Friday night lights

One of the things I really love about living in a small town is how much the whole town gets behind the high school sports teams. Friday night football games are packed with people young and old and every home game is a major social event. The first home game of the year is also the game where all the elementary school girls who participated in the summer cheer and dance camp get to strut their stuff with the big girls. We were also excited to share the magic of high school football with Thomas!

Before the game I snapped this blurry sibling photo.

Anna (second from right) and the
"real" cheerleaders doing their thing.

The cheerleaders are joined by the little girls.
Anna is on the far right.

Sarah cheering with cheerleader Mallory and a friend.

Candace and bestie Ava... I promise they were actually having fun.
Also, Candace did have pants on.

Bluejays (in blue) in action.

Marching band at half-time... it's a small school.

Little girls performing with the dance team at half-time.

Pictures I love

This picture is from the mid-nineties when we lived in California. I don't know what we did that day while Grandma Spears was visiting, but it must have been exhausting because Emily and Anna sure look pooped out.

Back to school!

School started this week! In preparation for the big day, I took Sarah and Candace to the nail salon for pretty painted nails and then they went for a much needed trim to their hair. Here is Sarah rocking her blow-out and her Tacky For Africa headband:

Next up, back to school night to see the new classrooms and meet teachers. Candace is trying out her desk. She will be sitting by Jeris, who was in her preschool and kindergarten class also. I think they are destined to be together.

This Thursday was the big day for heading back to class for the twins. Thomas and I waited for the bus to drop them off at home after school, anxious to hear about their first day of first grade.

Finally, today was Thomas' turn! He was so eager to go to his afternoon preschool that he could hardly wait until lunch was over so he could go. Here he is posing in his new classroom! (Please ignore those extra arms he appears to have sprouted.)

After preschool we went and picked up the twins from elementary school. The young scholars posed for me on the front porch steps before running off to ride their bikes.

Why, God?

I am a cradle Catholic, raised my whole life in the Catholic church. I have raised my own children in the faith. For the last several years, I have been trying very hard to devote more of myself and my daily life to God and listening to his calling; praying daily for discernment, for aid and to praise Him. I have rejoiced when I could see the answers to my prayers blessing myself and others.

But something has happened which is challenging me... I just don't understand how this could be God's plan.

A family has waited for their son from Ethiopia for over a year. They finally go to court in March. They leave believing they have passed that hurdle. After coming home, they receive the news that they in fact did not; more paperwork is required by the court. They wait. They wait some more. One by one, all of the other families in their group pass, but they are still waiting. Some of us pray and pray and pray. Finally, months later, they pass. Four days later, a massive orphanage closing goes on in Ethiopia, throwing all kinds of doubt into the process and shifting children around. I, however, am convinced that by the hand of God, they passed in the nick of time and all will be well. I am SURE all will be well. No matter that the new orphanage will not release their child to the agency transition home; it is surely a paperwork glitch and all will be well. I confidently share my opinion with the family that all will be well.

All is not well.

This family was told today that the regional MOWA in Awassa has indicated that they will not be releasing their child to them, ever. I don't know why. I don't know how this can even be. I don't know what will happen to this little boy. I am horrified, saddened and heartbroken. I am wondering how this can be what God wants... how is this part of the plan?

My faith is shaken. I am shaken. I feel like a sham; having shared my fruitless words of comfort, only to have this terrible outcome occur anyway.

The funny thing is, though, I don't know anything else that I can do. So I will pray. Pray for understanding, pray for healing, pray for comfort... pray for this family. Pray for my own faith.


Postscript: I found out later today that this situation is faced by five families of CHSFS. I know three of the families personally. The regional MOWA officials are planning to place the children back with birth families "if possible" and otherwise the children will be institutionalized. All of the families have valid court decrees from the Federal First Instance Court.

Running with the big dogs

We are a pet loving family and we currently have two dogs and two cats. Our dogs are Boston terriers, which are rather on the small side. We also think they are too untrustworthy to be allowed down by the lake. So, it was quite a novelty this week when our good friends Heather and Abbey brought their very well-behaved dogs over to swim in our lake. Sidney is a lovable Newfoundland and Mabel is a goofy yellow Lab. Yep, these are big dogs!

Candace is a little nervous, so Abbey gives her a lift.
(That big stick in the foreground was the fetch toy!)

Abbey introducing Sarah and Thomas to Sidney.

Water park fun

Summer isn't officially over for a few weeks, but it's winding down now... school starts next week. This week we put in a late summer visit to the very nice water park at nearby Mahoney State Park.

Thomas and Anna playing in one of the fountains

The girls enjoying the wave pool

Thomas in the fountain

Sarah

Candace

Ways to help!

My friend Carmen and several other adoptive families have set up a great site to take donations for the Horn of Africa famine crisis. Aid organizations include Children's Hope Chest, Doctors Without Borders, World Vision and World Food Programme. Donations of $25 or more qualify for some neat and unique gifts too... TODAY ONLY! So hurry, click here to find our more and make your donation!

Horn of Africa drought 2011 HELP TODAY

The Horn of Africa region, including large parts of Ethiopia, is experiencing the worst drought in 60 years. This is leading to wide-spread famine. I like this YouTube video because it has the great map at the beginning showing how large the affected area is. Please consider giving... go to the aid organization of your choice and make a donation today.

Dark Girls Documentary Trailer

I found this trailer on the blog "Whatever Things Are True: The Good, The Bad and the Beautiful of International Adoption". As the mother of two beautiful dark skinned girls from Ethiopia, I found it thought provoking, disturbing and really sad.

Different feet; same hearts

I was looking at the littles' feet the other day and thinking how there is no way that those feet look anything like mine:


My feet are vein-y and bony with weird shaped little toes. The twins' have long, narrow, almost elegant little feet. Thomas has feet like little planks... their sturdiness makes me laugh when I look at them. They're wide with short little toes.

Even if our skin matched, these feet would give us away.

But as I was looking at these feet the other day, I was thinking how it didn't matter that we don't share a single gene... my heart doesn't know the difference. And this is truly the miracle of adoption. There are lots of hard things surrounding any adoption under any circumstances. But there is also this miracle of love and the heart's boundless ability to love more and more. Our hearts can grow to love as much as we want them to.

Even if our feet don't match.

One month

Thomas has been home with us one month today. And may I just say... it has been easy. We so deserved this after the twins! Everyone is getting along well and the stress level is fairly low. For comparison purposes, you can read this. Or this. Or even this.

It's just been a whole different ballgame this time around. We so hope and pray that we maintain this course, but... we are ready if we don't.

Sarah and Candace with their little brother Thomas, aka "Mr. Cool".
(Accessories selected by Thomas)

Kids Bowl Free!

We signed up for a program this year (at the recommendation of a friend) called "Kids Bowl Free". Each week, we get a coupon via email for each child to bowl two free games per day (shoe rental fees not included). We have used our coupons a couple of times this year, but you could theoretically take your kids bowling for free every day. Not including snacks, the above mentioned shoe rental, games for big people etc. Still, I think it's an awesome deal and I believe it's offered at bowling alleys across the country.

Each kid has their own unique bowling style:

First up, Candace prefers the brute strength caveman style.

Followed by Sarah, who utilizes a less confident
but equally effective approach.

Thomas is up next, and he favors a cool style with lots of flair.

Last up was big sister Emily, but fortunately for her, the shots I took of her didn't come out so well. But here she is relaxing with her fellow bowlers.

All in all, it was a very fun outing!

30 years ago...

...this adorable couple graduated from high school.

And here they are last weekend, getting ready to attend
their high school reunion:

Did I mention that it was a thirty year reunion? I know... that couple doesn't look like they could possibly be that old, do they?

Ever wonder how you can help?

Please consider donating to my favorite charity, Because Every Mother Matters. BEMM is made up of five ordinary women here in the US and a handful of dedicated Ethiopian citizens. Some of us are mothers to kids from Ethiopia, and we have experienced the pain of a child losing their first family. All of us have a calling to help mothers stay healthy and alive to raise their children... no matter where they live.

You can click here to read about the latest mama's story to reach us; a story of a mama who needs our help. You can donate by clicking on the logo and going to the website for BEMM. Every little dollar goes right to our causes... won't you consider reaching out?

And then there were none!

When we passed court on April 15, our happiness was dampened by the knowledge that four of the eleven families in our court travel group still hadn't passed. Last week, two of them passed after many agonizing weeks of wait. Today, the final two got word that they too had passed and their children are legally theirs! Finally! No more families waiting for court! It makes me so happy. Now we just have to pray the five families waiting for embassy clearance home through the last hurdle.