.

We entered HH and the gates closed behind us. We had been separated by an ocean; now just walls. My body was shaking, my eyes were full of tears, I knew I would not be able to utter a word without turning into a blubbering mess. Within moments she would be in my arms. We entered the baby's playroom. I was scanning the room for my baby girl. I couldn't find her. 15-20 babies were in the room where was my little one? I skipped over the babies with little or no hair, knowing my baby had a head full. Then a nanny signaled me and pointed to my precious little girl. There she was..my beautiful baby girl. Another nanny was sitting in a green chair rocking and giving her a bottle; Little Miss was sleeping. Her hair was pulled into many little pigtails. The nanny handed her to me. Finally in my arms again! The wait was over!

She was sleeping. (A bit anti-climatic) Little Miss woke us within the hour and immediately smiled. It was almost like she remembered us. All smiles. What an amazing day it was!

But, that was just the beginning of this journey we are on. Little Miss has been with us for a year today and has given us so many smiles every day. Words cannot express how blessed I am to have the privilege to raise this beautiful little girl.

Happy "Gotcha Day" to my Little Miss!

(BTW - no reason to worry about no sleep. We all sleep just fine those first few nights in Ethiopia! Mommy, Daddy and baby)

Meetcha Day

A year ago today we boarded a plane to Ethiopia to meet our sweet baby for the first time. I still feel the butterflies when I think about landing in Addis Ababa, knowing I was within miles of my daughter. Then walking through the doors of Hannah's Hope, my whole body was shaking and tears were welling up in my eyes. The moment I had dreamed about had finally arrived. My daughter would be in my arms within minutes. Almaz, the director of HH, told us we first needed to finish a bit of paperwork before meeting our baby. As we entered her office my mind was swimming, I couldn't hear a word she was saying; all I could think about was holding, seeing, kissing, and hugging my daughter for the first time. After what seemed like hours, we were walking to the baby house. I was scanning the room for my baby. I knew she had loads of hair. Then a nanny walked up to me saying," E's mommy? " There she was ....the most beautiful little baby girl that I had ever se

en. My life from that moment was forever changed.

As I think back to that day I am so thankful to be w

here we are a year later. Don't get me wrong. I LOVED Ethiopia! We meet so many amazing people and the entire experience was fantastic. But having to say goodbye to my baby and fly back to home, to the other side of the world, was terrible. I would say that was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do.

So today we celebrate meeting our daughter and are so thankful she is home with us. It is going to be such a special Christmas season.