The New Wolfepack

An Overdue Journal Entry

2010-04-17T11:35:00.006-04:00

How do you record the past year and a half? How can I get into words all that is in my head? Too many life experiences to possibly record here. Here goes. My attempt to journal our journey. I know it will fall short, but I felt the need to try the best to record the things swirling around in my mind. I apologize now for the lack of structure or format. It's never been a strong point of mine.

This has taken me a long time to write for several reasons. The biggest is -gulp- my pride. It's not fun to admit things are not what they appear to be. Another reason ... well, that would be fear. What will people think? Will they understand? Does it matter if they do? And then I hear one of Randy's quotes.. "People of integrity expect to be believed and when they're not, they let time prove them right."

It's really ok if people don't understand. This is not for them. It's for us. It's a record of our journey. I also hope it may help the families going through adjustments because they've added another teen and are wondering how to cope. How to hold it all together. Is it fair?? ... to the new one?? Or to the old ones?? There is so little support for those of us walking this walk. As I read the article of the mom who sent her adopted son back to Russia, I couldn't help but think.. would things have been better if she had someone to talk too? Someone who understood what she was going through? A support system? I'm not supporting what she did, but was also frustrated as people who had not walked in her shoes had no problem coming forward to point a finger at her.

Another apprehension I've had is my motive in sharing? Is it self serving? Am I posting this so others can see how much this has cost us? Or do I sincerely believe my cause is to help others know it's alright. Everything is gonna be alright. Is the timing right? Should I share now, or when we get to the other side of things? Shouldn't I wait for a positive outcome before expressing the tough stuff? Again I am reminded to put my pride aside and be real so God can get the full glory in our story. It's not about us. It's all about Him! Serving Him and doing what He's asked us to do. Period. Our final results may or may not be great. That's not for me to worry about.

So many things are flooding my mind. There's so much I want to say. And then I hear these little voices "what makes you think anyone cares what you have to say?" or I think "God is doing these things to teach me a lesson. What business do I have to share it?"

How do you handle life when you've been wronged? Do you fight back? Defend your honor? Or just quietly continue to do what you've always done and know things will work out how they are supposed to? It's easy to say we should turn the other cheek. Until then it's our cheek. And the first hit didn't feel so good. Is it necessary to allow a second? And God reminds you that you are doing what He's called you to do. You may not be doing it perfectly, but you are doing the best you can at that time. Shouldn't it be ok if He is the only one that sees what you are doing? Of course it should, until pride rears it head.

What am I willing to give up? It's not easy to surrender our earthly possessions unless we really believe they are fleeting... and not important. Then trying to focus on what's important. And having to change from what we always thought was important to what really IS important. Change from thinking that having a house is necessary to being grateful for warm beds and full bellies at the end of a day. A house and a home are totally different things. You don't need a house to have a great home! A condo or apartment will do. So will a trailer... or even a tent! It's about making wherever it is you call home a safe place. A place where you are free to be yourself. A place where loves abounds. Misunderstandings can be a daily occurrence as long as everyone knows the boundaries and that they are safe. Willingly doing what you are asked to do, but some days complaining and pouting because it's not like you'd thought it'd be.

How about feeling snubbed by those you are serving? You give and sacrifice but it's not good enough. There is an unrealistic standard that can't be met, unless maybe you're Bill Gates. But you press on, knowing you are teaching something that needs to be taught... that things aren't what make us happy. Relationships are! Taking the hit without making it personal. When you explain another job change may require another move and you get... "how is this going to affect me and my life?" Understanding they don't understand. Teaching that we are grateful for God's provision of another job in this economy. Teaching how fortunate we all are to have a dad that is willing to do what it takes, and be the most unselfish man I know, because he feels called to take care of what God has given him. To let them know it's been years since dad has bought anything for himself. His Harley dream is on the shelf for as long as it takes. He will only get it after his responsibilities as a father have been fulfilled. We laugh and say we will probably be too old to get on the bike by the time we can afford it. Teaching what an uncommon occurrence it is to have such an unselfish dad.

Financially, this may have cost us. It financially affects every family. Having another mouth to feed, body to cloth, person to educate, sport to play, dentist to visit, medical deductible to meet, etc. Sometimes we are asked to give up something and the truth is... we are really not happy about it. What? Why me? Can't you see we've agreed to take on this huge task? I thought we would be blessed for doing this?? (Yes, not an easy one to admit.) We've already agreed to give up _____(this) or ______(that)... you fill in the blanks. Now we are being asked to give even more?

The most interesting thing is when you look back, and you see the blessing, and they are better than any financial blessing you could buy. You see growth. You see seeds of trust starting to happen. You see seeds of attachment starting to grow. You hear in their voice or their stories that it feels good for them to have someone that cares about them and is willing to fight for them. It makes you mourn for all the years they went without that simple thing in life.

You look back and you see life changes in your bio kids like you never knew was possible. You see them learn to depend on Christ like never before because they are forced too. For all the nights I've cried and wondered what this was doing to them... and now God reveals things to me. He shows me children that are learning unconditional love. Children that are learning that life is not all about them. Children that take others hurts because it's the right thing to do. It's not easy, or comfortable, but it's what's required at the time. I type this and realize that maybe we are lucky. Lucky that our children have grown and not come to resent us for rocking their worlds. Children that have drawn closer to God and learned where their strength comes from and not cursing Him for the trials in their lives. Again we see things that no money can buy. There is no easy road there. No paved highway. It's a destination that can only be reached if they are willing to travel the back road. It's dirt, full of bumps and bruises, and has occasional pot holes big enough to take you in for a day, or even weeks. They have all at one time or another taken on the hurts displaced on them on their way down this road. It's really a life long destination. It's refreshing to see some of the pot holes get filled in and to know they've had a hand in it.

You still have problems. I may no sooner type all this and have a situation that makes me question what I was thinking when I typed this, but I still choose to post it. I may even have to come back and read it myself to stay the course. Only God knows the outcome to our story! We pray every day the outcome involves more teens coming to know Him and trusting only Him for their salvation!

It's hard to be this vulnerable and know some may not understand. A speaker at church last week was teaching how sometimes we need to take the next step so God can reveal His next step. After hearing him speak, I knew this needed to be my next step. To put myself out there. To share some of our story. I do not know the reason, but that's ok. I am trusting. Trusting like we have had to do every step of this journey. Some days it's not the most comfortable place, but knowing there is no better place to be. How awesome to experience God's work in our lives on a daily basis. It is my hope in sharing that others can see.... everything's gonna be alright!

Our Family Keeps Growing :)

2010-03-16T22:30:00.002-04:00

We are anxious to get back pictures from the photographer. In the mean time... I stole some from my nieces' facebook :)

A family photo taken later in the night. Brad had changed his outfit because he and his friend performed a skit for the bride & groom. It was cute... tune from Aladin.

The happy couple... Kristin & Kyle (our daughter and son-in-law)

4 of my 5 sisters, and one of my brothers, made the 13 hour trip to be with us. They're the best!!

We feel so blessed. It was a good day! The kids really enjoyed experiencing an American wedding and did wonderful being in it. Randy (dad) had an emotional time giving away his girl :( He gave the key to her heart necklace to her groom but was not the rock he said he'd be. It was priceless.

Will share more photos soon ;)

Wedding Week

2010-03-07T20:04:00.003-05:00

Here we are... in wedding week countdown! Kristin & Kyle will be married this Saturday and all the kids are in the wedding. We are so thankful and excited! We're praying all goes well and we can avoid triggers... but I am also a realist and know we may have some glitches along the way. Exciting week... hoping to show photos next week.

Nearly 16 months and growing

2010-02-25T22:00:00.001-05:00

Aschalew's creativity with the dog. Poor dog. She puts up with a lot from him.

We are still here... living life and blending as a family. Things get busy these days... with 4 high schoolers.. 2 to graduate this spring... a wedding in 2 weeks... club volleyball season running at full speed... hubby living and working in Florida... holidays, semester change, more physical science and algebra homework than I care for... enough said. Most nights I crash around midnight or later and the 6:45 alarm comes way too quickly.

Our lives have not been the same since we said yes to this crazy journey! And the truth be told, as hard and weary as some days or weeks have been, we wouldn't have it any other way! It's crazy living the life God calls us too. Some days I still can't believe it's real. Sometimes I don't feel worthy of the blessings and some days I ask 'why'. The days it's the most difficult are the ones when it's easiest to ask 'why'. One thing both Randy and I do know... this is right where God wants us and it's been His plan for all of us all along!

The timing of a wedding in our lives seemed to be so wrong. Recovering from unemployment, adding 3 teens with dental and medical needs when we couldn't count on insurance, a cross country move was not easy or without cost, and selling our Michigan home for less than we had bought it for 13 years ago. And you know what we learned??? That we do not always understand but God is always near. He is good. This has been a great opportunity to build our faith and to grow as a family. When you struggle, you grow. And you grow closer. When challenges hit, you find out what you're made of. God blessed Kristin with Kyle in the middle of all our change. Kyle never knew our family as it was before and he came into our lives and has rolled with the waves. It's not been easy on him, but he's proven his love for Kristin through it all. The kids have embraced him. Randy and I love him!

It's been a whirlwind... planning a wedding in less than 5 months. Things have fallen into place. God is good! He is faithful! Some things have had to be compromised but we've all learned what's important. Family is! Love is! People tell me how lucky I am to have such an easy bride. And it's true. She is. Because we have all learned what's important.

Randy and I thought the timing was so wrong... but the truth is... we were wrong. The timing could not be better. The kids have been with us nearly 16 months. Participating in the wedding is creating such a sense of family. It's brought a tear to my eye a time or two. Watching the kids feel they are part of something. They belong here. They are getting fitted right along side the rest of us. In the midst of the craziness, God has stopped time and shown me moments I will never forget. Moments of seeing the acceptance in their eyes. Moments of belonging. I treasure the moments. I don't want to elaborate to protect privacy, but they are snapshots in my mind.

We are still living in this furnished condo that we joined Randy in a year ago. It was to be a temporary place. Home for a month or two. Probably best we did not know the plan would change. We had no idea this was a temporary stop on our way to Florida. No idea we would plan a wedding from here. Most of our belongings are in storage in Michigan. We've made do with Christmas decorations and are doing the same for the wedding. Kristin has wished we had photos from her childhood, but they too are in Michigan. There are many days I feel as if we are camping and I don't say that feeling sorry for us. I have never felt so unsure of what the future holds. I have also never had so much peace that we are right where we are supposed to be!

Welcome 2010!!

2010-01-01T22:03:00.005-05:00

Wow! Wasn't The Millennium just last year??? Where does the time go? Some days it seems to fly by and other times a week can be an eternity! Funny how that can happen.

2009 was truly a year of change and growth. So much I wish I could share and yet I think it's a good thing to be monitored. I had hoped to use this blog to keep a journal of our journey. Knowing my kids are on-line, and respecting their privacy has probably been a good thing.... especially knowing myself. I am known to speak first and think later which often gets me in trouble.

We drove to Orlando for Thanksgiving break to spend some time with dad. Here are some of the kids when we went walking the Disney boardwalk.

And the soon to be Mr & Mrs....

While in Orlando...... The Page family happened to be in town as well. It was so cool to get to see them... even if it was just a short visit. I loved that everyone picked out their own stuffed animal. The personalities seemed to match. I'm a bit concerned that Kyle picked Eeyore.

The kids loved the weather and landscape of Florida.... which is a good thing considering we'll be Florida residents this coming summer.

It was great to have everyone home for Christmas! We had a great day. It's so nice when the kids are home. There's always someone to do something with and I feel a bit of a break... which gives me time to make food for the pack. Everyone home requires more physical work for me but it's so worth it for the small emotional break!

Here's to a wonderful and blessed new year! Welcome 2010!

The Stand

2009-12-06T22:50:00.002-05:00

Thanking God for this beautiful song we sang at church today. We could never walk this walk without Jesus!

You stood before creation
Eternity within Your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
Carried the Cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I’ll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all

So I’ll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours

Our 1 Year!!!

2009-11-09T00:10:00.001-05:00

It's our 1 year Anniversary of becoming a family of 8!! Our "Gotcha Day" as it's often referred to in the adoption world. A year.... 12 months... 365 days... and we're all still standing... Whew!! That in itself is a major accomplishment!

Where to begin... what to say... no idea how to put a year into words so I've decided to show some pictures....and express some of my feelings along the way.

Our very first meeting. Just off a 17 hour plane ride. The kids met us at the Airport when we got to Ethiopia. Can't even put it into words... and yet I remember the feelings so vividly.... from elated, to overwhelmed, to scared, to happy, to anxious... I remember feeling so scared on the taxi ride to the guest house and feeling I was living in my dream ... and wishing it really was just a dream. Had no idea how I was going to parent all these kids.

The kids first night together. It was late, we were all tired and not really able to communicate but they all could understand a card game. I remember watching them all together and feeling like I could breathe again. It was a beautiful sight... siblings.. very loosely attached... starting the bonding process. I still wasn't sure we could do this but Randy was doing great so I was able to sleep knowing one of us was ok with all that had just happened.

Justin and my boys. They got along amazingly! It was a whirlwind. We were trying to take it all in and only had a week. We wanted to see everything and get to know our kids history. There were a lot of us. Found myself doing head counts to make sure we had everyone. I was too busy to even know what I was feeling. I was also afraid to check in on what I was feeling so the busyness was a way out. The kids were getting along great and that sure helped. Still so scared and worried if we had made the right decision. I loved the idea of the kids joining our clan but wasn't sure I was the one to parent them. Wondered why God had called us, especially me, when I was feeling so incapable.

After the whirlwind of a week, it was back home to Michigan. Lots of emotions going on with the transition as well. Still scared, especially because Randy was heading back to S Carolina. But also so excited for the many "firsts" for the kids. I remember them experiencing snow for the first time. I remember when they thought they were sinking into the earth the first time they stepped on the snow covered grass.

I was still nervous that we had what it took. So many decisions had to be made and Randy was working in S Carolina. School or homeschool?? The dental visits and deciding what needed work immediately and what we could space out. Then visiting the doctor and trying to keep track of who needed what. Even the doctor would get confused asking which child I was talking about. Deciding if we should stay in Michigan or leave the house on the market and head to SC?? Thanksgiving time came quickly. So did our annual Christmas production. Bonny performed and I worked in make-up. Still such a whirlwind. The kids began to audit some high school classes to get the feel of American school. And then Christmas. I was overwhelmed and still trying to accept my new role and all the responsibilities with Randy away.

It snowed more than I ever remember... and I grew up in Michigan. I remember the kids thinking their legs were frozen off. Their skin had never felt snow. Some fun times playing in the snow. Some not so fun times needing to shovel what seemed like every morning before pulling the car from the garage to drive to school.

In January we visited Randy in SC and decided we had enough of the Michigan winters. We made the decision to move by the end of the month. I couldn't believe the paperwork required to enroll the kids in school. A mortgage closing would have been easier. I was coming to accept our new life. It was full of craziness and funny stories. Things were not as I had imagined but how could I ever imagine what life would look like. I had no experience with adding three international teens to our family. For that matter, I was discovering it wasn't a common occurrence so there weren't a lot of stories out there.

So unsure if I'd like life in the south. Randy was convinced I would. He was absolutely loving the weather. One thing I knew I'd surely love was being only 2 hours from the ocean. Spring break we took the kids for their first trip to the ocean. Man, I tear up just remembering the emotions.... and feeling so thankful for pressing on those first few months. No challenge felt too big at that moment. I was beginning to feel this was definitely God's plan for our family. Still plenty of obstacles. Still lots of uncertainties. Lots of trial and error on our part as parents. We had raised a few through the teens years but this was so different. We had to learn new skills. It's not easy teaching an old dog new tricks... Randy and I are proof of that. We kept wanting to fall back on the tried and true techniques. Time would prove the social worker was right.

South Carolina was quickly becoming our new home. The kids were so happy with the weather after their 3 month experience in Michigan. We still can't get them to understand life in Michigan is not always -35 degree wind chills.

Spring Break had welcome visits from family and friends. The kids were so happy to see The Pages again. They will always be part of our extended family.

Yet another first... tubing on the lake. Fun stuff!

Some family time...

And getting citizenship...

And loving your sister...

It has been a year of trial and error. A year of transition and adjustment. A year of learning and growing. A year of bonding and attaching. A year of taking steps towards trust. Trust is such a biggy and takes time to develop. The kids want to know we're in it for the long haul... something they lack experience with. We try to prove it daily with our actions. We try to remain consistent even though our lives have us in constant transition. We stay consistent for a day or a week or a month and then revert back to the comfortable. Before we know it, we're parenting like we always had... but not what's most effective for the kids. We encounter a melt down ... or a blow up... and wonder what went wrong. We pull out the books and contact the social worker for help as we work our way back to consistency. Again God gives us another chance. We run with the fresh start and try again. He shows us He is always there no matter what life may bring. He has used this experience to draw us closer to Him. We have all grown in the process.

There are still days I feel in over my head... but don't all parents?? Still days I wonder why God trusted us when we miss the mark. Still days when God shows me my patience needs more work. Still times I question, but am glad to say I'm learning to quit asking why and instead truly understand our family was created by the perfect artist.

Today we are celebrating becoming a family of 8! Kyle will join the clan in the spring and we will be a family of 9. It's not been easy... but God is good. I can't imagine our family any other way! Each child makes our family unique and special! We thank God for his many blessings! We are proof that He doesn't call the equipped but He surely does equip the called!

"On Their Own" campaign

2009-11-07T11:46:00.003-05:00

They are teenagers aging out of an orphanage or foster care, into a world for which they are unprepared.

They need our help.

Click here to learn more about these bracelets to help the older child that has aged out of adoption. You can also read my friends blog here. She does a great job sharing.

Court Anniversary

2009-10-17T23:45:00.001-04:00

It's been a year since The Wolfepack legally became a family of 8! We would not meet our children until November 9th, but on October 17th we were blessed by passing court. We were the only family that the courts passed that day. Lot's of new paperwork was being required and I think the ages of our teens played a factor in helping us pass. I remember "the call". I remember just sobbing. Our lives were about to change forever. We had no idea what to expect. What a whirlwind. What a year. I feel this past year we have lived several. From Ethiopia... to Michigan... to S Carolina... to ???? Randy's doing some work out of state. Another move further south may be in the cards. Glad to know God knows the plans He has for us. Some days I wish I knew more... but for now, we'll be planning Kristin's wedding in SC in March :)

Buckets of Blessing

2009-10-12T10:12:00.001-04:00

On a rainy day like today, 8,768 days ago I said "I do" to my best friend. The pastor said may the rain be buckets of blessings. 6 kids (and our seventh joining in the Spring) and 24 years of blessings. Happy Anniversary hubby!

The Engagement

2009-10-03T14:33:00.002-04:00

Still can't believe my baby's engaged! So happy for them. Randy keeps reminding me that we're adding another to the clan and not loosing a daughter :)

Talking to dad... (he was home with the kids)

The ring!

The happy couple!!

Have to say God has answered our prayers for all these years. They're a perfect match!

It's a Boy!

2009-09-30T23:09:00.000-04:00

The Wolfepack just found out their team will have a new member. A teammate. A player. The Lord is blessing us again! This time it's a boy! A wonderful, talented, amazing boy!

It's different this round ......
there is no paperwork
no waiting on USCIS (Customs & Immigrations)
no homestudy
no need to update our immunizations

We proudly introduce our new addition. Our new son (to be technical our son-in-law). He asked permission from dad, then he asked Kristin... and she said y-e-s.

Congratulations Kristin and Kyle! We love you!

New Citizens!!!

2009-09-25T22:14:00.004-04:00

Taking the oath of citizenship.

Awarding their Certificates of Citizenship

This was followed by pledging the flag, a welcome video from President Obama, and finally a video with pictures and the song "Proud to be an American".

The Customs and Immigrations office is in Charleston so we completed our day with a visit to the beach. It was a good day!

Citizenship here we come

2009-09-23T23:27:00.002-04:00

Friday's the day! September 25th, 2009! We're heading to Charleston for the kids to take their oaths of citizenship. This is an answer to sweat and tears. We finally have all 3 kids paperwork in the same office. It's been a process. It's taken us nearly 11 months, dozens of phone calls, many certified letters, lots of frustration... but the good news is we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Everyone's very excited.

Pictures to follow....

Hand Made African Cards

2009-08-18T22:00:00.000-04:00

Click here to purchase some beautiful hand made cards and help orphans by doing so. Cards from Africa exists to improve the quality of life for orphaned youth in Rwanda. Thought it was worth sharing :)

Meet Eva

2009-08-16T22:44:00.004-04:00

The Beautiful Gary Family with their new Daughter!

Mike, Shelli, Eva Hiwot, Nathan, and Noah

My heart leaps for them. They finally have their daughter! Little did Shelli and I know when we prayed at breakfast in November 2007 what God had in store. We each independently shared that God was calling us to adopt. God has blessed us indeed!

Waiting to meet my new "neice"

2009-08-15T09:41:00.006-04:00

The Gary family is meeting their daughter today!! We're so excited for them. This has been an amazing journey. I feel blessed to be walking this road with my best friend. I am so anxious to hear all about it... their first meeting! You can click on her blog to keep updated.

Our Summer

2009-08-15T09:20:00.003-04:00

We've had a summer to remember and not for reasons we would have thought. We were hoping it would be a summer of fun. A summer of firsts. A time to relax, regroup and grow as a family. We were planning trips. To Michigan... to Florida. Instead, it's been a summer of trials. It's been a summer of uncertainity. A summer of wondering where we'd be in the fall. A summer of waiting. A summer of growth. A summer of learning more than each of us ever knew about ourselves. A summer of transition. Of selling our home, loading our belongings in a portable storage unit and waiting on where God will move us next. A summer of being totally uprooted and yet so secure. A summer of knowing God has a plan for us.

Our trial began, and we worked through it and grew as a family. In the process we find out what we're really made of and like most of what we see. We find we rally together and face the storm. We find strength in the power of family. We teach the kids what families do when tough times hit. We become a little stronger. And then another storm hits. This one is bigger than the first. Can we do it? Can we get through another storm when the last one seemed pretty small compared to this one? Can we really do it? And God gently reminds us that He is right here with us. This is right where He'd have us for this season even though it's not the season we had wished for. The first storm made us stronger so we could face the next. He shows us that He never leaves us or forsakes us. He asks us to trust Him. So we do. We get up another day and walk this unknown walk. We don't have all the answers but He gives us what we need for this day. His word tells us not to worry about tomorrow for today has enough of it's own worries... and we choose to believe His word is true. Even when we don't understand. Why us Lord??? And He gently reminds us He does not make mistakes. Why us? Because He knew we would be a voice. He trusted we would advocate for those unable to advocate. He knew we could do this. He never promised it would be easy, but we feel He must love us so. To draw us to Him daily, hourly, constantly. He has asked us to care for His children. Not just when the walk is easy. He asks us to do the tough thing... the right thing.

So here we are, just days before school will begin again. The storm is not over. We are still in transition. Still uncertain on where we will settle. Staying put while we work out our challenges. Still without all the answers, but certain it is right where He wants us to be. His word promises us:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1: 2-4

It was a fear that others have seen our story and will be discouraged from adopting. We have worked so hard to shed a light of encouragement. We wants others to know God will equip them for that which He calls them too. We wants others to be willing to be a voice for those that have no voice. And then we realize our story is written by a perfect author. An author that knows so much more than we will ever know. He reminds us that this is not our story to tell, but His to write. It is not about us... it is ALL about Him!!

We are reminded that this has been a summer to remember. It has been a summer to grow as a family, just not for the reasons we had thought.

Psalm 91

2009-08-08T23:11:00.003-04:00

Thanking God for trusting us to parent His children. Wanted to share this verse in hopes it encourages you as it does us.

Psalm 91

Security of the One Who Trusts in the LORD.

¹He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
²I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!"
³For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
And from the deadly pestilence.
⁴He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
⁵You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day;
⁶Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
⁷A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
⁸You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.
⁹For you have made the LORD, my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place.
¹⁰No evil will befall you,
Nor will any plague come near your tent.
¹¹For He will give His angels charge concerning you,
To guard you in all your ways.
¹²They will bear you up in their hands,
That you do not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³You will tread upon the lion and cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you will trample down.
¹⁴"Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.
¹⁵"He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
¹⁶"With a long life I will satisfy him
And let him see My salvation."

Genet's Letter

2009-07-09T21:36:00.002-04:00

For those of you not aware... Warner Bros is releasing a movie on July 24 called "Orphan". I wrote them and stated my disapproval. I told the kids I sent letters and Genet asked if she could write as well. Here's her work...

Dear Warner Brothers,
My name is Genet, I am 16 years old, and just 8 months ago I was an orphan. I saw a part of your movie and it makes people think bad things about orphanage children. Why do you make like this movie? A lot of children they need family and a good life. We are not bad children. Many of my friends are still in Ethiopia and they need family but you make this movie and people think they don’t need orphan children. They think orphan children are bad and hate people. This is not true. Orphan children are just like other children. They are orphans because their parents die and they need a new life.

You are not trying to help people like these children. I have a lot of friends and I’m trying to come here to find family for them. When people see your movie they change their idea because they think my friends are like Esther in the movie. My friends are not Esther. They are nice, they are smart and they like people. My friends are just like American teenager. My friends did not pick orphan. They don’t want to be orphan. They need family. I think you don’t have any idea about orphan children.

I am glad that my family did not see this movie before they adopt me. Maybe if they see this movie, I would not come here and have family. I am happy I am here. I wish my friends could live like me. I wish they could have mom and dad. I wish they have opportunity like I have. I want them to have better future.

My friends need family but you need money. You do not want to help children, you just want money. You can make movie about many different things. Why do you pick this movie? Why this idea? Please explain to me.

From,
Genet Knife Wolfe

ParaSailing

2009-06-26T18:10:00.004-04:00

The Pre-Launch

The first crew gets ready

And up they go...

No trip's complete with out the ocean dip :)

Now for the second crew

And up they go...

And up....

Man... that's half my family at the end of that rope. What was I thinking :)

And back on the boat safely... whew!

We had a great few days at the beach. Some much needed family bonding time. Didn't last that long... because now my children are in 4 states. Kristin took the girls back to Liberty with her for a few days. Bonny's visiting a friend in Michigan. Brad drove to Florida for the week-end with his buddy Seth to visit Seth's grandparents. And Aschalew is home alone with mom and dad. I treasure every minute we're all together because they are slipping to quickly.

Heading to the Ocean

2009-06-19T15:39:00.005-04:00

Leaving on Sunday for the beach... my favorite place ever! We will have the whole "pack" and I'm sooo excited about that. It will be our first family trip together since Ethiopia last November. Kyle (Kristin's boyfriend) will even be there too :) He's touring this summer with a Liberty band and playing at a summer camp there.

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Schools Out for Summer

2009-06-07T20:58:00.003-04:00

So to celebrate we went to lunch.

I loved it... all my kids together!

And then a friend surprised the girls with manicures...

What a treat it was for me to watch. The kids had worked so hard this year at school. We couldn't be prouder.

Trying to make plan to fill our summer. A bit nervous about filling our time, without emptying my wallet.

2009-06-01T21:44:00.007-04:00

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the
love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

1 John 3:16-18 (NIV)

Waiting on God

2009-05-26T23:15:00.004-04:00

Our great friends "Uncle" Mike and "Aunt" Shelli are adopting!! Click here to read their story. We are so excited! This has been quite a process. Shelli and I had breakfast one morning in November 2007 and expressed to each other that we were each feeling God's call to adopt. Little did we know what God had in store! Our husbands get nervous when the two of us get together and this time was no different. Our process started a short time after our breakfast and The Gary family has been some of our biggest advocates. They have waited patiently for God to show them the path He was calling them too. It's been a long journey with lots of prayers and tears. It's so awesome to see the plan God has orchestrated for their family as they pursue older child adoption. Can't wait to share "the rest of the story" as their plan unfolds.

Wedding Week-End

2009-05-25T22:28:00.003-04:00

Our week-end in pictures...
Kristin's friends were married this week-end. It was a beautiful outdoor ceremony and poured once we all were inside for the reception.

Here's the bridesmaids. Kristin is second from the right. Her best friend Savannah is in the middle.

A couple of my girls. Kristin and Bonny. The other two backed out at the last minute. We begged but respected their decision. We missed them :(

The happy bride and groom.

Kevin and Stephanie off to begin their new life together.

The wedding was in Atlanta so we all ended up back here for less than a day together. I managed to get a 6 month picture for the social worker. So much for my plans to get the photos I had hoped for. I envisioned them in my mind... the girls, the boys, the girls with mom, the boys with dad..... Guess for now I'll settle for the six kids together. Don't they look happy???

Communication

2009-05-21T10:00:00.006-04:00

We had our 6 month post placement visit yesterday. It went well. I think we "passed" if there is such a thing. We met our new social worker due to the move and it went well. We all just sat around and casually chatted about how things are going. We communicated. It was good. Communication is good. It has been vital to our success in blending our family.

Let me begin by communicating something. I use this blog to record memories of our amazing journey in this adoption. I use it as a way to advocate for other orphans, especially those over 10, that need loving families. I hope through our journey, others can see this is a doable thing. I also use this blog as a form of therapy for myself. It helps to be able to "share" the load, and simply typing for me is sharing. In doing this, I have discovered a few things I feel the need to mention. This blog has been therapy for me because it's helps me see the positives in our lives when all I'm feeling are the responsibilities. When I sit down to write about our life, I'm surely not looking to tell you about our tough moments. Instead, I look to share our "highlights". Sometimes I have to search for the "highlights" because we've been dealing with some real life issues. Most issues I choose not to share. Some things like temper tantrums, disagreements, disappointments, you get the idea. They're not the things we like to share with the world. Instead we look for the "Ahah" moments. The feel good type things. And those are what I choose to tell you about. In doing so, I realize it can seem like we are a family that has it all together. We may have it all together for that moment, or hour, or day, but there are many moments when we are "practicing", aka living our lives. Many days we "practice" more than we "perform" but it is what life is all about. It is how we learn, how we grow.

So why, you may ask, am I sharing this?? The answer is to spare someone, maybe another mom, the idea that our lives are wonderful, or better, or something they are not. Sometimes I read a blog and feel so inadequate as a mom. I see pictures and my mind goes crazy thinking crazy things like, how does that mom do all that when today I never managed to change the sheets like I had planned. Or something like, look at that family, they adopted 18 children, all with special needs, and mine are all healthy.... and I fall short of the "bar"(the unrealistic standard I set for myself). The terrible standard of comparing ourselves to other without all the facts. The idea of second guessing the life God has called our family too and asking why we couldn't have the other. I do it, my children do it, we all do it... and it's counter productive. I hope and try to not give this "wonderful family that has it all together" complex to others.

So, after the social worker left, Randy and I had planned for a family meeting. It's a time when we get together and game plan as a family. It's a time to put things out on the table. A time to talk... to communicate. Sometimes it's just a time to goof off and nothing really gets accomplished. The new kids seemed to enjoy the idea. At one point, Brad attempted to get up and was quickly told by Yesalemsuh to sit back down, the family meeting wasn't over. She was enjoying her opportunity to participate in a family meeting. Brad has been in his share and takes them for granted. It was touching to see how valued she felt to be included in the meeting.

We communicated. It was good. We discussed some ideas where we don't see eye to eye. Everyone had input. We all got to see things from a different perspective. We affirmed each other. It was good.

The girls and I are off to Atlanta for a wedding. Kristin is standing up in her friends wedding. The girls are excited to get to see a wedding. Aschalew has chosen to stay home with the boys. Can you blame him? Brad explained that we will drive 3 hours to see girls get all dressed up and watch a mushy ceremony. He heard enough to cast his vote. It's fine by us. The girls are leaving school early and we'll find a mall, eat out (which costs far less without the boys), spend the night at a hotel, and go watch the girls that are all dressed up say mushy vows and love every minute of it :)

We Are Family

2009-05-16T19:09:00.003-04:00

Nothing world changing or cutting edge to report... just a day in the life of the Wolfepack. Brad is home for the summer and everyone is loving having him home. The laundry has increased, I keep forgetting to add another place setting at the dinner table, he eats as much as 3 of the girls, but it's still great to have him here! The other day we were sitting around and Brad (a 20 year old college boy for sure) expressed a bodily function or two. The kids tried very hard to control their laughter and when they saw it was o.k. they doubled over laughing. Of course I yelled, B-R-A-A-A-A-A-D-D-D, to which the giggling continued. (BTW - I haven't asked for Brad's permission but I'm sure he's o.k. with me sharing the story :)

A few hours later I was helping Yesalemush with her homework for one of her classes. Ironically, it was all about manners and etiquette. I explained that Brad had violated all the rules earlier that day. I told her he wasn't minding his manners. I was starting the lecture moms give to try and teach their children how to be proper and she turned to me and as serious as can be she said, "Mom, it's o.k. We are family." My heart melted and I replied, "You're right Yesalemush. We are family!"

Shredded

2009-05-08T13:50:00.003-04:00

Sat down as a family last night and I brought out the paper shredder, put it in the middle of the kitchen, and had paper and pens for everyone. They were all anxious in anticipation of what craziness mom had come up with now. I gave each of us a sheet and a pen and explained we were to write things that have been bothering us, things that have angered us, or whatever we felt we needed to "give up". I truly expected to be met with cynicism and was pleasantly surprised when everyone bought in. We all went to our own spaces and after 5 minutes I asked if everyone was finished. A few of them asked for more time so now I became a bit concerned. Was there really that much bothering them?? I remained patient and we all came together with our folded papers and prayed over them and then we fed them to the paper shredder. The mood in the room became much lighter, some small conversation, and then everyone retreated to bed in good moods. Not sure what will come of all of this, but I wanted to share the idea in hopes of helping other families that may need to do some shredding.

Perspective

2009-05-06T22:51:00.004-04:00

We've had some friends call that have recently come home with their newly adopted children. The transition has brought up some questions from the newly formed family. The questions brought back memories of things we've all been through. The blessing in all of it was that I was able to see our growth. I was able to see how far we've come. When you walk daily with the goals of where you want things to be you can forget to be grateful for the things you've accomplished. Through this family, God has shown me how far our family has come.

A few things we've learned... We've learned each others likes and dislikes. We've learned when one of us needs time away... or alone. We've learned how to be ourselves. We're learning how to communicate to each other how we feel. It's good to be able to say... when you do _________, it makes me _________. I know this may seem elementary, but when you blend a family of older children, it's really significant growth.

We're learning to love unconditionally... ok maybe this one is mostly me. And patience... again mostly me. I was sharing with the new mother how we often think this is about helping a child have a home, and parents, and a family to love them. What God is teaching me, is this is about getting over myself, and my wants, and my needs. He's letting me see what I look like to Him and how He is always there for me no matter how badly I mess it up. I have grown accustomed to His unconditional love and I reluctantly admit I have come to expect his forgiveness even though without His sacrifice of His son, I am not worthy. Oh, to be more like Him. I pray for it daily.

We have also learned:

This....

And this....

And this...

We still have so much more to learn, but today I am thankful for how far we have come. I am thankful that my eyes have been opened to how far we have come. I am thankful for the growth that is happening in each of us. I am thankful for perspective.

Trust

2009-04-30T22:53:00.005-04:00

Thanking Our Father for His endless provisions...

"And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love." 2 John 1:6

Ethiopian Necklaces

2009-04-26T22:26:00.002-04:00

I've been asked where we got the beautiful necklaces. They were a gift from David & Jennifer Nasser. Click here if interested.

Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis

2009-04-21T22:56:00.001-04:00

A picture of the kids. Are there really 6 of them?? A half dozen, seis (Spanish), roku (Japanese), szesc (Polish)... as for 6 in Amharic... I'm a slow learner. Just looking through some photos and thinking how crazy blessed my life is. Trying... sure, exciting... usually, full of surprises... daily! The kids sure keep me on my toes.. and on my knees! Can't imagine life without 'em.

Some randomness of our life these days:
* A counselor at school that patrols the parking lot when I drop the kids off asked the kids if their mom was white?? I really don't get it but their answer was even funnier... "Yes, but our dad is black." And I really don't get that! I asked what the counselor thought when he saw dad drop them off the other day. They thought about saying he was their uncle but chose to say nothing. It's become our family joke.

* Took the girls to meet the high school youth group. One of the girls was sitting on either side of me when one of the high school girls said... "So, you must be mom?" to which I replied "Yes" and then she said "Who's mom are you?" and the girls and I laughed. Funny thing it never occurred to me she'd ask the second question because to me it should have been obvious. We've just learned to roll with it. Sure, sometimes it's insulting, but the kids don't see any prejudice in it so I try not too either.

* The guy at the bank asked Randy and I about our family. He thought it sounded so exciting. He had us on a pedestal until we asked him if we could trade a few in. He asked which ones we wanted to trade and Randy said one of the homegrown and one of the imported. It was just one of those days and we know better than to try and act like we have it all together. Truth is, we really do have it all together, and then we wake up :)

Here's a (staged) picture of Bonny attempting to teach Aschalew how to play the piano.

Proud Mumma

2009-04-12T23:41:00.005-04:00

My girls did a photo shoot this week-end and I just had to share some of their photos. Each one is so special.. and beautiful!

Happy Easter!!

2009-04-12T22:23:00.010-04:00

Aschalew taking it all in

Happy Easter from The Wolfepack! The kids had Spring Break this past week and it was an amazing week. My friend Shelli, her husband Mike and their boys Noah and Nathan came down to visit. We had a great time... so thankful for our time together. We drove over to Hilton Head for a couple of the days at the beach. The kids had never seen the ocean. Imagine being 15, 16 and 18 and experiencing one of God's most amazing creations for the first time. I can't put it into words. I had goose bumps and my heart leaped as I had the privilege to experience it from the kids perspective. The awe and excitement of their first experience was invigorating. Taking it all in.... seeing the water, touching the waves, feeling the warm breeze, hearing the steel drums playing off in the distance at one of the hotels, tasting the salt water, smelling the fresh air and feeling it on your face... man, need I say more. All of their senses where involved and they were so happy... so joyful! It is a moment I will long remember. I was reminded to be thankful for this opportunity because some days are challenging and I forget :(

Me and my kids

"Aunt" Shelli, the kids and her cute Noah

And Handsome Nathan

"Uncle" Mike and Yesalemush

Our week ended with a visit from The Page Family. They are the family that hosted our kids in the summer of 2007 for the Bright Future Camp in Texas in hopes of finding a family for them. Through a series of events, Becky Page had blogged about the kids and eventually the Lord brought all of us together. OK there were a few more details, but you get the idea. It was so good to finally meet the Pages and the kids were so excited to spend time with their first American family. What a fun reunion!

Becky Page and Yesalemush

Not blogging much these days. The kids prefer to be the ones to tell their story so we've come to an agreement on that. Just had to share a few moments from another chapter in this amazing story the Lord has authored.

Kids Say the Cutest Things

2009-03-19T22:15:00.002-04:00

So, I've started to journal some of the things that have happened since the kids joined our family. I feel I have forgotten so much already but felt I had to start somewhere. I've left room on past pages so I can record an event as it comes to me. I've started a page to help remember some of our communications. The other day on the way to school Genet was explaining something to her siblings and said "It's what you see when you sleep". I said "You mean, dream?" and we all laughed. They went on to tell about their dreams. The funniest was Yesalemush dreamt she met the Jonas Brothers and they asked her on stage and sang to her... in Amharic! Too cute!

Or Genet's told us about her dream. She was excited to share that they (the people in her dream) were talking in English. I've told them this is a sign they are grasping the English language. The best part was when she said that they were speaking English but she had no idea what they were saying :)

Sharing some photos... reminiscing on our trip to Ethiopia....

And Aschalew and his best friend.....

And here's my sweet Genet!

Some other creative ways to get their point across..... We now know that "bed clothes" are bed sheets, and "louding" while demonstrating with your mouth wide open means screaming.

I made (rather attempted to make) injera for the girls for dinner today. To say it was unsuccessful is an understatement. The first batch was a total flop so I threw it out and tried again thinking it was some bad yeast. It has been a while since I've made it and I think I've lost my touch. Hoping to surprise the girls, I tried again but it was still not going well. I knew I had failed when I gave the girls a piece and they asked me what it was :( Genet assured me it can be difficult to make sometimes so I am going to take her word on it. She saw that I was disappointed and came over and said "You are good mom" and gave me a hug. Made me realize making injera successfully is overrated :)

2009-03-06T21:57:00.003-05:00

My life is so full. Our home is really full. I am very blessed! Our life is not without trials but as Romans 5:3-5 tells us...
"..... we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

Kristin and Brad came home from Liberty for Spring Break next week. It's so good to all be together! They wanted to make sure we're never lonely, so they've also brought home some friends. Brad brought Rusty home and Seth and Hannah drove down from Michigan too. They'll all be heading to Hilton Head tomorrow for their break. Kristin had Savannah and Stephanie meet here for a girls week-end before Steph gets married in May. They all are great buds from LU. As you can see, I was not kidding when I said our home is really full but Randy and I are loving every minute of it. So are our newest children. At first they retreated into their rooms because it's a bit overwhelming. Glad to report they got over that today and have been letting all our visitors invest in their lives. It's so awesome to see. It's a great bunch of kids and it's so cool to see then giving and sharing with the kids. The kids love to show anyone that's interested their music, their photos from Ethiopia, their Ethiopian dress, etc.

Let me close with a great story of how big our God is. A teacher from the kids new high school called the other day. She does not have any of the kids in her classes, but heard of them from another teacher. She has a friend waiting on a court date this month to bring home their 2 young daughters from Ethiopia and thought it'd be good if we could all meet. It was great to talk with her. As we continued to talk, I told her about the kids and she told me she had heard of them and had been praying for them last year!! She couldn't believe these were the children she had been praying for... and neither could I!!! To think that total strangers cared enough for these children they had never met and now God has allowed them the opportunity to meet the children they had prayed over!! Man, that's huge!! We moved from Michigan to a small town in South Carolina and a teacher there had been praying for our kids!!I want to say... it's unbelievable... but with God all things are possible! What an awesome reminder when we are having challenging days. What an awesome reminder that His plans are perfect and our live are blessed!

Kudos to all the moms out there

2009-02-26T22:27:00.003-05:00

Sometimes I can get so caught up in all that is going on in life, I forget to take the time to stop and smell the roses. I know, it sounds corny but I wanted to share a cute story.

Aschalew, my 18 year old son, has been with us just over 3 months. He's not used to having a mom in his daily life. He was eating pretzels and after a bit I offered him a water bottle. He was surprised and said "Mom, I was just going to ask for some water. How did you know?" I just smiled and said moms know many things. Genet, my 16 year old daughter, watched this and was amazed. Their surprise set me back and as I thought about it I realized the sad reality that they have not had the simple pleasures a normal child grows up with. The simple act of a mother looking out for her children.

If you are a mom, and today you are feeling you're really not making a difference then my post is to inform you otherwise. Caring for your child/ren is the best investment you can make in a life!

Meeting The Mestas at LU

2009-02-20T18:32:00.011-05:00

We were blessed by the Liberty students again this week. We went there to say "Thank you" and were greeted very warmly. The kids even made the Liberty splash page in a picture with Chancellor Jerry Falwell!

We were also blessed by the Mesta family (blog I follow "Job's daughter"). They drove up to meet us. Here's a picture of the clan... some of their family and ours.

My computer has been up and down since we moved and I can't seem to get the other pictures to load right now. I think this group shot gives you the idea. Yesalemush is hidden behind Ellie.

Here's Kristin with one of their "twinettes". Their children are beautiful! Now my children can't get on me when I talk about my blog buddies as my friends :) Only wish we had more time to spend with them. We look forward to getting together again.

Lots going on right now.... ok... there's been lots going on since the kids got here. My days are so full and I go to bed every night wishing I had spent more time with each of the children. I still haven't learned how to spread myself among the 6 of them. Trying to learn all about the new ones and trying to keep in touch with how the bio ones are adjusting as well. They all get along great! Well, most of the time anyways. Our family was definitely designed by God. I see it daily in things I can't even explain. The ages and sexes of each of the kids works out really well. The design definitely reveals God's hand at work. Sometimes I fret over things like.... "what if..." and then I stop myself and remember not to travel down that road. Our family is not perfect by any means, but the design works out better than I could have hoped for. The older kids are great at mentoring the younger ones. I'm so grateful for the role models because some things just need to be learned by seeing.

Hey Y'all

2009-02-11T11:22:00.005-05:00

We are official southerners! We made the move last week from Michigan to S Carolina and are learning a new language. It's called "Southern". Aschalew loves it! He says we are all in the same boat now... the kids learning English and the rest of us learning "Southern". To give you an idea, I was asking at the school how to get to the district offices and this is what I got... you go over yonder, down the road and the road will dip a bit, then you'll pass Rush's Burgers, go a bit more and you'll pass the credit union. The credit Union is called XYZ, oh no it's actually called ABC or is it the ???.... All the time I am trying to remember the land marks only to find out they have nothing to do with where I will turn. I guess they want to make sure I take in the scenery while driving. It goes on... at the video store you will turn and the road will dip, oh no, it doesn't dip yet but you will pass.... and on it goes. We git (southern for get) in the car and attempt to go to the district offices. I am clueless and yell at Bonny... "What does yonder mean anyways?" Aschalew and the girls laugh at Bonny and my conversation and Aschalew says "Now we are all the same. None of us understand." And we all had a good laugh.

I am saying this in a loving way. Things are just different than the north. Not better or worse... just different. One thing I can git used too is the people. Most of them are very friendly. Debra, the counselor at the school district offices, was so wonderful. She hugged my neck (her saying not mine) and then warmly welcomed the kids to S Carolina. They were surprised to see such a friendly face. Debra told the kids that she just met their mom and felt she needed to hug her. She explained that life in the south was different than those "cold" northerners. How did she know it was -25 a few weeks ago in Michigan :)

Here's a nice warm picture.... Ryan, our wonderful adoption worker, with the kids in Ethiopia.

And here's Aschalew with Ryan's daughter, Ezra. Too cute!!!

I really need to journal our life because I know I'll never remember it all. So much happens in just one day. We've had our bump and bruises along the road. I've come to realize if each of us could put ourselves in the others shoes, this would be a piece of cake. Unfortunately, life is not that simple and we all tend to see things from our own perspective.... until one of us reminds the other to think how the kids must be feeling. I have to say it gets challenging when you feel disrespected or that you have nothing to offer.... and then you're reminded that it must be difficult to take advice when you've not had someone there to advise you. You've also never had to answer to anyone for the most part on daily decisions. You've learned that you were the only one who was looking out for you... or so it seemed.

It's tough to understand why you can't go to the pool alone. After all it's only 5 feet deep and you are 18! Or why mom says you need your tennis shoes to ride the bike when you feel your socks will do. Or why your decision to go out on the boat dock while mom was napping was not a good one.... especially when you can't swim. It's tough to understand why there are suddenly SO MANY rules!

The flip side of all of this is that we are in a climate where we can go to the pool and swimming in February. It's also wonderful to have the bikes out in February. Aschalew had no problem riding and the girls are working so hard. Mom tires easier than she did when the first batch learned to ride bikes. Maybe it's her age or maybe it's the fact that girls weigh more than a 5 year old did :)

It's so good to all be together! Randy loves having us here. The kids will say "Dad work AGAIN??" I realized they were only seeing dad on week-ends and had no concept of him going to work.... and now it happens everyday. Randy told them he too wishes it wasn't an everyday thing :)

Signing out for now. Genet needs to be at school an hour early for extra help. I will close with this picture of Brad and Jordan (Yordy). Yordy touched all of our hearts! He's blind and has Spina Bifida. He also has the happiest spirit of any kid I've ever met. What a sweetie! Ryan is praying for a family for him... and so are we.

BTW - If you click on the link below, Liberty added a video of our trip to Ethiopia.

All in the Family of God

2009-01-25T19:11:00.003-05:00

Click here to read the feature article in The Liberty Journal about our adoption. To quote Aschalew "I have no words."

Thoughts....

2009-01-21T22:29:00.003-05:00

Got the following email from Gladney...

Gladney's Family Services Department is currently developing Gladney Pathways, a program designed to better prepare, educate and support families adopting older children. We are specifically looking for:
# words of encouragement for families beginning the journey
# things that have been helpful for you
# humorous memories/anecdotes

Wanted to share my reply for others adopting older children. I'm no scholar, just a mom trying to help.

Now that we know you are crazy.... welcome to the club.

You have to have a sense of humor.

When life gets crazy... as it's bound to be... reflect back on 'why' you chose to do this. You are the only advocates your child has. Picture yourself in their shoes... what would you want someone to do or advocate for you.

Don't expect the world to want to help. You are doing a great thing, but remember, you were chosen, others were not. As much as people should be willing to help, don't expect it and you'll be pleasantly surprised when someone offers help or does a good deed.

This will be a tough journey, often with tumultuous times, but hold on... it is also the most rewarding adventure. You'll fall in love along the way, often being to busy to realize it happened and waking up one day wondering when it did.

You'll find yourself caring more than you thought possible.

Don't sweat the small stuff!

The love you give is nothing compared to the love that is returned to you. It may take time for you to feel the love returned.

Don't rely on your emotions, they often get us in trouble. Like a marriage, it's possible to love someone you are not liking at the moment.

When you feel they are being selfish, imagine how you would be reacting if you were the only one in the world to care about you. Your child grew up without a parent caring for them and have to learn how to care for others in a family. Their life has been about looking out for themselves. It will take time to learn how to put others before yourself. Lead by example.

Example isn't the main thing, it's the ONLY thing

Liberty Bound

2009-01-18T13:00:00.000-05:00

Before I forget, we want to make sure everyone knows that we will be visiting Liberty University on Wednesday, February 18th for the morning Convocation service. Liberty is in southern Virginia in a town called Lynchburg. There will be some 6,000 students there and all are welcome to join us. The LU students will get to see what they have done. They will see the lives they have changed. They will see how God honored their faithful giving. Just typing about it wells up so many emotions... can't imagine when we are finally there to show the students what they have done! Aschalew told the girls "this is our obligation". He explained to me how important this day is for him. Not sure how it will all work, but I do think a box of tissues will be in order. When people ask Randy if this adoption overwhelms him, he responds by saying... "What overwhelms us is what this group of young adults at Liberty have done. That's overwhelming!"

Kristin and Kyle took the kids bowling over Christmas break. Here are a few photos from the day.

I am still recovering from surgery and we are still hoping to move at the end of January. The kids had a snow day this past Friday. School was cancelled because wind chills were between -25 to -35 degrees. Hard to believe. I don't ever remember it being this cold. I know it will take some work to get us moved, but with weather like this, we are motivated!

The kids are doing well. We've had our share of adjustment issues, and are learning and growing daily. We've had some wonderful Ethiopian friends help translate through some misunderstandings. It was very helpful to talk some things out, even though they are small issues, in order to prevent them from growing into large issues. The kids share of life in an orphanage and it makes you want to cry. You just want to go and hug on and love those orphans. When our American kids think "life's not fair" they need to be reminded of the real meaning of that for an orphan. They did not choose to grow up without parents or a family to care about them. The girls tell of their friends that need families. They told their friends they would come to America and find them homes. We've been talking a lot about that. I told them we need to pray about this and that it's not their responsibility. I told them that is why we need to go to Liberty and why we speak whenever we are asked. God can use our story to spur on other stories like ours. To think... just 14 short months ago God planted a seed of a dream in our hearts... that we were to adopt.... and now, waking up every day to see what He has in store! This is the most amazing adventure!! God is good! He is perfect and so good!

Our Life In Pictures

2009-01-11T22:49:00.003-05:00

Yes, I am still here... and life is good!! We are moving to S Carolina at the end of January, I'm having surgery (pretty minor) this week, it's snowed more than I ever remember (and I grew up here), the kids are having lots of dental work done, along with immunizations, blood work, and the list goes on. Did I mention USCIS messed up our immigration process. No big deal... add it to the list. Hope it doesn't sound like I'm complaining because we have been blessed. The kids are telling us so much. Their life stories are amazing... and so are they!!!

(Sorry my photos are always so large. My aging eyes can not see them well if I make them smaller... and my readers are not always handy)

Largest snowstorm in our area of Michigan in 25 years!

Having fun sledding at the park... Bonny, Kyle (Kristin's boyfriend), Kristin, my niece Lauren, Genet, Yesalemush!

My nephew Jack... he's in love with Aschalew. The stinker still won't come to Aunt Kathy, but Aschalew... well, he's the coolest!!

Brothers shoveling... and shoveling... and still shoveling!

I love this even though the quality is poor. This is Nick, Brad's college lineman friend, with "Louie". Louie wants to know what Nick eats :)

Road Trip

2009-01-04T22:45:00.005-05:00

We are in S Carolina visiting "Dad" and going to the high school to talk to a counselor in the morning. So many decisions to make in life right now, so many unanswered questions, so much transition, and yet so much peace!! God is good. All the time He is good!!

Today we looked at our many options for housing. Randy just moved into a bigger condo on a huge lake and I'm thinking I like the condo living. Never even explored the option before, but with the kids being older, it seems like a viable option. There are bike trails all around this place and it's the largest man made lake in the world so we could ride forever. The dam to the lake is a site to be seen. The new kids are getting so many life experiences on this trip. We left Michigan on the 1st and drove 10 hours to Liberty University in Virginia. The ride was a first for the kids and they were troopers! I try to put myself in their shoes and my mind can't fathom it. Never being sure what to expect. Simple things in life we learn as children raised in this country and living with a family. Things like, why are we stopping, or when are we stopping, or wondering if you should say you need to stop, or if you should take the sub sandwich that is offered at this stop or wait and see what comes next. Just simple things, I know, but lots of them. Just the idea of not being sure what will happen next. We explained that we would take Kristin and Brad back to LU and then head on to dad's place in S Carolina. When we got out of the car at LU, after 12 hours I might add because traveling as a family of 8 takes a little longer, Yesalemush looked at me with a long, tired face, and asked if we now had to drive the 4 hours to dad's. Needless to say, the long face changed to a smiling one when I told her we would stay at Liberty for a day.

It was so great to see Johnnie at LU! He's the campus pastor that traveled with us to Ethiopia to get the kids. Yesalemush cried when our time with Johnnie was over. It was so sweet to see how much she loves him. We all love him. He became part of our "extended Wolfepack". Heck, we've shared many special memories with him.

This was us just 2 short months ago....

This Christmas season....

2008-12-19T23:24:00.002-05:00

We are thankful for.....

Our trip to Ethiopia that expanded our family.

Our crazy kids.

Our new amazing children.

God's amazing gift of L-O-V-E

Memories of our first night together.

Snow days... today we had 10+ inches of snow. The kids dressed and all went sledding at the park. Aschalew was certain his legs were frozen off when the snow went up his pant leg. Pictures to follow soon :)

College break with all the kids home... and even a couple extras. Kristin brought home her friend Kyle and picked up my niece Lauren on her drive home. Fun times!

I am very thankful for my crazy, busy life. It is so full and I wouldn't want it any other way. Thankful Randy will be home and we will get to spend 10 days with the whole gang together.

The busyness of life has made it difficult to prepare for Christmas and yet I have never felt this less stressed. It's made me step back and focus on what is important. Everyone will get a few gifts but time has not allowed me to do all the little "extras" I've always done. I think the best gift we will all get will be watching our new children experience Christmas in a family... with all the gifts.... traditions.... and most of all.... LOVE!!

Wishing you a blessed season as you prepare to celebrate God's gift of love!

School

2008-12-12T23:55:00.000-05:00

This week has had it's ups and downs. I had a tough week which is pretty much a guarantee the kids felt my stress. I felt myself questioning lots of decisions that were made... the biggest one being starting public high school. Glad to say, we survived and the week has ended nicely. We're all ready for the week-end. The kids can't wait to sleep in. The 6am has taken it's toll, but they've been troopers. I'm very proud of them!! Can't imagine what it had to be like to walk in their shoes this week.... in a new country, with a new language, an unfamiliar culture, and walking into the world of American high school. They did it! They completed their first week (o.k. 4 days but close enough) of school!

Everyone seems to be enjoying school. Aschalew goes by Louie at school. He wants to drop his 2 English classes because he's not good at English. He does not like to do something unless he can perform at his best. He's a real achiever. Biology, Chemistry, and Math are right up his alley. He could not understand why you would take gym when there are so many other subjects to learn. Keyboarding class is difficult but he's hanging in there because he realizes how necessary computer skills will be in his future. He's admitted to answering yes to the question "Are you an exchange student?". He said it's easier than answering the questions that come when he says he's adopted. They require more talking in English :)

The girls only go for 4 classes right now until they feel comfortable with the language. After the first day, Genet asked when she can take more serious classes like Biology and Chemistry because she wants to be a pilot. We told her those classes will come in time, but right now she needs to work on speaking English. She is so sweet and compliant! She's a hard worker, especially when it comes to her math homework.

Yesalemush loves the social aspect of school. I asked her if there were any cute boys at school and she looked at me like "how did you know" and we both laughed. She's smart when she applies herself. The problem is keeping her attention. Her, Genet and I were doing math homework. She got up when we were half way done, ran upstairs, and said something in Amharic. The other 2 started laughing and I asked what she said. Come to find out she told Genet once she was done with the math work to fill in the answers on Yesalemush's sheet. I jokingly yelled for her to come back down and she laughed and went to take her shower. She's a spunky one :)

Taught the girls how to set their alarm clock. It went off at 6am and no one moved. I'm sure they slept through louder noises in the orphanage. Bonny got their attention by knocking on the wall. Seems they hit the snooze because 10 minutes later I heard Bon knock again.

They're having a hard time understanding the need for all the doctors in the U.S. One for a physical, one for your teeth, one for your eyes, immunizations, and try to explain why the pediatrician wants your blood drawn. I've not had the heart to have that done yet so I called and backed up their appointment for this week.

They came to the church tonight to experience the back stage doings for the Christmas production that Bonny's in. They spent a lot of time in the make up room with me (I do make-up for the show). They both had their make-up done and Yesalemush took the liberty to fix her eye liner and brighten her lips... apparently mom didn't put enough on :) She -no doubt - will keep me on my toes! I was glad to have them along and so was Bon. We had a very good night!

Long post on life these days...

2008-12-09T21:02:00.007-05:00

The kids started school today and I am not organized enough to post a photo. We were happy to get out the door and only arrive 5 minutes late. We woke up at 6 am, I started the van to warm it up at 7 hoping to load by 7:10, but we loaded at 7:29. School starts at 7:30 so I guess it wasn't bad for a first day. The whole concept of time reminds me of the days getting toddlers out and about. They're not used to using an alarm clock. The kids said in their orphanages they went to bed right after dinner and slept for 12 hours a night, so being up in time for school was no problem.

SISTERS!!!

We were not planning to send them to public high school, but this transition is not about our "plans". It's about what works for the kids. For the past 3 weeks we've gotten our on-line home school program going and have been to the library several times. They can not grasp the concept that what we do at home is truly "school". They're used to traditional schooling and are very conditioned it is the way to learn. On top of that, our home is a very relaxed schooling environment. I found lots of ESL materials and Genet would get very excited that we were doing "school" until Aschalew let her know it was not school. Instead of fighting the losing battle, we decided to look into letting them audit some classes at our high school. We were hoping to wait until we moved, but Aschalew really wants to try it out. It seems like a good time to get the hang of how high school works. Their counselor is a woman I work with at our church's special needs ministry. She's been wonderful to the kids.

It's funny because their biggest concern today was learning how the lock on their locker works. We have one at home and they've spent all evening trying their luck at it. Simple life skills seem to be the hardest for them. Life in America is so different, they are so resourceful, but simple things hang them up. It can be difficult in public places because they look like American teen agers but are still learning things a toddler here would know because of having grown up here.

Music party with the ipod!

Shelli gave us a great recommendation from an ESL teacher. She said to have them listen to a song and try to write out the words. Our first song was a Christmas song by Kenny Rogers "Mary Did You Know" (one of my favorites for the season). It was key to keep my finger on the pause button, and eventually, we got 90% of it down. Yesalemush really took to this technique because she loves American pop music. The girls had Britney, Mariah Carey, Avril, etc. posters all over their walls in their rooms. We've not been happy with some of her music choices, but know it is because she doesn't understand. This was proven correct when she wrote out the words to a song called "Hot and Cold" and was certain they were saying "beach". We let her know it was a bad word and Brad redirected her to David Archuleta's music. She thinks he's cute and has found David's videos on You Tube. It seems to be a good replacement.

A tough thing on older children adoption is the fact that they come to you with many of their own ideas about life that you have not been able to influence. We are learning to lead by example and have a good dose of patience. I love the fact that the new kids have some great role models with their American siblings. It's been very helpful.

BROTHERS!!!

There are so many new things to learn. Pushing a cart in Wal-Mart is something we take for granted. You realize how impatient our culture is... especially during this Christmas season. The kids don't know to stay out of the way of the carts and can solicit some pretty tough looks. I hate to admit that I've seen myself in other people and have learned some things. God must have known I needed this course in patience. Once you've had the life experiences we've had, you view life differently. I hope I can stay as grateful as I have felt. I hope the love of the Ethiopian people can teach me to love as unconditionally as they do.

I've seen some things in our culture that I was not aware of before. Some good, some not so good. I pray our family remains changed by this life adventure and it's not something we were changed for a time and return to our old ways.

Brotherly love!

How did I get on that tangent!! Back to the Wal-Mart story. I've visited the grocery store more than I care to admit. Our 401K is permanently invested in food... or at least it feels that way these days :) At first the kids did not seem like big eaters. Well, that has changed!! And it's a good thing! The doctor wants to see them drinking a glass of milk a day for the Calcium and Vitamin D. Wasn't sure they'd go for it so I introduced the chocolate syrup to entice them. Let me tell you... it works! We go through at least a gallon of milk here a day.

Some meals they seem to eat because they're hungry and it's what's available, and other meals are gone in a matter of minutes and we run out of food. Still learning their likes and dis-likes. It's necessary for planning. I cut up a veggie tray and went to refill the dip and the tray was half eaten. A mothers delight!! Her children eating their veggies. Not to worry though, the same can be said for a tray of cup cakes :)

I really need to run. So much to share, but not enough time to do so. Thanks for stopping by and visiting our crazy life!

African Jewelry

2008-12-04T23:47:00.005-05:00

To view the web site please click here.

Here is a picture of the necklaces David & Jennifer gave us to take to Ethiopia. We all have one and also gave one to the kids birthmother and their uncle. The necklaces are a special reminder of our meeting. We carry them with us into our American life as a reminder that we are all connected to each other. I still hope to post on that meeting but need to make sure the kids are o.k. with me doing that. This blog is now common knowledge to them. I want to talk to them about things first.

So much I want to post about... new stories happen daily. It just seems there are not enough hours in the day :) Some one liner updates:

Had the kids to the doctor. They're very healthy. A few minor things that should be corrected with vitamins and nutrition.

They started on immunizations. This did not make Yesalemush happy. She screamed and tried to grab the needle from the nurse. She went first and the other 2 were cracking up when she got upset. The nurse told them wait till it was their turn, but they both did fine :)

The dental visit was not good news... but better than expected for the first time ever seeing a dentist. Think I'll be there quite a bit in the next several weeks. The dentist couldn't believe Genet managed to pull 2 of her molars when they were "sick". He was sure a dentist must have done it. Later that night, Aschalew explained to me that it was "no problem". When I asked if she had pliers, he told me Ethiopians use ribbon. He said Ethiopians don't care about their teeth.

Thinking about logging my hours to see if I can qualify as an ESL teacher by the time I'm done with this. Found some great web pages (thanks Aunt Shelli :) that gave some exercises. The house is loaded with stickies on everything from the microwave to the ceiling. Not the best for showing a house, but we've had no traffic in weeks so I gave up keeping things cleaned.

Bonny's in The Glory of Christmas production at our church. Some 30,000 people will come to the 10 shows. The kids will see the show on Saturday and can't wait!

Doing some sort of school work every day with each of them. Wondered if Kinko's has the capability of duplicating me :)

Life has been crazy. Not sure what I'm doing. None of us like only seeing dad on week-ends. A positive is that it creates the opportunity for learning how to talk on the phone. I've learned to appreciate single moms. My hat's off to them.

Made them Doro Wat, an Ethiopian chicken dish from my Ethiopian cookbook. They were so surprised and Genet kept saying "Nice mom". I think it's hard for them to accept the fact that someone cares about them on an individual level. It's the most the girls have eaten at one sitting. After they were done, Aschalew said "Mom, this is very similar to Ethiopian food." So much for my cooking :( I told him I thought it was Ethiopian food! We all laughed.

The kids tried Young Life (Christian youth group) with Nathan and even went back for second visit!! Yeah!!

So much more, but my hard drive can't locate the files right now.

Our lives are truly blessed. Not easy... but still blessed!

Birthday Boy

2008-12-01T23:39:00.000-05:00

We are again reminded of God's amazing provisions for His children. To think, Aschalew came home just 2 weeks before he turned 18! God's timing is perfect.

Here is our shy birthday boy. He was so embarrassed with all the attention.

It was so fun to sing "Happy Birthday" to him.

The kids all got a kick out of it.

In The News

2008-11-29T10:49:00.002-05:00

The Liberty Journal did a story on this adoption. To read the article click here. What a testimony to the Liberty students! They are world changers! Just ask our 3!!

Our meeting photos

2008-11-28T22:51:00.005-05:00

Our first family photo!!

Last week I posted on our first night meeting the kids... after 24 hours of traveling to get to them. Today, the photos will tell the story. May they bless you as they do us.

We are thankful for...

2008-11-27T23:43:00.004-05:00

Our heavenly father!!

Our newest blessings!

Justin, Johnnie and the Liberty Students!!!

The night we met the kids - here's the girls.

And the handsome boys!!

We are thankful for our new family, our old family, and our friends. We spent Thanksgiving in Cincinnati with Randy's sister and family, and his mom. Fun times. Family times. The kids seemed to take it all in.

Also thankful for the 1000+ pictures Kristin just brought home. Look for many photos to follow. Just need to get them transferred from her computer to mine.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Because they gave.....

2008-11-23T21:48:00.003-05:00

This photo would not have been possible without the help of so many.....

God brought together an army of people to bring these kids into our family. Today I would like to pay tribute to The Page Family!! Rick and Becky Page were in Ethiopia bringing home their beautiful daughter Kali. While there, Ryan approached them and asked if they'd be willing to host our children for The Bright Future camp. The camp was an attempt to give exposure and find a family for the kids. It was just 2 weeks away. The kids did not have a host family and Ryan was running out of time. If Rick and Becky had not said yes, the kids were not coming.

The timing of it all was crazy. The Pages would have just been home for 2 weeks and still adjusting and bonding with their new toddler. The fact that they were willing to add 3 teens for 2 weeks is amazing. How unselfish of them. What a blessing. It was the beginning of an adventure to family for the kids.

The kids called Becky today. She is their first "American mom". Yesalemush said "Now, two moms" after she was done talking. We look forward to meeting The Pages soon. They will always be part of our "extended family".

How we make injera

2008-11-23T10:13:00.002-05:00

Before the kids came home, Bonny and I asked the Ethiopian restaurant if they'd show us how to make injera. Almaz and Habte have been great to us, and showed us what they do. We mix self-rising white flour with water using a wire whisk. The consistency is more watery than pancake mix... it's pretty close to a thick milky consistency. The restaurant uses an electric square skillet, which we have found works best. We tried it on the stove but did not have success. We pour the mix thinly on the skillet and lift and move the pan so the batter forms a thin surface covering the whole pan. The mix will bubble, the skillet is heated to around 250. You know it's done when the edges curl a bit. No flipping required. I meant to buy some teft in Ethiopia but never found the time. The girls seem to like it with the white flour as well, and it's what the Ethiopian restaurant uses, so I'm not going to worry about using teft.

So there you have... my secret's out of the bag. It sounds so much more impressive than it really is.

Injera, Spices, Names......

2008-11-22T22:19:00.003-05:00

My children.... all six of 'em!

Today the girls were talking to one of their friends from the orphanage that came home to her forever family last year. Their friend asked what they were doing, and they said, "we're eating injera". The friend asked where they got it from and they said "our mom makes it for us, does yours?" O.K. girls... even though I'm flattered that you brag on me, I don't care to burn any bridges with the women that have walked my walk. Now, I am forced to reveal my secret... forced to drop myself out of the running for mother of the year... forced to tell the truth.

The "truth" is, if you can make a pancake, you can make injera. It's very simple... and remember, you are not catering to the most sophisticated of pallets. The real truth be known, the injera they were eating over cooked and was a bit crusty on the edges. It's a trial and error kind of thing. Genet told me they leave the mix on the counter for a day or two before they use it. I covered the bowl and will let you know if that works out any better next time we make some.

If you're adopting older kids, I highly recommend learning to make injera. Aschalew doesn't like it or eat it, but it's a real treat for the girls after a few days of eating American food. We also made wat. Someone recommended we get spices while in Ethiopia and I'm so glad we did. We got 2 bags of beberry and chiro (not sure on my spelling). Both are hard to find here and require mixing spices to make them. They're inexpensive to get in Ethiopia and I highly recommend putting them in zip locks in your luggage :)

To make the wat, we put some lentils (par boiled - a lesson learned by trial & error) in oil with onions and added beberry. Once cooked we added water and chiro and waaa-la... the girls think I'm amazing. No measuring... lots of guessing, but again, they are grateful for something similar to 'home cooking' and I'm sure we'll get better as we go. Hannah, our host in country, shared this recipe with me. She says it all informal, so I figured we'd give it a shot.

The kids went to Youth Group today with Shelli's boys. They were out doors (yes, it was 28 degrees today) for 4 hours playing games, turkey bowling, and mine spending lots of time in front of the bon fire :) The kids were having a hard time with the Ethiopian names, so Aschalew asked Shelli if they should tell them their American names. The funny part was that Yesalemush does not answer to "Ashley". It's still foreign to her :)

The end of the week has gone much smoother than the beginning. All the comments from "experienced" parents really helps. Knowing all we're feeling while adjusting is normal. So grateful for my blogging buddies!

Names

2008-11-21T22:27:00.000-05:00

We filed our Delayed Registration of Foreign Adoption with the courts today. In Michigan this replaces the re-adoption process other states require. We filed the forms so soon because Aschalew's 18th birthday is in 10 days and we wanted to make sure it was done. We spent the week deciding on names. The kids each decided to pick an American middle name in case they choose to use one in the future at school or in business.

Aschalew chose his name to be Aschalew Louie. Brad started calling him Louie in Ethiopia and I guess Aschalew liked it. Here he is with the boys at Kaldi's coffee, the Ethiopian "Starbucks". Yummy!!!

It was so fun looking through baby name books. When we saw Grace, it seemed like a good fit for Genet. By God's grace she is part of our family. She liked it and never looked back. We gave lots of other options... but she had made up her mind. Here is Genet Grace with her sister Kristin and our in country host Hannah.

And last, but surely not least we have Yesalemush. Here she is walking with her brother Brad and camera man Justin.

She explored a few options. We had "Maya" for a day but then decided on Ashley. We like the fact that Ashley has all the letters from her name in it. Her new legal name is Yesalemush Ashley.

Airport Photos

2008-11-20T22:16:00.003-05:00

This is my sister MaryAnn and her family with my niece Angela. It was nice to see them at the airport. My girls loved her little Mary Kate (or Mary as they call her). It felt sooo good to be home. The trip was great, but there's no place like home!

Mike, Shelli and their boys! They've been sooo supportive... everyone should have such wonderful friends!! Aschalew likes Nathan's hair. He has a new goal. Belay had him get a hair cut before we got there because Belay told Aschalew he only had one shot at a first impression. Belay's heart for the orphans there is amazing! He loves each one like his own. What a wonderful man!!

Our family photo minus Kristin. She left us in DC to head back to Liberty :( Thankfully Thanksgiving is only a week away. The kids talk to her every day... "We love you... We miss you... come home" It's so sweet.

I thought about posting on this time of adjustment but it's not easy to describe. Every day brings with it a different emotion. Today was a very good day, so I've decided it'd be a good day to post :) Yesterday was an adjustment day.. everyone had their own wants/needs and we weren't necessarily in sinc. I'm trying to be as honest as I can for parents about to experience it. It's very comparable to the adjustment period that goes on when you bring home a new baby from the hospital. No 2 days are the same. We're all still trying to learn each other. We've started to see more of the kids personalities, which is good because they're getting more comfortable with us. Can't even imagine all they are trying to process. Wish we could communicate better... especially about feelings.

Took them to the gym last night. What an outing. Can you imagine not knowing what a treadmill is?? Then putting it faster and faster until you couldn't keep up?? Thank God for the big red STOP button. They were shy about trying some of the machines at first but quickly got over it. I was worried about getting hurt on the weight machines... trying to lift more than they should have. They all seemed to enjoy the gym.

Did I mention that Randy's job has him in S Carolina?? And we'll all be moving once we sell the house?? That scares us, but then we're reminded of all God has done in bringing our kids home. Selling our house is nothing after all we have experienced with God's hand in this adoption.
Randy left on Tuesday. It's not been ideal, and the timing stinks. It was tough to explain to the kids why dad had to leave, but they did seem very excited when we explained that the weather there will be warmer. Maybe it was our furnace going out today that made them want the warmer weather. The repair guy finally had our heat back on by 8 tonight. Boy, nothing like giving the kids lots of experiences right off the bat :) They've been troopers!

Transition

2008-11-18T16:54:00.008-05:00

Here is our group photo. Man, we had a great group! The 8 of us plus Johnnie and Justin. We miss all being together.

Adjustments at home are going as well as could be expected. We came home Saturday and had 3-4 inches of snow on Sunday. More on that in a minute. Aschalew wants to start school this week. We're going to try an on-line home school program.. I just need to get it set up. I was hoping to wait a bit, but understand him wanting to get started. Still not recovered from the Jet lag... we all fell asleep after dinner last night around 5:30 and slept until 5:30 this morning. It feels like the time when you come home with a baby and there is no set schedule. We're still finding our schedule. Randy was up the other night taking a shower at 4 am. He did get very sick and spent almost 2 days in bed. Bonny was also awake at that time, so her, Randy and I sat by the fireplace wide awake. We heard the girls chatting in their room too. They said they were not tired. We were very fortunate that no one got sick in Ethiopia. There were so many relationships being built, I would have hated for some of us to have had to stay home while the rest of us experienced things. Our experiences were life changing! Meeting the birth family... Whew!! That will take a post in itself. We were blessed by all of it.. and changed forever!!

We got home Saturday evening, visited for a bit, I put in a tray of Lasagna that Shelli made for us (what a blessing) and by the time it was done, only Brad and I were awake to have some.

We woke up Sunday to some light snow flurries that soon turned into quite an accumulation of snow. Talk about change... from Ethiopian weather to snow in 24 hours!! The kids were so excited about the snow.

They wanted me to take their pictures in the snow. I said fine... get dressed. Don't know what I was thinking. How would 3 children from Ethiopia know what getting dressed for snow meant?? Yesalemush had on her flip flops. Genet was in Capri's. Even though we've tried to tell her, she still hasn't figured out that they are summer pants in Michigan. We all laughed. They took off their zip up hoodies to put on their winter coats. I guess they couldn't imagine needing 2 jackets on. They step out the front door and then onto the grass and weren't expecting to sink a few inches so they started screaming. It was hilarious! Laughing, running around, getting their feet wet, and then getting cold all within 2 minutes.

At least it lasted long enough to get a few pictures.

Ethiopia Guest House

2008-11-18T16:00:00.000-05:00

A quick post to give our take on accommodations in Ethiopia. We stayed at the Ethiopia Guest House. It really accommodated our needs. It allowed a separate room for Justin (camera guy) and Johnnie (Liberty pastor) while still all being together. Some things are tough to compare... like power always goes out in ET. The guest house does have a generator.

Not sure how to rate things so I'll do a positive/negatives
Positives
* The help staff (Hannah and Zeyai traveled every day with us, giving advice, directing the driver, recommending places to eat & shop, etc. The girls loved them cuz they are 22 & 24 and dress really cute.)
* Manager (Brauhnu) was helpful whenever we had concerns. Wonderful man! He addressed our concerns immediately and was always there to help.
* Kitchen help always ready to make breakfast or dinner when needed/wanted
* Each adult gets a massage
* They support local mission projects
* Plenty of areas for our family to relax, hang out, bond, eat together

Negatives
*It's a drive (about 45 minutes to orphanages) We would often stay out for the day to avoid extra driving.
* Water pressure in showers but this is a problem everywhere (except hotels I think)
For about 1 1/2 days all 10 of us plus another couple there getting their baby, were sharing one shower due to water problems. I will note here that other houses in Ayat area were without water for a few days.

All in all, it worked well for our needs. We loved the staff. The Internet was not great, but it's a country problem, and the staff was great about coming to get us whenever there was a good connection.

Meeting the Kids

2008-11-16T21:11:00.003-05:00

The kids playing UNO and bonding with each other. It was a beautiful thing to watch. Still is. Every day brings new stories.

So, I'm looking through my pictures and realize they are not that good. Actually, they are very limited and come no where close to telling the story. It was a whirlwind of a week. We experienced so many things and I just tried to live in every moment and take it all in. It was also a relief knowing Justin was there to film it all and capture lots of pictures. He's sending some my way and I'll be posting them soon. This was such a gift and Justin is a very talented young man. He's on scholarship with Liberty for his gifts with film and video, and we were blessed to have him along. He and Johnnie (Liberty's campus pastor) came to record the story so the Liberty students could see what their giving had produced. They were a wonderful addition to our family. The 10 of us became like one big family. We got along great! Johnnie and Justin laughed with us and cried with us. They loved on the kids and bonded with them. I still hear Johnnie saying... "Genet, Genet, Genet" and her replying "Johnnie, Johnnie, Johnnie" with her strong accent. Precious stuff!!

Justin has 6 hours of video and over 1,000 pictures and will be making a 10 minute video from all of it. I can't wait to share it with all of you.

I'm still trying to figure out how to share the story. For tonight I'll start with our first meeting at the airport. It was a long day. We had traveled for 24 hours and lost 8 hours due to the time change. We arrived in Addis at 7pm, got our Visas, then our luggage and it was a tedious process. We all had to keep Randy in check. He's a born leader, does a good job at it, but had to understand that the Ethiopian Immigration Officials would not be impressed with his plan to expedite the chaotic process that was going on. They would not care if his new plan could eliminate wasting an hour unnecessarily. Moving him right along to luggage seemed to keep Randy from trying to solve the problem. Luggage pick up was lots of fun because all 7 of us had 2 bags with 50 lbs. along with significant carry ons. We were trying to get a picture of it all when we were stopped by the airport luggage check guys. They insisted on verifying every bag with every baggage claim tag. Johnnie is also a born leader and he and Randy were trying to get us out of there. We no sooner "got away" and turned a corner to get our picture when the kids started running for us. I was floored. So caught up in the luggage fiasco that my butterflies had dissipated, and there I was, experiencing the tightest hugs I had ever experienced. It was amazing! We were all so encompassed by what was going on. Johnnie and Justin got out the cameras (and Johnnie's not a video guy). The kids, Randy and I were lost in the moment. How could we not be?? We hugged for what seemed like 10 minutes and then stood there laughing, looking at each other absolutely unable to say anything, crying and then hugging some more. It was incredible! We were all unable to speak... even if there was no language barrier... there were no words!!

Truly... the NEW Wolfepack

2008-11-15T18:16:00.004-05:00

Got in a few hours ago... the kids ran around the house checking everything out... hugging, admiring their closets and not being able to believe they had so much, hugging some more, taking hot showers, and finally crashing into bed by 5:30 or 6:00. I am spent but just had to share a few photos. There are so many more to come, my camera battery in nearly dead, and it's hard to type as all I want to do is crash in bed.

We've been blessed beyond what we deserve!! We are humbled by all of this! The kids are amazing, not perfect by any means, but truly gifts from God. Our family has changed forever and we walk daily depending on The One who authored this incredible story! Praises to God for He is good!! We have truly felt your prayers and they have been answered. Our God is amazing!! I have no words.........

Thursday

2008-11-13T13:25:00.002-05:00

I just got off the phone with Kathy – I could hear wonderful loud music in the background as they were at their cultural dinner. The next post will be from Kathy when they return home, and I am sure she will have so many more precious details and stories to add to these days... but here are some highlights she shared with me from the last two days:

On Wednesday, they went to the girl's orphanage, Kechene, for the last time. Before they left the guest house, the girls asked if it would be alright for them to "share" their new clothes with their friends. Of course Kathy said yes. The girls took tags off of their new clothes that Kathy had brought for them and when they arrived at Kechene, excitedly passed out every article of clothing to their friends. (Today at Kolfe, Ashalew did the same with all of his clothes that they had brought for him, too!) They each have the outfit they are wearing and a sweatshirt left to wear home – what an amazing example of love for others and giving all that you have. These kids are precious! Kathy said it was difficult for Genet and Yesalemush to say good-bye to the orphanage workers and their friends... there was a lot of hugging and crying by everyone. She said how wonderful and loving the workers there are and they really have served as the girl's "parents" while they have lived there.

Today they went back to Kolfe to hand out all of the gift bags and for Ashalew to say good-bye... again, a very emotional time. The boys at Kolfe were "estatic" about their gifts and Liberty T-shirts! She said they couldn't believe that people had thought of them. Randy and Brad took a few footballs and tried to get a game of football or rugby going – the boys thought it was fun, but couldn't get the hang of throwing a football!

When they got back, Ashalew pullled Kathy aside and said, "Mom... I'm no longer a prisoner, I'm free. When I was living in the orphanage, my mind thought so small... BUT NOW MY MIND THINKS SO BIG!"

Kathy said it is so cute... whenever all three kids talk to them, about anything, they always add "mom" or "dad" to the sentence. For example, "Can I go outside, mom?" or "How do you say this word, dad". It must be wonderful to be able to address your forever mom and dad after so many years!

Today Yesalemush was not feeling well and had a sore throat. Kathy said everyone has just been on the go and are pretty exhausted. Tomorrow they travel to meet birth mom and say good-bye.... please keep the Wolfe family in your prayers for this emotional and sensitive time.

The New Wolfe Pack of 8 leave Ethiopia tomorrow night and will soon be back home. I know everyone is excited to hear more from Kathy and to see some amazing photos! This is an incredible story that I'm sure has many more chapters to come, a story of love and faith, and a story only God could write.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church, and in Christ Jesus throughout all the generations, for ever and ever! Amen. " – Ephesians 3:20

Tuesday

2008-11-11T13:49:00.002-05:00

Just talked to Kathy... it looks like they will not be able to send pictures while they are there. But I know it will be worth the wait – they are preparing an awesome video that Liberty University is making with interviews of the Gladney staff, orphanage workers, and interviews of the kids in Amharic and translated by the workers, with lots of footage.

Today Yesalemush read out loud in English, for the first time to Kathy... for the first time to anybody (she said she has never read to anyone, even in school). Kathy said they were alone and sitting on her bed and she picked up something and tried to start reading it. She struggled through it and it took sometime, but when she was finished, she looked at kathy and started crying. Kathy asked her if that was the first time she ever had read outloud and she said "yes". She had never got to read to her mother... until today. Kathy said, "I love you, Yesalemush" and she said, "I love you mom."

Brad has nicknamed Ashalew "Louie" and he likes his new nickname. Ashalew puts his arm around Brad and there is already a tight bond between the brothers. So Brad thought he would give Yeshalemush the nickname of "Mush" – but she doesn't like it! So now when Brad teases her with it, she jokingly punches him in the arm... lots of sibling teasing and joking going on.

They went to Kolfe today to visit Ashalew's roommate, Bamtanluk. They will be returning on Thursday to hand out the gift bags to all of the boys. Tomorrow they have their appointment at the US Embassy and then they will be visiting Genet and Yesalemush's orphanage, Keneche. They also visited an Orthodox Church and Genet explained some of the things that they had never seen before.

Kathy said the transition is going very well for the kids. I have relayed everyone's comments to her, and she thanks you all for your support and prayers. More tomorrow....

They are Finally Together!

2008-11-10T13:35:00.002-05:00

I just got off of the phone with Kathy... we were disconnected and didn't get to talk long, but I am going to share everything she said:

When they landed, Kathy had lots of butterflies and was very anxious to meet the kids. They spent about 45 minutes in customs and immigration and then went to get all of their bags. Jason (who will be filming) said he better get his camera out of his bags as he wanted to capture the meeting on video. They no sooner turned the corner when all 3 kids – Ashalew, Genet and Yesalemush – came running up to them, arms wide open, grabbed and hugged them and wouldn't let go... she said they just kept repeating, "mom, mom, dad, dad", Of course everybody was crying and they just stood there, the entire family, hugging each other.

Yeshalemush said, "Mom, mostly mom and dad come to get baby, but MY WHOLE FAMILY come to get me!"
Kathy said Yeshalemush is very talkative and will talk to her, very fast, in Amharic and think that Kathy understands. She said she is very sweet and is trying to use what English she knows.

The girls were so excited to see the clothes they brought for them and wanted to try everything on – everything fit perfectly! A pair of jeans they brought for Ashalew also fit him perfectly.

Last night, all 6 kids played cards together on the floor. Kathy said it is as if they have been brothers and sisters all their lives. Brad and Ashalew started teasing their sisters and they were all laughing together. She said there was a moment as she watched them, when she to herself, "Can I really do this?" and then she remembered a quote she has written in her journal: "God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called." She was overcome with a peace.

When I called, Randy was outside with Brad and Ashalew throwing the football. They were trying to teach Ashalew how to throw a spiral and having a good time together.

Today they all visited an orphanage. Kathy said it was very emotional.

The internet is not working in their guest house, so they were not able to send any photos. As soon as they are able, and I receive them, I will post.

Departure Day

2008-11-09T20:30:00.004-05:00

Hello! I'm Kathy's friend, Shelli, and I'll be posting to her blog as she sends photos and updates from Ethiopia!

Kathy, Brad and Bonnie all left safely from Detroit yesterday and met up with Randy and Kristin in Washington DC. Also joining them was Jonnie and Jason from Liberty University. Their bags were stuffed full of 170 gift bags for the boys at Kolfe along with gifts for the children of other families. It was an awesome thing to see them check their bags in and headed off to their gate... it is really happening!
They were scheduled to land in Addis Ababa at 7 PM (noon our time today), where Ashalew, Genet and Yashalemush were going to be waiting for them at the airport. Kathy will be sending me updates and photos, if possible, that I will post to the blog. Stay tuned for this amazing story to continue....

With God, All things are possible.

Before Picture

2008-11-06T23:58:00.000-05:00

Before Picture. This is such a sad picture. It was taken last summer while the kids where here for Bright Future Camp and staying with The Pages (actually Becky's sitting at the table in the background). This was the night before they were leaving the US to return to Ethiopia. They were here to try and find a forever family for them. Yesalemush is first in the photo and Genet right behind her. Aschalew is at the end of the line. Their faces say it all. No Hope! Sad! Returning to their orphanage after living in America with a wonderful and loving family. It's so sad for me to think about what they were feeling. I can never imagine.

I chose to post this now so it can be contrasted with the photos to come in a few days. Photos where they will have met their forever family. Photos of Hope! I'm heading to bed so we will be one day closer in the morning. One day closer to hugging their necks! One day closer to completing our family the way God had intended!

Note: My friend Shelli, aka 'Aunt' Shelli, will be updating our blog while we are gone. Tune in to follow the amazing story God has authored!

Grateful... we are grateful!!

2008-11-05T18:05:00.008-05:00

Isaiah 41:9-10
I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, 'You are my servant';
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Our friends, David & Jennifer Nasser, sent us the most beautiful gifts today. They are sterling silver necklaces with the continent of Africa and a cross over Ethiopia. On the back is Isaiah 41: 9-10 (the above verse). They are beautiful!! I tried to take a picture but the flash sends off a glare and you can't tell what they are. You can click here if you want to see the creative art jewelry. David & Jennifer sent us one for each of the Wolfepack as well as a couple extra to have for any family we may meet of the kids. What a uniting idea! What a wonderful gift! We are grateful for the Nassers! David was the speaker at Liberty that brought up the idea of our kids needing a forever family. They've been an instrumental part of this whole adoption.

Our family has been blessed by so many special people through this adoption process. Shelli was over today to help pack the gifts for the Kolfe boys. She did an amazing job gathering and packaging everything. Every one should be blessed with such a special friend... with such a giving heart! So many people have come together to reach out to these forgotten boys. So many prayers have been offered, so many gifts donated. We are grateful! We are so excited to be delivering these gift packs to each boy at Kolfe! Lots of pictures to follow... I promise!

Still working hard on finalizing details! I'm overwhelmed by all the support from so many good people. Anxious to see all God has in store. Anxious to look 3 kids in the eyes and tell them they are so loved... not only by us, but by so many!! In 2 1/2 days we'll be on our way!! Praises to our God for His amazing work!!

6 days till departure

2008-11-02T20:04:00.004-05:00

I can hardly believe it. We leave in 6 days. The planning and packing have been keeping me very busy.

Yesterday my wonderful friends Shelli and Donna had a gathering for their family and friends to fill shoe boxes for Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child. Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God’s love. It's a wonderful project!

Shelli and Donna decided to use the opportunity to ask for donations for the Kolfe Gift Project we are all doing. In case you're not aware, our family will bring a gift pack for every boy at The Kolfe Youth Center thanks to so many people helping make this happen. Each boys will get a Liberty t-shirt, socks, school supplies, toothbrush and tooth paste, hygiene items, candy and a hand written note. Thank you Shelli and Donna! You're the best!! My friend Shelli came up with the idea when she saw a video of our son Aschalew opening a gift package we had sent him. All the boys gathered around Aschalew and Shelli said she felt bad that the other boys were not getting anything. The boys also know Aschalew has a forever family while they still wait, wondering if it will ever happen for them.

Lots of details to tie up this week. I can not wait to meet our new children!! This is certainly a life changing venture for our family. Hold on Aschalew, Genet and Yesalemush... we will be there real soon!

Another Picture

2008-10-27T21:13:00.006-04:00

I have to confess, I've watched the Welcome Home video well, a few times. Bonny hears the music (You're Amazing) and says... "Mooooommm, not again." I've discovered the mute button but have to say it's much better with the music. Can't get enough of those beautiful faces. It's hard to believe it's really happening. I think I was getting used to the wait. Maybe it was self preservation... not wanting to think we'd get a positive opinion to protect my emotions. And now, we're approved to go. So many emotions going on I didn't expect. It's exciting, hard to believe, scary, fear of the unknown. It's much the same as you feel when you're pregnant and find out the baby will be coming any day. Am I really ready for this? I thought I was all set, until it becomes a reality. Thankful for all the training DVDs that were part of this process. It helps to know this is normal.

My heart goes out to families waiting. You've been in my prayers. Hoping you get the best Christmas present ever!

We're excited to be staying at The Ethiopia Guest Home. They've made accommodations that sound pretty neat. The boys and Randy and I will be on the 4th floor, while the 4 girls have a suite on the 3rd floor. Sounds like a good time. Looking forward to being together as a family!

Less than 2 weeks till departure

2008-10-25T15:16:00.004-04:00

Less than 2 weeks till departure. Nov 8th is the day. We will all meet up in DC and board our plane for the 16 hour flight to Addis Abba, Ethiopia!

It's been a busy week making arrangements to travel to get the kids. It's so exciting to be at this point and we are thankful! My favorite was booking the 3 one-way tickets for our kids from Ethiopia to.... HOME!! I walk around with a tablet in my hand so I can write it down when I think of something we'll need or arrangements that need to be taken care of. Don't forget the dog... who can I call??

Let the packing frenzy begin... Just finished packing for our ET kids. We will need to bring a weeks worth of clothes for each of them.

Many things are a guessing game. Will these fit?? A size 14/16 from one store is very different from the same size from another store. What to do? Solution... pack the bigger pair of jeans and bring a belt. What about their under garments?? Or shoes?? Bonny and I were not agreeing on some things and then we stopped and realized, this is really insignificant in the scope of what is happening :) We enjoyed the mini-celebration moment and then continued packing. I think the kids are going to be overwhelmed by all of this "stuff' that is now theirs. They are not used to personal possessions. We packed as efficiently as possible. It'll be fun to see how we did.

Brad came home while we were packing for Aschalew. It was so cute how he stopped to give his input on some clothes we were packing. Bonny was telling me some of the things were for a much younger boy. It's tough because the kids are smaller and clothes that may fit them are not age appropriate. Brad stepped in and took a few things out and said they were "give aways". He wanted to make sure his brother was "hooked up" as he called it. It touched my heart that he showed so much concern for his brother.

My friend, Shelli, and Jennifer Nasser have been great in helping us collect aid for the boys at Kolfe. The students at Liberty have been amazing too. We're planning to bring a gift pack for every boy at Kolfe with a t-shirt, socks, school supplies, toothbrush and candy. We're told there are 120+ official residents, and 30+ unofficials. That's lots of packing! It's going to be so exciting to share with these boys.

Better get to work and off this computer. I'll end with this... Gladney is planning for the kids to meet us at the airport when we arrive.

The Official Line Up!!

2008-10-19T20:04:00.015-04:00

When we first found out we were adopting the kids I posted a Line Up . We were later told we had to pull pictures until we passed court. Praises to our Lord, we passed court on Friday! Still smiling and trying to believe it's true. Our case worker will call tomorrow with details on when we can travel, etc. Can't wait! In the mean time, let me introduce our "Official Line Up"

In the lead off spot we have #16 Genet

Next up is #17 Aschalew

The 3rd batter is #15 Yesalemush

In clean up is #22 Kristin

In the 5 hole is #15 Bonny

And last but not least is #20 Brad

This team is managed by Randy & Kathy (aka Dad & Mom)

This next season is shaping up to be a great one!

God's Amazing Grace.....

2008-10-17T11:27:00.002-04:00

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Rest of the Story...

2008-10-17T11:20:00.000-04:00

Don't even know where to begin to tell the story of all that happened on Friday and what it really means. My emotions are still reeling as we rejoice in all that God has done!!I'm told we were the only case to pass court because an exception was made due to our kids ages. I am very sensitive about posting this because of all of the families that were postponed. My heart goes out to all of you. Looking forward to celebrating with you in the near future. That being said.... we absolutely had to pass court on Friday or our adoption was in jeopardy. Our son will be turning 18 on December 1st (and this is the date many families had their court date re-scheduled too). For those of you that don't know, you can no longer be adopted at 18 - you are an adult. The truth is, you can not adopt a child over 16 unless they are part of a sibling group and the youngest is under 16. Our youngest daughter also makes that end of the deal very close. We're still working out her birthday. An uncle of the kids said they are not all one year apart. He says the girls are 2 years from our son. I know, it's all very confusing, but that's Ethiopian adoption. When children are born, especially in rural area, they are born at home and no records are kept. All this to say, we had age issues on both sides... the oldest and the youngest.

As Friday was approaching, and we had heard of the additional document that was postponing families, we began to pray like never before. The whole student body at Liberty University was called to pray. So many people were praying. It's humbling to hear from people we've never met that said they were praying! My girlfriend called and said she woke up in the night and knew court was in session in Ethiopia and she prayed. I am overwhelmed by all of this! Why us Lord?? Why have you chosen us to be part of this miracle?? We were a mess here but also had peace that God was in control. We found peace and trust in that. Thoughts would creep in... what if we only get the girls because Ashcalew turns 18... and we would give it to God. He has written this amazing story and He knew what was at stake. We had faith in that. Other thoughts would come... what if it takes a while and we can't even get the girls... and again we would trust that our Heavenly Father loves these kids even more than we do and His plans are perfect!

Can you see how amazing all of this is??? God came through in His perfect time... not when I wanted Him too (months ago so we wouldn't be cutting it so close), not when we thought He needed too, not in our time, but in His perfect time!!! We are grateful beyond words and I needed to make sure I told the rest of the story...

To families in court this week....

2008-10-17T00:03:00.006-04:00

To all of you families that got sad news this week... I am so sorry! My friend and I got together Wednesday morning to pray for all of you/us. Our destinity is still unknown and we will hear more tomorrow (Friday - as it is late Thursday night right now)! I'm sure I will be up most of the night praying. Our son's 18th birthday is quickly approaching, but we trust that God's timing is perfect! We know He loves our children even more than we do!! May the God of peace that passes all understanding help you as you continue to wait. You and your children will be in our prayers!

Beautiful Faces!!

2008-10-14T21:12:00.004-04:00

Passing the time tonight by looking through my pictures. This is my friend Nicole. I love Nicole!!! I get the privilege of being with these kids every Wednesday night and it's a great time. Stories... oh, I have stories. The kids never cease to amaze me. The things they come up with.... They are special!!

And this is Michael. Every week, since I've told him about my new daughters, he asks without fail if they are here yet. He wants to date them and when I ask which one, he says.. "both". Not sure I'm ready for that :)

And here we are going down to the gymnastic room... their favorite... well, o.k. for most of them. The coolest thing about this picture is Samuel (in the light blue shirt) will be getting baptised at church tomorrow night. I get choked up even typing this. I won't have a voice on Thursday because we will all be there to cheer for him as he goes through the baptismal pool. So awesome! God is so good! I see Him through these children every week. I see His beauty in each of them! I love these kids!!!

And then there's this face... my niece Kenedy! She's so adorable!

And here she is giving Brad some love. Oh, I could just squeeze those little cheeks!

Hoping on Friday I can share some more "Beautiful Faces" with you :)

Happy Anniversary!

2008-10-12T14:22:00.007-04:00

Today is our wedding Anniversary! We've celebrated all of them with children. Kristin was 3 months old on our first... and on it goes. Would have never believed we'd be adding 3 children in our 23rd year together! Good thing we can't see into the future :)

My hubby's the best in the west, and the east, and the north, and the south. Where does the time go?? We met when we were just 16. He took me to a haunted house... some 30+ years ago. Man - are we really that old??? It's been a great ride, with a few bumps in the road, but it gets better every year... and this one ranks right up there at the top of the list! Looking forward to what God has in store for our 50th! BTW - how old was Sarah anyways?????

Tagged

2008-10-11T15:38:00.010-04:00

I've been tagged by Lori. Her and I share the same court date :) Praying for good news on Friday!!!

Here are my 7 weird/unusual things:

1) I have 5 sisters, 2 brothers and we all grew up in a small 3 bedroom home for majority of our childhood. The first 7 of us were born in 8 years... my mom's amazing!

2) I met my husband when we were 16 and we've been together ever since... even though I swore I would never date him! Of course he tells the kids a different story.

3) I can be found watching a baseball or football game by choice. I am known to get more excited about a play than anyone in the room.

4) I've done karate for the last 7 years. My 20 year old son asks me why I don't take a ceramic or cooking class like other moms. These past few months the line "I'm a mother of six" has had it advantages.. I still have to do the drill, but like having the back door if needed.

5) I'm most productive in my pj's. I'm known to start projects before bothering to get dressed. I say it's just because the minute I wake up, so does my mind, and the 'to do' list starts. Bonny woke up the other day to some pounding in the room next to her only to find me on a chair with a hammer in, of course, my pj's. She wasn't too happy with me.

6) I make up fake swear words... ruff-n-snuffer being my favorite.

7) I've done some motivational speaking, to more than just my kids :)

People I would like to "tag"

1) My friend Shelli @ Create a New Heart in Me

2) Renee, Henok's Momma

3) Kimberly @ Our Family Tapestry (although I think she's too busy right now just getting home from Ethiopia with her beautiful children)

4) My friend Zac @ An Empty Wheelchair

5) Brandy @ John and Brandy's Journey

6) Laura of the Garvey Family

7) I'm out of names. All the bloggers have been hit :)

Soon

2008-10-10T22:57:00.004-04:00

Kristin was home last week-end for Fall break and brought some friends. It worked out well because we have 3 empty beds (and hopefully not for much longer). We all had a great time! We went to the apple orchard and stopped by the pumpkin patch.

Here are my pumpkins

holding some pumpkins.

O.K. all of them are not mine, but for the week-end I got to take care of them :)

Liberty students are the best. Such amazing young people. My favorite was playing 2 truths and a lie while sitting at dinner. It was wonderful getting to know the kids. I got a taste of feeding a few more. The dinner table was full and I loved it!! Helped pass the time as we wait for court on Oct 17th. Yes, it's 1 week... aka 7 days... aka 168 hours away. We're praying for great news. So glad to know Liberty will be praying with us. That's moving beyond words!

Ready for some Football???

2008-10-06T20:57:00.002-04:00

O.K. Kolfe Youth Center... are you ready for some football??

The Kolfe Youth center is an orphanage in Ethiopia with boys over 10 years old living there. This is where our son currently lives. We feel they are the forgotten boys and plan to make them our focus when we travel. Been thinking about what we can do at Kolfe when we travel (prayerfully next month). The boys were throwing around a football the other day and it occurred to me... bring the Kolfe boys some footballs and teach them how to throw them. I got so excited about the idea because I know Randy and Brad will do great with the boys. Not sure if they've ever had American footballs but we will see. Dreaming about our trip... it's getting closer everyday!!

Less than 3 weeks... and praying

2008-09-28T21:25:00.003-04:00

Our new court date is October 17th... we are under the 3 week mark!! So much going on these days the time is passing well. It doesn't mean there are days I miss the kids so much my arms ache to hug them and love on them. That is nearly a daily occurrence! We are praying everyday and several times a day... for court to go well, for our children in Ethiopia, for all of the orphans everywhere... knowing how much their heavenly father loves them. My friend Shelli borrowed me her CD of the African children's choir. It's so touching. To hear these angels, most of them orphans, sing to their heavenly Father touches my heart. Their love and their hope is amazing!

I was driving in the car the other morning for 2 hours by myself listening to the precious voices singing praises to God! Before putting in the CD I was frustrated with the ignorant comments people make regarding adoption. I use ignorant as the adjective because their comments really are due to their lack of knowledge. Usually the comments just roll off my shoulders, but that morning the comments were very personal. How could we take in "these" children when so many children in America need homes?? O.K. when emotions are high intelligence is low. Try to let this one roll off too. Try not to ask why one child (American) matters more than another?? Don't all children matter to God? Does He look with special favor on the color of their skin?? I think NOT! Doesn't EVERY child deserve a family??? Trying hard not to ask this person what they are doing to help the orphans. Trying hard to control my emotions.... and when I finally get over the ignorant remarks I stop and pray over this soul. I actually feel sorry for them. They are missing so much! Their prejudice keeps them from seeing how beautiful the orphans are.

A reminder to me of how thankful I am for this amazing blessing! Thankful that God's blessings have no borders and know no color!

This is Josue. Brad met him while on a mission trip to the Darien jungle in Panama and fell in love. Brad has his picture in his room. It makes me smile every time I see it and reminds me to say a prayer for Josue.

Wondering where to stay in Ethiopia

2008-09-15T22:29:00.005-04:00

I just found this today on another blog and think it's a pretty neat idea. Wondering if any traveling families have stayed here??... or have recommendations?? The Ethiopia Guest Home can be rented by adoptive families traveling to Ethiopia to bring home their children. The beauty is by supporting this house parents are also supporting the orphans. Here is part of their mission which is awesome:

Ethiopia Guest Home is not going to save the world, but we are going to make a difference one child at a time. We will fund programs that seek to lower the need for adoption. Ministries that seek to de-stigmatize HIV and encourage people to seek treatment will be funded. Single mothers will be assisted with tools, skills, and resources that may be needed to sustain their families. We have partnered with World Orphans, who have contracted to build 15 church-based children’s homes…to support Ethiopians caring for children who may not be adopted internationally. Programs that seek to assist women who are HIV positive to be treated and lower the risk of passing on the virus to their newborn children will be funded.

We are a bit concerned because there will be 10 of us with the youngest being 14 or 15, so it will feel like a group of adults. I spoke with Dave at the Ethiopia Guest Home today and we discussed options that will surely accommodate our clan. I really like that breakfast and lunch are included. I'm sure it will be quite costly for the 10 of us to eat all of our meals out. They even offer dinner for $5 per person which seems very reasonable. Now we need to make a decision. I value any and all input from families that have already taken the adventure of a lifetime.

Hope

2008-09-11T22:03:00.001-04:00

Romans 15:13

13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Birthdays

2008-09-09T18:25:00.008-04:00

Well our plans for Fall have been altered because we are still waiting for our day in Ethiopia courts. Nana is flying up from Florida in a week and was planning the trip to meet her new grandchildren. She bought her tickets before we had our court date changed. It will be good to see her anyways and celebrate her ?? birthday. You know most women stop counting after 29 anyways. The whole birthday thing got me thinking. The girls have birthdays in September and October and we were hoping to have them home to celebrate. Our son's birthday is in December and we are praying he is home by then. I've learned something from all of this... we can have all the plans we want, but God's plans are always best! We are learning to wait and trust. It doesn't mean I haven't had a tantrum or two.. but I am learning to be patient.

The best side note of all - when we do travel to Ethiopia to bring home our new family, I will be in my 30's again. You see the Ethiopian calendar is 7 years behind ours, so for that week, I'll be 39 again.....Really! Boy, the things some of us will do for vanity :)

Just had to close with the cutest baby at Liberty... baby Abby! Her parents are some of Kristin's best friends... and, well... she's just the cutest!

Monday Morning Message

2008-09-08T11:17:00.004-04:00

An email from our daughter...

Dear Mom, Dad, Kristin, Brad and Bonny, How are you? Thank you very much for your letter and gift. I very like this gift !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we miss very much !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you so much !!!!!!!!!!!

Love!!!!!!!!!

"God sets the lonely in families..." Psalm 68:6

Road trip to LU!!

2008-09-01T20:07:00.005-04:00

We went to Liberty University in Virginia this week-end to visit Kristin. It was worth the 10 hour drive to be together. We can't wait to take the new kids here. This was Friday morning Convocation and it was so awesome to see thousand of students worshiping together. I got choked up just thinking about ALL that these students have done. It's amazing!

Can't wait to bring the kids back to physically show the students what a difference they are making. We want them to know what a difference they can continue to make. They are our future generation of leaders. They are amazing!

We met for lunch with Johnnie and had a blast! It was great to get to know each other a bit more. He has no idea how crazy our family is and the goal was to get to know each other before we all travel across the world to Ethiopia for a week. I can say he got a glimpse of our weirdness but am still a bit concerned.

We took this "before" picture with him. It is Johnnie before we corrupt him and before our trip to Ethiopia. We all agreed Ethiopia may never be the same, but the truth is we all will probably never be the same.

For fun we hiked to the top of Liberty mountain.

To see the LU monogram...

And capped the week-end off with an LU football game.

We met so many amazing kids this week-end. They are like no other... so giving... so loving... so polite... so willing to offer a hand.... and they have so changed our family forever!

The Compassionate Church

2008-08-24T22:01:00.001-04:00

The message at church today was from a series on "The Vintage Church". The talk was titled "Compassionate" and our pastor went over our church's Value #6. It reads...

"The church most visibly evidences the love of Christ by ministering with compassion and care to the poor, sick, hurting, lonely, rejected and forgotten people of the world." (Matthew 25: 31-46)

The talk was good. Inside I was stirring. I so wanted to stand on my seat and talk about all of the orphans that need a loving home, or food to eat. I could have surely helped the pastor bring his message home. I know in an audience of nearly 3,000 there had to be someone interested... they just needed to be spurred on. Lucky for my husband and family, I maintained my composure. They wouldn't want to be know as the family with the crazy mom that the security team had to escort out of the auditorium. There is a time and place and today was neither, but the message resounds so strongly in my soul. I want to be an advocate for the "poor, sick, hurting, lonely and forgotten children." Of course I believe adoption is an answer, but there are so many other ways to help. There are so many amazing organizations with programs to feed and shelter these children. I pray God will show me the time and the place to advocate for His needy children.

All of God's Children Matter

2008-08-16T15:08:00.006-04:00

O.K. I realize that most of us that read these blogs are already adoptive parents or soon to be so, but... you never know. I read this blog today and wanted to let everyone know about this 2 year old. Check out their post on August 14, 2008. The birthmom of their newly adopted twins has passed away leaving their sister, a 2 year old, an orphan. It's a very touching story and the family of the twins is struggling with what they should do. Trusting in God's perfect plan and praying over these children.

Happy Birthday Hubby!!

2008-08-15T18:39:00.007-04:00

Happy Birthday Randy!! Now we're the same age. For 2 months I am reminded that he is a year younger than I. It doesn't bother me a bit :)

Brad and Randy

So excited to be sending a package to the kids with a family traveling. The Schnabels are going to Ethiopia at the end of the month to pick up their beautiful daughters. It's a great adoption story of God's provisions and we're SOOO excited for them! They have been gracious enough to take a package to our kids. We're sending them journals from my mom, some candy, and of course more pictures. We sent pictures of their bedrooms. Wish I could see their faces when they see the photos. We've also included some books from Aunt Shelli and family. One is a book on Michigan and an Oxford Picture Dictionary (something I recommend for families getting older children). The picture dictionary has a picture of a room in the house, or a place of business, or a table with food and everything is numbered. The number then correlates to the English word for the object. Aunt Shelli found it very helpful when they've hosted exchange students. She thinks of the neatest things. Our kids will be so blessed by her and the rest of the Gary family.

Sending the package has helped with missing them so terribly! It's a small way of feeling connected to them. October is not that far away. Having dreams about our Thanksgiving this year. Just thinking about it gets me choked up.

My Amazing Friend Zac!!

2008-08-11T14:47:00.006-04:00

If you want to be encouraged read An Empty Wheelchair written by my friend Zac. We've been friends with Zac's parents since he was a year old and have had contact on and off over the years. Zac's faith and his belief in his dreams is inspiring!

God brought Zac to mind this week-end and I believe it means I was called to pray for him. It was neat to see him post a comment on my blog the very next day. I guess great minds think alike... hey Zac??? :)

Character Building Week

2008-08-09T17:18:00.005-04:00

Well our "Big Week" turned out to be a character building week. The news of court being postponed really had us quite down. We were holding out hope that all would go well and the kids would be coming home in a few weeks. I am an optimist at heart which means I never considered not getting a positive outcome. The day after the news we packed up and headed to the World Series tournament with Randy and Brad thinking... o.k. maybe this will help get our minds off of the news of our delayed court date. Things went well on Thursday. On Friday, our team fell apart. They ended up getting knocked out of the tournament and we were favorites to win it. One of the grandparents from a team that beat us came up afterwards and said he felt fortunate they caught us on a bad day because we were the better team. He was a nice guy. Truthfully, the boys looked tired. On the drive home Randy and I had mixed emotions because taking care of 20 some 20 years olds took it's toll on us. Making sure they were fed, up on time, not doing something crazy, at the right ball park, etc. was not an easy task. It was also tough because we knew they had the talent to play better than they did. In the end, it's really not that big of a deal, but brought us back to feeling disappointed. Bonny was very sad leaving the ball park. She looked at me and said "Mom, it's not been a very good week." It's not a bad lesson to know things in life will not always go as you had hoped they would.

I watched this video to put the wait for the kids into perspective. (Click on the highlight to see the video.) The video is called "When Love Takes You In" and it brings tears to my eyes every time I watch it. It's a reminder that no matter how long the wait, it will all be worth it when we get to love on our kids and positively affect their lives every day! We will be getting letters out to them this week-end to keep their spirits up. They were never given a time line in an effort to protect them when delays occur. The adoption agency keeps telling them we are working out the paperwork and they know that takes time. We tell them things are getting closer and we can't wait to come and get them. It's good to know they weren't expecting us to be there in 2 weeks. We wouldn't want to cause them any concern that we weren't coming. We are anxious for them to feel what it's like "When Love Takes You In".

On hold until October

2008-08-06T17:10:00.003-04:00

The courts closed today are were not able to get to our case. They've rescheduled our court date for October 17th. :( We are very disappointed but trusting in God's perfect timing. Thank all of you for your prayers. You have been a HUGE blessing in our lives!!

Still Waiting

2008-08-05T14:17:00.002-04:00

Our case worker just called and we will have to wait until tomorrow for a decision. The courts wanted an orphanage license and Gladney has already supplied it. We are praying it all goes well tomorrow. We are good with things, and trusting God for His provision!

Big Week

2008-08-03T18:39:00.003-04:00

We have a big week ahead of us. Hoping it's a week of celebrating. It's already Sunday evening and the week-end passed pretty quickly. Only 2 days until court on Tuesday. Please join us in praying it all goes well or rather, how God would have it go. Could I also ask to pray for peace for our family?? So glad we have a God that cares about us.

On a lighter note, the boys have their National Collegiate World Series starting on Thursday and going thru the week-end. The schedule looks pretty fun. They are playing at a minor league park in Toledo, Ohio. They even have a home run contest on Thursday night. Should be fun... Go Michigan Monarchs!!

4 days till court

2008-08-01T23:36:00.004-04:00

4 days until court and starting to get anxious! I got an email today from Gladney with the following subject line... "Ethiopia Court Closure" and my heart was pounding as I opened it. The message said the courts in Ethiopia will be closing on August 7th instead of August 8th. My heart goes out to families that are affected by this. It keeps you aware that with International adoption nothing is predictable and you are vulnerable.

I find myself wanting to pack and yet not wanting to pack. The thoughts of packing overwhelm me. There will be 5 of us going and we will need to bring clothes for our 3 new precious teens. Then there's the humanitarian aid, the clothing for orphanage workers, cases of peanut butter crackers to hand out to the begging children, medicines for various situations any of us may encounter, and did I mention that 5 of the 8 of us are girls?? Enough said, I'll save the packing for later.

Day 7 Countdown... Kolfe Youth Center

2008-07-29T10:57:00.002-04:00

Our court date is 1 week away.

So, to pass time I was blog stalking, and for those of you that don't know what that is, let me explain. Stalking is when you view someones blog and you see a connection there to another blog and pretty soon you are reading life stories and wondering how you even got to the web page. It's great! I've read soooo many encouraging and amazing adoption stories. That being said, while stalking I came across this video from a family that traveled to Ethiopia to pick up their children and took pictures and made a slide show at Kolfe Orphanage. This is where our son is currently living. (To view, click on either of the highlighted links.) It made me cry. Randy, Bonny and I watched it and could not say a word. It's so sad to think children live in these conditions when we see all our children have. We are excited to know we will soon be bringing our son home. We also know our hearts will be heavy seeing all the children that still need families. We plan to be advocates for them. Hope watching it touches your day as it did mine.

Michigan Monarch's Win League

2008-07-28T00:02:00.001-04:00

Congratulations Coach Wolfe and The Michigan Monarchs on winning your league! Well Done! Now it's on to the World Tournament! We've heard about it all summer, and now the team is actually going!

These boys have been a blessing for us this summer. They've kept us busy and our minds occupied as we wait to bring home our new kids. This is a wonderful group of young men and we've enjoyed getting to know each of them. What a blessing to have the opportunity, however small, to try and affect their lives in a positive manner, build character and encourage them.

We were hoping for our Ethiopian children to be home in time for "The Worlds". God had another plan and we're just thankful they'll still be coming home this summer. The World Tournament starts the day after our court date.

Here are some of the Monarch's best fans too involved in watching the action on the field to pose for the camera :)

My fav... Randy (coach) and Brad (he's really grown up since the last post)

Court Countdown

2008-07-26T10:06:00.002-04:00

10 Days till court and counting......

Quote of the Day

2008-07-24T14:25:00.004-04:00

Brad at his game last night... alright, not really but where does the time go??

Got this on my email today... Great quote..
God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

The Human Heart

2008-07-19T21:38:00.002-04:00

"The Human Heart is Vast Enough to Contain all the World" Joseph Conrad

My karate friend Jackie (AKA My Cuban Kickboxing Buddy and very soon-to-be-black belt) gave me a picture with a heart and the above quote and I LOVE it!! It's my new fav!

I was sitting writing thank yous for the shower gifts and have so much on my mind. I spoke with a social worker at Gladney 2 days ago and it has produced sooo many emotions. She was helping us through some of the transitions that are soon to come. Much of the talk was personal and I'm not ready to share it on a blog, and some of it was about things I've learned in the training and from reading various books on adoption and attachment, etc. She talked about the grieving process that she expects the kids will go through once here. I know we will have challenges because we're parents already and raising kids is challenging. I found myself saddened to think the children will have to go through so much by joining our family. I know it's the mom in me not wanting them to hurt. It's part of the job. No mother enjoys seeing her child struggle and yet it's the struggle that builds character and perseverance. They learn more through their challenges than when life is running smoothly, and I know that, but it's still one of the hardest parts of parenting for me.

I find myself feeling guilty for taking them from their homeland, and their culture, and everything that is familiar to them and I've read and know this is common among adoptive parents. Knowing it's normal doesn't mean the feelings aren't real or any easier to deal with. And at the very same time, I can't wait to love on them, and hug them, and be here for them, and let them experience being part of our family. I know our bio kids are excited about the adoption and feel so blessed that they are so accepting. It's very hard to put into words all the emotions you feel and all at the same time. I guess it's all becoming very real. Knowing we could be traveling next month has stirred up the pot of emotions. Glad I know you can't always trust your emotions. One thing that's been keeping me grounded is to remember that as a parent I have messed up often and the bottom line is kids are resilient. They accept my shortcomings because at the end of the day, they know without a doubt that I love them and would give my life for them! Can't wait for our new teens to experience our love for them!