The Easter Egg

We love Thursday morning play group. We had an easter egg hunt this week followed by a pot luck brunch. In the process of doing a simple explanation for easter egg hunts, some moms and I got a good laugh.

"Okay kids, it's Easter on Sunday so we are hunting for eggs today. But Easter is more about Jesus dying on the cross and rising again. Easter also involves a bunny, although the most important part is Jesus. Anyway, we are going out to hunt for eggs. Just a tradition we do to celebrate Easter."

Too bad I didn't "Wikipedia" Easter egg before we went to play group this morning. I think I'll organize another Easter egg hunt for the Jones family celebration on Sunday where I will be more prepared to give a better explanation. As I am sure you will be "all ears." Because I just learned that the egg was a symbol of the rebirth of the earth in celebrations of spring and was adopted by early Christians as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus. So the two are connected. There ya go. Thanks wikipedia.

360 Happy Hour

My work via these ladies threw us a welcome home party. It was so fun and adorably decorated. I can't believe I didn't take more photos. They had many balloons attached to bubbles with the colors of the Ethiopian flag. Craft paper lined the tables with markers. There were waffle cones, ice cream, sprinkles, cake, and of course wine and beer for the big people. You enjoyed your first ice cream cone at this party! The people there are great. Everyone was playing with you, hugging you, carrying you around. Ababayeh and I could have left the party and you would have been fine for hours! They had much love to give.

Thank you Kim, Megan, & Meaghan for hosting the party. We had a blast!

After Party

The boys.

The ladies.

You laugh so hard with Grandpa Ben. It's the best little giggle. He's so funny.

The Jones Clan.

Thank you friends, for standing with us as we dedicated our son to the Lord today, and for walking along side us as we learn the ropes of parenthood. You friendships are golden.

Your Baptism!

Time with the Cullys

My friend Kate wrote about our stay with them over spring break in Arkansas. Read about it on her blog!

Belated B-Day

Happy Birthday T! (officially yesterday)


Happy birthday friend! Wow, have we really lived together for 3 years? When we bought this house you moved in with us and we put up the Christmas tree together right away! It has been so great to have you here. We love you "T." Michael loves watching sports with you and I love living with not one (hubby) but two (that's you) of my favorite people! And now we have a 4th little person in our house, and it's so fun to watch the two of you interact. Tegegne loves you and thinks about you several times a day. Usually at breakfast and lunch he'll say, "Bye bye Ababayeh, bye bye T."


For breakfast Micah made "T" strawberry crepes and I just happened to be awake to enjoy them as well! They were delicious! After dinner the two of them made a yummy blackberry cobbler in her cast iron skillet.

Taryn enjoyed dinner at Cherith Brook where Micah lives and shares his life. Both of them are very involved in this ministry and community. I have been quite encouraged to hear of their stories and see the work of the Lord through this place and these people. Here is a bit of their mission, but check out their blog.

Cherith Brook is a residential Christian community committed to sharing table fellowship with strangers and all our resources with one another. We have found our inspiration from the early church, the Church of the Saviour and the Catholic Worker.

Our daily lives are structured around practicing the works of mercy as found in Jesus' teachings. We are committed to regularly feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, visiting the prisoner and the sick in the name of Jesus. ~As followers of Jesus we understand our lives to be centered in God's Shalom. Cherith Brook strives to be a "school" for peacemaking in all its dimensions: political, communal, and personal, working constantly to undo poverty, racism and militarism. ~All of these can be summed up as the struggle to connect with the God of life. We pray that Cherith Brook be a space where all of us - the broken - can come to learn and relearn the ways of Jesus; a place to struggle together for God's call of love, mercy, peace and justice.

The Drop Off Lane

Home in Union Hill for sale.

So I was talking on the phone with our adoption social worker while driving through some unfamiliar neighborhoods to stall before our 10am appointment. I was noticing the lovely homes around Union Hill, and kept driving. While trying to focus on my conversation, I turned a corner and realized I was in the school drop off lane for the Foreign Language Academy! I wanted to laugh out loud, but was still on the phone with the sw. There was no way out, so I stayed in the line and it felt like I was dropping you off for school. I saw many darling little dark skinned kids with their backpacks on ready for a big day. You'll be in school soon enough, and I'm not ready to be in the drop off lane for real.

We got out of the school driveway and made it to our 10 am appt early. Getting you to nap was much harder today than normal, but you are sound asleep so I must get some work done!

Mom

A Party

You loved playing with all of your sweet cousins at Macie's birthday party. They have a lot of pink and girly things at their house. I noticed you were quickly in and out of the tent full of girls thinking where is the manliness around here?

BTW, I've noticed from the JW Playgroup, this party, and shopping at Gap Kids that pushing a baby stroller could be one of your favorite past times.

Hole Diggers

My boys were hard at work digging holes to set the posts for our deck. Ababayeh has worked his rear off digging these holes for 4 days in the snow and all! We are ready for the fun part of the deck to begin. These photos are pre-snow. I should take a picture of it now because the concrete is caked with mud because of the snowy slush. Owen came into the house several times with the muddiest feet I've seen yet. Needless to say, I must deep mop the floors. Gramma Debby, wanna come help?

Snow What?

Happy Spring! Happy Snowfall! Sunny one day, snowy the next, and warm and sunny again today. You are quite interested in the snow and enjoy eating it. In the second photo you are crying because there is snow on your hand. You must toughen up little one. At the same time, I should work on getting some gloves on your hands.