Updates!!!

We got a new picture of K and he is getting SO big. He has lost that baby look. This is what our update from Gladney said:

K is doing well. He can lift his head and chest for a few seconds while on his stomach. He loves being pulled from laying to sitting or standing and keeps his head quite steady. K babbled frequently while I was with him. He was quite happy although his smiles were few.

How cute is this?

I think it's pretty obvious that we are enjoying a lot of support and encouragement from you guys. We must express our sincere thanks to those of you who took time out of your schedule while in Ethiopia to video "K" and take pictures of him. It is a tremendous service to us, and we are very grateful! Also, welcome back to the states! When you receive your referral and get your first peek, you become anxious for more, and even though you're grateful for the ones you have, you want more. It's one thing to have your child growing in front of you, with the ability to photograph at any time; it's an entirely different thing to see your child through monthly glimpses...suddenly they are larger, growing, changing, etc. Are we that spoiled? Apparently!

For now, we continue to wait for our court date, trying to make sure we are covering our bases, preparing ourselves, re-arranging, re-packing, reviewing, evaluating, reading, praying, thinking, dreaming...enjoying the fact that we are truly blessed, and that in our time we will be united with our son!

Interesting

A freind sent me this and I thought I would share: http://www.storyofstuff.com/

It takes about 20 min to watch. You probably know all of this, but I thought, for the most part, it was neat having it all in a little story. We need to start teaching this at an early age!

Christmas!

I hope everyone had a good Ethiopian Christmas this week. I'm a little late posting these, but luck would have it that Ethiopia's Christmas is after ours so it gave me a little bit of time! K, you don't know it yet, but you made out like a bandit this Christmas! Several people gave us presents for you! You got a blanket, book, clothes, a go fishing game, fire truck, little cars, etc! Everyone is excited and can't wait to have you here!

I have posted pictures below of some of the toys. My sister is into what is best for babies as she has worked in several Montessori schools and has a degree in that area. The fire truck is really neat and the people are made out of wood! The three little cars are magnetic and can all hook together or be used separately. Their eyes move too! The fish bowl is really cool. The pole has Velcro on the end so you stick the pole in and catch your fish! Anyway when kids are small they work on pulling the fish out of the bowl and as they get older they work on numbers and colors! She knew these toys would be good b/c all of the kids in her classes all liked them. I've even had a bit of fun testing them out for K!

My sister also got me an Omni Peace sweatshirt! It's awesome! I have been wearing it non stop b/c the weather has been SO cold!

Twins!

One of my friends growing up, Christina, had her twins January 9th! A boy named Isaiah, and a girl named Abigail! When she had her first baby there were major complications and they didn't know if he would make it. He was born early, but was healthy. The doctor told her she wouldn't be able to have anymore children. She had wanted children ever since we were LITTLE, it was a dream of hers! After several years of hearing she wouldn't be able to have more, God blessed her! When she got pregnant she knew that this was a real blessing! That it would probably be the last baby she would have due to complications she has while pregnant. Then she sent news that she was having twins! What an amazing blessing for her and her family! On the 9th two healthy babies were delivered! They are on oxygen, as many premature twins are, but are doing great! They weighed in at over 5lbs each! CONGRATULATIONS!

We have a date!

Our court date is scheduled for March 16!!! It was surprising and exciting news to receive today. Keep us in your prayers that we will get through court on our first try!

5 years

Today David and I have been married 5 years! It's an exciting mile marker for us and it seems (in a good way) as it has only been 1 year. I have a perfect husband, best friend, and so much more! I never get tired of him, even if he does make me mad, he is still the one I want to be around and run to! We have so much fun together and the time we have is never enough! We have a since of humor all our own and I enjoy finding the same things hilarious! We get/understand each other in ways that nobody else seems to! He works hard to be a man of God and that means so much to me! Rebecca wrote that she must have won the husband lottery! I loved reading that quote on her blog b/c I'd have to agree with her- I must have won the husband lottery too! He is the best part of my world and now we are getting another best- our son K! I love that from the moment I mentioned how much I wanted to adopt, David was on board! He never thought twice and was so happy with our decision! I feel even luckier as we have told friends and family we are adopting and they don't fully understand or wouldn't want, themselves, to adopt. They fully support our decision but it isn't the choice for them. It has always been the first choice for us and sometimes I think that David is even more excited about this than I am (if that is possible). Our son is precious, a gift from God, and there is no doubt in our minds that God choose our son for us too! I am excited as we start this new chapter in our lives and know that there is nobody better than my husband to go though this exciting journey with! I continually thank God for him.

We did have the day off together as David took a vacation day- but when we got our referral we realized we would probably need the vacation time to travel to Ethiopia. So my husband is sacrificing and has to work. So for you David, thanks for a great 5 years!

Oh, and the pictures are of our rings! I am not a big jewlery fan so we found these and we love them! They are simple, just right, and I love the fact that we have the same ring! They have two sayings on them: "I am my beloved's", and "My beloved is mine". Also, it works out better for me b/c David's name actually means "beloved"!

Just a glimpse!

I can't get over how cute he looks in his dino-drawers! He is cute from head to toe! :) Thanks to the Winters for the picture hook up! We loved getting some new pictures!