last weekend

last weekend we played. auntie t, owen, your dad and i visited Big Sky Ranch aka Gramma Debby and Grandpa Ben's house. they have 80 acres of land with two big ponds, a bunch of trees, and beautiful open land. saturday morning taryn, g. debby and i went on a 2 hour walk around the land. your dad, g. ben, and great g. orville chopped down a tree that afternoon. we came back to the city refreshed. this happens every time we go there. we got home sunday and your dad put in a fireplace. by himself. he is self-motivated and determined. now we have a cozy and warm house for you. it was a great weekend. we hope yours was great too.

love, mom

p.s. my friend brandi is coming to meet your dad and i, see your room and pick up your package this saturday. and NEXT weekend she will be visiting you and picking up her son. i'm so excited that i get to hug her, then she will pass the hug on to you. and the package. i really can't believe she gets to see you.

an update

Hey there sonny boy! Just wanted to let you know that we are still waiting for a court date. We do however have a care package coming your way in November. With the list of families that is kept by the mom's in the yahoo group it shows that our court date is one of the next ones to be scheduled--so maybe we'll hear this week. In the mean time, your dad laughs because I'll go in your room nightly to hang out, or redecorate something. Here's your room. We hope to fill the wall by your bed with colorful photos from Ethiopia and our journey to bring you home!

New rugs from Grandma Debby's Store!

Your cuddly bedtime friends.

Your chalk board door!

Your sweet little yellow bed.

Talk soon,

Mom

tricycle, bicycle

william eggleston, tricycle

Will you like this bike? I hope so. You'll probably ride this type for a while, then we'll get you a bigger one, and then a better one, and hopefully we'll be able to go out together. What I would love would be to have to chase you down because you are so fast on the mountain bike and/or road bike. Just a little dream I have. We'll see...

Some more friends that want to meet you...

In this room rest 18, 8-9 year olds that want to meet you.  They continually ask about you, and ask why you have yet to come meet them.  These students are so fun.  You will really have a good time meeting them and playing with them.  As we look at globes in Social Studies, my students continually tell me as they point, "Voila, il habite ici en Ethiopie!"  They love to show me where your country is, and are still amazed that you are coming from so far away.  

I have asked them if they know anyone who is adopted, and most of them have previous experiences with children who are adopted.  They are curious in the same sense of what it means for their teacher to leave them for a few weeks, go across the world, find his son, and come back a father.  It isn't typical, but it is good and necessary.  

Sometimes they ask if they can see your picture again, and again, and again.  It never gets old for me to see their inquisitive minds.  

You have hundreds of people who are awaiting your arrival.  Amongst them are these 18 students who can achieve anything they desire.  For now they wait like your mother and I.  

I tell my class I will bring them back souvenirs, so you'll have to show me what 3rd graders would like over there (nothing too pricey...i have to get multiples...)  

we're coming soon...

Times they are a changing

Son - 

Of the many new experiences you will have here at your new home, you will be introduced each fall to the leaves that change colors.  This is especially beautiful where we live.  Though you may miss the change this year, for about 3 weeks in October it is as if Jesus paints every leaf on most of the trees where we live just for us to see His beauty.  This is one of the most treasured times of the year for me.  It reminds me that Jesus still wants to pursue me, and still wants to make good out of me and my life.  He wishes the same for you, and He will not cease His pursuit of you my young man.  

If you ever forget, just look at the beauty around you.  

             

I am reminded everyday when I look out my classroom window.  Here is my view, and why I catch myself staring when I get a minute.  I hope you'll be watching with me soon...

   

i wished for you

i just got two really special books in the mail from a sweet friend. one of them is called "i wished for you." this is a wonderful book that we can read together. you know why? because I wished for YOU too, yes, last December I wished for YOU! i cannot wait to get cuddly with you and tell stories of your adoption journey. i cannot wait for you to ask question after question. do you know how often i think of you? i think of you while brushing my teeth, while shopping for bananas, while logging onto my computer at work. i think of you while driving home, while cooking dinner, while climbing into bed...it's true...i think of you often throughout my day.

your dad too. he always asks me what i think you are doing.

we long to bring you to our cozy home on liberty street. until then be well dear child.

F-O-O-D

ethiopian food

Hey Son,

Are you eating well today? How about that injera, huh? (pancake-like break made out of teff flour) I bet you love that stuff. You guys eat almost every meal with injera, right? And with your right hand only? I will try to cook injera for you, but if I don't succeed I will go to our Ethiopian market or we will go to the Blue Nile, k? We already have some Berbere (red Ethiopian spice) at home to cook with, and some Ethiopian tea (Thanks to your Autie Taryn, aka Big T these days). Your dad and I have eaten a meal with berbere twice. We liked it. I've heard that you could be in love with popcorn. Ethiopian coffee ceremonies include popcorn, right? Have you been to a traditional coffee ceremony? Are you going to like the microwaved PC in a bag, or should I start doing stove top popcorn? (Can you help me with this, aunt jessie?) We are excited to be in Ethiopia and try your food first hand. Before we leave we will find some local favorite restaurants, so you can get some last tried and true Ethiopian food. We will do a sampler platter, to find out what Ethiopian dishes you really like.

Speaking of food, I am going home to make a nice pot of chili. Yum.

Talk soon, k?

Love,

Mom

sunburst story

http://sunburstwomen.com/

ps 112

Praise the Lord.

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.

His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.

Wealth and riches are in his house,

and his righteousness endures forever.

Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.

Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.

Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.

He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.

Psalm 112: 1-8

let's have...

a puppet show!

the moose

the monkey

or the giraffe

which one do you want to be? i bet auntie jessie will thumb wrestle you for the giraffe.

via designmom

little eskimo

(old navy)

Your dad and I keep talking about how we are going to have to dress you like an eskimo this winter when we take you outside. Burrrrrr. I thought instead of eskimo atire that you may want to sport a pair of these cute little fleece-lined jeans. Or maybe you prefer the eskimo look. You tell me...

(eskimo boy)

Hello there

Hello there dear. Gosh I've missed writing to you. How is life at the transition home? They making you eat spinach and collard greens? I sure hope not. We won't make you eat that stuff until your 12, okay? Do you even know that you are in transition? It's okay if you don't know. Maybe we will show up there and you will be very surprised. But if you are expecting us in the near future, that is good too. Your dad and I are doing well. He is working hard to install a ceiling fan in your room tonight, because next weekend we are getting a wood burning stove insert. The fan will circulate the heat so you will stay cozy and warm through winter. Winter means cold temperatures, so we must wear extra layers and heat our homes. It's also a time for us to drink hot cocoa and sled down the big hill at the park. Winter is cold, but very fun. Lots of family gatherings also happen in the winter.

Your sweet Grandma Debby spent the weekend here preparing for you. We painted your room SW Raindrop and your door is covered in chalkboard paint. Your Grandpa Ben also sent a sweet gift along. I'll let you see it when you get here.

Did I mention that we are so glad that God created adoption? God adopted us into his family just like your dad and I are adopting you into our family. Adoptions are really special.

I have one more thing to tell you. Son, above all else God is good. He is good and he loves you.

Let's talk soon.

Mom

slight delay

by Uncommon Goods

Little T,

What's up buttercut? Hope you are enjoying the day. So there is a delay in the Ethiopian courts opening. They have been closed for a while and were supposed to open towards the beginning of October. Now they say they are opening back on Oct 12 will not schedule new appointments until a week or so after because they have to catch up on the already scheduled appointments. As we wait, I do not want to get caught in the waiting. I want to prepare and pray and be present here. I know that the good Lord is watching out for you. But I hope you know soon who we are and that we are coming for you. We got to ask 5 questions about you today that will be sent to Ethiopia and answered by your caretakers. One of the questions regarded your personality. I am excited to get the response to that question.

In the mean time, it's turning into fall. We have a large window in our attic bedroom and we see the treetops turning from green to yellow. It is beautiful around here. It's also time for warm tomato soup and grilled cheese. Yum.


Talk soon dear child.

What if...

Son - 

Lately your mom and I have been thinking collectively and by ourselves about what it would mean to adopt more from Africa.  What if you aren't the last one we adopt.  What if you have other brothers from Africa, some older or younger?  We are excited to see what the Lord stirs in our hearts.  Something is stirring, something is growing.  We know that part of it is the desire to have you and be with you.  Another part is unknown and even hard for me to communicate.  I just wanted to tell you that I am eager for your arrival and ready to hear your loud breathing when you sleep.  

Just know that the Lord is good, and He will provide the means for our stirring hearts, whatever that means.  We know that He is good, and you will come to know Him closely with your mom and me.  

Come home soon.

Two Nice People

Little Guy -

This is Tim and his wife Mimi. Ever since we started going to church here in Kansas City, Tim has been the pastor of our church. Jacob's Well Church is probably one of the best things that has happened to us and our marriage. Personally and as a couple we have grown in more ways than we can imagine through the Lord's hand in this place. I came there as a broken man, mostly dead from a grave ministry experience (we'll get to that story when you are older), and we were looking for a new place to call home. We went to Jacob's Well on Oct.29 2006 for the first time and never looked back. You, too, will call it home away from home. It is quite an amazing place.

Tim is the main guy, but his wife, Mimi, is one of the sweetest women we know. She was in charge of the children and making sure that they know about Jesus too. Tim was with the big people, Mimi with the little. Mimi makes us feel like we are the most important people on the planet. The thing is, she is like this with everyone. She is so nice and loves so many children. They have 3 kiddos, Mabry, Annie, and Blaise.

The reason why I want you to know about them is because they are part of the reason why we adopted you. As you will come to find out, there are hundreds of people who want to meet you. These are two of them. Tim spoke about taking the opportunity to love on Dec. 7th 2008 and that Sunday morning your mom told me that we were to adopt. She heard from Jesus that this is our time to not let the opportunity to love pass us by. Tim engaged her in a way that spoke deep to her soul and she still holds on to those words today.

Mimi has been a support the entire process. She always smiles and always is so eager to hear news about you son. She is more than a lovely woman, but I can't seem to express it with words how she makes Kristyn and me feel. Tim is as well very encouraging and any words from him to me makes me feel so special and cared for. As you are coming to understand, we look up to them in many ways.

We just found out that they are moving very far away to a country called New Zealand so Tim can teach there. He loves to teach and the Lord is telling him to move. We are so excited for their journey. They are going to bless people so much in New Zealand. Remember when I told you that I was very sad when we moved to Jacob's Well? I was hurt by some not so nice people and Tim and Mimi were part of the reason why I am standing today. They came along side me and supported me and your mom while I healed. We feel so close to them, like so many others do.

They are leaving in December, so we hope, hope, hope that you will be able to come home before they leave. They so want to meet you. If you need to meet anyone other than your mother, it is Tim and Mimi Keel. Son, they want to meet you so much, especially sweet Mimi. She is so nice. I just imagine you looking at her and her smiling a huge smile over you and blessing you as she goes. I hope Tim gets to hold you to, or give you a high-five.

Please come home soon so you may bless those who have blessed us so greatly...

See you soon Son.

Ethiopian Adoption Story: NY Times

This is a good story. (short video with sound.)