As most of you know we are in are the waiting phase of the adoption process again! Although I thought that this time it would be easier and in many ways it is - but today I am ready to be to be done waiting. I am ready to have our new little one complete our family.
As you see I am going to be trying this blogging thing again hopefully I will find the time to keep it up. In the next few days the look of the blog will change and there will be more pictures - I have a lot of updating to do!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Saturday, December 6, 2008
5 year ago . . . .
I had my first miscarriage. That is not a something that many people will remember but I will always remember it. The feelings associated with a miscarriage are so difficult to explain that is a loss that I still feel today 5 years later. Yes, it is easier however, it is still a sad day.
Although a sad day without it our lives would be completely different. Our wedding day started our journey towards building a family, 5 years ago we would have never known the winding, twisting road that would lie ahead to finally bring our family together. Although there were times I would doubt God or wondered if he existed why we would have to hurt so much, I will never doubt him again.
Although a sad day without it our lives would be completely different. Our wedding day started our journey towards building a family, 5 years ago we would have never known the winding, twisting road that would lie ahead to finally bring our family together. Although there were times I would doubt God or wondered if he existed why we would have to hurt so much, I will never doubt him again.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Surprise . . .
Hello out there.
I know it has been a little over a year and so many things have happened. I don't think I could possibly do a year in review any justice at this point however throughout the next couple of weeks I will try.
Many of you may want to know where I have been? The answer is quite simply I have been in Michigan adjusting to be a mom to two wonderful boys. ADJUSTING it the word for the year. Adjusting . . . .to being a mom, to having Mark work second shift, to going back to work part-time and eventually full-time, having three grandparents die within 8 months and just living. It seems as soon as we thought we were adjusted to one set of circumstances things would change again and we would be adjusting again.
It is hard to believe the boys have been home for a year, however it is also hard to believe that there was a time that they were not here. Kaleab and Isaac are both doing wonderful. I will give you more specifics on each of them in the days to come.
I will leave you with a couple of pictures of the boys. . . .
I know it has been a little over a year and so many things have happened. I don't think I could possibly do a year in review any justice at this point however throughout the next couple of weeks I will try.
Many of you may want to know where I have been? The answer is quite simply I have been in Michigan adjusting to be a mom to two wonderful boys. ADJUSTING it the word for the year. Adjusting . . . .to being a mom, to having Mark work second shift, to going back to work part-time and eventually full-time, having three grandparents die within 8 months and just living. It seems as soon as we thought we were adjusted to one set of circumstances things would change again and we would be adjusting again.
It is hard to believe the boys have been home for a year, however it is also hard to believe that there was a time that they were not here. Kaleab and Isaac are both doing wonderful. I will give you more specifics on each of them in the days to come.
I will leave you with a couple of pictures of the boys. . . .
Sunday, November 25, 2007
We are home!
We made it for Thanksgiving. What a whirlwind trip, that will forever change our lives. Since returning home I have not felt well so that is why it has taken me so long to post anything. The boys are adjusting better than I could have imagined. Just to tie you over until tomorrow here are a couple of pictures of our sons.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Last Update from Addis
Here is the e-mail I received from Wendy this morning at 7:03 a.m. Wisconsin time:
Well, in 27 hours we will be leaving for the airport! To me, it is overwhelming. We are leaving Ethiopia -- the boys' home, their culture and the people that adore their children. On the other hand, I am extremely excited to be going home. Tonight we will be packing and enjoying the last night at the Sidama Lodge. The people here are wonderful and they now have internet access. We could not have asked for anything better.
We miss you all and will see you soon.
Mark, Wendy, Char and the boys
Well, in 27 hours we will be leaving for the airport! To me, it is overwhelming. We are leaving Ethiopia -- the boys' home, their culture and the people that adore their children. On the other hand, I am extremely excited to be going home. Tonight we will be packing and enjoying the last night at the Sidama Lodge. The people here are wonderful and they now have internet access. We could not have asked for anything better.
We miss you all and will see you soon.
Mark, Wendy, Char and the boys
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Update from Addis
Here is what Wendy has to say -
Hello all,
The last several days have been extremely hectic and exhausting. On Wednesday, I was sick (must have been something I ate) which left Char and Mark to care for the boys. Since the last e-mail, things have not been going as smoothly as we would have liked it to go with Kaleab. On Tuesday night, he screamed 2 1/2 hours straight until I took him to the front desk so that the doorman and Alex could calm him down. However, as soon as I got him back upstairs, he started to cry all over again. Now we are on a first name basis with the staff at the Sidama Lodge and they come up almost every night to help us with Kaleab. We can tell that it will be a very hard transition for him -- so when we get home, do not feel bad if he will not come to you for it may take a while - hopefully by then Mark and I will be able to comfort him.
Other than that, everything else is going better. We went to the orphanage today to meet Kaleab's dad and unfortunately he did not show. We also found out that our boys never received our care packages that we sent. (Marissa, don't worry about your children, we were there when they opened their care packages.) Also, at the orphanage today Mark handed out a banana & orange to every child there and to the caretakes as well.
I should be going for now.
See you all soon.
Wendy, Mark, Char and the boys
Hello all,
The last several days have been extremely hectic and exhausting. On Wednesday, I was sick (must have been something I ate) which left Char and Mark to care for the boys. Since the last e-mail, things have not been going as smoothly as we would have liked it to go with Kaleab. On Tuesday night, he screamed 2 1/2 hours straight until I took him to the front desk so that the doorman and Alex could calm him down. However, as soon as I got him back upstairs, he started to cry all over again. Now we are on a first name basis with the staff at the Sidama Lodge and they come up almost every night to help us with Kaleab. We can tell that it will be a very hard transition for him -- so when we get home, do not feel bad if he will not come to you for it may take a while - hopefully by then Mark and I will be able to comfort him.
Other than that, everything else is going better. We went to the orphanage today to meet Kaleab's dad and unfortunately he did not show. We also found out that our boys never received our care packages that we sent. (Marissa, don't worry about your children, we were there when they opened their care packages.) Also, at the orphanage today Mark handed out a banana & orange to every child there and to the caretakes as well.
I should be going for now.
See you all soon.
Wendy, Mark, Char and the boys
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
We made it to Addis and have out little boys
Yeah!!! I heard from them. Here is the e-mail I received from Wendy & Mark:
Hello from Addis:
We made it, there is no doubt that the flight was very long. We still have not 100% adjusted to the time zone but are getting there. The Sidama Lodge is wonderful and has only been open 7 weeks. The staff has been excellent. There are a few minor inconveniences of staying here - one being the internet. They have wireless Internet which is great if you bring a laptop, so it has not been the easiest thing to deal with. The other downfall is that there are not too many restaurants nearby so we have to order our food which is OK. I think Mark and I will lose a little bit of weight before we get home.
We went to pick up the boys yesterday at the orphanage and experienced our first traditional coffee ceremony. We have the boys with us. In the first 24 hours, Mark and I have experienced the Ethiopian "blow out". Let me tell you nothing will prepare you for them. We definitely have our poop stories.
Kaleab is very shy and the only way he would come near us is for us to give him candy. Kaleab likes beep beeps (cars) and balls and he sticks his tongue out all the time. (Remind you of someone, mom?) Isaac is a very good natured baby and only cries when he is hundry or wants to get up. He is definitely close to crawling. He can get up on all fours and he likes to talk. Besides that, Isaac tries to put everything in his mouth.
We definitely estimated sizes wrong. Kaleab should be wearing 18 months and size 6 or 7 for shoes. Isaac should probably be wearing 3-6 months but he will grow into the 6-9 months that we have.
There is so much to say but we want to get back to the boys. We will definitely hug and kiss them for all of you. Please keep us in your prayers.
Hopefully we will be able to e-mail on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
Thank you all for taking this journey with us.
Love,
Wendy, Mark and Char
Hello from Addis:
We made it, there is no doubt that the flight was very long. We still have not 100% adjusted to the time zone but are getting there. The Sidama Lodge is wonderful and has only been open 7 weeks. The staff has been excellent. There are a few minor inconveniences of staying here - one being the internet. They have wireless Internet which is great if you bring a laptop, so it has not been the easiest thing to deal with. The other downfall is that there are not too many restaurants nearby so we have to order our food which is OK. I think Mark and I will lose a little bit of weight before we get home.
We went to pick up the boys yesterday at the orphanage and experienced our first traditional coffee ceremony. We have the boys with us. In the first 24 hours, Mark and I have experienced the Ethiopian "blow out". Let me tell you nothing will prepare you for them. We definitely have our poop stories.
Kaleab is very shy and the only way he would come near us is for us to give him candy. Kaleab likes beep beeps (cars) and balls and he sticks his tongue out all the time. (Remind you of someone, mom?) Isaac is a very good natured baby and only cries when he is hundry or wants to get up. He is definitely close to crawling. He can get up on all fours and he likes to talk. Besides that, Isaac tries to put everything in his mouth.
We definitely estimated sizes wrong. Kaleab should be wearing 18 months and size 6 or 7 for shoes. Isaac should probably be wearing 3-6 months but he will grow into the 6-9 months that we have.
There is so much to say but we want to get back to the boys. We will definitely hug and kiss them for all of you. Please keep us in your prayers.
Hopefully we will be able to e-mail on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
Thank you all for taking this journey with us.
Love,
Wendy, Mark and Char
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