Surprise! Surprise!!

This past Monday was our last day of our home school co-op for the year. It was a great day and the kids were very excited to be done. What they didn't know was that they would be spending the next 24 hours playing in the water at Great Wolf Lodge.

Our dear friends, the Stuarts, told us about a special at this water park for home schooling families. It happened to fall on the evening of the last day of co-op. The Stuarts also booked a room and that added to the fun for our kids.

I am generally not one for surprises. I like to have time to anticipate the upcoming event. But it was a lot of fun to spring this on the kids and see their reaction. Elsie took a full 10 minutes before she believed that we were serious.

We all had a wonderful time. I think that Sunshine and Little Buddy assume that we go places like this all the time. I had to explain that we had never been there before, ever, and it is "special" that we got to go this time. They had a blast! I am so amazed by these two little ones and how they take on their new world.

Here is Pumpkin with his buddy Peter. They are showing off their teeth or lack of teeth.

This was Little Buddy's first time in the water. It took him a few hours to learn how to balance in the water and that when the water hits your face you shouldn't breath in or you will come up coughing and sputtering. By the second day he was so proud to show how he could jump in the water and come up with this adorable smile.

This water park has some amazing water slides and a wave pool. Our four big kids were very busy climbing stairs and sliding down these crazy tubes.

Sweet Momma

Mariner Baseball Fun!

A couple of weeks ago we went to a Mariner game with the whole family. That day they were celebrating Adopted and Foster kids and their families. We all received a hat with a "We are Family" logo on the side.

Before we went to the game, we had a lot of fun trying to explain what it would be like to our little ones. Pumpkin had just begun baseball season with the YMCA. They kept thinking that Pumpkin would be playing in the baseball game.

Our seats were quite high up. Actually we were one row from the very top of the stadium. Little Buddy was terrified that he would fall down and would not let go of me. I think healthy fear is good. He is usually so crazy and carefree. Prior to the game I was concerned that he might do something silly and fall.

After about an hour he adjusted to the height and really enjoyed the game.

The Mariners lost the game. But we all had a great time!

Sweet Momma

Five Months In!!!

This month marks five months that our newest additions have been home. I have been so busy that I haven't taken the time to blog about our life. I continue to cherish your prayers as we venture through life as a family of eight!

Here are a few things that our two youngest have learned over the last month:

1. Not every person that has brown skin is from Ethiopia.

2. When Mommy says "No," she really means it and my whining will not change her mind. =)

3. It is safe to be sad about my life in Ethiopia. My Mom and Dad care about me and will hold me while I cry and pray for me.

4. The world is a big place with countries other than America and Ethiopia.

5. Automatic sprinklers are a lot of fun to run through.

6. It is very good that Mommy and Daddy brought us to America.

Here are a few pictures to show you what we have been up to.

Mother's Day

We took a drive to Kopachuck State Park and hiked through the woods to the Puget Sound on Mother's Day! We ate a picnic lunch and let the kids toss rocks into the water to their hearts content. We hiked down the beach, climbing over fallen trees and driftwood. It was a beautiful day and we all enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.

Sunshine has lost a total of four teeth. Two of them, just last week.

Her smile still lights up the room. I have asked her to stop wiggling for a while as she is having some difficulty eating. =)

Pumpkin has begun baseball season and here are his biggest fans at the first game. They were so excited that it was raining as it gave them all an opportunity to use their umbrellas. After all, their favorite movie is "Singing In The Rain!"

Here is Pumpkin, ready to hit it out of the park!

Elsie attended her first formal with a dear friend named Taylor, who used to be our family babysitter. The formal is for high school home schoolers in our area. She had a great time! Taylor and Elsie went out to dinner with their dads and then went on to the dance. I laughed when I saw a video from the dance that showed 250 high schoolers dancing to the "YMCA."

I guess 'everything that is old is new again' or 'things never change.'

Whatever the phrase is, I am very thankful for this opportunity for Elsie and am so glad that she and Taylor had such a fun time.

There is so much more to share. I hope to do that soon.

Happy Late Mother's Day to you all!

Sweet Momma

Thoughts on Grief

The other day at the end of a meal the conversation found its way back to Ethiopia. This is a very common occurrence. Our little ones share about their life before they came to live with us.

Their memories are very much like mine of my childhood. It is what it is. Children don't put value judgements on experiences or share the unbelief that I feel at particular circumstances that they share. Their life is just that, life before America.

Some of the things that they share are hard to hear. Life in a third world country is very different than life here in the USA.

While putting Sweet Pea to bed that evening she lowered her voice while talking to me so that Sunshine wouldn't hear.

They have been through so much Mommy. They are so little to have gone through all of that. They are such amazing kids!

I completely agree and am so glad that she is recognizing that her little sister did not grow up down the street. Her first five years were very different from Sweet Pea's.

My friends who have adopted tell me that this is good that they are sharing so much about their life. I find it difficult to know what to say at times.

My precious Little Buddy is definitely grieving his life there. It is so hard for me to help him. Between the language barrier and three year old comprehension his hurts are difficult to pinpoint. He had major loss as he was turning two. I am pretty confident that no one took the time to help him through the process at that time.

Overall he is a happy, silly, adorable little boy. He is very obedient and has completely bonded to Stand-Up Dad and me. Maybe it is because of this that he feels safe enough to grieve in my arms.

I want to make his world OK and I can't! My mother love comes out and I work to protect his heart and make him feel safe, but it doesn't seem quite enough. I am praying that God will cover over his hurt and heal the broken parts. I know because of this brokenness that he will be a different man someday than if he had not gone through it. May God bring beauty from the ashes, because there are a lot of ashes.

If anyone reading this has thoughts to share, I would love to hear them. I have a call into my social worker, but she is out of town.

I feel so privileged to call this little boy my own. I have just never felt so much at a loss as to how to help one of my children. I assume the phrase Time heals all wounds is appropriate here. But I can't just wait this out. Please pray for us as we pray through this process.

Sweet Momma

Signs of Spring

Yesterday was absolutely beautiful at our house. It gave us all a chance to get outside and enjoy the surprises of Spring! We are all enjoying watching our two little ones experience so many new things each day.

I think they thought it would always be rainy and cold at their new house. I told them that it would be warm enough to wear shorts, and you would have thought that I told them we were going to Disneyland. (They don't even know what Disneyland is.)

It got even better when I said that they could play with 'bare feet.' Wow!!! Life at our house is so exciting! I had to take a minute and capture their wonder as our yard has begun to bloom.

I watched Little Buddy from my kitchen window as he looked at these red tulips so intently.

So pretty, Mommy. I am so happy to have two more nature lovers in our family!

Sweet Momma

Happy Birthday Stand-Up Dad!

Today is the day we celebrate the most AMAZING man in our lives! Stand-Up Dad is a wonderful husband who is SO attentive to this frazzled Mommy. He adores his children and takes special time each day with each one. One of the things that I love about him is the playful childlike heart that he has. He loves to play games, wrestle and the kids favorite, "Roll over Daddy!"

He is so dedicated to his kids. He will be spending the evening of his birthday running Bible Quiz practice. So we decided to surprise him with a party a day early.

The kids decorated the house and I made his favorite meal and an apple pie. He was confused and surprised when he came through the door. It was wonderful to be able to take the time to celebrate him.

As we sat down at the table, we all took a turn thanking God for Daddy and asking Him to bless Daddy. We all prayed, from me down to Little Buddy. This is a birthday tradition at our house.

As the prayer ended I looked up to see tears in Stand-Up Dad's eyes. He told us all that after all these years of life, being at home with all of us is his favorite place in the world.

We love you too!!!

Happy Birthday Stand-Up Dad!

Sweet Momma

Happy Easter!