There is something about Christmas and all of the songs that bring me to tears to where I can't even sing - because they're just flowing and I'm all choked up... Thank you Holy Spirit for living in me, touching me and making me cry tears of JOY knowing and believing that God came to us as a HUMAN BEING, a baby, our King... to live with us, teach us... to SAVE US! The last couple of weeks at church Mihret has been humming along... and then during one song, she lifted her hands up to her Heavenly Father. Does she know what she is doing? I don't know. But... I neeeeeeeeeded the entire box of Kleenex!! Watching children worship and praise our AWESOME God is just BEAUTIFUL! I feel like it is unclouded, it is more clear, innocent, passionate... the kind of faith and feeling I want to feel for Jesus... but I let too much garbage in and too many things cloud my heart and my mind... I pray for FAITH like a child!!!
Then he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and
become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of
Heaven. ~ Matthew 18:3
As much as I looooove sitting with Mihret during church and looking at her and holding her hand - I totally need to help her become comfortable in the nursery. Whether it is an adoption thing, a 2 and half year old thing, or just an 'I loooooove to be with Mommy thing' - it's a BIG deal for me to 'weave' her - but, I know she would totally dig playing with all of her friends too. :) Soooooo.... for now, we get some chocolate milk and our latte's and sit in BIG church. :)
This year will be Mihret's 2nd Christmas with us... she brings all of us SO much JOY - we could never have imagined life without her! We are SO thankful for her sweet spirit, her laughs, her hugs, her health! We are blessed more than we deserve!
This year we spent Thanksgiving at "HOME" - well, where we grew up. It was FUN to spend lots of time with Erik's family and my Family. ...We were able to capture this picture of our girls and my sisters kiddos!!! I LOVE IT! - With the age differences between my sisters kids and mine - MIHRET like bridges the gap and they are ALL kinda brought together more! ...if that makes any sense. :) Anyway, it works! and... I LOVE IT!
I think we will make this a tradition and head on over the mountains to visit family, spend quality time talking, playing and eating lots of GREAT food...
We have SO much to be THANKFUL for this year, this month, this day... this MOMENT!! :)
...I can't even begin to tell ya how GOD has touched this lil girl's life in ONE year's time, it truly is AMAZING...
a year ago she was...
cautious
scared
confused
lonely
sad
TODAY she is...
hopeful
happy
secure
confident
LOVED
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans
for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Ephesians 3:20-21
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.
Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations
forever and ever! Amen.
..She is a GIFT we are so GRATEFUL for and look forward to all the wonderful things God has in store for her...
SUMMER happened... and LIFE as we know it got a little more crazy and busier than NORMAL... Now that Summer is starting to wind down and new school/sport/work schedules are being put into place... I am HOPING to spend more time UPDATING our blog... :)
...To do a QUICK lil catch'up - I thought I would share what's been happening lately... through pictures! :)
1. We celebrated Mihret's 2nd BIRTHDAY!!
She's TWO... and TRULY terrific!!!
...such a different little girl from ONE year ago - when we were celebrating her birthday after our court date in Ethiopia at her transition home - Hannah's Hope.
She has got THE best lil personality!!! All of us have just LOVED watching her grow and change and talk and laugh and make her funny faces this past year!!! :) We look forward to each new thing she's going to say... her hugs, her kisses!! WE LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE her to pieces!!
2. We watched A LOT of softball!!! :) GO KINZ!!!!!
3. Mihret learned to turn on the light switch with
a comb... ha ha
4. We went to visit family...
Mihret went swimming in my sister's pool, laughed with her cousins, got to see new baby weiner dogs, eat yummy food, and have a slumber party with Grammy.
5. Mihret had her first tea party...
6. We went to a lot of Parks to swing and swim...
7. We went back to school shopping...
8. I watched these two grow CLOSER...
9. We went to the BEACH!
10. Kinz got her BRACES OFF!! :)
11. We vacationed with FRIENDS - had a BLAST!!!!
12. FIRST Neighborhood BLOCK party! :)
13. We celebrated Mihret's FIRST Gotcha DAY!!
...We had a FUN-filled Summer for sure. I will miss not having ALL my girls HOME with me... Especially as Madison begins her LAST year of HIGH school... focusing her time earning COLLEGE credits and working at Starbucksl!! Kinz will be experiencing life as a Junior Higher at a new, BIG school... and playing select softball on a NEW team this year... Lots of FUN stuff ahead! :) We feel SO thankful and SO blessed with our THREE amazing, BEAUTIFUL, smart, happy GIRLS!!!
...10 months HOME with Mihret and this new NORMAL feels like it would never have been normal without her!!! WE ARE BLESSED! BIG TIME!!!! She is a lil ROCK star around here! The neighbors dig her, she is Kinzi's softball teams lil mini mascot, her sisters friends LOOOVE her... She's a popular lil munchkin....Well and, especially at OUR house! :) WE LOVE the SOCKS off this lil chicka!!!! She has got such a FUN loving, silly lil personality - fits RIGHT in with all of our wackiness - It truly is AMAZING how GOD chose HER specifically, intententionally, especially, UNMISTAKABELY for OUR family!!
PSALM 18:30
As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.
ROMANS 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.
DEUTERONOMY 32:4
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He.
...It is SO fun that Summer is here and she gets to see her sisters ALL the time - I'm sure hang'n with Mommy gets a little boring sometimes - TOTALLY fun when you've got a couple sisters to spice things up a bit! :)
Mihret has GROWN and changed SO much in these last 10 months.
She is sleeping in a trundle bed now - and LOVES nighty night time! aaaaaah! ;) YAY! :) ...took us a little bit to get to this point... first 2-3 months home she woke up A LOT! Sad and scared. :( ...we got her on a little schedule and she looks forward to it every night. She is eating great, she still takes a 2 or so hour nap a day... but, new places and faces concern her and make her uncomfortable. Normally, she will join in on the fun after about15 minutes or so... once she can see it is a safe place... and I am still there. Won't go to the nursery by herself yet though...
She is totally potty trained and is SO happy with herself that she can do it ALL with no help! She LOOOVES to go potty! She wasn't a fan of the lil potty seats so I got her a stool for each potty in the house so she can climb her lil booty right up there on the big seat! :) ... and just last week she mastered putting on her panties! ha ha! :) WEHOOOOO! (I'm suuuuure this is waaaaaaay more than ya'll wanted to know - but some BIG steps for Miss Mihret) :)
...She has also become a lil TALKER lately!!! YAY!!! I seriously LOVE, LOVE, LOVE - each lil word that comes out of her teeeeny tiny voice. Especially these ones....
...She copies EVERYTHING we say!! It seemed to happen all of a SUDDEN... and we all are getting the BIGGEST kick out of her and the way she says things... A couple lil things she says...
"It's DOOOOTY (dirty) Mommy."
"Wooooook (look) Mommy."
"One more POOOOK (book)"
...just lately she has really taken to her lil baby doll. When she first got home she didn't want to have anything to do with stuffed toys or baby dolls... now she TOTALLY digs them! :) SO SWEEEEEEET!!!
Mihret is taller, more confident, healthier, more affectionate, happier, more vocal and a lil more outgoing... and her hair - OH myyyyyy how it has grooooown - those CURLS - we are all LOVING her pretty locks and all the bows, ribbons, barettes and NOW.... her lil AFRO Puffs (I think that's the term for those cute lil PIGGIE tails) - whatever ya call'em - we LOVE'em... and HER!!
Mihret is signed up for swimming lessons starting next week... and a lil ballet fun in the Fall! I am excited to see how she does both places... will let chya know how it goes. :)
THANK you dear Jesus for this precious little life, she is a BLESSING, an answered PRAYER!!
