One Year Together

On May 31st we celebrated one year with K. One year ago we were introduced to this adorable little man in Ethiopia. He fell asleep in my arms before we even left the orphanage, and has been beautifully settling into our family ever since. We plan to celebrate this day with him at an Ethiopian restaurant on a yearly basis.

K's growth and development has amazed his doctors, and us. His doctor printed his growth charts for us to keep because it is so crazy how much he has spiked in so little time. He seems to grow before our very eyes. He is now wearing things his 4 year old brother only grew out of six months ago and is only 5 pounds behind him in weight. He is walking, talking, climbing, figuring, and understanding just as he should be. We are so proud!

We had K dedicated before our congregation at Colorado Community Church last month. We recognize that God has given K to us and we now give Him reign over K's life. We acknowledge that He is in control and that we cannot do this on our own. We commit to raising K to know Jesus and to guide him in his spiritual journey. What a meaningful way to end our year together! Both sets of grandparents, Great Grandma Alice, Uncle Nate, Aunt Brooke, and the Mercers, joined us for his day. It was very special to have them all there.

The last few months we have been working on the validation of his adoption for the State of Colorado. His adoption is official according to Ethiopian and US courts, but not Colorado courts. Not all states require this further step, but ours does. Adoption agencies do not help out with this process unless you pay them a great deal more money so we are doing it on our own. The process is also different for every county. We've had to be re-fingerprinted and get new background checks, now we are gathering all the forms and paperwork needed to go along with those for the court. I found step-by-step instructions for Denver and have followed them "to the T", only to realize half of what is needed is not in those instructions for some reason. We went and turned in most of it the other day but still need some things from our agency. When we get those, we will get a court date. And then we can get his US birth certificate and SSN. Yes, I realize that I have been slow in this process compared to most families but it was pretty difficult to be motivated when we already had our baby and I needed a break.

K has grown into our family so well. We so enjoy watching him learn, grow, and connect. The first few months he was home he was pretty scared of Z and would just yell anytime Z came near him. Now they play together really well. One of their favorite games is for Z to grab one end of a jump rope, K the other, and then Z leads him all around the house. Very fun! I love hearing them giggle together while I'm doing work around the house. The last few weeks there has been lots of arguing in between the fun so brotherhood has officially set in.

He loves going "bye-bye". It doesn't matter where to. If we are outside and he gets to go a little further than normal with Daddy, he turns around saucily, looks at me, and says very proudly "BYE!" He hates when others get to leave and he does not. Probably one of his saddest moments.

We are letting his hair grow out right now. It grows fast and is getting pretty long. He has a beautiful 'fro going. I can't stand combing his hair every morning and listening to him cry and say "owie". Don't know how long this will last but it is soooo cute!

He still loves cars. They have been one of his favorite things since we brought him home. He can still sit and roll a car back and forth for quite a while. He is very into Baby Einstein movies right now. He begs to watch it four or five times a day and really hates our one time a day rule. He likes to read books, take baths, and follow Mommy around. He loves to be outside and especially loves slides and swings. He has no fear when it comes to playground equipment. He will climb or slide down anything no matter how big or tall.

He is a very picky eater though he has come a long way. He cries when we put veggies or fruit on his spoon or plate. Weird textures really bother him. And if he really hates it he will just hold the food in his mouth for twenty minutes. Yum!

He is, however, a very good sleeper. Once we got him on his routine, he did very well and has very few issues. Yay!!!

He is stubborn and independent, he likes to escape when given the chance, and Mommy's "No!" means very little too him. But he is lovable, sweet, happy, and adorable which more than makes up for it. :) We love him dearly and are so so grateful to be his parents.

The end of a wonderful trip, and the beginning of new things

We had a good four days in NH just relaxing, spending time with family, and bonding with our new little one. I.'s brother and his family came down from Maine to have a little celebration with us. It was really neat to see them all and have some fun together. The kids all had a great time swimming, playing soccer, and hanging out with one another. It was probably our last trip to NH for a while as I.'s parents will be moving out here in August. It was good to say goodbye and do all the NH things before we left.

We headed back to CO on Thursday. The plane trip was pretty uneventful. It was a long day but went pretty smoothly. We had a straight through flight which I think was rather nice, no layovers or change of planes, especially with two children. My parents and brother greeted us at the airport and then we headed over to Mom and Dad's for lunch so most of my family and I.'s sister were able to meet K. He was a little freaked out by all the white people again and seemed to really connect with Nate and Brooke, and their darker skin. It was good to see everyone again, give souvenirs, discuss our trip, and share pictures.

Since coming back we have been quite busy. We bought a new house and moved in the following week. We are still trying to get settled. We've also had many events to go to and out-of-town company. I was hoping that things might slow down then but really it's only getting started. September through December are our busiest months with all of our families birthdays, including K's and the Holidays. We might have some free time in January.

But really things are going quite well. It was stressful in the beginning. We had so much going on and a newly adopted child. Getting to know and become attached to a child who hasn't known you for the first 9 months of his life isn't easy. He has luckily adjusted very quickly and is a good sleeper so that helps tremendously. Just don't be fooled, it is a process and it is tough at times. We love him very much though and are really enjoying ourselves.

The brothers were a little hesitant at first, and at times still are, but have really done well for the most part.

K has picked up some sign language already and is very easily adjusting to the new place. He's everywhere!

We've begun painting but still have lots more to do. We are excited but most be patient and wait until the budget allows. I. is thoroughly enjoying a 4.5 mile drive to work, and has a new small motorbike to take on nice days. It is so good to be in a place that we can grow into and be settled for a while.

We just feel so content and blessed by God. In the last seven months He has really astounded us with his faithfulness. We are glad we heard His call to adopt and were able to trust and follow Him even when it seemed impossible. Praise God, for He is good!

Homeward Bound

Friday morning dawned and it was beautiful. We were going home that day!!! There is so much about Ethiopia to love but with a brand new baby, it was difficult to enjoy. I was very excited to get home where Ashe could play on the floor, we would have everything we needed, and we could get a better night's sleep.

We were picked up from the main house to go to the German Embassy. Again, the Embassy was nothing fancy and much smaller than the American Embassy. We filled out the application and turned it in. After waiting for 20 minutes they called us to the front and said, "Okay. It will be ready on Monday." And we responded, "Ummm...we leave tonight." So they told us they could do it but it would be a little while. After an hour and a half of watching flies, we were called up again. This time everything was in order and we were off. Yay!

The rest of the afternoon we just packed and cleaned up. I. rested as he still felt terrible. We said our goodbyes and we were picked up at 5:00 p.m. for the airport. Our driver couldn't take us any further than the curb. He helped us get our bags out and then left. We were quickly overtaken by a few men who kept motioning that we needed to pay them money. I finally figured out they were porters. There was a sign nearby that said porters were available upon request but, apparently, they were not asking. So we paid them $2 and they helped us inside. After clearing security, a very easy security, he took us to the check-in desk. He sat us at a bench and said to wait there and he would be back. People were starting to line up and we thought it weird that he left us there instead of in line. After five minutes we just took our own bags over to the line. The man never came back.

We had plenty of time before we boarded our plane so we did some last minute shopping. It was definitely more expensive than the market but much easier. All the stores at the market were organized by what they carried. To get to something different we would have had to walk quite a ways. So we saw a lot of the same thing. We boarded our very full flight and headed out. Ashe did pretty well and the flight went surprisingly quick. We did, however, dread heading back to Frankfurt for a 6 hour layover, especially with K now.

We managed to find a seat and ordered some McDonald's for breakfast. We patiently waited for our flight to show up on the board so we knew where to go. Ashe was not happy to have to sit so still and have nowhere to play. Needless to say, it was a very long and boring wait. I was able to sleep in a hallway on some seats for a little bit while K and Daddy walked. I needed that!

We were so happy to get on that last plane, and so lucky. It was a much bigger plane and we got to have a bulkhead seat. Bassinets at the bulkhead row is a new addition for these planes and a godsend! The stewardesses set it up quickly and attach it to the wall. K was asleep before we were even in the air and slept for three hours straight! We also had meals and individual tvs. The meals were pretty bad this time around but the movies were wonderful. K ate and then slept some more. It was a much easier flight. It didn't go by quite as quick as I thought it would but only because I missed Isaiah terribly. I was much too anxious to see him.

We landed and headed for customs. It wasn't bad though we did have to go through a few extra steps that we normally wouldn't have. We also tried to take a picture at baggage and got in trouble with security. Apparently, that is a big no no! They might want to put up a sign. Wade greeted us as we arrived in the main terminal and we headed to the car where we managed to stuff all our luggage in.

Then we made the long drive to NH. It was K's first time in a car seat and he was a little freaked out. I had to hold his hand the whole time. I had hoped he would sleep but no such luck.

We arrived and Wade ran in to get Z and Carol. They came out with the video camera rolling. I heard Z screaming, "My brother is here, my brother is here!" We were welcomed in to balloons and presents, hugs and kisses. I. headed towards the couch and was out for the rest of the night. I was exhausted but remained awake to try to get K on the new schedule, and to eat tacos!!! Thanks Carol! We bathed the boys and then all went to bed. It was lovely!

I. woke up sick on our Thursday in Ethiopia. He couldn't tell if it was a stomach bug or a cold. We were hoping it wasn't something he ate in Nazaret. As the day went on he felt worse and ended up with a very high fever by afternoon. The rest of the trip was pretty miserable for him, and subsequently, for me.

We were supposed to wait at the main guesthouse on Thursday for Ashe's visa and passport to arrive. Then they would take us over to the German Embassy to apply for his transit visa. He needed this just to go through their airport since he had an Ethiopian passport. So we went over to the guesthouse and watched some tv, looked at magazines, and napped. They came about 11 or so with the paperwork we needed but said that the German Embassy would be closing and we wouldn't have enough time to go. We would have to wait until the next day. We were leaving the next night so were a little nervous in case it didn't happen then.

We called Jonathan to tell him what was going on. Since we had the time we took advantage of it and went to the Mercato. It is the largest outdoor market in Africa. After 4 hours there, we saw a very small portion of it. We spent lots of time walking around and looking at the "shops". We were able to get lots of neat things, especially items to give Ashe on his birthdays. Isaac was especially proud of his antique knife purchase, to give Ashe when he comes of age. And I was excited to find matching traditional wear for he and Z. We also bought jewelry, decorations, and coffee ceremony supplies. We got great deals as we had Jonathan and his cousins to barter for us. In fact, someone told Jonathan they would have charged us double had he not been there. They also helped our armloads of goods. It did rain on us off and on so we had to run from store to store and avoid the mud as best as we could. It didn't rain very hard until we were just ready to go home. I loved the scene of twenty or so women lined up against a wall sitting on boxes and bags with umbrellas to protect them from the torrential downpours.

Sadly we saw many crippled people making their way through the streets and mud on their hands. They wore flip flops over their hands to protect them and dragged the rest of their bodies behind them. It was devastating to see these poor people without the money or means to get the care they needed or simply a wheelchair. We offered money to those we could though it felt like so little.

Poor I. was leaning on the rest of us by the time we bought our last item. We made it through the water and mud to the car and headed back to the house. I. went to bed and I spent time packing up our things. We almost took I. to the hospital but managed to avoid it and get through the night.

En route to Nazaret

On Wednesday we decided to rent a car for the remainder of the trip instead of paying for a taxi. It cost about $20 a day to rent a car, the same amount it cost to pay a driver for two hours. Again, this was something we wouldn't have been able to do without Jonathan. His cousin's friend rented the car under his name and his cousin's were in charge of driving it. One used to be able to drive with an American license in Ethiopia but they just recently changed that law. This gave us the freedom to do more that we wanted and more freedom for Jonathan as well. So we planned to drive to Nazaret, a small town to the west of Addis. We were told it was one of the favorite towns to visit. It also had a resort area that we planned to visit. They picked up the car on Tuesday night. It was a little nerve wracking as his cousin has only ever driven big trucks. He stalled several times in the car unable to get it started again. Was this what our whole drive would look like?

So we got going pretty early and made the hour and a half drive. After a lot of failed attempts, Jonathan took over the driving for his cousin. Technically it was illegal but Jonathan was willing to take the risk. We got out of the city and Jonathan hopped in the driver's seat. It was a pretty scary ride for me. Jonathan had never driven in Ethiopia before and it is so different than driving here in the US. There are basically no traffic rules. There are guidelines but nothing is enforced. People swerve and drift into the different lanes, honk when they want by, people and animals walk in the middle of the road, children are not in car seats, and drivers go when they think they can make it. Jonathan was going pretty fast and seemed a bit distracted. Then it happened...he had just finished telling us that if you hit a someone's cow you will have to pay them a hefty sum of money because it is their livelihood...and then Jonathan hit a donkey. He was trying to help his cousin adjust a mirror. We saw it coming and tried to tell him, but it didn't register in time. He finally looked up, slammed on the brakes, and skidded for several seconds. We stopped the car and Jonathan talked to the owner of the donkey. The donkey had just walked off almost as if nothing had happened. Jonathan offered the money but the man decided to take down the license plate and call if need be. The hood of the car was dented and the headlight pushed in. We were all in shock. Jonathan felt really bad and was pretty tense. We finally took off again hoping to figure out the damage when we got to our destination.

We arrived at the friend's home and were invited in. As with the other house we visited, it was well kept up and relatively nice inside. We were served food, I. and I being very careful to eat only what we thought safe but still trying to show appreciation. We had more coffee. We stayed quite a while as Jonathan had lots of talking to do. A woman at the house ended up being his mom's best friend from long ago. She remembered Jonathan as a child and confirmed some of his earliest memories. It was incredible. It was a very relaxing environment, quiet, and enjoyable. I. said he could see us living in a place like that. I, however, was stressed out trying to take care of Ashe and get him to sleep. I was thankful for the time spent but glad when we were headed back. We ended up not having time for visiting the resort. We got back that evening and crashed.

We don't actually know yet what happened with the car situation. They were able to move the headlight back but the dent was still pretty evident. When we left they still had the car so...at least it wasn't under our name. :)

A taste of home

Finally we got over to browse the Hilton today. We were planning on going the day before but ran out of time. I was dying to go. I needed of taste of America, a change of pace, and some pizza. I had heard they had good pizza. Plus, I thought it would be nice to see Dan and Karin if we had time. We decided to leave at 10 and get picked up there with Dan and Karin for our Embassy appointment at 2. We managed to look at a few shops but did not buy much as it was expensive. We visited Dan, Karin, and Mandela at the pool. I desperately wanted to swim but we didn't have our suits with us. Then we went to go get pizza for lunch only to find out they only serve pizza at night. So we ate at another restaurant there instead. We then needed to stop at the supermarket to get the formula and cereal we had needed to get for the last 3 days. It's impossible to make anything happen there. So we quickly did their coffee ceremony which was not as good as what we had Sunday night but still delicious. Then we got the supermarket and money exchange taken care of before we went to wait outside for our ride to the Embassy.

Jonathan accompanied us to the Embassy but he had not brought his passport so he was not allowed in. Nothing about the Embassy was impressive. It was a lot like the DMV, maybe not as nice. We went through security and then sat and waited for our names to be called. Dan and Karin were first and seriously took less than 5 minutes. They had no complications and then it was our turn. It was cool to experience it with another couple and be able to encourage and congratulate each other. Our turn went just as quickly and we were on our way. This appointment had been the main thing we were working towards for so long. It was the big test. You pass it, everything is good. It was strange to have it done so quickly and easily.

The rest of the day we just relaxed and went to bed early as we had an eventful little road trip planned for the next day.

Manic Monday

Ashe woke up at 7 a.m. again Monday morning. We slept a little better. I was up at 5, me from 1-2. We got ready quickly when Ashe woke up and went to the other house as were supposed to be picked up at 9. We fed Ashe his beloved cereal and then he fell asleep right at 9. This kid falls asleep anywhere (that all changed once we got home). He slept until 11, and still no one had picked us up. I. talked much with the Danish couple and I slept some. What a boring morning though just waiting to get picked up. I. finally called Robel and found out we wouldn't be picked up until 11:30. So our driver finally came to get us for the two appointments we were not aware of until we picked up Ashe on Saturday.

We went with the other CWA couple to the orphanage and met with the CWA counselor. She didn't speak English very well. Her job was to discuss their history with us and then see if we needed anything else. She started with Ashe but as they don't know too much, we were done pretty quickly. We did ask about the strange mark on his tummy. At first they didn't really know what to say or what to do. They finally got in touch with the doctor that had treated him and we found out he had had ringworm. They had treated it twice and now it was just on the mend. I was a little nervous that it might be contagious, luckily we know now it wasn't.

We were very frustrated that they hadn't told us about these appointments until we got to Addis. We had already arranged to meet our sponsored child from Compassion that day. By the time we found out, it was the weekend and we tried to reach our Compassion contact but just had to leave a message. We knew our sponsored child would be picked up very early on Monday morning. They called Monday morning while we were waiting to be picked up for our appointments and said they were in town and they would be there soon. We had to explain what happened and ask if they could come later, though we weren't sure when we would be back. They finally relented but were not very happy about it. There was nothing we could do.

Everything there was so uncertain and out of our control. It was very frustrating. By the way, I wrote this journal entry by candlelight. We had no power two full days while we were there. Apparently, they just don't have power two days of the week so that other cities can have power. They all alternate. There was one other day that we were without power most of the day for some other reason. We also lost water a couple of times. It felt very 1800's to write by candlelight. They never replenished our two small candles so by the end of the trip, we were down to almost nothing.

We went straight from counseling to the head office where we filled out our immigration forms with help. It was nervewracking because I just happened to have that paperwork with us. I didn't know we would be filling it out at that time. Also, we didn't have our 2007 tax forms and we thought we were going to need to get them sent or something, but they let us just take everything back a year. The whole process took another 40 minutes and we got back to the guesthouse at 2:00.

M, her project worker, and the Compassion coordinator came at about 3:30. He, the coordinator and our contact, gave us a huge guilt trip for rescheduling and he wasn't a very helpful translator. It was very awkward. M was precious and her project worker as well. They ate while there. I think they stayed about 3 hours. We kept waiting for them to leave. It was awesome to see M but very difficult to communicate, the guesthouse was crazy busy and Ashe was hard to watch. Just thirty minutes after M came, Jonathan came in with his three cousins and 2 friends. It was a madhoue. I felt so bad. Then Ashe had a nasty diaper and it went everywhere. We had to deal with all that while trying to visit. It was a crazy evening but we were blessed to see M. She loved her gifts, especially the doll. Her and I both had tears when we said goodbye.

As soon as she left, we all went to bed. It was a an exhausting day.