Our Hearts . . .

Are in Ethiopia

With two of our Children.

We are praying them home

We want them home.

God willing they will be home soon.


Tesfaye, our princely, athletic, studious, and enthusiastic 5-year-old:


Hiwot, our beautiful, sweet, shy, and affectionate 3-year-old:


I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18

A Gift

3 . 2 . 1 .

B L A S T O F F !

Our latest backyard favorite . . . our new ROCKET.

Davis is very proud of this very special Christmas gift, and Mike has elevated himself to "Superhero" in the eyes of our sons. (Daddy is the only one strong enough to pump the air-pressure high enough to cause a super blast-off!). This rocket flies high. The boys are amazed!
They cover their ears in anticipation of the "blast", watch to follow the rocket's flight into the clouds, and then race to recover as the rocket bounce-lands in the backyard.

Day Trip

Instead of braving the rain for a camping weekend, we took a day trip to Chattanooga. The Tennessee Aquarium was the perfect destination for a rainy day. The kids LOVED every moment (including puddle jumping in the parking lot!).
The aquarium consists of TWO amazing buildings: the River Journey and Ocean Journey. It was wonderful to see the kids absolutely enthralled with aquatic creatures during our visit. This was a perfect day adventure, breaking up our tour of the two buildings with a picnic lunch. Our day was complete with a stop en-route home at the best pizza place in Tennessee.
(thank you to our friends for introducing us to Crust!)

We can't wait to have Hiwot and Tesfaye with us for our next visit!

Bubbles

Take Five

Call for Prayer

We are calling on God's power and believing in His awesome glory to step-in and bring our precious kids home.

Please join with us in a concentrated prayer effort.


Today, March 22, marks 6 months since our official acceptance of the referral of Hiwot and Tesfaye, and 2 months since we arrived in Ethiopia to appear in court.

It is our strong desire to have our kids home. Our God is big enough. We are praying them home!!!


"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it,
and it will be yours." Mark 11:24

Letters

The past 52 days of waiting (since we said our goodbyes) have been some of the longest of our lives - we fully expected that we would have traveled by now and would be already be working on bonding with Hanna Hiwot and Jackson Tesfaye. Instead we are still waiting on birth certificates to be issued, after which we are told it will be at least 6 weeks before traveling again.

We miss them dearly.

Thankfully, in the meantime, we have families with our agency who have graciously agreed to carry letters for us and snap pictures of our children. We are privileged to send cards, letters, pictures, and stickers for HH & JT nearly every two weeks. Getting back pictures of our precious kids is an eagerly received blessing. Thank you to all who have done this for us!


Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14

Outdoor Art

Springtime

The past few weeks, Hendrick has been repeatedly asking "when will it be Spring?". He was really asking "when will there be toads?".
Well, it must be Spring . . . he found the first toad of the season.
Welcome Springtime!

Running for a Dream 5K

This weekend, our entire family participated in the 2nd Annual Running for a Dream 5K Run/Walk. All proceeds from the event went to benefit the Dream Center, a local women and children homeless shelter with the goal of "Rebuilding Lives . Restoring Hope . Renewing Dreams".

62 runners and walkers (not including stroller-riders) came out on the beautiful Saturday morning to support the ladies of the Dream Center. With a police car escort, we carried and pushed our crew the distance. Hendrick walked and ran the entire 3.1 miles . . . he was very proud of his bronze medal in the 14-and-under age division!
(Mike figured if he divided his own time by 4 - to account for the amount of people his legs were pushing the distance - he should have one first place overall!).

Self Cut

The best punishment . . . cutting his hair short (to even-out his self trim). Poor boy!

Bring Them Home

Waiting plays a big part in the adoption process.
. . . wait for papers, wait for the home study, wait for money, wait for USCIS approval, wait for a referral, wait for travel, wait for court, wait to pass court . . . then wait to bring your kids home.

We are waiting to bring our kids home.
We are so eager to bring them forever home.
It has been 7 weeks since we traveled to meet them.

This wait has been the hardest, the most excruciating, the most heart-breaking.

We have recently been told to expect another 6+ weeks before we can bring them home.

It's hard to understand.

Why we are faced with this delay?
Why God is allowing this delay?

The wait has not been easy.
My faith is strong.

We are in a dry valley, but God will soon fill it with water.

God has a divine purpose in this wait.
He is the restorer.
He has a plan.
We will wait for Him.

We are fully dependent on God.

We are believing God to complete the good work He has started.
We are believing God to bring our kids home.

I have had moments of despair and brokenness but I remain hopeful, trusting in God.

My children will come home.
My children will come home.

We look forward to seeing God's glory revealed as He brings our children home.

*Ethiopian Adoptions are in crisis. MoWA (Ministry of Women's Affairs) has cut down adoptions by 90%. Thankfully adoptions haven't stopped completely, but what about the 90% of children (legitimate orphans) who will have to wait for months/years? There are over 5 million orphans living in Ethiopia. What about the families waiting for a referral or court date? We are all trying to figure out what this means for the future of adoptions in Ethiopia. Officials and Adoption Agencies are working to find a good solution. It is heartbreaking.

Please pray for ethical adoptions in Ethiopia to continue.

Ethiopia: Addis Merkato

Ethiopia boasts having the Largest Open-Air Market in Africa . . . the bustling Addis Merkato ("new market") covers several square miles in downtown Addis Ababa.

We ventured into the Merkato on our last day in Addis to purchase spices. The Merkato is one of the most colorful and beautiful places I've ever witnessed. Photographs don't do it justice, they fail to capture the vast size, vibrant colors, busyness, sounds and smells.
It was wonderful to see "real" Ethiopia and experience where Ethiopians shop (as the only ferenji, we really stood out!).

Caution for other travelers: while the Merkato is a safe place to visit, pick-pockets are unfortunately very common, so be smart about your gear . . . and take someone with you as a guide - this large market can be overwhelming!

Ethiopia: Entoto Mountain

While we were in Addis Ababa in January for our Adoption Court Trip, we took a drive up Entoto Mountain.

Addis Ababa was built in the foothills of Entoto Mountain, founded in 1887 as the new capital of Ethiopia. The site was chosen by Empress Taytu, wife of Menelik II, naming it "new flower" (Addis Ababa). The former capital sits on the top of Entoto Mountain (to the north of Addis Ababa).

The drive up was quick; passing livestock grazing, children playing, water collecting, shop venders, and women* burdened with loads of sticks and branches as we whipped around the steep hairpin turns. Each turn revealing beautiful vistas.

*The mountain in forested with Eucalyptus trees, introduced to Ethiopia during the reign of Menelik II. These trees are fast disappearing to be used as fuel in cooking fires. In Addis, it is estimated that 15,000 women and children make their living as wood carriers, carrying heavy loads of branches from Entoto Mountain down to the city each day. The Ethiopian Women Fuel Carriers Project is working to help these women with jobs and health care, and also address the wood shortage in Addis.
On top of Entoto, a few structures remain - remnants of the former capital of Ethiopia. The former Palace of Menelik II, and the churches of Mariam and Archangel Raguel. The former palace of Emperor Menelik II and Empress Taytu (Menelik II ruled 1889 - 1909) is incredibly modest by western standards, the "palace" is a campus of small thatched roofed, mud/straw/egg shell plaster structures. Close by is the colorful (and still functioning) Kidist Mariam - St. Mary's Orthodox Church (dedicated to Menelik II in 1876 and location of his coronation) and St. Mary's Museum, housing religious items and ceremonial clothing from Menelik II. The octagonal church of Archangel Raguel Church is designed in three "layers". The inner section, Holy of Holies, is covered with magnificent floor-to-ceiling paintings of New Testament writings and the accomplishments of African Saints. On the grounds of Archangel Raguel church are the remains of a 13th Century rock-hewn church.