Names

Today I had to fill out a credit card authorization to charge our plane tickets to our card. One of the questions said

I authorize ticket purchases for ___________________________



I wrote - Ben S..., Brooke S..., Adisu S..., Marta S... and Esrael S...



It was so surreal/weird/amazing/perfect to write their names like that, especially now that we are officially theirs... I remember calling the pediatrician for the first time and making Danny's appointment. I remember saying, "I need to make an appointment for my son" and being amazed that he was mine. Today I was amazed that they were mine and I could buy tickets for them and schedule appointments for them... they are mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you believe it, or is it just me thinking this is so very wonderful?

I was also thinking about their names. As most of you know we aren't quite sure what to do with Adisu's name. Especially because we already have an Addy and Adisu sounds quite feminine. We have a whole list of options but I keep going back to a comment from a friend of mine. "Their name is the only thing that they will bring." That's it... no clothes, no toys, no pictures, no letters. The clothes they wear when we pick them up have to be returned to the orphanage. The only thing that Adisu will have is the name his mother gave him. How do we change that? At this point, our plan is to have a translator help us talk to him about it all. Maybe there is another pronunciation, maybe he has a nickname, maybe he loves his middle name... or maybe we just have an Adisu and an Addyson. I don't know but I can certainly add it to my prayers knowing that it will be fine.

Exceeding ALL Expectations

Time and again throughout this journey - my expectations of what I think will happen have been far too small. What I hope and believe will occur are not even close to the real thing because the real thing is so much better.

Now all glory to God, who is able,

through his mighty power at work within us,

to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20

When friends offered to help with the auction, I still thought I would have to do most of the work... I was wrong. My friends accomplished more than I ever dreamed. Still today, people comment on my "amazing friends." And they are amazing! When we began this process I thought we would have to take out a $10,000 loan to cover the adoption expenses... I was wrong - it will be FAR less! I thought we would have to cancel the Yard Sale... I was wrong, my mother-in-law saved the day. I thought that IF we ever were to adopt, I would have to talk Ben into it... I was so very wrong. Time and again God has used HIS people to accomplish amazing things - I am humbled by the fact that we were able to be a part of it all.

Thank you, for being a part of this plan... to bring our (HIS) kids home!

Nesting For TRIPLETS

So I am in FULL-ON nesting mode! My To-Do list causes heart palpitations for my husband and I am a bit crabbier than usual with EVERYONE!!! I just CANNOT believe that we will be traveling SOON to pick up our 3 wonderful kiddos and THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We decided that we should start packing for the kids now, maybe try and get all 3 of the kids totally packed by next weekend! EEEEKKKKK! Easier said than done!
We are also having this wonderful yard sale next week and have been busy getting things ready! I think there is a special place in heaven for in-laws like mine... if I haven't said this before - they are WONDERFUL!!! Grandpa built beds and shelves and regularly takes the kids to school for us! Grandma is working hard to organize this yard sale without much help from Ben and I because we are so excited we just walk around in circles in the garage! :) Really, they are wonderful!!!
Tomorrow, I am REALLY hoping we can get this handy shelf thing installed in the kitchen! Ben bought it for me for Christmas and it is still sitting here waiting to be put in! I am also hoping to get Israel's clothes all packed! Add that to work and Lilly's gymnastic class and it will be a very full day! :)

On another note, recently while Ben and Rebecca (my sister) were proof reading national board papers for me they noticed that I LOVE COMMAS. EXCLAMATIONS AND CAPITAL LETTERS!!!! If this drives you as crazy as it does them... I, am, sorry! :) REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To Do List and Organization

I have a confession... I LOVE organizing. I love rubbermaid tubs and I REALLY LOVE my new label maker... If you are about to be the mother of 6 - I hear that organization is essential. So far these are the ways I have prepared myself and our home

• labeled everything in my house - when you come visit, you will probably laugh at me.
• bought cups, tubs and towels in red, green, blue, pink, yellow and purple. Each of the kids gets a color - for the rest of their life :)
• cleaned the garage
• bought a couple more rubbermaid tubs to store sheets, sweatshirts etc under the beds. (I always say that my dad should have bought stock in rubbermaid as soon as I got my first teaching job)
• cleaned the bathroom cupboards and cabinets
• bought socks that are color coded for the girls
• woke up at 3am wondering what else I could/should label

I can't believe that I am now the mom of 6. I woke up a couple times in the middle of the night just amazed at how exciting all of this is! Wow!

THIS JUST IN

We just recieved a $1600 matching grant from Thrivent for our Yard Sale next Saturday! They will match dollar for dollar the money we earn up to $1600! I can't believe it!

Thank you, THRIVENT!!!!

They Are OURS!!!!!!

We would like to introduce our beautiful children...

Israel

Marta

Adisu

keeping busy

Today I am working hard at keeping busy... this is what I have done so far

• gone to work
• returned some things to Kohls
• Went to WalMart to buy every medecine known to man - as advised by fellow Africa travelers
• made soup for soup supper
• found my drivers license that has been missing for a week
• priced airline tickets to Ethiopia - not pretty
• talked to my friend Anna until she couldn't stand it anymore and peeled out of my driveway... :)
• played with the kiddos
• did some yard work
• played with the dogs
• ordered some black hair care products - while stressing about doing Marta's hair

soon I will go to soup supper - and then take a tylenol pm - say some major prayers and go to sleep... check back tomorrow for the news!

Empty

This is Lilly's latest question. The first time she asked, I basically ignored her. The second time she asked, I gave an answer to make her stop asking. I am hoping she asks again, because .... well, just because I want to give her an answer worthy of her question.

When we adopt the kids, will Ethiopia be empty?

When will it ever be empty?

I hope she doesn't ask soon because I do not have a good answer yet. I just know that I hope it is never empty. I hope that medicines are made available. I hope that the crops grow. I hope that the water sources are clean. I hope that our kids mom is able to access the anti-viral drugs she needs. Hmmmm....

Prayer Requests:

Today (or tomorrow) our kids' mom will be making a very grueling trip to sign away her rights to her/our children. Writing that brings tears to my eyes because there is no way for me to imagine what that would be like. The courts require that she come to Addis Ababa or if she has passed away, that the correct letters must be written. Please pray that (if she is still alive) she is able to make the trip, that her stamina is enough, and that she is able to spend time with the kids. I am sure that they worry about her and wonder how she is... pray for a time of closure and healing for all of them. When you go to bed on Wednesday night, remember to pray. Pray for the correct paperwork, the judges, the kids and their Anat (Anat is mom in Amharic).

Favorites

I was just adding a new website to my "favorites" in the "Africa" file. I created the "Africa Favorites" file more than 2 years ago... when adopting was a dream - TRULY just a dream. It had things like a map of Africa - because back then I didn't know where Ethiopia was. That was all it had for a very long time. Somewhere along the line I added a travel guide of Ethiopia, but for more than a year my Africa file was very small. My dream to adopt 1 little boy seems equally small. In my head and heart I so very much wanted a little boy to join our family. God chose someone else for us... a few someone elses. I can't believe that in a few weeks we will be a family of 8. I can't believe my little dream has turned into this... I am truly blessed!

The Kicker

There are many verses from the Bible that have "spoken" to us during this process - but for both Ben and I this one is the "kicker"

"...Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act..." Proverbs 24:12

It is FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today at 7:44 p.m.

I finished my portfolio for National Boards!

I am beyond excited to be done and pray that my work was

CLEAR, CONCISE and CONSISTENT!!!

Those are 3 words I never need to hear again! :)

In a few days, when the anxiety wears off I will begin studying for the test portion of the National Boards - but for now, I will enjoy being done with the portfolio! On Thursday I hope to be posting that court has passed, please remember to keep us in your prayers when you fall asleep on Wednesday night!