Safely To Arrive At Home

12 Month Post Placement Meeting

2012-02-13T08:12:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that our Havilah and Benjamin have been home now for nearly 1 year!

Wow, that's so amazing to think about...

Today is our 12 Month Post Placement Meeting. Enjoy the picture below of how much our little ones have changed. :)

Day 1 ~ at the Airport

1 Month

6 Months

9 Months

2012 Family Picture

The Orphan Sunday Movie

2011-11-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Lord Defended, Found, Adopted, Rescued, and Loved us while we were yet sinners...

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. ~Matthew 25:30

Orphan Sunday

2011-11-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

Rescued...........

2011-10-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

6 month Post Placement

2011-08-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

Havilah, Ben, & Judah

Today, is our 6 month Post Placement meeting~ it doesn't seem like it's been that long since Havilah and Benjamin came home!!

Jordan, Eden, Benjamin, Shiloh, Mommy, Havilah, Daddy, Judah, and Bethany.

It's been so wonderful to be able to be apart of my younger siblings' lives as I watch them grow and learn more each and every day. The pictures that I'm posting are some of the ones that we have chosen to be part of our 6 month picture report. Please be praying that our meeting today goes smoothly!

Our "Littles"

15 passenger vans are fun (to rent) ~ All 7 of us

We really appreciate all of you who have prayed for us along this journey of adoption. Most of all we are thankful to Lord for His greatness and goodness to our family. We pray that we might shine His light through us!

Posted By: The Big Sister :)

Another Birthday...

2011-08-21T22:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Havilah!!!

Havilah in Ethiopia | August 2010

Havilah safely Home | August 2011

Read Havilah's birthday post, here

1 Year Referral Anniversary!

2011-08-09T22:12:00.000-07:00

Mitin, Jordan, Havilah, Daddy, Benjamin, & Sister in Ethiopia ~ 2011

Last year today, we received a Referral unique to our family from our adoption agency. Here is the announcement on their blog of our referral.

Today, as I wash dishes with my dear little sister, I stand amazed at the Lord's goodness and grace. It is amazing to watch my new siblings-- first being providently picked out for us, adopted and grafted into our family as I realize that I have been adopted and am grafted into the Lord's family by His grace!

Someday Havilah and Benjamin will see how blessed they are to be able to be in a family that absolutely loves and cherishes them! Today, I realize how blessed I am to be able to call the Lord my Abba, Father (Romans 8:15).

Benjamin Abezu

To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. ~Galatians 4:5

Havilah Tirfe

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

~Ephesians 1:5-6

Thank you, Jesus for giving us Havilah and Benjamin~ and for grating them into our family!!

Behold, children are an heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.

~Psalm 127:3

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

Related Posts: Prayer | August 9, 2010

Calling All Adoptive Daughters & Moms!!

2011-06-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Check out the new blog-

Braids & Beyond

Blog Purpose:

The purpose of this blog (braidsandbeyond.wordpress.com) is to document my journey of learning how to do and take care of my younger sister’s lovely, curly hair as well as encourage other young ladies (and moms!) in learning more about extremely, curly hair!

Source

Be sure to check out the blog and consider receiving updates (subscription on sidebar)!

Happy Braiding........... and beyond :)

Hair :)

2011-06-15T17:50:00.000-07:00

In my spare time I've been working on learning how to do Havilah's hair! :) At first her hair was extremely hard to brush out, but now with a little extra TLC she and I both brush it out morning and night and I think it's doing great!

Right now we are working on a better schedule to actually wash her hair, but with Havilah's type of hair it's not necessary to wash daily... Here's what we do (currently):

Mane 'n Tail Detangler

1) In the morning or in the evening after her shower- I spray on Mane 'n Tail's detangler and let Havilah brush her hair with a pick (Quick Tip: I actually bought a few picks at the Dollar Store and they work fine!).

Coconut Oil

2) Next I put some coconut oil on my hands and gently rub it into her hair. Havilah continues to use the pick and I use a detangler comb (I also got this at the Dollar Store!) to help brush out her hair.

3) Later I just use a normal comb to part her hair, if needed. :)

I think my results have turned out quite well! Although I still need to work on vertical lines as far as the parts go! :)

First Try at Braiding

While I work on her hair (which takes about 30 minutes) Havilah reads a picture book and often reads it aloud to me. :) Finally, when we're all done we look in the mirror together and then run off to show Mommy. :)

Results are improving!!

Do you have any hair tips you'd like to share?

Posted By:
~The Big Sister :)

P.S. This post should have been posted ages ago! :) I've decided to make this subject a series of future posts-- so I'll try to post more tips in the future that I've been learning (and pictures of the results too!)! :)

Baby Brother

2011-06-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

Someone turns 3 today....

Happy Birthday, Little Brother!

Brothers

2011-05-30T21:38:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite pictures.... Baby Brother and Big Brother. :)

Can You Guess Who Lost Her First Tooth?

2011-05-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

---

First Trip to the Dentist~

2011-05-03T14:37:00.000-07:00

He Passed Over!

2011-04-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Havilah and Benjamin had their first Passover Seder!!

Here is a list of the Passover blessings, first in Hebrew and then translated to English:

During the Seder each of us four eldest children (that can read! ;))... asked the four questions:

1) Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either bread or matzoh, but on this night we eat only matzoh?

2) Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night we eat only bitter herbs?

3) Why is it that on all other nights we do not dip our herbs even once, but on this night we dip them twice?

4) Why is it that on all other nights we eat either sitting or reclining, but on this night we eat in a reclining position?

After we asked the questions, Daddy read us the whole "Passover Story" from the Bible-- in the book of Exodus!

We Thank the Lord that He became our Passover Lamb!

Happy Passover!!

Read Bethany's full length post (with extra pictures!!)-- here. :)

Posted By: Shiloh

We Gotcha!

2011-04-13T19:10:00.001-07:00

One Month Home Anniversary!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-06T16:46:00.001-07:00

Coloring Time!

2011-04-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

Eden was such a blessing to our family during chicken pox time!

In this picture only Havilah has it, but everyone mingled the entire time so we always had the "three littles" with us! ;-)

Now it's our turn to be a blessing to De-De 'cause she has chicken pox!

Chicken Pox, Ringworm, & Sinuses- Oh My!

2011-04-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

Hey All!

We've been having just a "lovely" time together exposing each other over and over again with chicken pox, sharing ringworm, and enjoying sinus infections! How exciting can life get?

Here's our "Boo Boo Bunny Report" of the week!

Chicken Pox Epidemics

Benjamin- DONE! | Moderate Case

Havilah- Day 5 | Bad Case

Jordan- Day 4 | Moderate Case

Judah- Day 2 | Currently Moderate Case

As more cases come in.... Updates will follow!

Ringworm Outbreaks

Benjamin- Head & Body | Treatment in Process

Havilah- Head & Body | Treatment in Process

Judah- Face | Treating Day 5

Shiloh- Arm | Treating Day 2

"Ooo my sinuses!"

Sinus Infection Cases

Bethany- Treating Day 4 | Moderate

Eden- Treating Day 2 | Moderate

But all in all, we are so excited because we have some great friends who want to come over and join us in the midst of "itching folks", "apple cider vinegar sinuses", and "nail-polished ringworm"!!

Stay tuned to our EFF blog for an update on the Pox Party!

P.S. Our ringworm and chicken pox is very special! We can trace it all the way back to Ethiopia! Imagine that!

Baby Brother and Big Brother...

2011-03-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

Who could ask for more?

Big Brother absolutely adores Baby Brother because -- well he's "his baby brother"!!

and....

Baby Brother adores Big Brother because--- he thinks Big Brother is his baby brother!

Watching these two interact is quite interesting!

Stay tuned for another picture of Big Brother & Baby Brother. ;-)

Family Pictures :)

2011-03-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from the pass week! Enjoy! :)

Mommy and the "Littles".... Don't you just love the effect the duster adds to the picture? ;)

Here's Bethany, De-De, and Havilah-- all enjoying a ride in the back of the car. :)

Judah, Benjamin, Shiloh, & Havilah

Here I am with all the youngest ones again!

We went out shopping for shoes, but sadly couldn't find any! Oh well, at least we have nice friends who found some in their garage that will do for now...

Posted By:

~The Big Sister

The First Pictures We Saw of Them...

2011-03-18T08:46:00.000-07:00

Havilah

Benjamin

...when we accepted the referral that we received on August 9, 2010...

Safely Home~

2011-03-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

We'd like to introduce you to.......

Havilah Tirfe

Benjamin Abezu

We are so happy to finally welcome our little ones safely home....

Over the next few weeks we will try to post more pictures and also share some of the adoption trip in words to you all!

For those of you who knew, Thank you for your prayers about our electricity!! (For those of you who did not know)- after a large storm here we lost all electricity and water shortly before we left to pick up Daddy, Jordan, Havilah, and Benjamin from the airport. Last night we stayed in a nearby hotel and this afternoon the general electric company fixed the outage. Praise the Lord! He is all sufficient!!

Havilah and Benjamin are bonding well with our family! They already know all the family members' names and call Daddy, "Ababa". Thankfully, we are able to communicate well through the few Amharic words we know, the few English words they know, and of course... head nods. Yes and no are pretty universal! :)

Thank you, all for your prayers, as we have gone through this adoption!!

"Zitezerebkayo Kelem...Ziregeskayo LemLem Yigberelka."

-An Ethiopian Blessings/Proverb

Translation: "May your words be as ink and your steps be upon green pastures."

Love,

Shiloh & Benjamin (who is currently sitting in my lap singing in Amharic & Talking!)... :)

Due Date

2011-03-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit: Google

Today, it the due date! The day when all of us ladies here at home will bundle up and hop in the car to welcome home Daddy, Jordan, H, & B!!!! We are so excited!!!!!!!!!

On Their Way Home~

2011-03-12T14:53:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!

Here's an update from Mommy!!!

Please pray for Ken and Jordan and T. and A. as they make their long 1 1/2 day trek around the world and back home! Pray for stamina, health, sweet spirited little ones who want to sleep the whole trip (!) and for safety! Thanks so much for praying us through.

At home the girls and Judah and I are getting ready for their return. Of course, we would love to pray for you! Let us know how we can!

In Christ,

Cindy for the Family

Embassy!

2011-03-08T22:14:00.000-08:00

American Embassy Logo|Photo Credit: Google

Tonight (Tuesday) or Today (Wednesday in Ethiopia) is our Embassy date!

Lord willing we will know more in the morning if we are able to Skype the men!

Thank you for your prayers!!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

Meeting Them For the First Time!

2011-03-07T10:27:00.000-08:00

We just met our little ones for the first time (over Skype)! :) Little A. sat very quietly and looked quite shocked at all the smiling faces in the computer. Jordan said that, that was the first time he had seen a computer! Miss T. smiled, waved, sang the ABCs, and said everyones' names!

Jordan updated us on their personailities.... Little A. ate a ton last night and Miss T. likes jumping on the beds. Hmmm.... sounds like a certain person at our home....(Family joke). ;) She likes to color too!

The little ones call Daddy "Ababa" which of course (if you remember from your Bible) means Father! Addis Ababa means "New Father". What a perfect place for them to be staying-- in New Father with their new father!

Little A. looked at the computer every time we called his name and Miss T. loved Daddy's hair. Daddy says his hair is a "hit"!

For now the ladies here in the States are preparing to go ice-skating (for the first time in about 6-7 years! Should be very interesting.... Bethany's been posting here) and the rest of the family in Ethiopia is sleeping! Lord willing we will be able to Skype with them again tonight!

We finished up the Skype session by singing the Doxology all together as a family of 9~ what a blessing!

I'd love to share a photo, but I'm not sure if I'm supposed to do so online just yet.... So check back later!

Blessings!

~The Big Sister :)

Safe Arrival

2011-03-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

In Addis Ababa on Skype

Mommy was able to skype Jordan and Daddy last night! They arrived safely in Addis Ababa and had a great flight! After this skype session they went off for a bite to eat and then headed to the Care Center..... which means that two children...... :)

Tune in later for more updates!

Posted By:
~The Big Sister :)

So Long!

2011-03-05T11:55:00.000-08:00

We said our goodbyes to Daddy & Jordan yesterday as they departed for their first leg of the trip. Tonight they leave for a red-eye flight to Washington DC and then to Addis Ababa-- the destination!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

Packing, Packing, and More Packing!!

2011-03-03T17:28:00.000-08:00

As you can imagine we've packing today.... a lot!

Daddy and Jordan leave tomorrow afternoon!

And today we spend the last day as a family of 7... :)

Enjoy the pictures!!

The Supply Pack & The Children's Pack

Something that one must pack-- especially for your hungry men!!

Our youngest and of course most adorable helper! :)

Posted By:
~The Big Sister :)

The Count Down Begins!

2011-03-01T16:56:00.000-08:00

And so the Official Count Down begins today!

9 Days till our Embassy Date

13 Days till They Come Home!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

This is Ethiopia~

2011-02-24T15:38:00.000-08:00

Daddy took these two pictures right out of his window at the Hilton where he was staying in Ethiopia~

Homes

This picture shows more of the city of Addis Ababa~

More of the City

Here in America.... we have much to be Thankful for!!

It's Been Confirmed!

2011-02-23T15:40:00.000-08:00

Picture Credit: Google

We have been confirmed to travel!!!

Thank you for your prayers!!

Let us rejoice together and praise the Lord!

Check back soon for more updates-- oh and yes, those promised pictures! ;)

Posted By:
~The Big Sister :)

Good News!

2011-02-19T21:59:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends,

I'm so excited to finally be able to post with wonderfully, exciting news!!! Following the last update post I posted-- we received an email to let us know that T & A's paperwork was finished and we had been submitted to Embassy on Wednesday February 16, 2011 (which would be Tuesday night our time)!! We are so thankful that we were submitted and are looking forward to Tuesday when (Lord willing) we will find out our next steps to take!

Currently, within our home~

Daddy and Mommy are notarizing and filling out a bit more important paperwork.
We are learning to look at a picture and then guess what shoe sizes the children wear. :)
We've been getting together clothing for them to wear home. Special note: Thank you for your help, Ashmore family! You've been a blessing in this area and it's fun to see Bethany's and my old dresses again! ;)
We are preparing to pack and have been buying important items that are needed at the Care Center.
Last, but not least- we are praying for the Lord to lead us to new beds and a larger van. :)

Thank you for your prayers!

Stay tuned! Hopefully, I'll try to post some pictures of packing and some other fun things!

Posted By:
~The Big Sister :)

Prayer Dates

2011-02-16T08:18:00.000-08:00

Praying that we will indeed be submitted to Embassy!!

American Embassy Logo|Photo Credit: Google

~February 8, 2011

~February 15, 2011

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

Tonight is the Night...

2011-02-08T07:54:00.000-08:00

...when we will be praying that all our paperwork is together and that we will indeed be submitted to Embassy!!

American Embassy Logo|Photo Credit: Google

Our Agency (IAN) can only submitted to Embassy on Wednesdays... so if we are not submitted tonight (which will be Wednesday in Ethiopia) we will have to wait for several more weeks (Embassy closes after this for a few of their holidays). So, should your family think of us this evening, please be praying for our two little ones in Ethiopia.

Thank you!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

Moving Along: Slowly, But Surely - Part 3

2011-02-07T08:05:00.000-08:00

We are so Thankful to have now received our little girl's birth certificate and are now looking forward to knowing that we "have" her passport along with all the paperwork for the two little ones.

Lord willing I will update again soon regarding Embassy!

Praising the Lord,

~The Big Sister :)

Related Posts:

Moving Along - Part 1

Moving Along - Part 2

Moving Along: Slowly, But Surely - Part 2

2011-01-24T10:31:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: Google

Remember this post?

Well, we received our little boy's birth certificate and are eagerly looking forward to receiving our little girl's birth certificate!

Praise the Lord!!

Posted By:
~The Big Sister :)

Happy Timkat :)

2011-01-19T22:22:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: Google

Last year we posted very briefly on the Ethiopian holiday called Timkat (which you can find here). So, for today, which officaly is the night of Timkat in Ethiopia we decided to post an article which explains Timkat more in depth. :) Enjoy!

Timkat

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church celebrates Epiphany on January 19. (January 20 in Leap Year.) It’s called Timkat, or Timket.

In parts of Europe and the Americas Epiphany is also known as Three Kings Day, (though no number or rank is specified in the Bible) and celebrates the visit of the Magi who bestow gifts on the baby Jesus.

In the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches however, the day commemorates Jesus’s baptism by St. John in the River Jordan.

As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” – Mark 1:10

Traditionally Christians celebrate the event twelve to fourteen days after Christmas. (Once Epiphany was the twelfth day of Christmas.) In the Ethiopian Calendar Christmas falls on December 28, or January 7 Gregorian.

Timkat/Epiphany falls on January 11th in the Ethiopian Calendar, or January 19th Gregorian.

The night before, priests take the Tabot (which symbolizes the Ark of the Covenant) containing the Ten Commandments from each Church. Concealed by an ornamental cloth, it is taken to a tent, close to a consecrated pool or stream, accompanied by much ringing of bells, blowing of trumpets and the burning of incense. ~ http://www.selamta.net/Festivals.htm

In Timket, Tella and Tej are brewed, special bread is baked called “Himbash” (in Tigrigna) “Ambasha” (in Amharic), and sheep are slaughtered to mark the three-day celebration. ~ www.ethiopiantreasures.toucansurf.com

While most African churches south of Egypt date only to the colonial era, Hebraic traditions and Semitic language were practiced by some Ethiopian tribes before the birth of Christ.

In fact, the Ethiopian Cathedral of Our Lady Mary of Zion, claims to hold the original Ark of the Covenant, said to have been brought to Ethiopia by Minelik, son of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, around the 9th century B.C.

The Ark’s authenticity has been impossible to verify, as only one person has access to the Ark at a time: a sacred guardian, chosen for a lifetime term by the previous guardian.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has the most extended Biblical Canon of any major church, numbering 81 sacred books. Among those writings not included by Jewish, Protestant, and Catholic churches are the books of Enoch, Esdras, and Jubilee.

Article from Everyday's a Holiday ~ Slighly Edited

Photo Credit: Google

Don't you enjoy learning about different Ethiopian Holidays?

Posted By:
~The Big Sister :)

Moving Along: Slowly, But Surely

2011-01-18T17:43:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: Google

Praise the Lord! We received our Adoption Decree!!

Now we are awaiting the Birth Certificates and Embassy. :)

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

2010 in Review: Looking Over the Year

2011-01-03T18:28:00.000-08:00

January 19th ~ First Homestudy January 2nd ~ Second Homestudy
February 9th ~ Third Homestudy
February 18th ~ Finished the Dossier
February 19th ~ Sent in the Dossier
March 9th ~ Officially on the Waiting Lists
April 9th ~ One Month Anniversary on the Waiting Lists
May 9th ~ Two Months on the Waiting Lists
June 9th ~ Two Months on the Waiting Lists
July 9th ~ Three Months on the Waiting Lists - Also the ladies at The Baby Conference in San Antonio, TX.
August 9th ~ Four Months on the Waiting Lists & Received Our Referral!
August 17th ~ Accepted Our Referral!
August 18th ~ It's Official - Mailed in Ethiopia
October 17th ~ Two Month Referral Anniversary
November 4th ~ Got Our Court Date
November 22nd ~ One Month Prep
December 16th ~ Two Days Left
December 19th ~ Daddy is Nearly There
December 21st ~ Meeting Daddy
December 22nd ~ Court Date
December 22nd ~ We Passed Court!
December 23rd ~ Daddy Safely Arrives Home

Praise the Lord for His goodness to us in 2010!! We are eagerly looking forward to see what He has in store for us in 2011! Praise the Lord!!

Posted By:
~The Big Sister :)

Daddy is Home!

2010-12-28T14:19:00.000-08:00

Thank you for your prayers!

Daddy arrived home safely... :)

Here we all are with Daddy on the day he arrived home. We are holding our Birrs Daddy brought us!

Ethiopian Fun Fact: 16 Birrs = 1 US Dollar

Posted By:
~The Big Sister :)

Praising the Lord!!

2010-12-22T22:21:00.000-08:00

Drawing By: Eden & Graphic By: Shiloh

We passed court!!

We have been joyfully praising the Lord today as we heard the wonderful news that our two little ones are now officially part of our family!

Thank you for your prayers and kind comments.... We feel so blest!

Now we're looking forward to seeing Daddy soon, telling him the good news (we've been out of contact), and seeing the pictures he took in Ethiopia!! :)

Praise the Lord!

And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand.... -Esther 5:2 a.

Posted By:
~The Big Sister :)

Court~

2010-12-21T18:13:00.000-08:00

---

Hello Everyone!

We wanted to let you all know that tonight in America and today in Ethiopia is our court date for the adoption of T. & A.!

As many of you already know- Daddy is currently in Ethiopia and thankfully we have been able to contact him through FB chat as well as over the phone for a very small conversation (it costs $1.00 per minute!)... Yesterday (or last night- our time :)), Daddy went to the Care Center and met T. & A.

Later tonight (which will be the morning of the 22nd in Ethiopia) Mommy will be calling Daddy to pray with him as he prepares to head over to court. Following court Daddy will head back to the Care Center and will probably meet the birth families as they say goodbye to the children.

Here are some following things you can be praying for:

~For all the correct paper to be there-- if they do not have all the correct papers we will not pass court.

~That we will find favor in the judges' eyes-- Esther 5:2

~Both birth families will make to court.

~Any meetings Daddy may have with the birth families.

~That we will pass!!

Be sure to check STAAH tomorrow-- Lord willing we will have some news!

"And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah." -Psalm 50:6

Thank you so much for your prayers! Our family feels so blest by you all!!

In Christ,

~The Big Sister :)

Meeting Daddy~

2010-12-21T15:25:00.000-08:00

Last night while we were all sleeping here in the States....

On the other side of the world two little children met their new Daddy...

These are some of the pictures we sent them in their photo albums

We heard from Daddy this morning through FB chat and he "told" us about our new little siblings in Ethiopia!

Enjoy some random facts:

~Daddy says that "Little T" is a whipper-snapper and "Little A" is laid-back...

~They loved seeing pictures of their new family (above) and loved saying "Judah and De-De".

~They loved the wash clothes we sent them.

~All the children loved Daddy when he handed out sugar-free suckers and bubbles at the orphanage.

And the best yet.....

~They bonded well with Daddy!!

And~

They loved his Grey Hair!!
And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. -Isaiah 46:4

We are so thankful to the Lord for His abundant Blessings!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

Daddy is Nearly There!!

2010-12-19T20:46:00.000-08:00

Thanks to FlightAware we've been tracking Daddy's flight!

He's scheduled to land in about an hour!!

Ethiopia Ho!

2010-12-16T16:50:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!

It's almost unreal and yet at the same time it's so amazing to think that our Daddy is going to be heading off to Africa on Saturday! I wish I were going with him!! =)

I wanted to type a few important prayer requests here and if any of you dear friends are interested in receiving the full scoop--email us and I'll send you the "large email".

Basically, our major prayer requests right now are:

Getting Daddy Ready- We need to make sure that he has all the right papers on/with him!
Health
Travel- He'll be making two stops on the way there and three on the way back!
Safety- Air Travel, Layovers, Driving in Ethiopia,...
Bonding- Daddy will be meeting the Little Ones and giving them a photo album of their new family! :)
Court Date- Which is the 22nd in Ethiopia, but the 21st here--we'll all be sleeping in the US while court goes on in Ethiopia.

Lord willing I will be getting another update out soon-- and check back for news of when Daddy hits the ground in Ethiopia!

Now to quote my dear mother....

Adoption is such a HUGE spiritual battle. We know that the Lord is in control and that He will not let go of us!! Really, this is His adoption journey for us and we are so blessed and privileged to be a part of what He is doing!

---
Thank you all for your prayers!!!

Merry Christmas & Ye Ganna Baal

Posted By:
~The Big Sister :)

Judah's Thoughts on a New Little Brother! :)

2010-12-04T22:05:00.000-08:00

Judah Philip ~~ He's going to be a big brother soon!!

Today, Judah said to me:

"Yie-yo, is "A--" coming home today? He's taking a long time!" :)

Posted By:
~The Big Sister :)

Guess What...

2010-11-22T17:47:00.000-08:00

A month from today is....

Our court date in Ethiopia!!

An Early Christmas Gift

2010-11-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

An early Christmas present!

What could it be?!

It is the wonderful news that we now have a Court Date!!! This means that our two little ones in Ethiopia will be legally OURS!

We are scheduled for December 22nd--just before Christmas!

But here's what we'll have to do:

Get Daddy over to Ethiopia on the 20th of December and back home before the 25th... so he can... well... work on Christmas day!

Thank you for your prayers. Please be praying that everything will go smoothly...

And,

"Merry Christmas!"

Posted By:

~The Second Big Sister

A Little Update

2010-10-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

I always know when to update this blog! It's when more then two people ask me the same question during the week... "So, how's the adoption coming along?". Now since several people have either asked me personally or over the email I decided it was time to write a blog post so everyone knows the answer... :)

Eden made these adorable cookies in honor of our little ones in Ethiopia!

So, how is the adoption going along?
Well- right now we are in the "Waiting Mode"... so basically no news is good news! :) We haven't heard anything for awhile, but we do know that we could receive a court date any day... What an exciting thought! Since the last update (which was written on October 2nd: "Adoption Update!!") here's the new news:

Our Little Ones' dossier was submitted to court. PTL!

And that's all for now.... :)

Thank you all for your prayers (please continue them! The Lord is working in marvelous ways!), comments, and emails. We appreciate hearing from each and every one of you!

May the Lord Bless You and Keep You!

Posted By:
~The Big Sister :)

Adoption Update!!

2010-10-02T22:29:00.000-07:00

Shiloh & Bethany in the Lone Star State

Hello All!

I thought I would do a quick update since we haven't posted anything in a long time and some of you have started asking questions (y'all know who you are ;))... So, for now here is the latest updates!

As of September 28th, 2010 the Ethiopian Courts have officially opened so we are now officially waiting (although we have been) for a court date which could come very soon! So, please be praying that we receive one soon!!
We were also notified that our little ones' dossier are complete! This means that they are ready for a court date!
Lastly, if anyone is interested... Posted Here is the update about our accepted referral on our Agency's blog. :)

Thank you all for your prayers and Lord willing we will hopefully have another update posted here soon!

Posted By:
~The Big Sister :)

Referral!!! And We Said, YES!!!!!

2010-08-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

And We Said YES!!!!!

"Siblings--So Far" ~ Judah (3), Eden (12), Jordan (14), Bethany (16), & Shiloh (19).

Guess what!! We received some exciting news!! We received our referral the day after my birthday (what a wonderful present)!! And after much prayer.................. We said Yes!!

::Drum Rolls Please::

Announcing the newest members of our family:

A precious 3-year-old sister & an adorable 2-year-old brother!!

Praise the Lord!!

As soon as we can- we will post pictures!!

Please continue to pray for us as bring home these little ones!

Posted By:

~The Very Excited, Joyful, Smiling, Happy, Big Sister :) x7

*Ok- everyone must leave a comment on this post. :)*

"Prayer"

2010-08-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

With so many decisions to make our family is often kneeling before the King of kings and praying that we would discover His perfect plan for our lives! So.... here are some Scriptures we thought we would share on "prayer".

Pray without ceasing. ~1 Thessalonians 5:19

Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. ~Psalm 5:2

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. ~Psalm 55:7

Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. ~Jeremiah 29:12

Here are a few points you can pray about for our family (1 Thessalonians 5:25)

That our family would discover the Lord’s perfect plan for us in this adoption journey.
That we (especially our parents) would able be able to make wise decisions.
Lastly, Ethiopia... For the many Orphans to be placed, for quick processes, and particularly for the rulers in Ethiopia. See related post here.

Check back soon!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

It's been a long time!

2010-07-28T15:40:00.000-07:00

"Remembering the Orphan"

Long time... No posts.... No worries!

Yes, it's been quite a while since we last posted! But, don't worry... we are still working on this adoption process and we are still continuing to pray for the Lord to show us His perfect will for our life and for our family. We know that the Lord has the perfect children for our family. Isn't it wonderful to serve a sovereign God?? :)

I will try to post the next update as soon as possible (I just need to find out exactly what the last we did was called =))... So stay tuned!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

A Quick Update...

2010-07-05T07:08:00.000-07:00

May 25, 2010 | Today, Daddy, Mommy, and I will be going into town for Biometric finger printing. We are planning on updating again soon so stay tuned!

June 4, 2010 | Update: Mommy's biometrics were not accepted so she will have to have them done again... We will keep you posted!

June 28, 2010 | Update: Mommy had her biometrics done again on June 24th. Please pray that they will be accepted this time... She has a 50/50 percent chance that they will/will not be accepted. Thank you!

July 5, 2010 | Update: Hello Everyone, Thank you for your prayers! Mommy's biometrics once again were not accepted. So, she will have to go a different route. More details to follow later...

Blessings!

~The Big Sister :)

~One Month Anniversary~

2010-04-09T11:31:00.000-07:00

Guess What! Today, marks the one month anniversary of when we went onto the Ethiopian Adoption Waiting List!

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isa. 40:31

And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him. Isa. 30:18

Keep an eye on our Adoption Timeline (on the blog's sidebar). Also we added an adoption ticker at very bottom of this blog (scroll all the way down). It's fun to see how much time has passed since we first sent in the Short Application! For those who didn't notice... In addition to everything else we have already added to this blog... we added a few pages! Here is one about Our Family & Here is one with information about Ethiopia.

Until Next Time,

~The Big Sister :)

Changes in Ethiopian Adoption Laws

2010-03-12T01:19:00.000-08:00

Well... things were going along quite smoothly when a HUGE bump in the adoption road surprised us! In the midst of all sorts of opinions... questions... and lots of confusion.... it appears that there will be some changes in the travel to Ethiopia. There is talk of both parents having to appear in court... there is talk of two different trips to Ethiopia.... and there is more talk. As a family, we have chosen to pray and depend on our Lord Jesus to see us through. We don't have any definitive answers as of yet... so we would really appreciate your prayers right now to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! We would really like it if nothing changes at all.... so we are waiting.... We will update when we know more!
May our LORD bless you!
~Cindy

Adoption Statements

2010-03-03T21:37:00.000-08:00

All five of us: Jordan, Bethany, Eden, Judah, & Shiloh - Christmas 2009

For those of you who remember this post you will remember that I mentioned each of us children living at home had to give a statement (for the home study) about our feelings on the adoption... and since we all live at home that meant all of us! Judah didn't really have to due to his age, but if you ask him what his thoughts are he actually comes up with some pretty good answers! His vocabulary is amazing! It's probably because of all his big siblings that well um... talk all the time... :)

So, without further delay... Here (in birth order) are our statements on the adoption!

---

I'm sure we will have more updates on the adoption process in the near future! For now the most important prayer request is that God would have the right children for our family and that we would be on the correct list for those blessings!

Until Later,

~The Big Sister :)

A Little Update...

2010-02-27T21:53:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

The last time we updated we had just finished our dossier (see the post), but now we are very happy and excited to announce that our home study has been finished! On Thursday, Mrs. T. (our social worker) signed it, notarized it, and sent it off to IAN which is our Adoption Agency in Colorado. Now that all our paperwork is finished we will be on the waiting lists and as soon as we are on them… we could get a referral any day!! One of the families who commented on the last post asked us “what’s the next big step”? Stay tuned! I’ll update as soon as I know. ;-)

Until Then,

~The Big Sister :)

Breaking News!

2010-02-19T16:36:00.001-08:00

Do you remember this post that said we only had two more documents left in order to finish the dossier? Well… we are very excited to announce that the dossier is finished!! Mommy is sending the dossier off today and soon it will be on its way to Ethiopia (we shall let you know when it is)! We are very excited and we praise the Lord for always directing our every step in this huge process. Keep an eye on our Adoption Timeline (on the sidebar) and Stay Tuned!

In Christ,

~The Big Sister :)

Calling Upon Christians to Pray

2010-02-11T10:26:00.000-08:00

At a time when orphan babies are dying, and the children of Haiti are in the single greatest need in the history of this nation, UNICEF has worked to shut down all international adoptions.

Now in this important field report from Port Au Prince, Doug Phillips examines the present battle to rescue Haiti’s children in the context of UNICEF’s anti-adoption efforts vs. the work of the Christian community to encourage the Haitian government to cut through the red tape and open the door for legitimate, qualified American adoptions. -From Doug's Blog-

Stay Up to Date:
Breaking News
Doug's Blog

You may also be interested in:
Haiti: A Prayer Request
Praying for Haiti

People Raising Money for Haiti:
A Bowl of Moss & Pebbles
Wild Olive
The Rebelution

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

We're Done! We're Done!!

2010-02-09T16:30:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!

Thank you for your prayers! We finished the third and last home study meeting today! Judah once again kept everyone well entertained during lunch and my favorite questions he asked our social worker was, “Oo want to ee ire roof?” Being interpreted: “Do you want to see Fireproof?” =) For all of us, children our interviews went well. Our “likes” were pretty much the same, but our “dislikes” varied… such as Eden doesn’t like snakes and Jordan doesn’t like blueberry yogurt… Daddy and Mommy were also interviewed and that went well too! We are very excited to have this done and all we have left is the last two documents which need to be signed and notarized, one more reference letter, and then the dossier goes off to Ethiopia. Isn’t that exciting?

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

Announcing Meeting #3

2010-02-09T07:39:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!

We just wanted to let you know that today is Meeting #3—our last meeting with the social worker! Our social worker is coming today to our home at 11:00 AM and should stay for about 4 hours… Today, each of us children will be interviewed. We all had to write an essay about ourselves (physical description, relationship with parents, likes, dislikes, and so on). We also each have to give a statement on how we feel about this adoption. Which shouldn't be to hard… right? =) We appreciate your prayers and will let you all know how it goes!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

Praying for Haiti

2010-02-08T12:40:00.000-08:00

Picture Credit

Many of you may remember this post we wrote awhile back on the Orphanage of BRESMA in Haiti... Mr. Doug Phillips and his team as well as many other Christians have gone to give aid. Currently the death toll in Haiti is 212,000 and there are many, many orphans who have lost everything!

You can follow them on Twitter Here or on FaceBook Here. Also, stay updated by following Mrs. Phillip's blog Here.

Above all remember to pray for the people of Haiti and the Orphans!

Below is a movie about the Orphans in Haiti. It's very sad to see so many little babies crying on the ground with absolutely nothing! I want to just go and take them into my arms and hug them! They have no food... I think this should make us all very thankful for the things the Lord has blessed us with. We have shelter, food, water, family, and extra... these Orphans have nothing.

And here is a movie about a Christian young man who survived the earthquake because his mother used her body to cover him. His arm was amputated and he lost his entire family.

More of Mr. Phillip's Movie Updates can be viewed Here

Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. -Psalm 82:3-4

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

Just Two More…

2010-02-05T18:05:00.000-08:00

We are very excited to announce that we only have two more documents to finish and then Daddy and Mommy have completed the entire dossier! Our last home study is this coming Tuesday and then we could have a referral very soon!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

The Ergo

2010-02-04T19:15:00.001-08:00

I absolutely love baby slings!! When Judah was born Mommy gave me an extra one of hers which I used often and still have for my future siblings and my future babies (if the Lord wills =) )… When Judah was a little older Mommy bought an Ergo Baby Carrier.

One thing that is special with the Ergo is that it has two shoulder straps so the weight of the baby lays on both shoulders… not just one! This is especially helpful for my Mother’s back. The Ergo Baby Carrier also has extra special features like a strapped hood which one can put over the baby when he sleeps. It’s also very easy to take off while the little one is sleeping and very easy to put on.
You can wear the Ergo in the front position, side, or back and it fits babies from newborn to about 40 pounds. It’s very comfortable and easy to move around in. In fact my little brother recently told me that when I get little he’s going to start giving me rides in it!! =) All in all I love the Ergo Baby Carrier!! =)
Riddle Love and our friends the Callis Family of The Home Grown Family are hosting a giveaway of one of these wonderful Ergos! So hop on over HERE so you can enter too!

God Bless You and Happy Baby Wearing!

Posted By:

~Shiloh

This article by Mrs. Allison, originally printed in the Above Rubies Magazine is one of my favorite articles I have ever read on Baby slings and Baby wearing! :)

Meeting #3: Canceled

2010-02-03T11:46:00.001-08:00

Hello Friends,

We had to cancel our third home study today due to one of us down with the flu. The rest of us girls just got over some colds and everyone is taking lots of herbs and vitamin C! Lord willing the new date for the meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 9, 2010. We shall keep you updated! For now Daddy and Mommy are watching some recommended movies, we sisters are cleaning the house (isn’t that one of the things we do best? =) ), Jordan is getting well (soon we hope), and Judah is just bundles of fun! Check back soon for our next update!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

PTL!

2010-01-26T12:26:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!

This is just a quick note to let you all know that Meeting #2 went well and we are eagerly looking forward to our third meeting on the third of February.

God bless you all and thank you so much for your prayers!

Be sure to keep an eye on our Adoption Timeline. :) We've been adding more information to it!

Praise the Lord!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

Update:

2010-01-25T14:05:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!

Today is the Second Meeting (out of three). Daddy and Mommy will be meeting with the social worker at 2:00 pm. We would really appreciate your prayers and we are praying that the Lord would lead Daddy and Mommy to have a great interview! The whole S. clan here on the farm is looking forward to hearing about everything and when our parents come back home and we hear how it goes… we’ll let you know!

In Christ,

~The Big Sister :)

An Update...

2010-01-20T18:15:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

We just wanted to let you all know that our next Home Study meeting was canceled and will not be this Friday. Instead Daddy and Mommy will be meeting with the social worker on Monday, January 25th (#2 Meeting), and the last meeting (#3 Meeting) will be with everyone on Wednesday, February 3rd. (Details to follow- of course =) ).

Today, we went to the midwife (Naturopathic Doctor) for check ups... Everything went very well and Judah loves standing on the weighing scale! He did a great job of it all by himself with a little help from his big sister... We love our midwives!

Well, that's it for now! May the Lord bless each and every one of you and check back soon for our next update!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

Home Study #1

2010-01-19T21:27:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends,

This is just a quick note to say that our first (of three) home studies went very well! We were blessed to have a CFA social worker who was a home schooling mom and also has been a Christian for 20 years! Judah was quite our talker and kept everyone will entertained during lunch and during her three hour stay we had lots of yummy cookies and tea!

That's it for now... other then that- check back soon because our next meeting will be on Friday (details to follow).

In Christ,

~The Big Sister :)

Prayer Request

2010-01-18T17:00:00.000-08:00

Hello!

This is just a quick update to let everyone know that we will be having our first home study meeting on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 12:00 PM. We would really appreciate your prayer for this day especially! We will update later to let you all know how it went. Thank you!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

P.S. Happy Timkat!

Haiti: A Prayer Request

2010-01-16T22:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Our family wanted to give a quick update on our adoption blog for a prayer request. Many of you know about the earthquake in Haiti. In Port-au-Prince, Haiti, there are two sisters, Jamie (30) and Ali (21), who have been running an orphanage for three years. The orphanage houses about 120 children. Because of the earthquake Jamie, Ali, and the children have moved to the yard of the orphanage and are running out of supplies (such as diapers etc.)... Most recently they are now out of water and the little ones will not survive without clean water for more than a few days. Please keep the Orphanage of BRESMA in your prayers! Please pray for these children and these young ladies as the Lord leads.
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. -Psalm 82:3-4

More Information:

- Updates
-BRESMA Twitter

NEW:

-Update on BRESMA
-Let's Help Them Get Out of Haiti Facebook

Picture Credit

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

We Are On The IAN Blog!

2010-01-12T16:49:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!

This is just a quick announcement to let everyone know (who follows or checks) our adoption blog that one of our posts was re-published today on the IAN Family Blog (our adoption agency)! So, hop on over here to see it!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

Merry Christmas!

2010-01-07T19:41:00.000-08:00

Picture Credit

On the IAN blog I found this article about the Christmas Traditions in Ethiopia. I thought it was an interesting read especially with comparing Ethiopian Traditions with American Traditions. Over all my favorite parts of the article is about how the Ethiopians dress in white during this time and the food preparations. :) I'm looking forward to trying to make Ethiopian food! Anybody want to come over and have some with my family?

Article taken from How Stuff Works & IAN Families

Ethiopia is one of the oldest nations in Africa. It still follows the ancient Julian calendar, so Ethiopians celebrate Christmas on January 7. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church's celebration of Christ's birth is called Ganna. It is a day when families attend church.

The day before Ganna, people fast all day. The next morning at dawn, everyone dresses in white. Most Ethiopians don a traditional shamma, a thin, white cotton wrap with brightly colored stripes across the ends. The shamma is worn somewhat like a toga. Urban Ethiopians might put on white Western garb. Then everyone goes to the early mass at four o'clock in the morning. In a celebration that takes place several days later, the priests will dress in turbans and red and white robes as they carry beautifully embroidered fringed umbrellas.

Most Ethiopians who live outside the modern capital city, Addis Ababa, live in round mud-plastered houses with cone-shaped roofs of thatched straw. In areas where stone is plentiful, the houses may be rectangular stone houses. The churches in Ethiopia echo the shape of the houses. In many parts of the country there are ancient churches carved out of solid volcanic rock. Modern churches are built in three concentric circles.

In a modern church, the choir assembles in the outer circle. Each person entering the church is given a candle. The congregation walks around the church three times in a solemn procession, holding the flickering candles. Then they gather in the second circle to stand throughout the long mass, with the men and boys separated from the women and girls. The center circle is the holiest space in the church, where the priest serves Holy Communion.

Around the time of Ganna, the men and boys play a game that is also called ganna. It is somewhat like hockey, played with a curved stick and a round wooden ball.

The foods enjoyed during the Christmas season include wat, a thick, spicy stew of meat, vegetables, and sometimes eggs as well. The wat is served from a beautifully decorated watertight basket onto a "plate" of injera, which is flat sourdough bread. Pieces of injera are used as an edible spoon to scoop up the wat.

Twelve days after Ganna, on January 19, Ethiopians begin the three-day celebration called Timkat, which commemorates the baptism of Christ. The children walk to church services in a procession. They wear the crowns and robes of the church youth groups they belong to. The grown-ups wear the shamma. The priests will now wear their red and white robes and carry embroidered fringed umbrellas.

The music of Ethiopian instruments makes the Timkat procession a very festive event. The sistrum is a percussion instrument with tinkling metal disks. A long, T-shaped prayer stick called a makamiya taps out the walking beat and also serves as a support for the priest during the long church service that follows. Church officials called dabtaras study hard to learn the musical chants, melekets, for the ceremony.

Ethiopian men play another sport called yeferas guks. They ride on horseback and throw ceremonial lances at each other.

Ganna and Timkat are not occasions for giving gifts in Ethiopia. If a child receives any gift at all, it is usually a small gift of clothing. Religious observances, feasting, and games are the focus of the season.

መልካም ገና
Melkam Gena
(Merry Christmas)

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

SALVATION FOR AFRICA

2010-01-05T17:04:00.001-08:00

I was recently studying an apologetic topic and I ran across this hymn written by Alice Marie Reynolds (Early 20th Century). Since we've been working on our adoption process for Ethiopia and I've always been interested in Africa I thought it was very interesting to find out that there had been a hymn written about salvation (the topic I was studying) and Africa. I thought I would share it for our Adoption Blog!

Salvation For Africa

Dark land by night oppressed,
Chained by the chains of wrong;
Crying for “Living Bread”
And Gospel light so strong,
With none to bear this light to thee,
I pray, O God, send me
To tell the story ever new.

God’s promises are true,
He will His own defend,
Arise and shine for Him,
Your light ne’er let grow dim.
Salvation’s sound shall yet ring round,
Old Afric’s coast by error bound,
And Jesus shall the victor be.

Let not the cares of earth
Fast bind me to my home;
Break every fetter, break,
I am my dear Lord’s own.
I’ll go where’er His hand may lead,
Doubt not or ever be afraid,
But trust His grace; lean on His Word.

Jesus shall come again,
When this whole world has heard
The Gospel preached and sung;
O Christian, tell the word,
Haste, haste the day when Christ shall reign
As Conqu’ror and Prince divine,
Triumphant o’er this world’s domain.

Click HERE for the music to this hymn.

Posted By:

~The Big Sister :)

-Ethiopian Natioinal Anthem-

2009-12-11T06:30:00.000-08:00

Recently, De-De and I after looking in some books decided to listen to the National Anthem in Ethiopia. Here is a website which will play you the music and below are the words--first in Amharic and then translated in English. Above is a map of Ethiopia...

Amahrian Lyrics:
Whedefit Gesgeshi Woude Henate Ethiopia

Yäzêgennät Keber Bä-Ityopp'yachen S'änto
Tayyä Hezbawinnät Dar Eskädar Bärto.
Läsälam Läfeteh Lähezboch Näs'annat;
Bä'ekkulennät Bäfeqer Qomänal Bä'andennät.
Mäsärätä S'enu Säbe'enan Yalsharen;
Hezboch Nän Läsera Bäsera Yänoren.
Denq Yäbahel Mädräk Yä'ahuri Qers Baläbet;
Yätäfät'ro S'ägga Yä'akuri Qers Baläbet;
Ennet'äbbeqeshallän Alläbben Adära;
Ityopp'yachchen nuri Eññam Banchi Ennekura!

English Translation:
March Forward, Dear Mother Ethiopia

Respect for citizenship is strong in our Ethiopia;
National pride is seen, shining from one side to another.
For peace, for justice, for the freedom of peoples,
In equality and in love we stand united.
Firm of foundation, we do not dismiss humanness;
We are peoples who live through work.
Wonderful is the stage of tradition, mistress of proud heritage,
Mother of natural virtue, mother of a valorous people.
We shall protect you - we have a duty;
Our Ethiopia, live! And let us be proud of you!

Posted By:

~The Big Sister

Learn to Speak the Language!

2009-12-07T06:30:00.000-08:00

One thing about Ethiopia that I thought was really interesting is the official language spoken in Ethiopia: The official language in Ethiopia is Amharic. It is related to both Hebrew and Arabic and has some words not found in the English Language. Below is a picture (I found in one of the books we brought home from the library) with a few words in Amharic:

Dähna Huňi!

Posted By:
The Big Sister

Ethiopia Facts

2009-12-05T21:51:00.000-08:00

Here are some facts I learned about Ethiopia:

~The area of Ethiopia is about 472,000 square miles or 1.2 square million kilometers which is almost twice the size of Texas!

~Ethiopia has a population of over 60 million people.

~The name of Ethiopia's capital is "Addis Ababa". It means "New Flower".

~Ethiopia uses a lot of spices. Their foods are some of the spiciest in Africa.

~The official language in Ethiopia is Amharic. It is related to both Hebrew and Arabic and has some words not found in the English Language.

~Money in Ethiopia is called a "Birr". A Birr is divded into 100 cents.

~Ethiopia has a National Bread called: "Injera". It is a soft, pancake like bread made from a native grain called: "teff".

~The word "coffee" may have come from a region in Ethiopia known as Kaffa. It is in that region where many people think coffee bushes first started growing.

~Sometimes Ethiopians enjoy eating popcorn with their coffee!

~Ethiopia's National Flag is stripped green, yellow, and red. The green stripe is for land and hope, yellow stands for church, and red is for power and faith. In the center of the flag is a star with rays all the same length. This shows that all of the Ethiopians are equal. The color of blue behind the star stands for peace and democracy.

Posted By:

The Big Sister :)

CFA Adoption Banquet

2009-12-03T20:46:00.000-08:00

Good Evening Friends,

Mommy wanted me to get this blog going a bit more as we are going on with this adoption process. For those of you who remember this post Mommy mentioned that we would be posting some pictures from the CFA Adoption Banquet. We listened to a wonderful speaker from Colorado and enjoyed the evening immensely! Perhaps you will join us next year?

Enjoy the pictures!

Posted By:

The Big Sister

Praising the Lord Today!

2009-11-22T21:48:00.000-08:00

Why are we praising the Lord today?

We sent our application in to IAN...

and we can't wait to see how He is going to lead us in this adoption process!Below: Bethany on her birthday with Mommy the day we sent in the application!

Posted By:

The Big Sister

National Adoption Day~November 21st

2009-11-22T02:31:00.001-08:00

Hello And Blessings to you all!
We just returned home from a wonderful Adoption Banquet put on by our home study agency (which is, by the way, "Christian Family Adoptions"). The girls will be posting pictures soon but suffice it to say that we were blessed beyond measure.... encouraged by other Christians... and challenged by the Living God! The awesome thing about the experience was that the banquet itself, which was on November 21st, took place on my Dad's birthday. (My dad was himself adopted.) What a delightful evening.... and like I said.... pictures to follow soon!
Blessings,
Momma Cynthia

Working hard on our paper work!!

2009-11-14T00:19:00.001-08:00

Whew!! There sure is a lot of paperwork!! But-- the Lord is so faithful and we are making headway! More updates to follow soon so please keep us in your prayers as we follow our Savior and Lord Jesus!
~Momma Cynthia

Orphan Sunday...

2009-11-08T22:32:00.000-08:00

Orphan Sunday from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Update...

2009-10-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

We are waist deep in paper work!! We had the first set of several finger prints done at the police station today.... and we are praying for whomever the Lord puts in our family! Please join us in prayer for all of the leg work!
Thank you!
God Bless!
The Mother

WE ARE APPROVED!!!!!

2009-10-16T10:36:00.000-07:00

Judah said.... "I want a teeny tiny baby becu I a big big bu-bu!!"
Posted by the Momma

A Video to Watch...

2009-10-15T22:20:00.000-07:00

Safely To Arrive At Home

2009-10-01T22:50:00.000-07:00

The verse of the hymn Come Thou Fount which this blog is named after:

"Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home."

-Come Thou Fount

Posted By:

The First Big Sister