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amazing photographer
.......she captured our trip on film

Final slideshows

Last 2 slideshows from Ethiopia Email me for link to others-alexander@integrity.com

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Friday, June 24, 2011

adoption today

This pic makes me so happy! 


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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

abe update

When we were in San Antonio I had a good conversation with a friend of my sisters.  He has a nephew with CP as well as a good friend of the family.  He said something that struck me and made me realize that I need to be better about sharing the little milestones along our journey.

Often times people want to see the BIG, the MIRACULOUS and fail to miss the very miracles that take place daily.  Abe has made SO much progress, sometimes in tiny little increments and other times it is HUGE.

If you have followed the blog for any time, you are aware that sleep has never been Abe's friend.  He didn't sleep through the night for over 2 years and naps were hit or miss.  In order to get little man to sleep required one of about 4 people (myself, Moody, Avery and Gloria) to give him a bottle and rock him until he was SOUND asleep.  Trust me, many dear people tried but no one else could break him.  So while we celebrated his tenacity, it made going anywhere VERY difficult.  He either stayed up really late until I got home (if Moody was with me) or sweet Avery did it for us.  Imagine when we went out of town for the rare getaway?  Avery would sleep in our bed after getting him down in anticipation of his waking up.  You just never knew.  Sometimes it would be 5 am, other times midnight.  Then you didn't know if he would immediately go back down (in our bed) or if it would require hours of work.  

You just really didn't know what to expect.  Yes, we were tired, but you also just do what you have to do.......it doesn't hurt that he is so darn cute!  

I have prayed over and over that he would start to sleep and always rested in the knowledge that the Lord was using this to sanctify and refine me.  Anyone remember why I didn't want an infant referral back when we started the process in 2007?? It was because I didn't want to lose any sleep.  Oh the Lord has a funny sense of humor!

My sweet friend Kristin was recently in town and I was telling her that I was going to have to try to sleep train Abe again this summer.  She encouraged me to get many people praying before I began.  I fully intended to do just that.  We left for San Antonio that next day and after I long day in the car, we were all tired.  We were getting the other kiddos to bed in the next room and then started the feeding, rocking, and begging process. :)  Moody had to run downstairs to look at something for his lecture the next am and Eyasu needed me in the next room.  I put Abe in his bed (fully expecting the usual immediate most-pitiful-tears-you-have-ever-seen) and went to check on Eyasu.  I came back in very quietly because guess what????? NO TEARS.  He stirred for a bit and then he was OUT.  I sat there stunned and so very thankful.  Moody came back and couldn't believe it either.  

Well he has now done that for almost every night and nap since then!!!!! We are praising the Lord for this good gift.  For us sleep was something we never knew if we would enjoy regularly again.  We feel amazing to be getting good, quality, consistent sleep. It is also so great to tell the kids, "I will be right back, I'm going to put Abe down" and actually mean it.  Often the process took so long that Moody had them in bed by the time Abe gave up and went to sleep.  

So to all of you that have faithfully prayed that Abe would sleep, THANK YOU!  We are so grateful.  We also pray we are good stewards of this renewed slumber.  

Here is short video of Eyasu helping with therapy.  Sometimes he laughs so hard we have to tell the kids to stop so he can catch his breath. :)  He is such pure joy.
video

 Abe working hard in therapy!
 Going for a swim with sissy.  He loves the water!


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Sunday, June 19, 2011

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Father's Day daddy!  I pray you feel loved today. :)


Babe, what a blessing to parent these kiddos with you.  You are an amazing father.  Love you. 
p.s- I need to take more pics of you with the each child, just realized that.......... :)



Wick, Happy Father's Day.  Thank you for loving and raising your son well.  I benefit greatly! :)




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Friday, June 17, 2011

joy of giving

Enjoy this video of Kristen Bell going to the site in Ethiopia she raised money for her 30th video.

Kristen Bell visits Northern Ethiopia from charity: water (special donors) on Vimeo.




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Tuesday, June 14, 2011

brotherly love

"Love one another with brotherly affection, Outdo one another with in showing honor." Romans 12:10
(big brother comforting Abe after he got off of a ride)

We just returned from a trip to San Antonio. The big boys were at church camp in Colorado and flew down to meet us while the rest of us enjoyed a nice long weekend there. Moody was speaking at a tooth meeting and we got to play at the fabulous new J.W Marriott Hill Country resort. I was very happy to have all my chicks back under my wing once they returned. :)

Hill turned 15 yesterday. Hard to believe. Really hard to believe. Do I really have a high schooler now?? Wow.

Hill is a great kid, natural leader and a joy to parent. Moody and I were so proud of him yesterday as he chose to spend his birthday celebrating Abe, not himself. We went to the most amazing amusement park in San Antonio for special kids called Morgan's Wonderland.

It was incredible. We all had a blast. I think the teenagers had the most fun. Moody and I felt so blessed! Enjoy the little video Avery made of our time at the park.  Abe's smile says it all.



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Wednesday, June 8, 2011

savannah's video



My computer is acting really nutty- have made several posts with pics of Dube Bute and nada.....so I am tired and off to bed. :)  Enjoy the video that Savannah and Pam took on recent trip to Ethiopia.  Dube Bute has my heart, so ready to return!  The progress is so encouraging. I will share details soon, assuming my computer starts behaving.

Oh, and some other fun news to share too.
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Thursday, June 2, 2011

blowing out candles

So much to write about and can't seem to find time.

Yesterday my man had a birthday!!  I love getting to celebrate his life.  I am blessed beyond measure to get to be his partner in life.

We had cake at lunch and at dinner!  Avery made TWO AMAZING cakes for dinner.  One 3 layer Italian cream cake and one 2 layer red velvet.  YUMMY.  Both totally from scratch, cake and icing.  She has mad baking skills.



A Dube Bute update in the works.  You won't believe it.  Brings me to tears. 

Was going to post a pic but blogger is acting up.  Hope to try again later.  Until then, trust me or head over here to see for yourself. :)


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emily
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from becoming polluted by the world." James 1:27
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