Our Family

Very Late Update

2010-03-03T19:44:00.001-08:00

Well since it has been over 6 months since my last post, I thought I better update my blog. Everyone is doing well. TJ is not my baby anymore but rather a busy little toddler. He loves to run, jump, climb, and can even do somersaults. His vocabulary is amazing and he talks all of the time. His new love is Dora the Explorer and talks about her often (hourly). He was very excited that Dora now has fruit snacks and yogurt but probably wishes Dora was on all of his food. He has quite the personality and makes us laugh daily. He is just so cute!!

Andrew is a happy little third grader. He is such a good brother and plays with TJ often. He also continues to take karate and started taking chess classes. He is really into building things and continues his love of animals. He is hoping to take tennis and golf lessons this summer but is trying to negotiate his way out of swimming (not going to happen).

Katie is surviving her first year in a new school. She has done really well and took tennis and dance and liked both of them. She is going to be a teenager in a couple of months. I can not believe how fast she is growing up. However, it is a lot of fun to have real conversations with her. If I can just remember not to embarrass her, I think we will survive this transition. The problem is that I don't really know that I am embarrassing her until I get the stare...then it becomes quite clear that I have done something awful to ruin her image. Oh-well, we have all had to deal with embarrassing parents:)

Update on life:)

2009-09-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

Our South Dakota Trip. We had a great time!

The Bad Lands

Our three children at a fish hatchery

My boys and me at the Bad Lands.

Tj and me in his Ergo! Man I love that thing!

Wow! It has been a long time since I last posted. Life got in the way I guess and we have had a lot of changes these past couple of months. My son and daughter started new schools. They are doing well with the transition. It was hard at first but they have been very brave and I am very proud of them. I started a new job. Overall it was a good change but change is hard. I was very comfortable at my previous job and leaving was harder than I expected. However, my new job gives me to opportunity to meet new people and try something new in the area of teaching. I am still able to balance work and my family and everyone seems happy.

It was 1 year ago Saturday that we met TJ. I can not believe he has been home with us for one year already. He is a typical 1 year old and gets into everything. He loves to jump, climb, and run. He can say quite a few words and is beginning to talk in sentences. I can not even express how much I love that boy. Someone once asked me if I love him as much as I love my other two children. I can honestly say Absolutely and Without a Doubt. He was meant to be my son. His journey in life will be different from my other two children though. They have not experienced loss yet and he lost his birth family and part of his identity. When I am in public with my other two children, we hardly get looked at. When I am in public with TJ, we draw more attention. 99% of the time the comments we receive are positive, however it is the 1% that keeps me up at night. It is my job to make sure he feels safe and secure and sometimes that means I need to speak up.

After one year, I find myself thinking of Ethiopia a lot. I have always wanted to teach in Africa; and after visiting Ethiopia, I am definitely being called to go back. I can feel it in my heart. It is funny how God makes sure you know what he wants from you. You just need to listen to your heart and there it is....that is the amazing part of faith.

Fishing, dancing and eating..could life get any better?

2009-08-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

FISHING

Tim and Andrew got back from a fishing trip in Canada last Wednesday. Below are some pictures of their "manly" 7 days together.

Tim and Andrew in front of the float plane that took them to their cabin.

Andrew and his 24 inch walleye!!!

Andrew getting ready to fly in the plane.

Andrew sitting in the co-pilot's seat. Tim said was really excited but then he ended up falling asleep. He is a funny boy!

Dancing

TJ has been showing us his dance moves. Katie got back from a dance camp and was showing me one of her dances to "Boom Boom Pow". Apparently, TJ likes the beat to this song. He even knows it by name and you can hear him saying "boom boom" before he starts dancing.

Eating

TJ decided that he is a big boy and does not need his high chair anymore and can eat with a spoon. He makes a huge mess but he is very proud!!

The Beach!

2009-06-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

Cute Tummy!!!!

Awesome big brother!!

Discovering water and sand:)

Today was our first Monday of summer break. My daughter went to a birthday party all day and night. They were going to an amusement park and then having a slumber party. It is the first time I have let her go off on her own....big step for me but a relief to her. She tends to think I am a little over protective.

The boys and I went to the beach with some friends. TJ was a little uncertain at first but quickly warmed up to the idea of playing in the water and then really enjoyed splashing. Andrew made him a baby pool by digging a hole in the ground and surrounding it with sand. He then filled it up with water over and over again because his baby pool had several leaks. We stayed at the beach for three hours and then headed home for nap time. I love nap time!! TJ slept for over 3 hours which allowed me to clean up the house and also take a nap.

Last Day of School

2009-06-12T16:23:00.000-07:00

My daughter is now a 7th grader!!! Goodness!! She just graduated from elementary school. She absolutely loved 6th grade and was sad that school ended. I am trying to wrap my head around the fact that he is no longer my little girl anymore. She is turning into a young lady that loves texting, music videos, and her hair straightener:) She is an amazing daughter and I am very proud of her.

My son is now a 3rd grader. He did very well in 2nd grade and his teacher made every student in his class a memory DVD. She is a wonderful teacher and he was lucky enough to have her two times (kindergarten and 2nd grade). Baseball is going ok but he does not have a love for sports. He will participate in them but could take or leave them as well. He would rather read books, play with legos, learn about geography and hang out with his friends. He is such a nice boy and very caring.

Tesfahun is learning something new everyday! He likes to play peek a boo, dance, look at books, jump, and climb. It should be a great summer with him. I can't wait to take him to the beach.

Today was my last day of work and I am off for the summer. YEAH!!

One Year Ago....

2009-05-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

One year ago I received a phone call that changed my life. My social worker called to tell me that she had a referral for a 6 week old baby boy. What a difference a year makes because now I am the mother of a 1 year old boy who never ceases to amaze me. He is a smart, active, and happy little boy. He has been home with us since September and has adjusted well to our family. His brother and sister love him and even scold him for getting into their things (and for hitting our dog). There is nothing more fun than to watch siblings interact.

We love him very much and are so blessed that we have been given the opportunity to raise our wonderful little boy. As I wrote in his life book "Tesfahun, you are an amazing boy and I can't wait to watch you grow into an amazing man!"

Here is a short video of one of his favorite games (I'm going to get you) and of him walking...his new trick!

Easter Pictures

2009-04-21T15:32:00.000-07:00

I am a little late on posting my Easter pictures. I can't seem to find the time to blog like I used to.....hmmmm it may have to do with my 1 year old:)

Tesfahun went for his 6 month check up at the International Adoption Clinic. Everything looked great! He was quite the little guy, jumping, laughing and screaming (happily). His doctor stated that his "attention span is dependant on activity" and "active and social". In other words, he is going to be a busy boy!! I am very thankful that he has made up so much ground since he has been home.

Tefahun has also discovered balls, small and big. He loves to throw or roll them and crawls very fast after them. He does this over and over again. It is a nice activity for him to do while I am trying to get something done. Finally!! He has not been a big fan of any of his baby toys.

My older son is getting ready to start baseball and soccer. He is very excited, so I hope it goes well for him. He went to a Twins game the other night with his dad and he had a great time. He is motivated to be a good baseball player, so hopefully my non-athletic genes do not run too strongly in him.

My daughter is beginning to mourn the end of the school year and 6th grade. We are making a big transition to junior high next year! Yikes...were does the time go?

Happy First Birthday!

2009-04-08T17:58:00.001-07:00

Today is Tesfahun's first birthday! I think he had a really good day...he was spoiled and loved by his family and friends! I can't believe my little man is one year old. He has brought a lot of joy into our family and we love him very much.

Andrew picked out this present for Tesfahun. He loved it!!

Hope

2009-04-06T17:31:00.000-07:00

My friend Beth has inspired me to be a better blogger, so I am going to make a commitment to post something at least 4 times a week, if not more. Thank you Beth!!

I have been thinking about names lately. My sister and sister-in-law are both pregnant and I have talked to them both about names for their baby. It is fun to think of names for a new baby.

We, of course, did not name Tesfahun that was a gift that his birth mother gave him. I love his name and it fits him perfectly. That being said, I often find myself hesitating when people ask me his name because I know what their reaction will be. It is often a look of shock and then some sort of comment about how hard his name is to pronounce. I often find myself stating that we also call him TJ and their response is usually "well that is easier to say". However, I am making a vow to not do that anymore. His name is Tesfahun! We love his name and I need to be a better advocate for my son. It a strong Ethiopian name.

His name means "you are my hope". Tesfa means "hope" and "hun" is the future. When I think of the meaning of his name, it gives me goosebumps. What an amazing meaning. I often heard President Obama use the word hope throughout his campaign. It is a word I often use when I think about my children. So, in honor of my son Tesfahun, here are my hopes for my children.

I hope they know how much I love them.
I hope they know that they make me very happy.
I hope they know how proud I am of them and how much I enjoy being their mother.
I hope they grow up to be kind, generous, and thoughtful adults.
I hope they have a strong faith and realize that God will always be with them.
I hope they find their passion in life.
I hope they are happy!!

What are your hopes for your children?

Bad Blogging Mama!

2009-03-09T17:12:00.000-07:00

Wow!! It has been a long time since I posted something on this blog. It pretty much coincides with me going back to work. As it turns out having an 11 year old, an 8 year old, and an 11 month old is A LOT of work. My daughter tried out for the dance team at school and will be on the JV team starting this summer. She is also working towards her black belt in karate. My son is also in karate and he decided that he wants to learn how to ice skate. TJ pretty much demands my attention from the time I pick him up at 3:30 until I lay him down at 7:30. Plus he is crawling everywhere and really enjoys going through our cupboards and playing with the doors. He is not interested in any of his baby toys and pretty much thinks that I should either be holding him or sitting on the floor right next to him. If I do something else, like make supper, then he lets me know he is none to pleased and will crawl over to me, pull himself up to my leg, and say "mama" until I pick him up. I am pretty confident that he has attached well to me. It is a big relief but I am a little tired.

TJ has made so many gains since we brought him home in Sept. He says "mama", "dada", and"nana" (no). We think he has said puppy and bye bye as well. When we say "yeah!" he starts to clap and he is working on standing by himself. He is a fun little boy! He has even introduced us to his temper:)

I attached recent pictures of TJ and also a video of him crawling.

We Survived.....

2009-01-08T16:26:00.000-08:00

our first week of daycare! I went back to work on Monday after a 16 week leave of absence. Tesfahun appears to love it. His daycare mom said that "we have an awesome little blessing and that he is a delight to care for". He is such a happy boy when I drop him off and when I pick him up. I think he is really enjoying being around other kids and being entertained by them. He is also happy all night long when we get home. In addition, he is doing pretty well at night time...only waking up once or not even at all. It is a huge relief. I really enjoy teaching, so I am very happy that Tesfahun is doing so well at daycare. I often tell my children that I wanted to be a teacher and a mother when I was growing up and I feel so blessed that I am able to do both!

I also attached a picture from Christmas. Tesfahun was mostly interested in trying to eat the wrapping paper!!

2008-12-18T10:46:00.000-08:00

We had our adoption hearing this morning. It was very quick and at the most it may have lasted 10 minutes, including taking pictures. It was the final step. We just have to get some additional documents but besides that we are done!

Tesfahun is doing great. He is finally sleeping through the night but I still find myself waking up several times a night. I have been waking up at night for almost 4 months now, so I think I just need to get my body back on track. I actually find myself missing him at night.

He is als0 working very hard at crawling. He is able to get himself on all fours but still can't figure out how to get his hands and legs to work together.

I am now down to my last two weeks of my leave. I am trying to staying positive but I will miss him very much. I have had a great time at home but knew when we started our adoption journey that I would need to go back to work. Luckily, I love teaching!

We are looking forward to Christmas break. My husband will be taking the next two weeks off from work. I can't wait to spend time with my family!

He can stand!

2008-12-03T15:26:00.000-08:00

Tesfahun is standing. He leans a little bit on the couch but is working hard to get his balance. Tesfahun and I have been talking about the importance of crawling and that he will need to crawl before he walk. I am pretty sure that he does not really care and just wants to get moving but the teacher in me does kind of care:)

My husband and I had our last meeting with our adoption social worker today. For the most part, everything is going really well. He still does not sleep at night (the little stinker). He is also pretty attached to me and thinks that he should cry when dad is holding him. We are working on this since his dad needs to be able to comfort him as well.

It is hard to believe that a little over two years we started the adoption process and now we are almost done. We just need to get through court in the US, get his passport, social security number, and certificate of citizenship and then we are done. The sad part is that these last few steps make take another year. Oh-well at least we have him now.

I am thankful.....

2008-11-30T20:02:00.000-08:00

I am thankful...

that I live in America. It is truely a blessing and I did not realize how much of a blessing it was until I traveled to Ethiopia.

that I have a husband who loves me and supports me.

that I get to be a mother to three awesome children

that I have be able to stay home for 16 weeks

that I have a job to go back to....when I start feeling sad about going back to work, I focus on the fact that I am fortunate enough to have a job.....plus I do love teaching (I just love being a mom more:)

that I have friends that laugh with me...what could be better really

that I have great parents who are always there for me

He's learning.....

2008-11-23T15:36:00.000-08:00

Tesfahun is growing so fast right now. It seems like he learns something new everyday. He stands, sits, scoots around in a circle, and is currently going from a sitting position to a laying postion. I am pretty sure that he will be crawling within the next couple of weeks. His fine motor skills have improved as well, so he is able to pick up and grab his favorite toys. He also has 3 teeth and is working on his 4th tooth.
We are excited that our other two children only have school two days this week. My husband has the whole week off, so it will be fun to spend time together as a family. We will also be heading down to my in-laws for Thanksgiving. We usually spend the night but since Tesfahun is still having a hard time at night, we figured it would be better if we go home that night.

Baptism

2008-11-10T11:50:00.000-08:00

Tesfahun was baptised yesterday! Tesfahun did not enjoy being baptised and screamed the whole time the pastor was holding him. However, Tesfahun stopped crying immediately once our pastor gave him back to me. Tesfahun then decided to give our pastor a dirty look...he is a funny baby. We also had a great brunch over at our house. We had about 42 people over and it was wonderful that so many of our relatives were able to make it for Tesfahun's baptism.

Tesfahun now has 3 teeth, two on the bottom and one on the top. He looks so cute when he smiles at us. He has also totally attached to me. He always needs to make sure that I am around and pretty much only wants me to hold him. I am relieved that he has attached to me but I am nervous for when he goes to daycare in January.

I attached two pictures of Tesfahun's baptism. My sister, very good friend, and my daughter are standing with us (I am not sure what happened to our 7 year old son...too many cousins to distract him:) I also attached a picture of Tesfahun with his brother and sister. He is wearing a traditional Ethiopian outfit. It is the same outfit that he wore at his going away ceremony in Ethiopia. My mom also bought his a baptismal bib and socks.

First Tooth

2008-11-01T16:16:00.000-07:00

TJ got his first tooth this morning. It is on the bottom of his mouth and it is just starting to pop through. He has been drooling so much, so it was nice to finally feel a tooth in his mouth.

TJ also had his first play date with his friend that is 2 months older than him. I think TJ thought that was pretty cool since he was used to being with so many children at the care center.

I have attached some pictures of our trip to the pumpkin patch and TJ with his friend.

I love being a mom!

2008-10-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

I am having so much fun just being a mom. I get to take my daughter and son to school in the morning and then pick them up after school. We then get to go home, relax, go to karate, and do homework at night. My oldest son and I spend 30 minutes a night reading. I have made a deal with him that I will not be holding TJ during that time and I will make sure that it is just the two of us. During the day, TJ and I have a lot of fun just hanging out. He is such a happy baby and gets so excited when I talk and play with him. He is such a joy to be around!!

His nights are still a little rough. He tends to wake up 1 to 3 times a night; sometimes he is hungry, sometimes he just wants his back rubbed or his butt patted, and sometimes he just wants to play. I am going to need him to sleep through the night before I go back to work in January!

We had our family pictures taken on Sat. I am really excited to see how they turned out. It was a beautiful day. I will post some of the pictures once I get them.

Our adoption social worker also came to our house for our one month visit last Thursday. Our dog eagerly greeted her at the door, along with our 7 year old son who actually went down the stairs on his hands and knees and barked at her. It was fun to show her TJ, since she has been working with us since we began our adoption. She also collected more paperwork from us because we still need to make our adoption official in the United States. She is anticipating that we will be going to court in Dec. That will be an exciting day for our family.

Update

2008-10-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

Wow! Time flies now that we have a baby in the house! It has been awhile since I posted anything new.

My husband is currently taking a 2 week paternity leave. It has been really nice having him home. TJ loves all the attention he is getting from both of his parents.

TJ is finally getting into a schedule. He usually only wakes up once during the night for a bottle and then goes right back to sleep. He also takes a 2-3 hour nap during the day. When he is awake, he is a happy boy and is working hard on getting his legs and back stronger. In addition, he now seems ready to venture out more, so I am excited to start taking him out of the house.

It seems like he has been with us forever! We are very lucky that he is part of our family.

Pictures!

2008-10-13T09:22:00.000-07:00

We had a busy weekend. Saturday, TJ's Grandma and Grandpa Johnson came over to meet him. He gave them a lot of smiles and even tried to talk to them. On Sunday, TJ's aunt and uncle plus two cousins came over to see him. He was a very good boy and loved all of the attention.

He has also improved at night as well. Friday night he slept for 12 hours straight. Saturday and Sunday night he only woke up once! He no longer cries when he wakes up and seems very happy that his mom always comes to get him out of his crib.

Update

2008-10-09T17:22:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty busy week. I feel like we are living at the doctor's office though. Monday he got his flu vaccine and then I had the doctor look at his hands again. She thought they looked pretty good....I think they look pretty sore. On Wednesday we took him to the International Adoption Clinic at the U of M. I loved that place! We were there for about 2 1/2 hours and they spent so much time talking with us about Tesfahun's health, attachment, adjustment, and development. He seems to be a pretty healthy boy! I was very happy to hear that he appears to be attaching well to us. I asked the doctor when other people could start holding him and she said 4-6 months...sorry to all of our friends and relatives. His back and legs are a little weak but we have seen a huge improvement within the last 2 weeks. I work with him during the day and then my 11 year old daughter has been working with him everyday after school. I was also pretty impressed with how closely our adoption agency works with the International Adoption Clinic at the U of M. Our doctor told us that 2 doctors and an occupational therapist will be going to Ethiopia sometime this winter to work with the doctors and nannys at the care center. I can not begin to say enough good things about our adoption agency.

Tomorrow we head back to the doctor to get the stitches removed from TJ's hands. I don't think I am ready for that!!

I will post more pictures this weekend.

Video

2008-10-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 2nd week anniversary of when we first met Tesfahun. I remember seeing Tesfahun for the first time and thinking "Yup! He is my son". He was just meant to be with us! I am still amazed me that God knew that he should be a part of our family. We are truly blessed to be parents again. It is hard to put into words what a wonderful experience we have just been through, so I thought a video would be a better way to share our journey to our son.

Picture!

2008-10-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

We went back to the doctor today. Our doctor redeemed himself and apologized for Monday and said he felt really bad for my husband. TJ's hands look great. We get to reduce the amount of bandages we wrap around his hand and he gets to suck on his fingers! He is once again a happy boy!

Doctor's Appointment

2008-09-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a pretty rough day. We took TJ to the dermatologist because he had a rash all over his face and neck. We were told he has eczema, which is easily treated. However, the dermatologist also noticed that TJ had 2 extra digits on each of his hands and told us it would be very easy and not painful to remove those extra digits. My husband and I were a little taken a back but the doctor told us it was very simple and not to worry. 30 horrible minutes later, the doctor had finished the procedure. I ended up having to wait in the waiting room for most of it because I felt like I was going to throw up. After the procedure was finished, the doctor never came back to tell us how to take care of his hands. Therefore, we went home and called our pediatrician and told her we were FREAKING out and needed to see her right away. She let us come in early, assured us that he would be o.k., and told us how to take care of his hands. TJ seems to be over the whole ordeal but it will take a long time for my husband and I to recover.
He did not sleep well last night, I think that his hands may have been hurting him and he was having a hard time settling down. However, by 5:00am he was a happy camper and seems to be doing much better.
Funny how such a little person can wiggle his way into our hearts. Both my husband and I were so upset and certainly love that little boy!

Pictures!

2008-09-28T07:38:00.001-07:00

I posted some pictures of TJ at our guest house in Ethiopia. He is such a cute and loving baby.
We had a good night last night. TJ decided he wanted to go to bed at 5:00pm, so we let him. We woke him up at 8:00pm to give him a bottle and then he went back to sleep at 9:30pm. He then slept until 3:00am. He is gradually getting used to our house and time zone. I am hoping that by the end of the week, he will have transitioned and will be on a better schedule.
He is a lot of fun and gives us lots of smiles. He only cries when he is hungry, tired, or I try to put him in my sling. He is very nosey and gets mad when he can't see. TJ, my dog, and I went for our first walk yesterday. He fell asleep in the stroller and seemed to like being outside.
So far TJ loves his soft blankets (especially the one with the silk on the back) and his rain forest moving sound machine that is attached to his crib.

2008-09-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

TJ sleeping on our bed at the guest house, Wednesday morning.

He always sucks on his fingers when he is sleeping.

2008-09-28T07:33:00.000-07:00

My husband, TJ, and I our first 1/2 day together. We bought

the picture behind us at a store to put in TJ's room. It is a

famous church in Northern Ethiopia.

2008-09-28T07:31:00.000-07:00

My husband with TJ at the guest house, Monday morning.
TJ got to stay with us for 1/2 the day. The outfit he is wearing
is the outfit we sent him when we received his referral.

We are home!

2008-09-27T05:59:00.000-07:00

We are home. Our flight arrived yesterday at 1:45pm. TJ was a great baby. He slept through the entire first flight which was about 8 hours. We had a 5 hour lay over in Amsterdam and then another 9 hour flight home. He only slept about 3 hours during the last flight but he was very good. He does have a rash on his face because we have been holding him so much and he likes to rub his face on our clothes while he is sleeping. We are taking him to a dermatologist on Monday. However, some very nice older women gave me great advice on how to take care of his skin. They were waiting for their ride while we were waiting for my dad. These women told me that African American skin tends to be very dry and that we need baby oil for his skin and VO5 in the tube for his hair.

The kids and my mom were waiting outside for us when we got home. They ran up to the car to meet TJ and were so excited. He is going to be a very loved boy! He really loves my daughter. He can not stop looking at her. She was worried that he might not like her but he proved her wrong within 1 minute of meeting her.

The rest of the day was spent unpacking, picking up our dog, going to Walmart, and getting supper at Subway. My husband stayed home with TJ and by the time I got home at 4:00pm, TJ was out for the night. He is still on Ethiopia time and VERY tired, so we just let him sleep until 12:30 am when he started to fuss. He then had a bottle and stayed up until 2:30am. He woke up at 3:30am and at this time my husband and daughter were up. By 4:00am, my son woke up, so we decided to give TJ a bath and lather him up with baby oil, Vaseline, and VO5 for his hair. By 5:00 am, he was ready for another nap and went to sleep in our bed with his sister. They slept for over 2 hours.

I have never been so tired in my life. I did not sleep well in Ethiopia and our schedule was so busy that we were unable to take naps during the day. However, we feel so blessed to have had to opportunity to go the Ethiopia to get our son. He is a wonderful boy and we are looking forward to raising him.

I will post some pictures of our trip and TJ once we get a little more settled.

Wednesday Morning

2008-09-24T05:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was an emotional day. We had a going away ceremony at the care center for all of the children being adopted this week. The nannys love the children and it is hard for them to see the children go. They are happy that they are being adopted but will miss them. They also said a prayer for our children and for the families and then Tesfahun got to put his hand print into a book. We then headed over the the US Embassy. Then we brought Tesfahun back to our guest house. He has a great night. He sleep on me for half the night. I was worried that he would be scared, so I wanted to make sure he was close to me. Then he slept inbetween Tim and me. This morning I went back to the school. I would love to return in 3 years with Tesfahun to teach for a month. Hopefully, I will be able to make that work.
We leave tomorrow at 10:45pm. I am pretty sure we will not be able to get internet access, so I will post when I get home on Friday!

Monday PM/Tuesday AM

2008-09-23T04:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a really busy day! We had Tesfahun with us in the morning and then did more sightseeing in the afternoon. We toured the hospital and school that our adoption agency sponsors. We also went through a museum and did more shopping. I am finally on Ethiopian time and able to sleep through the night with the help of Tylenol PM but I am still pretty tired. I am looking forward to tomorrow when we get to just hang around at the guest house. I will probably be taking naps with Tesfahun.

Monday Morning

2008-09-22T05:33:00.000-07:00

Tesfahun is with us at the guest house today. He is such a little honey. He still loves his daddy and is sitting on his lap right now. We have to take him back to the care center at 12:30 but he is with us forever tomorrow. We are having a great time! Ethiopia is a fascinating country and the people are wonderful!

Sunday Afternoon Update

2008-09-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

Today we went down south to Hossanna to see the city where TJ was born. It took 3 hours to get there and the scenry was beautiful. It was fun to look out the window and take in Ethiopia. We also got to look through a hut and that was fun. A lot of children came over to greet us, shake hands, and give us high fives. It was a great experience. Tomorrow we get to have TJ with us at the guest house in the morning, tour more of Ethiopia, and then go to AHope (a care center for children who are HIV positive). We have had a very packed week so far and we are running on very little sleep but we are enjoying our time here.
Tim and Amy

Update-Saturday

2008-09-20T13:20:00.001-07:00

Today was another good day. We got to see Tesfahun this morning and he was cooing at us. He is such a little cutie and very happy. We then went shopping, which was an experience. We then went out to an Ethiopian restaurant. They had a drawing and who ever got the paper that said yes got to put on an Ethiopian dress and help make coffee. Tim drew the yes but since I am a nice wife, I did not make him wear the dress and I put the dress on instead and made coffee. It was quite an experience. Then after dinner we got to watch some Ethiopian dancers and singers. I was pulled out of the crowd and was taught some dance moves! Yikes! It was fun but way out of my comfort zone. The good news it that I got to keep the dress. Tomorrow we will go down south. We are looking forward to looking at the scenery. We will try to post tomorrow.
Tim and Amy

Friday Afternoon Update

2008-09-19T05:43:00.001-07:00

We arrived safely in Ethiopia and we have already met Tesfahun. He is amazing. He is a happy baby and LOVES Tim. He kept looking at him and smiling. We were able to spend the morning and afternoon with him and can't wait to bring him home. Tomorrow we will spend more time with him, go shopping, take a tour of AHope and then go out to dinner. We will try to post more later!

They Made It!

2008-09-19T05:43:00.000-07:00

Tim and Amy arrived in Ethiopia at 3:30pm our time, but it was 11:30pm in Ethiopia, on the 18th. They are both doing fine. They are super anxious about meeting their son...today! Keep them in your prays!

We are leaving!!!

2008-09-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

We dropped the kids off at school today and then I have been picking up and cleaning our house. It isn't really dirty but I feel like I need to be doing something. My husband is calmly sitting on the couch watching TV:)
We are heading to my parents house and then to the airport in a little over two hours. Our flight leaves at 3:15 and we will be arriving in Ethiopia, Thursday at 9:05 pm (1:05 pm our time). I feel like I am on a roller coaster...I am so excited, but at the same time pretty nervous. I just can not wait to meet my new son!!! We have been waiting for over two years to meet him and to think the time is finally here is pretty overwhelming.
We are going to try to post as much as possible when we are in Ethiopia!

Tomorrow we leave!

2008-09-16T18:03:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we leave!! I can not believe it! We had a great day together. My husband and son went golfing. My son really enjoyed washing the golf ball, riding in the golf cart, and looking at the squirrels, grasshoppers, and frogs. He did not mention to much about the golfing though. My daughter and I hung around the house, played a game, and packed. We also went to my parent's house to drop off her and my son's things. Then, we went out to supper for my husband's birthday and got some ice cream. We had planned on doing more fun things together, however, we found out that the pipe from our kitchen sink is leaking, which explains why the dry-wall in the laundry room was looking so funky. We are going to get that fixed while we are gone.
I will post tomorrow morning right before we leave.
Thank you to everyone who has been reading our blog and sending their prayers and well wishes. It really means a lot to us!!!

2 more days.....

2008-09-15T18:32:00.000-07:00

My mom took our family picture today. We need to take it with us to Ethiopia. It was a beautiful day, so we decided to take it outside.

Today I was busy running errands. I do not think I have ever run so many errands in my life!! I am thinking that adopting and re-modeling our bathroom within the same month was probably not the best idea. Oh-well. I also dropped our dog off at my sister's house. Our dog will be there for over two weeks. It seems so strange not having her here tonight. She does such a nice job greeting everyone when we get home.

The highlight of my day was being at school with my son and daughter. My daughter told me that I only embarrassed one time while I was eating lunch with her. I consider that a success. I told one of my daughter's friends that her outfit was cute but her friend was sitting at the table next to my daughter's table. Apparently you DO NOT talk to students that are sitting at another table. Who knew?? I also had the opportunity to eat lunch with my son and also talk to his class about Ethiopia. His classmates were so excited and had great questions about adoption and Ethiopia.

Tomorrow we get to spend the day together as a family.

We leave in 3 days!

2008-09-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

This morning we went to church. I wanted to go to church before our trip. I really felt like I needed to be reminded that God is in control and that I need to let go of some of my worries. It helped!
We then resumed our fall tradition of stopping by Subway to get our lunch and then going home to watch football. I only watched the 1st quarter and then took my son to get his haircut. My husband and I also had the chance to go to the gym to workout. It will probably be awhile before we will be able to do that again. We also stopped by the store to pick up some last minute things for our trip. Finally, we finished the last of our paperwork that we need to take to Ethiopia with us.
It was kind of a rainy day. Pretty similar to the weather in Ethiopia. A person who is in Ethiopia right now posted that it is rainy and kind of cold. She also recommended that we bring sweaters and warm pajamas.
Tomorrow will be very busy but Tuesday we will be able to enjoy our family before we leave.

4 days and counting...

2008-09-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

I can not believe we have only 4 days left until we travel. Wow!! It feels like we have been waiting for so long but at the same time I can't believe how quickly it went by.
Today we got to watch our daughter get her brown belt in Karate. We are very proud of her. She did a great job and we just had to go out to lunch to celebrate her accomplishment. I also said good bye to my friend and co-worker. Her daughter was also getting her brown belt, so that was a lot of fun.
We were also able to get a few things done on our list. We went to Target and Walmart. My husband did all of the bills and I packed. We only have a few more things to buy and pack and then we will be ready to go. I am just hoping that our luggage is under 50 pounds!! We will be taking 2 large suitcases, 1 medium suitcase, 1 suitcase from our adoption agency full of supplies, a back pack and 1 small carry on suitcase.
We also decided to buy the kids small gifts to open for every day that we are gone, so I wrapped them up and I now just need to write out 20 notes. My daughter was having a hard time tonight, so I am glad that we bought gifts for her and her brother. I am hoping it will help them get through the 10 days we are gone. My daughter is very scared for our safety and is worried about her baby brother. It was hard to keep a brave face and assure her everything will be o.k. She is such a little worrier (takes after her mom and Grandma).
We really appreciate the well wishes and prayers that everyone is sending us!
I will post more tomorrow.

5 days until we leave!

2008-09-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

Today was my last day of work until Jan. 5. It seems strange to be done since I only worked for three weeks. The time just flew by!! I will really miss the support that I have received from my friends at work.

We have a pretty busy 5 days ahead of us before we leave to pick up our son. Tomorrow our daughter graduates to her brown belt in karate. We then need to mow the lawn, finish packing, go to Target (of course!), get some groceries, do the laundry and pack the kids for a 10 day stay with Grandma and Grandpa. On Sunday we will be going to church and going out to lunch to celebrate my husband's birthday (he will turn 36 in Ethiopia) and then probably finishing whatever we did not get done on Saturday. On Monday I will be dropping our dog off at the groomers, dropping the kids off at school, going to the adoption agency to pick up some donations and our homestudy, looking at a daycare, eating lunch with my children at school, talking to my son's class about Ethiopia, meeting with our contractor about our bathroom remodeling project, picking the kids up from school, and dropping our dog off at my sisters where she will be staying until we return. On Tuesday we will be taking the kids out of school to spend the day together as a family since we will be apart for 10 days. On Wednesday, we will drop the kids off to school, finish any last packing/shopping and then head to the airport at 12:00. Our flight leaves at 3:15!

I attached pictures of TJ's nursery, the first day of school, and our bathroom remodeling project. I certainly hope our bathroom looks better when we return!!

I am going to try my hardest to post everyday until we return from our trip!

First week of school, Baby Shower, and Update

2008-09-07T20:11:00.000-07:00

The kids had a great first week of school! They love their teachers and were so happy to see their friends. My first two weeks of school went pretty well. I am very busy trying to get everything ready for my leave. My sub will be working with me this week, so hopefully my students will have an easier transition while I am gone.

My sister and two of my friends threw me a baby shower on Sat. I was very overwhelmed, to say the least. My friends and family were very generous and I can't even begin to say how much it meant to me. I am very blessed to have such great people in my life!

We received an update yesterday on TJ. He is almost 14 pounds!!! He has been doing a great job of growing. In just 10 days we will be leaving to meet him. I am very excited and nervous. I have never been away from my two kids for so long and it will be very hard to leave them. I know they will be well taken care of but I will sure miss them!

Update

2008-08-29T07:24:00.001-07:00

It is hard to believe that 3 weeks from today we will be meeting our son for the first time. I am nervous but also really excited. Today, I am going to enjoy my time with my son and daughter and head out to the fair. It is a gorgeous day and it will be nice to be outside and eat unhealthy food.

My son was very excited this morning because I found his snake (I almost had a heart attack). I was washing my hands in the downstairs bathroom and when I picked up the towel to dry my hands, the snake was under the towel. I am not sure where the snake has been for the past couple of days because we cleared everything off the counter looking for it. However, I am thinking the we are probably going to need to let the snake go back into the wild before TJ comes home. Ironically, no one has offered to watch our snake for us:)

Snake Update!

2008-08-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

Well......unfortunately, our son's snake escaped. My son was giving his snake a bath in our bathroom sink and lovingly put the snake back into the container. However, my son forgot to put the cover back on the container and when he came back to check on his snake two hours later, the snake was gone. He was devastated and cried all night long. We are 99% sure that the snake went down the drain. However, if it did not go down the drain, the good news is that the snake was basically the size of a pencil and will not get much bigger...so if it is in our house then it is basically like having a worm in the house. Also, we do have our fierce hunting dog (o.k. she is a wimp and quite small) but I am confident she can take on the snake....just not the cat that has been harassing her. Finally, his wonderful cousin has assured our son that he can get him another snake. I am not sure about that......

Travel Arrangements

2008-08-20T07:07:00.000-07:00

I made our travel arrangements on Monday. We will be leaving on Sept. 17 and arriving in Ethiopia the evening of Sept. 18. We will be staying until Sept. 25 and returning home on Sept. 26. We had been thinking of leaving a couple of days earlier to take a side trip but decided that 10 days would be long enough. After this week, we will be leaving in 3 weeks! Unbelievable!

This is also my last week of the summer before I go back to teaching. It has been a lot of fun hanging out with my daughter these past few days. My son has been busy with sleep overs. He got to stay over at his cousin's house Sunday night and then he went to his other cousin's house on Monday and will be coming home today. He has also become the proud owner of a snake (yikes!!). I am told, by my sister, that it is a very nice snake. I am not sure there is such a thing but he has been wanting on for a very long time. So, we will see how that goes.....I am not really that good around reptiles.

TJ!!!

2008-08-12T15:43:00.000-07:00

Here he is!!!!

Birth Certificate and Travel Date

2008-08-12T15:17:00.000-07:00

We received TJ's birth certificate today! He is such a little cutie I can hardly stand it:) Our adoption specialist told us that he is "WAAAAYYYYYY cute". He really is and I am so excited to finally meet him. We also have an official travel date of Sept. 18. That is the date that we need to arrive in Ethiopia. We will meet him the morning of Sept. 19.

No News....

2008-08-08T13:56:00.000-07:00

We did not receive TJ's birth certificate this week. I thought for sure that we would.....but what can you do. The wait to pick him up is taking a lot longer than I expected but in the world of adoption, you really need to learn how to be patient. I REALLY hope we hear next week!!!

Update

2008-08-04T12:49:00.000-07:00

We did not get TJ's birth certificate but we did get an update on his height and weight. He now weighs 11.9 pounds and is 23.8 inches long. He continues to gain weight and grow so that is a great!

Getting Ready

2008-07-31T13:41:00.000-07:00

We decided we should probably start getting everything ready for the baby and our trip to Ethiopia. I will be going back to work in a little over 3 weeks (ugh) and I would like everything completed before I go back to work. I am really hoping for a mid-September travel date! I have decided to start off the school year and begin my leave when we travel to pick him up. I will then go back to work on Jan. 5.

We were given lists of items that we should bring with us to Ethiopia. Once of the lists included medications that we should pack in case we get sick. Needless to say, I bought all of the medications that were suggested on the list. I now have a small tuperware filled with medicine and first aid supplies:). We also bought all the items that the baby may need while we are in Ethiopia. This week we will begin to get his nursery ready. We have finally figured out how to have a nursery/office.

We also had a phone conference about traveling to Ethiopia with one of our adoption specialists and several other families. The conference was to let us know what to expect when we travel down south to meet our son's birth family. It sounds like a wonderful experience and I am looking forward to it.

I was hoping to get his birth certificate this week but it looks like we will have to wait at least another week before we receive it. We are now just waiting for his birth certificate and then we will be given a travel date. When we get his birth certificate, we will get an updated picture of him. I am really excited to see how much he has changed. Now that he is officially ours, I will be able to post his picture on my blog!

Friends!

2008-07-24T11:34:00.000-07:00

I am very blessed to have great friends and I was able to either talk, e-mail, blog, or hang out with many of them this week. My husband always jokes about my busy social life but I would not have it any other way. There is nothing better than talking to my girlfriends and getting their perspectives and encouragement. I have also been getting in touch with some friends that I have not talked to in a long time. It is funny how even though I may not see them or talk to them as much as I would like, we seem to be able to pick up where we left off. Having friends in your 30s sure seems a lot easier than in your teens and 20s.

I am also very lucky that my friends and family have been so supportive of our adoption. They are always asking me about our baby and for updates. Adoption can be a difficult road. There are many ups and downs and even more unknowns. Since we are adopting from Ethiopia, we will need to raise a son who is proud of his race and his ethnicity. My husband and I have friends and family that have been so supportive of our decision to adopt from another country. It has really made our journey to our son much easier for us.

We did not receive any updates on our adoption or our baby this week. However, with every passing week we are getting closer to meeting our baby boy for the first time. We are now down to 6 - 10 weeks until we travel. I am really getting excited to travel to Ethiopia. I never dreamt that I would have the opportunity to travel to Africa!

Another Week

2008-07-18T14:53:00.000-07:00

We have not heard anything this week regarding our son. I do not expect to hear anything new for another 4 weeks or so.

The kids and I had a great week though. The kids had swimming, tennis, and karate in the mornings and then we spent our afternoons with their friends or just hanging out at home. My daughter had two sleep overs and is a little cranky today because she is so tired. It was fun to just have a lazy and relaxing week. Sometimes I get pretty focused on things that need to get done and forget to slow down and just enjoy the summer. However, next week I need to start getting ready for the baby. I don't really have anything except for some clothes that my sister gave me and a few outfits that I bought, a high chair, and a crib. So, I better start stocking up on bottles, bibs, diapers, and other baby things....it will be fun to start buying those things. I did not want to buy anything before we made it through court just in case something went wrong but now I feel more comfortable going ahead and getting the baby's room ready. I also need to get ready for our trip to Ethiopia. The recommended packing list is quite extensive and we need to bring everything and anything that our baby may need including diapers, bottles, medicine, clothes, blankets, toys, and books. Plus we have a big list for ourselves. I am sure the weeks will go by very quickly now!

He Is Ours!!!

2008-07-11T06:24:00.000-07:00

We made it through court yesterday! We are proud parents of a baby boy and are very excited!! The only down side is that we are going to have to wait longer to get him. In the past, once you made it through court the wait time to travel was 6 - 8 weeks. Now the wait time has been increased to 8 - 12 weeks (which probably means 10 - 12 weeks) However, we are just excited that he is officially our son!!

Update

2008-07-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

We received an update on our baby right before leaving for the 4th of July weekend on Thursday. He continues to gain weight and he has grown 1 cm. All good news!! Thursday is the big day when we go to court in Ethiopia. Hopefully everything will go well. I am hoping to hear something on Friday before we leave for the weekend.....but we may not hear until Monday or Tuesday.

Summer Mehaber

2008-06-30T10:49:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we attend a Summer Mehaber event sponsored by our adoption agency. Mehaber is an Amharic word for an occasional gathering of friends and family. They had Ethiopian food, an African animals petting zoo, inflatable bouncers for the kids, games, and picnic food. We were able to meet other families who have either adopted from Ethiopia or are waiting to adopt from Ethiopia. We had a lot of fun and we are looking forward to going next year with our new son!

2008-06-24T15:56:00.000-07:00

Well I survived the Yellow Fever Vaccine. I felt fine for 24 hours and then Saturday afternoon I felt really tired. I thought that maybe it was because I had stayed out late Wednesday and Thursday night but then I read that if you are going to get sick it is 24 hours after the vaccine is given (good thing because I was worried that I was getting old:) All I have left is a huge bruise on my right arm. Hopefully that will fade pretty soon.

We are attending an Ethiopian Picnic on Saturday. I am hoping to meet some new people. It would be great to connect with other families who have or are going to be adopting from Ethiopia.

We have not received anymore updates on our baby. Hopefully he is doing well. I am looking forward to July 10th and getting through court, then I can begin to get his room ready.

Horse Camp

2008-06-23T07:09:00.000-07:00

My daughter just got back from a week long trip with her aunt, uncle, and 2 cousins. They attended a horse camp during the day and then camped out in a tent at night. She had a wonderful time with her cousins. She also really enjoyed taking care of and riding the horse that was assigned to her. At night, she got to swim in a lake and go for canoe rides. She is a lucky girl!

Court Date!!

2008-06-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

We have a court date for July 10! I am really excited. There is a possibility that the court date may change again though. Ethiopia has been experiencing some power outages that are affecting court hearings. Once we get through court our adoption agency will notify us 1 to 2 days after the hearing to let us know whether or not he is officially our baby according to the Ethiopian government. We then wait 2 - 4 weeks for his birth certificate and then we will travel over to Ethiopia 3 weeks after that. So, it appears that we may be traveling late August/early September. WOW!!

I am off to get my yellow fever vaccine...I hear this one can have some side affects, hopefully I will do o.k.

Update.

2008-06-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

We still do not have a court date. I did end up e-mailing our adoption specialists on Friday and heard back from her today. She said we should hear something shortly and to "hang in there". However, the waiting is getting a little difficult. In the meantime, I should be busy organizing and cleaning out our guest room for the baby but found myself watching the US Open instead.

Shots!

2008-06-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

Today my DH and I went to the traveling clinic and got our shots for Ethiopia. We were able to get all of them except for the Yellow Fever Vaccine. They only give that shot on Fridays, so we will be back in a couple of weeks for that one.
Our adoption specialist also e-mailed me to let me know that she received the care package that we are sending to the baby and it should be on its way to him shortly.

Update!

2008-06-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

We got an update on the baby yesterday. I was surprised because I was not expected one. However, we were happy to learn that he gained a little bit of weight and grew 1 cm. He seems like a healthy little boy!

Today was also my last day of work and now I get to enjoy my summer off with my two kids. I can't wait.

Sending a gift bag to Ethiopia

2008-06-04T18:20:00.000-07:00

We are able to send a gift bag over to Ethiopia for the baby. We just need to make sure that everything fits into a gallon sized Ziploc bag. We decided to include a photo album, a small blanket from my dad, a new outfit, and a new green fuzzy stuffed animal that the kids picked out. We are going to mail the gifts to the agency tomorrow, so hopefully it will be in Ethiopia in a week or two.

We have not heard anything new from the adoption agency. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we will find out about our court date in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, I will be frantically trying to get our house prepared for a new baby. We just had a new furnace and air conditioner installed today. Tomorrow, we will hopefully be getting our basement painted.

Our house is quickly filling up with baby things. My mom and dad bought the baby a new outfit. My mom also found some great clothes at a garage sale. My sister gave us 2 bins of clothes for an older boy and some baby toys. However, the best gift was a light cover made by my 7 year old niece! She put a picture of a horse, bear, and stuffed animals on it--very cute.

Referral!

2008-06-02T18:35:00.000-07:00

After waiting for 8 months, we received a referral for a wonderful 7 week old baby boy on May 22, 2008. We have known about him for 11 days now and it still seems like yesterday when our social worker called to tell us about him. At this point we can only hope and pray that everything will go smoothly. We still need to wait for a court date and then we need to get through court before he is officially ours. We should hear something about his court date within the next couple of weeks.