Christmas Fun!

I love this time of year! Every day holds a new surprise or fun activity. Some of these things can overwhelm a well-balanced child. It has been a challenge to find a path through this season for our new kiddos. They are so happy that they have been home a year and we are now repeating traditions. They have a little frame of reference as to what is going to happen.

Sunshine made me laugh when she said, "I like Christmas this year better. I was so grumpy last year." Yes she was, but who could blame her?

Some of our fun has included: Riding the train at the Tree Farm and cutting down our tree, a trip to Seattle to see the Nutcracker, our homeschool co-op Christmas concert where M&M, Pumpkin and Sunshine sang and Elsie signed in ASL, decorating the house, making cookies and candy, celebrating Advent, and rehearsal for our church Christmas Musical that will happen tomorrow night.

In the midst of all of this we have begun therapy. What a blessing at this time of year. We have had two visits and I am praying that this will be the help that my little ones need.

Stand-Up Dad has been traveling A LOT. We are all looking forward to him coming home tonight and not traveling again until after Christmas.

Our greatest desire this time of year is to try to slow our hearts in the midst of the busyness and focus on the reason that we are celebrating.

The birth of Jesus Christ changed the world! Because of Him, we can be changed for eternity!

God Bless You and Yours! Merry Christmas!
Sweet Momma

Happy Family Day!!!

Yesterday we celebrated our first Family Day! Last year on this day our family was complete! December 1st will be a day that we celebrate every year. The big kids love to tell the story of how they took a nap after dinner, because our flight was coming in very late at night. My dear friends brought our four big kids to the airport to meet our 12am flight.

It had been 37 hours of travel and we were all quite exhausted. But the reunion/meeting time was so sweet! As a mom I was overwhelmed when I saw my big kids. I had missed them so much. It is not easy being on the other side of the world away from four people that you love so deeply. After hugs and hellos we piled into our van and filled every seat.=)

When we got home it was very early in the morning. Sunshine and Little Buddy wanted to explore their new house. We gave them about an hour and then said it was time for bed.

The next morning was filled with much play and dress-up and generally getting to know each other. The picture above is the first picture of all six of my children together.

We celebrated Family Day with cards and a little candy. We also spent time in prayer around the breakfast table thanking God for our first year all together.

Our breakfast was a traditional Ethiopian porridge that my little ones call "G'at." They like the porridge with oil and berbere. My four oldest had theirs with oil and cinnamon sugar. For lunch we ate injera with shiro sauce and boiled eggs. The smiles on my little ones faces were huge! Sunshine said that her tummy was happy. She also said later that her fingers still smelled like berbere. This made her happy all over again. Maybe it has been too long since we had Ethiopian food.=)

I ended the day by meeting with an adoption attachment therapist. The meeting went very well and I am anxious to see what the next weeks and months will bring in terms of healing for my children.

I want to take a moment and thank you for your prayers on our behalf. It has been an amazing, eventful and challenging year. But I have never felt more in the center of God's will. Please continue to pray God's best for our family.
Thank you in advance,

Sweet Momma