Olive & Gunyea

You two being silly amidst our half packed house.

The hug starts out friendly.

Then it gets tighter.

And eventually she has tackled you on the floor. You don't mind at all!

You and Olive had lots of fun playing today. First, you went to her house while I got a prenatal massage. Later Olive's mom had to go a meeting so she came to our place. We will totally miss having them two streets away.

Tegegne, A U.S. Citizen

Well Tegegne, last Friday you became an official citizen of the United States and we will soon get your American birth certificate and social security number. Yay! This was the last big step in our adoption process. This process could have started 6 months after we got home with you. We put it off a few months, then it took several months for the lawyers to pull it all together. Our hearing went very smooth, and we heard that we got really lucky. The kind judge even gave you a teddy bear, which our social worker said has never happened. It was a day to celebrate for sure! One funny thing, that is obvious in these photos, is how sick you were. Here we are trying to present you well and be on our best behaviors and you fall asleep and drool all over Ababayeh's shirt! You had a fever and wicked cold. It reminded me of last year when you were so sick in ET and we were trying to get through the embassy meetings with you having a raging fever. 

We got to change your birthday, and gave you the same birthday as Brother Sixtus, one of your dad's mentors and closest friends. This also wrapped up our meetings with our dear social worker. We will now send yearly reports about you to our adoption agency until you are 18.  It's just like keeping a scrapbook, not hard at all. So that's it. You can now run for president.

House: Sold and Bought

Sold this:

 (We love you, & we'll miss you sweet bungalow. You will always be near and dear to our hearts. And all of you to the north, the south, the east, and west...yes you, wonderful neighbors. We will most definitely MISS YOU. Thank you again for looking after our family, bringing our yellow dog home, and hanging out with us on our porch. We love you all so much.)

Bought this:

(Hello new home. We are really excited to get to know you. And you, to the north, the south, the east and west. Yes you, our new neighbors. We can't wait to meet you. Please don't be afraid of our large yellow dog. He is a lover and a licker. We look forward to becoming your friend and we may even share my husbands awesome chocolate chip cookies with you.)

Move on Saturday.

Yes, keeping up with the Joneses is an adventure. Last year this time we were in Ethiopia adopting our son, Tegegne. To be exact, we were at the ER because he had just busted his head on a coffee table. And this year Tegegne is three and we are moving and having a baby girl all at once. We hope that the good Lord will give us a couple of weeks to get settled into our home before we are graced with our daughter. But not too long, please. This belly is ready.

 

Tegegne: One Year Ago!

Our hearts are full. This is the best day of our lives.

We still need to unpack what we just experienced. All in all, it was more than we could have expected. Tegegne was shy at first, then we ate fruit snacks, then we played ball, then he started feeding us snacks, then he started wanted to come to us when he saw us from a distance, then we started tickling and laughing, then he started kissing us. Really phenomenal.

One word to describe him, Gentle.

Ideas: Terrariums



Terrarium - Casa Haus

Terrarium - Casa Haus

Floating Terrarium - This Next



Terrarium - Casa Haus

Moss Terrarium - Prairie Mod

Michael and I saw a TV special on super cool terrariums this weekend, and I totally want to make some. The first step is finding a lovely glass jar or vase. For some simple "how-tos" go here, here, or here. Since my to-do list is quite small, I think I'll get right on this project. Just kidding. I have quite a to-do list, so I'll just imagine the terrarium I'll make one day down the road.

Here are some of the minor things on my to-do list:
- Finalize the sale of our house.
- Pack up our house.
- Move across town.
- Unpack and move into our new house.
- Have a baby.
- Learn how to feed and care for a baby.
- Continue to take care of our dear son.
- Make a terrarium.

(I think the terrarium will be at the bottom of the list for a while, what do you think?)

Growing Baby, Growing Belly

33 weeks

32 weeks

28 weeks

27 weeks

25 weeks

23 weeks

22 weeks

17 weeks

13 weeks

Pregnancy: 34 Weeks

Girl Nursery Stella&Henry, designed by Kim Zimmerman

We are officially at 34 weeks today. You may ask, what does that baby belly look like at 34 weeks? And I would respond "oh, huge." Really "out there." I'm bumping into everything. Yes, I do have photos to share that I will post soon.

Hensley, here's what's up. You are moving more, and I am moving less (or at a much slower pace). I'm ready to meet you. Your dad and brother are ready too. Everyone at works thinks you're coming early. We have a guessing game going. I wondered if you would just let me know when you are coming so I can win the game. It is quite clever of you to keep us wondering. We officially still have about 7 weeks, but I've started packing the hospital bag just in case.

Here's what else is up. We may have sold our house + bought a new one and if all goes through we move in 2.5 weeks. Fun, fun! I was reading the other day about how to avoid post pardum depression and Ina May, a birthing midwife, suggested not to change your living situation when the baby comes. Oops, one strike against me. She also said what a mom with a newborn needs is lots of help and support. Your dear dad said he'd try to get a week off and your Gramma Debby plans to stay until we get settled. (She is really great at unpacking boxes, too!) I will definitely have good support.

P.S. I've been designing our *new kitchen in Sketch Up and having so much fun. An interior designers dream is moving into a blank slate. And I'd say the new house is just looking for some design. Of course, our design on a dime projects will come little by little, but I'm sure getting ready. *Thanks honey, for being my handy man so these ideas can become reality!

Interiors: Love This

Some people get to live in the coolest spaces. I mean what if we got to move here after our house sells? A girl can dream, right?

Laure Joliet Photography via Apartment Therapy

Happy Wednesday

A Little Bird

Vulnerable, Like a Bird
Life is precious. Not because it is unchangeable, like a diamond, but because it is vulnerable, like a little bird. To love life means to love its vulnerability, asking for care, attention, guidance, and support. Life and death are connected by vulnerability. The newborn child and the dying elder both remind us of the preciousness of our lives. Let's not forget the preciousness and vulnerability of life during the times we are powerful, successful, and popular.

-Henri Nouwen

It was interesting for me to open my email this morning and see this writing from Henri Nouwenn about a little bird. I went to a park earlier this week to get away and take some quiet time. I hopped in the car not knowing where I was headed, and felt lead  to this park outside of town. I then got out of the car into the very brisk winter air, and onto this large grassy plain where I sat down wrapped in a blanket. The voice in my head was saying, "Watch the birds, Kristyn...just watch the birds." As I looked out over the plain, there were hundreds of birds flying gracefully in one big flock. Then one bird flew from that flock over in my direction and hovered over me for a second, like he was telling me that "All is well." (I credit God as that voice in my head.)

So I learned the practice of stepping aside with no agenda to watch the birds. I hope I can continue this practice. And even though I have a 3 year old climbing on my back and jumping all around me while I sit here, I am looking out our large picture window and I see a few birds flying together.

Although I'm not feeling particularly powerful, successful, and popular I do see that it is good to know the vulnerability of life and ask for care and support. Especially with another little baby bird about to join the family.

-Kristyn

photo.