Fundraising activities

There were many events planned to help financially prepare for this journey. Yard sales, a cookout, benefit dinners, and a gold party were some of those I hosted with the help of family and friends. At the first yard sale Kathy held a raffle for handmade baby afghans while Anna Ruth and Rebecca manned a table of lemonade, brownies, and cookies.

The cookout was hysterical as a grill that normally has flames a foot high had but a tiny flicker. Thanks to Becky for inviting me to Big Lots for this fun-filled day!

Benefit dinners were held at the Dinner Bell and Chick-fil-A and attended by co-workers, family, and friends! I was blessed to have my son David home on R & R from Iraq to attend Chick-fil-A. Thanks to Allison and Jason for these events.

Missing these little guys like crazy

Just realized how awful I've been at updating the blog since actually being able to show pictures of the boys. I'll try and spend these next days waiting on word from the embassy to post some of my favorite memories of this journey. This video was made when Kathy and I went for court and depicts the boys personalities well. The waiting is hard but watching the videos and looking at the pictures just makes me smile. Joseph and Jacob, I'll be there soon!

and it's embassy time!

In just a few short hours my paperwork will be reviewed and plans finalized for a return trip to bring the boys home. I received an e-mail from Sue today which said to be ready to travel for a December 16 embassy date, meaning we will return home the 18th and in plenty of time for Christmas. I know in my head there is a possibility that something will be missing or that there won't be two slots left for the embassy appointment but in my heart I keep hearing December 16th and have for months. I think I may stay up these next few hours in prayer as the clock ticks towards business hours in Ethiopia. Or, perhaps I'll close my eyes knowing that prayers of thanks have been lifted from all parts of the world for what God will do!
Needless to say the next few days will be crazy. I have a shower on Saturday (have already begun receiving cards and gifts!), airline tickets to book, a guest house to reserve, and shopping to be done. Not to mention getting the last items placed in the boys' room resulting from the shower. Oh, and then there is work. How in the world do I wrap that up neatly in a week. I am so excited I can't eat, can't sleep, can barely even think as my mind races toward this homecoming. In the midst of all the joy is a sadness that I will miss Joseph's birthday on December 5. He turns 3 and will be without a family to celebrate. But oh how we will make up for that when he and Jacob are here.
Thanking God for what he will do and praying for my sons...will post again soon.

"They are your children"

The last week has been the most amazing experience of my life. Kathy and I left for Addis Abbaba, Ethiopia on Saturday, November 6. We arrived to the Grace Guest House on the evening of November 7.
Early in the afternoon of November 8 I met Joseph and Jacob. They were everything I imagined. Joseph has a calm, quiet, loving personality. He is a protector of his brother. Jacob is very strong-willed and very cautious in showing his true self. As we left Miskaye orphanage Joseph told us that his feet hurt. His shoes were about two sizes too small, so at our next stop, an orphanage to pick up a little boy for a Phillip and Gina Payne (another CCI family from Franklin), Joseph was given another pair of shoes and some lunch. Both boys slept on the ride back to the Guest House. Joseph woke happy and accepting of the circumstances of his new life. Jacob remained quiet throughout the first day. I saw quickly that Joseph is quite the athlete as he kicked anad threw ball all afternoon. He was thrilled with a pair of shoes that fit his feet and acted as though I had given him a brick of gold when he also got new underwear. Jacob accepted his meals but remained quiet throughout the day. Both boys slept soundly until the call to worship early the next morning.
November 9 Jacob awoke a new child. The first time he was up during the night he was on his knees. The second time he was standing. He quickly showed off his ability to crawl and is almost walking. Both boys played well, napped, and ate great. Until the night that is. I'm still not sure if Jacob sensed my apprehension over the pending court appearance or if his stomach was upset from the change in formula, but he cried most of the night.
November 10 both boys were again happy and playful. I headed to court late morning leaving Kathy in charge. Apparently Joseph had quite a come apart when I left asking where his mama had gone. With the help of an interpreter it was explained what was happening. He begged to not return to the orphanage, agreed to get on an airplane "just one time," and he, Jacob, and Kathy went to the room to cry together and look for distraction.
I sat in the court room knowing that their mother was present. As I scanned the sea of faces I quickly found her. Jacob looks just like her! After her appearance she agreed to meet with me. Though few words were spoken (and none with an interpreter) I hope that she understood my love and gratitude for these two little ones. I was called in to see the judge soon after. There were a few brief questions followed by a period of silence and then those long awaited words..."they are your children." I practically ran from the room and could not wait to return to tell Kathy and the boys.
The afternoon was hectic as we packed for our return trip. Joseph watched anxiously as we filled our luggage. When we went outside to await our ride he climbed in my lap and went to sleep. Jacob sat quietly with Kathy. Joseph slept the entire ride back to Miskaye for which I am grateful. There were many tears as we left these boys in the care of those who obviously care deeply for them. I left them with photo albums and toys and a promise to return as soon as possible. I only hope that someone is telling them daily that I am coming back. Our afternoon was spent shopping before returning to the airport. There are many stories to share another time.
Kathy and I arrived back in Nashville on November 11 exhausted emotionally and physically. I pray now for a quick turnaround as paperwork arrives to the Embassy. My prayer is for a homecoming prior to Christmas. I spend each day watching videos and looking at pictures praying for the moment when Joseph and Jacob are again in my arms.

Ethiopia bound

As I sit here on the eve of my first journey to Ethiopia I am filled with every emotion known to man. I am overjoyed, excited, scared...perhaps a bit terrified...at what lies ahead. In just two short days I will come face to face with two boys born to another mother but ordained by God to be my sons. How do you possibly prepare for that? I have always been a bit of a control freak and have never felt more of a sense of loss of control through this entire experience. Let go and let God...a tough one for this type A personality.
I liken this experience to the hours of labor before giving birth to Kathy, Amy, and David. When these three were born I had no idea what was in front of me. I didn't even know their sex, much less the personalities that were coming my way. This time I can confidently say "it's a boy, well two!" and look forward to learning about them as they do me.
I pray for safety for Kathy and myself. See, we both have health issues and she had a really bad experience on her last flight (blew an ACL). I am recovering from hives resulting from an antibiotic. She is fighting a sinus infection. Then there is the whole latex allergy thing that scares me to death. I saw pictures of an Ethiopian ICU today and I sure do not want to experience any part of a hospital. So, I pray. I pray for the pilots who guide the planes. I pray for these two boys that they may somehow accept me as their Mama. Most of all I pray for their mother who will appear in court on the same day I do. She is perhaps the most courageous woman I will never know as she surrenders her children to a life she cannot offer. I can't even begin to imagine the emotions she must be experiencing even at this moment.I pray that I pass court the first date and that the time from court to embassy is short. Joseph and Jacob, as I prepare for this journey I am filled with love and I am filled with awe and wonder and I thank God for bringing me to the wildest adventure of my life.

Travel is coming soon!

The last month or so has been busy with fundraisers. We had a cookout at Big Lots on 9-4, dinner at Chick-fil-A on 9-16, and most recently a gold party with Mere and Pere on 10-9. Thanks to these events I have enough money for the first trip to Ethiopia! I can't thank enough those loyal supporters who have attended everything to date!!
Yesterday I received the long awaited e-mail from CCI beginning with "we have received your court dates and they are right around the corner!" I was at work and flew through the e-mail saying OMG, OMG, OMG!!! I think those in the office with me thought I had a momentary lapse of sanity (which I may have). Phone calls and e-mails began flying as I was given the option of two dates for travel. The first is actually for the birth family so it took no thought on my part to choose this one. I can't think of anything more exciting than to possibly be sitting in the same hallway as the mother of these boys. Though I will likely not even know her if she sits beside me I can't think of how cool it would be to tell the boys that both of their moms made this decision on the same date.
The past 24 hrs seem to have flown and once again God has orchestrated a perfect plan. Another adoptive family will be at Miskaye orphanage this week and has offered to take measurements of the boys so I have a closer idea of clothes sizes to purchase. Airline tickets are at an all time low and through the help of a referred travel agent those are booked. Most importantly, there is room in the inn : ) this being the Grace Guest House. For this reason, the boys will stay with me for the time I am in Ethiopia!
Kathy and I leave Nashville Nov. 6, arrive in Addis Nov. 7, and will pick the boys up Nov. 8. They will remain with us until our flight leaves the night of Nov. 10. Though this will undoubtedly be an emotionally and physically draining week I am so excited that the time is drawing near to hold these little ones in my arms. If all goes well they will be home for Christmas. God is so good. See, just a few short weeks ago I heard that it would likely be December court and then February homecoming. Keep praying my friends. God has got his hands all over this adoption!

Birthday's are hard

You would think I would be used to this by now. I spent the last birthday with my mother three years ago. My son moved to Hawaii with the Army and is fixing to spend his second birthday protecting our freedom from Iraq. Last year he was home; but home is Hawaii.

This birthday is so different....

August is a month to celebrate in my family. My brother, sister, granddaughter, and myself all celebrate birthday's in August. This year I've been to an army party for my grandson Colten, Bengals party for Michael, and most recently a Dora party for Kensley.

And I wonder....

Today while painting the room which will be Joseph and Jacob's bedroom I found myself singing the song I often sang during David's first deployment. You see, sometime during the month of August my baby boy Jacob Yabsera turned one year old. I have missed so much of his young life and today causes me to wonder. Did someone remind him of that day a year ago when his mother celebrated his birth? Did he have a birthday celebration? Did someone tell him just how special he is and sing Happy Birthday to You. I wonder this for both of my boys whose real birthdays I may never know. At least for Jacob I know the month; for Joseph I may never have that luxury.

I can't wait to hold these little ones in my arms; to count their fingers and toes; to listen to those belly laughs that can only come from children; to breathe the very essence of them. I can't wait to spend a lifetime of birthdays celebrating their lives.

Yet, for now I wait and I wonder....

Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight
Someone's thinking of me and loving me tonight

Somewhere out there someone's saying a prayer
That we'll find one another in that big somewhere out there

And even though I know how very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star

And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky

Somewhere out there if love can see us through
Then we'll be together somewhere out there
Out where dreams come true