Thanksgiving 2013

Very Thankful this Thanksgiving! I have been reflecting on this last year, I am overwhelmed with God's faithfulness. I am over joyed with how much God has blessed us all in so many ways. God is Love and I pray that we get to show that to others!

Over due update!

We are adjusting to being a family of five! Axum is doing so good, he is learning things too fast! His first Doc appointment he weighed in at 18 lbs and at four weeks later he is weighing 21 lbs. He is gone from the 10th percentile to 25th! He is bonding better than we could of ever imagined! Not sleeping great, but some nights better than others. His naps during the day are getting better! He loves to blow kisses, wave hello and goodbye, dancing and music! He has started walking, it is seriously the cutest thing ever!! Payton is an amazing big brother he talks about how he can't believe Axum is here, all the time! He has a very special way with him he is gentle and very sweet! Raegan could smother him with kisses all day! She loves to play with him and he likes to let her know when he needs his space.  She is an amazing help when it comes to getting the milk ready!!

It is more work than I remember having a little toddler around! I mean it has been almost six years! Trying to get things done is a lot more work, just this morning I was trying to clean up the kitchen when I found Axum around the corner playing in the dogs water that he just spilled over ! He was very happy with himself!! I'm learning that it takes a lot more time to get out of the house! I guess am kinda tired! I look like it and I feel like. I also have to remember that my schedule before we got little man home was pretty nice! I would usually get at least a couple hours a day just to myself.  Which is pretty valuable. I am learning things all over again!  I love being a Mom and right now I feel like I am doing a pretty decent job! I also have a little thing called a Career that I also really enjoy, but at this point I find being at the Salon more exhausting and I don't feel like I don't have enough energy to give to that right now, I'm only working 7 hours a week, I know REALLY?!?!  I'm wondering what God is doing right now, what does my future hold ?

To be Honest I find myself thinking of  adopting again, I love to look at pictures of children waiting for families. I pray for each one! Praying that God places them with the perfect family. I learn about different organizations in Ethiopia that are helping Widows and Orphans and I want to help ! I love Ethiopia! God has broken my heart for Orphans ! God had opened my eyes.

Right now it is 6:56 on Friday night the bigs are playing each other on the ipad and Axum is crawling around on the floor right hear in the living room! He is playing all by himself with his toys, making noises and going from one toy to the next!

I can not tell you how much of a miracle this is! God showed me this so many times he gave me this glimpse of Axum playing on the floor ! I know it might sound crazy, but he did! What I have learned is that when you get that same feeling or thought over and over again it is usually God nudging you!
When you are with a friend and you feel like you should pray with them, but you don't have any idea what to say or if you will seem crazy! All you know is that if you  feel like you should pray with them do it!!!! That is God!

God is Good ! He will make all things for our good!

Almost 1 month home!

I feel like we are still dreaming! Everyday I thank God over and over for blessing us!!!

Axum has been adjusting really well! He is such a happy little guy! We have taught him to wave, blow kisses, and throw his hands up in the air when we say Praise Jesus!!! He claps and has started to say Hi! He is bonding really good with all of us! He is getting better at sleeping not quite through the night yet but close!

I have started back to work just a couple hours a week in the evenings, when Josh is able to be home! I am having a hard time trying to figure out what my new work schedule will look like! Throughout the day as Axum and I are home so many times he will do something that is too cute and I think if I was at work I would of missed that and I already feel like I have missed so much!!!

So I will continue to be thankful that I'm not missing anything!!

Christmas Miracle

It all feels like a dream! Last night on our way to Christmas Eve service at church Raegan says,  "I really hope when I wake up in the morning this is not all a dream!!!! "

This morning we were all in our room Payton sleeping on the floor on Josh's side Raegan at the foot of the bed, and our Christmas miracle in the middle of Josh and I! He sits up and starts giggling and talking, bababah dahdah dah at 4 in the morning! We have a rule that we can't get out of bed Christmas morning until 6, but we must of forgot to tell this little one! He is up and ready and this is not a dream this is a Miracle!

This is Axum's first Christmas He loves the wrapping paper and sitting on top of the boxes. He had his first taste of Rusks and is now napping at 9:00! While the rest of us are playing with our new gifts.

I can't help but think of all the families still waiting to bring their precious miracles home. Still longing to be together or even be matched with the child that they pray for! I will pray for you all, God's will, will be done! Children will have families and families will be made.

Merry Christmas  &  Happy Birthday Jesus!

We are in Ethiopia!

So December 12th we found out that Axum's birth mother interview went good and that we were cleared!! Yep cleared!! So we very quickly put together travel plans and were on an airplane the 15th! Our Embassy exit interview was this morning the 17th!! We have Axum Aschalew Engel in our arms forever!!!!

When we picked him up from the Foster center this morning it went very well! I think he remembered us !! He still seems so little and is perfect! He is getting two more teeth on top! That will make 6 teeth!!!! He did amazing in the car and slept for most of the Embassy appointment! After that we ran to the market to get formula and cereal. Axum and I waited in the car while Josh and our driver Eshetu went in. Axum drank some water from a bottle and jibber jabbered to me  the whole time!!

 When we got back to the guest house he played a little bit and drank a bottle and ate some cereal!! He was getting so tired but didn't seem to be able to fall asleep in our arms, so I took him in and put him on our bed. I laid down with him, not on the floor of the foster center on a real bed!! He was so tired he would lay on his belly, and then sit up and kinda flop over and then stick his little biscuits in the air ! Repeated about 4 times until he finally feel asleep! Josh and I laid down with him and we all got a nap!

Lord I am so thankful! You have proven so many times that you are all we need! I am in awe of how much you love us! Thank you!

Submitted to Embassy

We were submitted to Embassy today! I am so excited I am having trouble breathing! I am trying to act like its no big deal! BUT ITS A HUGE DEAL! WE ARE GETTING SO CLOSE!  Over the last week I have been trying to take control of our "situation" planning how we are going to try to push this part faster! I have been a little crazy! We are so sooooo close and Christmas is also soooo close!

Yesterday at church  I felt God  asking me if  I stopped trusting him? I felt him saying It's his will be done not mine!! I knew that I had been fighting for that control! I had to give it back. He is the key holder, he will open and shut doors that need to be open or shut! Axum will come home when it's time. That is hard to say but I believe it with all my heart! I also know that my God is the God of Miracles, he can do anything! Everything is possible with my God! I do not want to take this last piece  of the story away from him! This is all for his Glory!! You know when you are so excited about giving someone a gift and you can't wait to see their face and how excited they are!! That's what He deserves, to be the one who gets that gift.

I feel like we are the top of this mountain, we just have to get down! I'm kinda afraid of heights so I want to get down really fast! I know that's kinda silly! 

Payton and Raegan told me tonight that they are willing to wait for Christmas if we have our Embassy exit interview right around that time! My heart is aching for the them, they can't wait to hold him!


Lord thank you for rescuing us all!! Thank you for opening our eyes! Thank you for blessing us with our beautiful children! Thank you for working through us!  Thank you for moving us! Thank you! Amen