Blessed Beyond Measure

amazing

2012-01-16T20:10:00.000-08:00

this girl

happily playing

with her sister

amazing

Hats for Adami Tulu

2012-01-09T20:56:00.000-08:00

Every year the school Emma & Faith attend raises money for a mission project. This year the school is partnering with Lifesong for Orphans to raise money for Adami Tulu school in Ethiopia. The focus is buying meals for the children who attend the school. Did you know that a mere 25 cents buys two meals for a child at the school? For many of the children this is the only nutritious food they will receive. Here is a link to the Adami Tulu Project.

We are VERY excited about the impact our little school can make in the lives of these children. To help with fundraising I have knitted some items I'm selling. Here is a link to my new Etsy store where you can buy the items:
dlightfulcreations

This adorable hat is made with some super soft yarn from Knit Picks. It can be yours for $15. That adds up to 60 kids receiving 2 meals--120 meals!!!.

This cute coordinating hat and scarf set is knitted with 25% wool, 75% acrylic yarn. The scarf is 4.5" x 65". The set can be yours for $30. That's 120 kids receiving 2 meals--240 meals!!!

Melkam Gena!

2012-01-06T10:04:00.000-08:00

Melkam Gena! January 7th in Ethiopia is Ethiopian Christmas, Gena. With the time difference that's today. Hopefully we will be able to teach Sophia about the traditions surrounding Gena and she will grow up proud of her heritage. This year we are having a delayed celebration next weekend with some good Ethiopian food and even better friends. In Ethiopia, Sophia's birth mother is celebrating today. Melkam Gena to the you, sweet & brave woman. We love you!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T17:32:00.000-08:00

This past year has been full of amazing adventures and blessings for our family. Two trips to Ethiopia that changed our hearts forever, bringing home our precious baby girl, and seeing our kids go to school for the first time in 3 years are just a few of the changes we saw in our family. It's been a year that will be hard to top!

Can't wait to see what God has in store for us in 2012!

Happy New Year everyone!

Merry Christmas!!!

2011-12-25T20:21:00.001-08:00

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas full of magical moments!

Enjoying our First Christmas with Sophia

2011-12-15T20:51:00.000-08:00

Just before Thanksgiving Eliza said something that summed up what we were all anticipating this year.

"It's Sophia's first Christmas home! She's going to see our pretty tree, and open presents, and eat good food! It's going to be so fun!"

It's been fun seeing it all through Sophia's eyes and watching the other kids watch her reaction. I'm pretty sure she thought we were a little nuts when we brought a tree in the house. Not to mention the cold weather she endured to pick it out. Now she ventures over to the decorated tree and slowly puts out her finger when she thinks no one is looking.

We have an animated reindeer named Rhonda that plays music when someone makes a loud noise. I have never heard it go off as much as I have this year. Our sweet girl is so full of life and when she and Eliza get going--it is so entertaining! You should see them get out all of my Hallmark snowmen (I have around ten) and set them all off.

This year Emma & Faith were in the Nutcracker Ballet and their school Christmas play. It was so fun to watch them perform. Eliza was so very proud of her big sisters. She told them how beautiful they were with their stage makeup on and the look in her eyes was priceless. Sophia did great at the ballet. She watched the nutcracker so closely when he came to life. She was A LOT louder and animated at the play. The girl knows how to work a room!

God has blessed us so richly! It blows my mind to think what we would have missed if we had let our fears win out and had given up on bringing Eliza and Sophia home. The long wait for Eliza was hard and at times we wondered if God wanted us to keep waiting and last year, when we lost Savannah, we wondered if we should go back on the wait list for a baby. Every time doubt would creep in God would find a way to reassure us and He would use my stubborn streak to keep me going. I'm so glad He did. If you're reading this and you find yourself wondering and waiting, God will give you the grace you need. You can persevere and what He has waiting for you at the end of this trial is beautiful, priceless, a treasure worth waiting for.....

So Very Thankful....

2011-11-24T16:45:00.000-08:00

It's been a year. A year since we sat down to Thanksgiving dinner. A year since we went out sale shopping for our baby girl, Savannah. A year since we bought the bedding, the high chair, the car seat, and the toys. A year since our baby girl died in Africa before we could ever hold her, kiss her, or tell her we love her. It's strange to me that we sat down, ate a wonderful and filling meal, and all the while the child we were dreaming of and praying for was gone.

I'm sad for us, for the siblings who love her and wanted to know her, and I'm sad for her birth mother who gave up her precious daughter in the hopes of setting her free from poverty only to have her die in a Care Center. I couldn't stop thinking about it today. We sat down to eat another filling and plentiful meal and all I could think of was that somewhere in Africa, someones child is dying. MY CHILD died in Africa.

I watched Sophia chowing down on mashed potatoes in the high chair we bought thinking Savannah would use it and I'm thankful. Thankful for the chance to love Savannah, thankful for the hard times that brought Sophia home to us, and thankful for a God WHO NEVER LETS ME WALK THROUGH THE HURT ALONE.

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever." Psalm 30:11-12

Hearts Knitted Together

2011-11-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

"Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself." 1 Samuel 18:1

God could have chosen to have us all go through life without the need of a kindred spirit to share our hearts with, but He didn't. He made us to need each other. He made us with a heart for fellowship.

Not long after we started the adoption process for Sophia God did something amazing. He brought some very special women into my life. At the time I had no idea the connection we would have or the connection our kids would have.

Throughout the wait we rejoiced together, cried together, and understood each other and the toughness of it all without even having to say a word. We prayed, we ate, we laughed, and we shared our hearts. Two of these sweet friends were in Ethiopia when we found out Savannah was gone. I cannot tell you how soothing it was to my heart to know they were so close to where she was.

During our time of sorrow, I had no idea that God was joining our sweet Sophia's heart with her bestie, Davy. These two sweet girls have known each other since Davy was just a few days old. When we were in Ethiopia, visiting Sophia, we brought Davy a toy from her Momma. It was during this time that the nannies told us Sophia and Davy were best friends. The nannies were so excited to know that the girls would live so close to each other.

On my last birthday Davy's Momma gave me some yarn she had spun herself. A few weeks ago I finished a scarf I made with that yarn. The whole time I was working on it I could not help but think about how God knits hearts together. I love these women and I'm so thankful for God's knitting.

An Article Worth Reading.....

2011-11-03T20:20:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post a link to an interesting article.

The United States and UNICEF Wage War Against International Adoptions by Andrea Poe

Happy Harvest

2011-11-01T18:16:00.000-07:00

We had a great time watching our kids dress up and "treasure hunt" this Halloween. It was adorable. Eliza had so much fun and could have gone all night. I'm not sure which was more fun for her, handing out candy or getting candy. There was only one kid who was in danger of not getting any candy at our door. He was dressed in a scary costume and right before Eliza was going to hand him a candy she says, "I don't like that one," and goes to put the candy back in our bowl. We made sure he got one before he left.

Here are some pictures from our night of fun and from carving pumpkins. Careful, some of them are so cute it hurts! :)

Christmas Gifts that Bless

2011-10-25T20:01:00.000-07:00

Last year I was blessed by a blogger who shared websites where you could buy Christmas gifts that help others. I used many of the links to buy gifts for family members. This year I thought I would share some of my favorites as well as some I have found myself. If you know of one that would be a great addition to my list, please leave a comment with the link.

ethiopiadad

craftymommy

Compassion International Christmas Catalog

Worldvision Gift Catalog

Gospel for Asia Gift Catalog

Living Hope Ethiopia Jewelry

Feeding the Orphans store

Operation Starfish Etsy store

Holt International Gift Catalog

Junkposse

From Africa to your Heart

TOMS

147 Million Orphans

Half the Sky Shop to Help

Show Hope Store

African Elders of Portland

Twinkle Stitch

The Fistula Foundation

foryourchildandmine

Fall Traditions

2011-10-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

Fall is one of my favorite times of year. I love seeing the leaves change color and feeling the morning air become crisp in preparation for Winter. One of the traditions we have as a family that I look forward to every year is our trip to the pumpkin patch. This year was Sophia's first time. All of us were looking forward to seeing her reaction to all she would see. It's one of those things I dreamed about doing with her when we were waiting to bring her home. I LOVED having our whole family together at one of my favorite places.

You'll be Blessed

2011-10-13T21:51:00.000-07:00

One of the many things I love about the adoption agency we used to adopt Sophia is that they are not just about adoption, they are about preserving families. When a child is brought into care with a Holt program many times they are in need of immediate medical care due to illness or malnutrition. Holt is able to provide that care largely because of their sponsorship program. When you sponsor a child, you are a vital part of finding the best permanent home for that child. First, Holt works to reunite the child with their birth family, then seeks in-country adoption options, and after those options are found to be impossible they then pursue a match to a family internationally.

You may not feel God calling you to adopt but you can be a part of God's call to help the orphan. Holt is holding "Winter Jam" concerts aimed at finding sponsors for children. They need volunteers to help. Not only do you get the blessing of doing something worthwhile; you also get to see NewSong perform and come home with a free CD. Please follow this link, watch the video about child sponsorship, and see if you have the time to help at one of these concerts. You'll be blessed!

Holt Winter Jam 2011

One Year is a Big Deal

2011-10-11T14:19:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl turned one today. Here is a look at what that one year has been like for her:

*born in Ethiopia
*lovingly placed with an orphanage in the hopes of giving her a safe and happy life
*being affectionately cared for by nannies and other orphanage staff
*meeting and attaching to those nannies as well as other kids in the orphanage
*meeting her new parents
*being moved from the only home she has known to a new care center in Addis
*being taken to a new country with new smells, food, language, and people who don't look familiar.
*learning what it means to have the safety of a mother & father's arms

What amazes me the most about all of this is our daughter is one of the happiest and most joyful people I know. God has truly blessed her with a special heart. I doubt I would be smiling like she has through so many losses and changes. Would you? You know what the best part for me is? I get to be her Mom.

I don't think a day has gone by when I have not thought of her birth mother. Her birth mother has lost so much and given even more in letting us raise her. You see, she is missing the good stuff. When Sophia cries--she reaches for me. How is it that someone like me can be given so much? I love the woman who gave my daughter life. I want my daughter to love her too. Oh, how I pray that God grants Sophia's birth mother peace on such a special day--a day that is bittersweet for one we love so much.

Facebook Deactivated; Life Reconnected

2011-10-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

Facebook has been my "frienemy" for four years now. I first started an account when Toby was on a two week business trip to China & Malaysia and I was missing him terribly. Instead of seeking to be filled with what God would have for me, I sought out social interaction through social media. It seemed harmless at first. A fun way to reconnect with people I had lost touch with and stay connected with people I wanted to know better. That's what it was for a while, with a few games thrown in that I had to stop playing because while they were fun and my virtual crops were doing great, my real garden was dying and my family was being put second.

In the course of four years I have seen my social world expand into a false sense of intimacy. Really knowing the heart of my "friends" and sharing my heart with them has been reduced to a status update. I have found myself feeling like I don't need to share my life with others in real time because they have already seen it all on facebook. In the same way, I feel like I know people, but I don't know their hearts. I can easily see what is going on in your life through your facebook, but face-to-face, I'm too busy to say "hello". Is that really the kind of friend I want to be? Is that the kind of friend Jesus would want me to be? The kind of friend He is?

Then there is the issue of how truly addictive it can be. How easy it was for me to go straight to that facebook app whenever I turned on my phone. How simple it has been to be on facebook during a conversation with a friend, my children, my husband. How much time I have spent coming up with status updates that would gather numerous likes and comments. Do I spend that much time and energy trying to please my Lord?

There are things I will miss about facebook. I'll miss the daily scripture postings by my friend Phil, the easy way to communicate with people on a broad scale, the opportunities to step up and help those in need, and the feeling of being part of a group. I won't miss the privacy concerns or the needless drama that arises from time to time.

It has just been a few days since the facebook deactivation. I am hoping that I'll be a better friend, mom, wife, and follower of Christ. I already have more time to spend on all of those things. I'm looking forward to striking up real conversations and maybe even writing an actual letter to a friend.

Ready, Set, Go!

2011-09-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

It's our last day of Summer vacation and it has been a busy one! Sophia has been doing wonderfully, even with the trips we have taken. More about our Summer adventures to come on another post. Right now I want to talk about some big changes for our family this Fall. Ethan, Emma, & Faith are headed off to private school. I have to say, it's bittersweet for this Momma. God provided a way to send them and made it clear to us that our season of homeschooling was ending (at least for now). We are so excited for all the new experiences they will have at school. Ethan is starting high school (I absolutely DO NOT feel old enough to have a kid in high school), Faith is starting middle school, and Emma is off to 7th grade. I am truly going to miss our adventures as a homeschool family. However, God does not disappoint so I know whatever He has in store for them and us will be fun as well. In the mean time, if you need to find me I'll probably be in the car shuttling kids to school, dance, sports, & rocking out to whatever is on the radio with the littles.

Life's Messy......Or So It Seems

2011-07-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

It hasn't been all butterflies and lollipops since we've been home with Sophia. At times it has been downright overwhelming. It's been messy. I've been pooped on, slimmed, spit at, even peed on. My first trip to WINCO yesterday would have been a complete disaster if not for my ergo carrier and my amazing son. (Note to others, when buying a cart cover, make sure it has a buckle for your baby or baby will try to launch herself out of the cart.) It's been tough. We are still getting to know each other. Bonding doesn't happen in an instant, it takes work, patience, grace, and time. Someday I'll know what she wants when she cries without having to guess. Someday she'll accept the comfort of my arms every time she gets hurt or feels sad. For now, we try and try again.

It's sad when I think of all she's lost. A birth family, a birth culture, the benefit of being with people who look like you. I wish I could have given birth to her, but if I had, it wouldn't have been her. Only God knows why her life has started out this way, but in His plan for her, she was ALWAYS meant to be ours. I wish we "looked" on the outside like we feel on the inside, like a family that belongs together. I'm finding that a lot of people assume, when Toby is not with us, that I have had relationships with a few different 'guys' to get the kids I have. Please forgive me if I don't correct them. I'm just glad they think I'm their mom.

In the mean time, life is messy. But then, at the end of the day, I get to cuddle my beautiful daughter, get to know her a little better, tell her how much God loves her, and how much He loves me that he picked me to be her mom.

There are no words....

2011-06-20T14:36:00.000-07:00

I've been hesitating about posting since we've been home. We did have an amazing trip to pick up our daughter, it's just been hard to find the words for all the emotions I've been feeling. You see, we were able to hug, talk to, and take pictures with Sophia's birth mother. In a moment of time, a woman we had never met became our family. It was the part of the trip I know I was the most nervous about. I could tell right off that she was nervous too. I don't want to go into details about what we asked her or post her photo. We believe that those things should be shared by our daughter when she wants to share them and is old enough to decide to. I can tell you that her favorite color is red, that she has Sophia's eyes, that she is beautiful, that she LOVES her daughter deeply, and that she is more courageous than anyone I have ever met. I hope that meeting us gave her peace about where her daughter was going and who would raise her. I hope she knows how much we love her and that we will continually pray for her. I hope she knows that we will tell Sophia about her and the selfless love she has for her daughter.

At the end of our meeting, she gave us bundled grass. This, in Ethiopian culture, symbolizes handing over a great responsibility to another. What an understatement...what a gift...

Family of Seven in the House!

2011-06-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to make a quick post and let everyone know we are home with our sweet girl! She is transitioning beautifully (and so are we). So very thankful for all the prayers! We had an amazing trip and will post more about it later. For now, here are some photos of our sweetie!

Sophia is Coming Home!!!

2011-05-26T22:32:00.000-07:00

Today we found out for sure that we are scheduled to appear at the US Embassy in Ethiopia on June 6th with our daughter. This means we are leaving in 5 days--5 DAYS!!!!! Are we running around like a bunch of crazies getting the house ready for a baby and our bags packed? YES! Are we feeling overcome with joy that God is bringing our girl home so soon? YES!

When we started this journey last February we had no idea about the journey God would take us on. There have been times when our hearts have been so heavy yet God has never left us. Now, we sit at an end and a beginning. An end to the roller-coaster ride that is adoption, an end to the frantic checking of email and jumping when the phone rings and a beginning of our life with Sophia home.

My heart is full from the blessings this journey has brought into our lives:

-2 beautiful Ethiopian daughters, one we will bring home and one that is home with Christ

-1 adorable nephew and a closeness with his parents that we will always treasure

-Sisters who have provided love, support, and laughter, and left me wondering how I ever survived without them--you know who you are S, C, L ;)

-Love for Ethiopia and the beautiful people who call it home

-2 trips to Ethiopia in 2 months--cannot wait to go back "home" next week

-A new understanding of God's grace that we would not have without needing it so badly

The list could go on and on but I do have A LOT to do before we leave in 5 DAYS!!!! Did I mention we leave in 5 Days!

On June 10th, we will get off a plane, go through immigration where our daughter becomes a US citizen, and walk through a terminal where our children will meet their sister. Thank you Lord for getting us here and for carrying us when we couldn't even crawl.

I Want to Love Like That.....

2011-04-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

When we went to Ethiopia we knew we would see poverty and need on a level we don't begin to experience in America. We knew we would have the opportunity give to those in need. We knew God was going to touch our hearts and change us through our time there. What I didn't expect was to fall in love so quickly and so deeply with the country and it's people.

The first day we were in country we were blessed to do some touring in the North. We hiked a gorge that was breathtaking. Not just for it's beauty but also for the altitude. It was after that hike that we visited the Debro Labanos Monastery. It is known as the holiest Orthodox Christian church in Ethiopia. All the way from Addis we saw people walking on the road, many headed to this church. You see, it was Palm Sunday. Orthodox Christians were gathering there for a service that was going to begin at 9 pm and finish at 9 am. The priest who was our guide shared with us that the church would be filled with people standing with nothing but a staff to hold them up. All just to celebrate Palm Sunday. It was humbling. Do I treasure God enough to walk that far and stand that long? Do I love Him like that?

It was easy to find people in need at the Monastery. Many were sleeping under tarps around the church. We met one little girl and her mother who were living there. Such beauty, such hope, such joy.

When we returned to Addis, we did some shopping. Once again, it was easy to find people in need. Nursing mothers begging for anything we could give, boys selling gum and carved wooden toothbrushes. We so wanted to help them all but we just couldn't. It broke our hearts to have to walk away. Could we ever make a difference? Yet again we were faced with great need yet joy and hope still reigned in many of their hearts.

Fast forward to our last day in Ethiopia. This was the day we met the Compassion child we have been sponsoring for six years. I have to say that writing that monthly check has never been a struggle for us. We have gotten letters from him thanking us but to hear from him, face to face, how much it has meant to him and his family was priceless. I have never seen a 15 year old smile so much! It was then that we realized that we were making a difference to one boy in Ethiopia.

Click here to visit Compassion's website: http://www.compassion.com/

So here I sit, back home in one of the richest countries in the world, wondering how else God can use a simple housewife to make a difference to even one person. I want to love enough to give it all to Christ. To truly love "the least of these" enough to give whatever He asks. What that is I'm not sure, but I'm praying that when He shows me, I listen.

Court Trip Blessings

2011-04-26T14:17:00.000-07:00

It has been a week since we saw our daughter. A week since I kissed her cheek and rocked her to sleep. A week since we said the hardest "good-bye" I can ever remember. She was more amazing than we could have imagined and the glimpses we got into her sweet, playful personality we will hang onto and treasure, especially while we wait to bring her home.

God answered so many of our prayers on our trip. Not the least of these happened when we went to court. Thankfully, WE PASSED!!!! This means that all the paperwork needed was in place and we are, according to Ethiopia, the proud parents of Sophia. Now we wait for her visa and the day we will be able to bring our sweet girl home. What a joyous day that will be!!!

God has blessed us tremendously. He chose to give us sweet memories of Sophia and He allowed us to meet the Nanny who took care of our Savannah. Let me back up a little, when we first found out our court date we found out that we were the only Holt family with that court date. At first we were a bit disappointed but then, we saw the possibility God was presenting us with to ask questions about Savannah without the awkwardness a group would have. It was a gift. While holding and loving on the daughter God has chosen to bring home to us, we were able to meet the woman who loved the daughter we will have to wait to hold until heaven. We saw her little bed. I was blessed to pour out love, hugs, and even kisses on the woman who was with my daughter when I couldn't be. There are no words to describe how full my heart is and how thankful I am that God chose to bless us this way.

Our trip to Ethiopia was only a week long, but our hearts are forever changed by what we saw there. So much need, so much joy, and so much love all together in one place.

Getting Ready to Fly

2011-04-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow our baby girl turns 6 months old and one week from tomorrow we get to hold her. This momma is SO ready to meet our precious Ethiopian princess & I know her daddy is too! We would very much appreciate prayers for our trip and for our children at home. Here are some specific prayer requests for each day we are gone.

Please pray that our children at home will remain healthy, do well on the achievement tests they have while we are gone, and will have a great time with their grandparents

April 15-16-We fly to Addis Ababa Ethiopia. Please pray for safe travel.

April 17th-We tour Debro Labanos Monestery. Please pray for safe travel and opportunity to share God's love with those we meet.

April 18th-This is the day we have been waiting for! We drive to Durame to spend 2 hours getting to know our daughter. Please pray that we have a good visit with her and have a peace about leaving her until embassy.

April 19th-We travel back to Addis Ababa for orientation with the lawyer. Please pray that we would be well prepared for court the next day.

April 20th-We attend court to officially adopt Sophia according to Ethiopian law. Please pray that all the necessary paperwork is in our file and we pass court

April 21st-We have a meeting with our Compassion child, whom we have been sponsoring for 6 years. Please pray that we have a good visit with him.

April 21-22-We fly home. Please pray for safe travel and a sweet reunion with our children at home.

Thank you all so much for your prayers! We know that "...The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." James 5:16. We will be updating our blog when we get home with specifics about our court trip so stay tuned!

3 years today....

2011-04-07T12:13:00.000-07:00

We walked into an office in Guangzhou, China, and met our daughter. It's amazing to me how quickly three years have passed and how blessed we are to have her. She lights up every room she enters and brings joy to even the hardest hearts. So many times people tell us how lucky she is to have us, what most don't realize is that we are the luckiest ones of all.

Happy "Gotcha-Day" to our sweet daughter and to us--who are blessed to be loved by her.

Three years ago today

Today

Blessed Be Your Name

2011-03-28T20:16:00.000-07:00

The Lord never ceases to amaze me. Today was a day in which we found ourselves in complete awe of what He is doing. February of last year, shortly after we announced we were adopting from Ethiopia, Toby's brother and wife announced the same news. We had never talked about it before that day. A few weeks later, we found ourselves applying to the same agency. Of course we would talk about possibly traveling together and how great that would be, but so many things needed to work out for that to happen. Things have happened along the way that made us feel that the chance to travel together had passed. They had court in February for our nephew, such a cutie too! Last week they were submitted to embassy and were cleared for travel to bring their son home. We thought they were most likely going to be traveling home from Ethiopia the day we arrive for court. Today, we found out they will be arriving in Ethiopia the same day as us and will be there while we are, staying at the same hotel. Only God could orchestrate it so that two brothers, who live 2,000 miles apart, could be in Ethiopia at the same time, to share in the blessings of adoption. We are blessed, amazed, and so joyful! Thank you Lord!

Court Date!!

2011-03-02T11:39:00.000-08:00

We are so excited to announce that we have a court date set for April 20th! We are going to Ethiopia NEXT MONTH!!!! This is the trip where we will get to meet Sophia and appear at court to officially adopt her. What a privilege it will be to finally get to see the country that we have fallen in love with for so many reasons. Only six weeks and we will board a plane and fly to Ethiopia where a piece of our heart already resides and, much like China, always will.

Please be in prayer for our upcoming trip. We will only have a few hours with Sophia before we will have to say "goodbye" until Embassy. It is so hard to know how long that separation will last. It seems like everyone who has gone before us has had a different timeline. Some have breezed through Embassy with no problems and others have been faced with one challenge after another. This is where our trust in God is tested yet again. Please pray we will hold onto Him, trust Him, and have a peace that surpasses all understanding. Also, please pray that our time with Sophia will go well and her heart will be ready to meet these crazy American parents of hers.

Welcome Year of the Rabbit

2011-02-07T11:44:00.001-08:00

This past week was the beginning of Chinese New Year 2011; the year of the rabbit. I don't know all the traditions that go along with Chinese New Year or the meanings behind them all but this year we did a few things to make it special for her and us.

One of the things we did was make up Chinese New Year goodie bags for her preschool class. When I picked her up from preschool she was so excited to have shared some special gifts with her class. It was the first time since we brought her home that she was visibly proud to be Chinese. Chinese New Year goodie bags, $30, pride in being Chinese, priceless.

The other thing we did this year is go to the Families with Children from China's Chinese New Year Celebration. The Lion Dancers were pretty cool--although Eliza was scared of them and would not go near the costumes. They had a live band playing Chinese instruments. It was beautiful to hear and made Toby and I miss China. It amazes me how much of your heart can be left in a place so far away. The food was wonderful too, although Eliza would not try any of it.

Lion Dancers

One of the guests at the FCC celebration was the Chinese Ambassador from San Francisco. It was very sweet to hear him talk about how loved all the adopted children are. I hope he can share that with the people of China and maybe, through that, Eliza's birth parents will somehow know how loved she is.

Eliza's version of Chinese food--fish crackers

When you can't work the chopsticks, sword fighting with Daddy is the next best thing!

It's Time to Dance...

2011-01-19T22:51:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite passages in the Bible right now is in Ecclesiastes:

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven--A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance."

I am so pleased to let you all know that IT IS TIME TO DANCE!!! Today we saw the sweetest face for the first time; the face of our daughter. Our little Sophia was born on October 11th which makes her 3 months old and she is one precious little bundle.

It was just last Friday, while I was dusting the highchair, that I felt a definite change in my heart. Instead of looking at the seat we meant for Savannah to fill and feeling sadness for the things we would never do with her, I felt hope and joy for the baby who will fill that chair. I know now that God had prepared my heart for the good news to come.

Guess what we are looking at! Sorry, no peeking! We can't show her picture online but if you see me I would be happy to show you.

Counting My Blessings

2011-01-07T16:26:00.000-08:00

Today an old hymn keeps playing in my head. You may have heard it, "Count your Blessings" by Johnson Oatman Jr. Here are the lyrics:

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
*Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
[*And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.]

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings—wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

I am thinking that today is a great day to get out of the "funk" I've been in and do some counting.

Waiting.....

2010-12-30T18:59:00.000-08:00

Once again we find ourselves waiting for a referral. I have to say I'm not feeling very patient this time. You would think we would have waiting down after the three year wait we had for Eliza. I remember how hard we thought that was and how we started this adoption thinking that this one would be the "easy" one. Not so... I am finding that I have to learn over, and over again to trust in God's timing and that rarely, if ever, does His timing follow the schedule I think it should.

I have been asking myself, whose timing am I waiting for? Ultimately, I am not waiting for someone to decide to release just the right referral for our family, I am waiting on the Lord's plan for us and our baby. It's not easy. I have moments of frustration, but I don't want anything less than God's timing. More than likely our baby has been born and as much as I want her home, no amount of fretting is going to get her home any sooner. So here we sit, waiting upon the Lord.

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power, though the youth grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:28-31

Dear Savannah

2010-12-26T18:53:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Christmas. I bet you had a great time celebrating with the King of Kings. We had a quiet day at home opening gifts, playing, and eating nonstop. We lit a candle when we got up and left it burning all day for you. It was harder than I expected to blow it out last night and go to bed. I miss you baby. God says in Psalm 139 that He knit you together in your mother's womb and I know He knit you in my heart too. Your life was short but meant so much to a lot of people. I read somewhere that 1 in 10 babies die before age 1 from pneumonia in Ethiopia. I want you to know that you are not just another statistic. Do you have any idea how many people love you? Did you know that at least 14 kids will get the vaccinations they need because of you? Did you know that people are opening their hearts and their wallets to make a difference for kids who need a family because of you? I love you, sweet baby. I thank the Lord for giving us you and I would do it again tomorrow just for the chance to love you. Give Jesus a big birthday hug from us. Until we meet in heaven, Mommy.

Christmas

2010-12-08T20:23:00.001-08:00

For those of you who truly are wondering and caring, we are doing well. I can never explain the peace and grace God has bestowed on us this past week. We will always remember our baby girl but I have to say, I never have to worry about her again. She is safe in the arms of the one who loves her deeper than I could ever understand, Jesus. We prayed many times that Savannah would be home before her birthday and she did go home, just not to the one I was thinking of. Now she is waiting for us and what a sweet reunion that will be!

We cannot shake the deep desire and knowing in our hearts we have that there is a baby out there that needs us to bring her home. God is definitely moving our hearts to do just that. Much to our surprise, we feel ready to go ahead with another adoption. Only God could have brought us to this point and we praise Him for it. It is going to be a tough road, fear is going to try to keep us from trying, but God will bring us through it.

I have had a few people make the remark that we "just need to get through the Holidays". I know they mean well and are just expressing their concern but I have to say that the last thing I want to do is "just get through" Christmas. Without Christmas I would not have hope. Jesus, God's only Son, came down at Christmas, grew to be a man, lived without sin, gave His life out of love for me and you, rose on the third day, and saved me! He saved me from my own ugly heart and sinful life and taught me to love. That is the reason we celebrate and I never want to forget it!

There is so much to say

2010-12-03T14:15:00.000-08:00

Our worst fears were realized on Wednesday when we found out our sweet girl got sick and passed away in Ethiopia. This baby girl we love completely is not coming home to us but has, for reasons we don't understand, gone home to be with Jesus. I'm not going to lie, our hearts are broken, it hurts more than we could ever imagine. BUT we feel peace in knowing she is with our Lord, we feel blessed to be the ones who get to miss her, and we feel loved by those who have surrounded us in prayer and support. We will be sad but we won't stop loving and thanking our Lord for choosing us for this journey. We are going to take some time to grieve and then, when God makes His timing clear, we are going to put our hearts on the line again and love another little girl just as completely and we will always remember our daughter.

An Opportunity to Share Some Lovin'

2010-11-17T13:00:00.001-08:00

We are leaving in early January to visit with our daughter and go to court. On this first trip we will have LOTS of room in our suitcases for donations to the orphanage. This is where you come in. If you have items you want to donate we would love to take them with us. Here is the latest list of suggested donations if you need some ideas. Please note that clothing, toys, etc. do not need to be brand new. Gently used is fine.

• Please note that medications should not be brought to as a donation.
Topical ointments are okay
• Baby Packs/Slings (for the nannies to carry the babies)
• Clothes and shoes for children aged 5-10.
Please note the clothing for infants is not needed at this time.
• Sippy Cups with lids
• Bottles and nipples
• Sheets for cribs & toddler beds
• Lotion(non floral)
• Hand sanitizer
• Toys for toddlers, preschoolers
• Blocks for stacking
• Stacking cups
• Wooden Puzzles
• Baby dolls
• Activity quilts (with buttons/ zippers etc)
• Plastic Feeding Spoons for toddlers
• Fly Paper
• Baby Powder
• Cloth diapers
• Plastic pants or cloth diaper covers
• Clotrimazole ointment
• Diaper Rash Cream (over the counter)
• Disposable Masks
• Flashlights with batteries
• Baby blankets
• Bottle/Nipple brushes
• Thermometers
• Mosquito nets
• Travel Packs of baby wipes (for the nannies to take
with them when they travel with the babies)
• Anti fungal creams (over the counter)
• Vitamins for infants/toddlers/older children
• Educational and Instructional Items – the staff is setting up a classroom
to teach children in at each care center. Education instructional items,
such as the Alphabet to hang on the walls, numbers, etc…would be greatly
appreciated.

Court Date!!!

2010-11-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update to let you know that we received our court date! We will be going to Ethiopia in January to meet our daughter and attend court. Unfortunately, Savannah won't be coming home with us this trip but we are praying that our second trip will be soon after our court trip.

Harvest Time at Our House

2010-11-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

In the midst of our excitement about our new daughter, harvest time has once again come and gone at our house. I love this time of year! The colors displayed in the trees, the crisp air, and the pumpkin patch are some of my favorite things. It is especially sweet to know that next year we will be able to take Savannah on our traditional trip to the pumpkin patch. Eliza has already talked about teaching her little sister how to pick a pumpkin. Here are some of my favorite pictures from our harvest celebration.

Picking the perfect pumpkin

Eliza & Ethan chatting in the pumpkin patch

Eliza dressed as a Zookeeper and holding her animals, Woo-woo & Pandy

The kids all dressed up--or at least three of them are dressed up

It's a Girl!!!!

2010-10-13T13:32:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was one of those days your hang onto forever. Why? We got the call of a lifetime! We have been matched with a stunningly gorgeous 8 month old baby girl!

Let me start by saying that God could not have orchestrated our referral day any better. I had spent the morning at the pumpkin patch with the kids and came home to find my husband had not made it to work yet. We were expecting a call any time to pick up our dogs from the groomer so when the phone rang I didn't even budge. That's when Toby walked over and said, "It's Holt. I'm not touching it!" He is so sweet! He knew how badly I wanted to be the one to answer the phone. We had thought the call would come while he was at work and I would then wait for him to come home to open the email with her information in it. Thankfully, the Lord had a better plan and we were able to open it right away! I'm so glad because I was not sure I would have the endurance to wait for Toby.

We can't post her photo online and are choosing not to email it out either but trust me when I say this girl is BEAUTIFUL!!!! So many things about her made it clear to us right away that she is the daughter the Lord chose for us. We honestly did not expect to get a girl so we did a little scrambling to come up with a name and found one that we think fits her perfectly. We are praying that the Lord will see fit to bring little Savannah home before her first birthday. If not, we trust His timing is perfect and she will come home right on time.

Celebrating with sparkling cider

Has It Been A Month Already?

2010-09-10T22:58:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has been a month since my last post. I really did intend to update much more often but I have found myself wonderfully busy with some of my favorite people. For those of you who are checking in to see how things have progressed with the adoption, we have now moved up to #8 on the wait list for a referral! We really could get the call any time now. It's a good thing we are busy or I might just go crazy waiting:-).

Today the kids and I had the privilege of greeting some friends who returned home from Ethiopia with their kiddos. What a sweet memory and so fun to be on the greeting end of a homecoming. I always feel nostalgic when I go to the international arrival gate at the airport. Not long ago we were blessed to come through that gate with Eliza. It's almost like visiting the room you gave birth in. I am eagerly awaiting the day we get to come through that gate with "Baby Africa". Who knew airports could be so special?

We have had a few adventures in the last month. We were able to meet up with Uncle Dale at the air show and see his airplane, we made our annual beach trip, and we were able to celebrate my Dad's 60th birthday. Huge praise--Eliza, who has had some sensory issues since coming home from China, played in the sand and water at the beach! No tears and she didn't even complain about being dirty!

We started school and it has been great. We are settling into a schedule and even joined a co-op. Eliza started preschool and dance this past week and amazed me with her ability to adjust to her new activities. She has really loved both so far. It is hard to believe she is ready for all of this. These adjustments are much harder on me than her.

Blessings! Hopefully our next post will be about a referral. Just a warning, we are not allowed to post photos or even our child's given name on the Internet. We will be able to give some basics like the age and gender of our baby.

Summer is Winding Down

2010-08-10T12:33:00.001-07:00

Ready, set, go!

It's amazing how quickly Summer has passed us by. We managed to make some great memories. I am actually really thankful for how quick it passed because we are that much closer to getting our baby home. We still have not received our referral but as of today we are #16 on the wait list. It could be any time or it could be another few months. Either way we are closer than we were yesterday!

We are gearing up to start school next Monday (the 16th). Toby and I decided it would be best to start early so that when we travel to Ethiopia the kids can just hang out with their grandparents and not worry about school until their jet-lagged teacher gets home. :-)

We were blessed this past month to be able to celebrate Faith's birthday, go to two Holt picnics, spend time at the county fair with family, and enjoy some great fellowship with friends. Here are some pictures from the great times we had. Blessings to you all!!!

At the Zoo with new and dear friends.

At the Goonie House with some of our bestest friends ever!!!

Our nephews Blake & Jaden at the fair.

Toby's parents with all of their grandchildren. (so far)

Eliza & Shani at the Holt picnic.

Eliza and my Mom--two beautiful girls!

Faith blowing out the candles on her 10th birthday cake.

Books with Boo

2010-07-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

It's time for another book recommendation from "Boo". There is one book that is brought to me the most often, that she knows so well she can practically read it herself, and whose main character is full of fun and mischief much like Eliza. This great book is called "Olivia" by Ian Falconer. This book is all about an amazing pig who can master anything she puts her mind to. It is definitely one of our favorites. Take a look for yourself!

July Happenings

2010-07-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

July is already half over and we have had some busy and fun times. First of all we enjoyed the annual 4th of July parade with dear friends and the yearly trip to Grandma & Grandpa B.'s for BBQ and fireworks. We are eagerly anticipating sharing these traditions with our next baby when God chooses to bring them home.
Eliza really enjoyed the parade!
Emma told Eliza that if she smiled, waved, and looked cute people would give her.....
Candy!
My mom has this gargoyle and a bear statue in her yard. I have a picture of Ethan kissing the bear when he was around Eliza's age. When I tried to get a shot of Eliza kissing the bear she decided to kiss the gargoyle instead.

Last week we went in for our fingerprinting at INS. This is part of the process that will eventually grant us permission to bring a baby home. Hopefully that paperwork will come in the next few weeks.

The kids and I also made a day of a trip to Seaside. Eliza eventually played in the sand with her sisters which was a huge answer to prayer. She has never been too fond of the stuff. Then again, neither is her brother!
Ethan is on the blanket trying to avoid the sand and Eliza is on Ethan doing the same thing. These two are so much alike sometimes it's scary!

Eliza running through the sand with Emma

Other than that we have managed to do a little hiking, bargain shopping at various yard sales, and planning for next school year. The Summer is flying by quickly and we are enjoying making memories together. I will try to post more soon. For now, enjoy the pictures!

Faith got her birthday present early so that she could enjoy it through the Summer. This is her first "new" bike that was not handed down to her.
Eliza stopped to examine the flowers on our hike.

Dossier in Ethiopia!!

2010-06-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

Today we found out our dossier has now made it to Ethiopia!! We are one step closer to our "Baby Africa"! So exciting!!! This gets me all the more motivated to set up our garage sale fundraiser--believe me, I need the motivation! We have been very blessed with donations and are eager to see what the Lord is going to do. We are also, after months of cold and rain, looking forward to great weather for our sale. When I told the kids that the US advanced to round two of the World Cup, not to much of a reply. When I told them our dossier was in Ethiopia we heard a "whoop!" from them. You can see where our priorities are =)

Books with Boo

2010-06-22T20:40:00.000-07:00

It's time for another installment of "Books with Boo". This last few weeks we have been preparing for our big garage sale and Faith donated a book that was once her favorite, "Elizabeti's Doll" by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen. I rescued the book and it has quickly become one of Eliza's favorites. In the book Elizabeti, who lives in Africa, watches her mom take care of her baby brother and decides she needs a baby too. There are no dolls around for her to play with so she makes a rock her baby. It is a sweet story about taking care of "baby" like mom and it does a great job of showing what it's like to live in Elizabeti's village. The illustrations by Christy Hale are beautiful and add a lot to the story. I can't help but dream about reading it to our "baby Africa" and Eliza someday soon. Here is a link so that you can check it out too!

Treasured Memories

2010-06-13T20:36:00.000-07:00

In this past week, I have found myself in the midst of some pretty amazing moments. The kind of moments you want to hold on to and never forget. A little over two years ago we signed papers in China that made Eliza's adoption final. When we got home we had the option to "readopt" her in the U.S.A. which would give her an American birth certificate. It is not something required in our state but we did decide to fill out the necessary paperwork and have a ceremony at the county court house. The ceremony was this past Thursday. I didn't think it would be that big of a deal emotionally since her adoption was already final but I was wrong. Having the judge decree, in perfect English, that she is forever ours touched our hearts and left us slightly emotional. It was also a really fun experience. The judge explained a lot about court proceedings to the kids and let them sit at her bench.

Since our parents were able to all be here for the court proceeding and Eliza's birthday was only a few days away, we had a little early birthday celebration for her that afternoon. It was really fun to see her get excited about her presents and tear into them! I think my favorite moment of the afternoon was watching her play with Grandma Becker, Grandpa Zimmerman, and her new Buzz Lightyear car in the kitchen. There was so much joy and laughter!

Yes, that's my little girl dressed like Buzz Lightyear. She is not at all interested in dressing up like a princess but she loves Toy Story and Buzz is one of her favorites.

We have a lot to do around here since the weather is finally getting nice. Our yard is in dire need of attention and our cars had not been washed in who knows how long. Saturday we washed our cars with help from the kids. Eliza discovered the sprayer and that if you spray it at your brother and sisters they will run screaming. It's the simple things that are truly the most fun!

Today we had a quiet family celebration for Eliza's 3rd birthday. I think she really enjoyed it. She was able to open up more presents, have birthday brownies, spend some time in the sun, and go to Red Robin for dinner.

Before
After

Nothing like a little sunbathing on your birthday.
Getting sung to at Red Robin.

This week has been full of wonderful memories and precious reminders that God has blessed us beyond measure. "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down form the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." James 1:17

Books with Boo

2010-06-07T14:16:00.000-07:00

One of the nicknames we have for Eliza is "Baby Boo". She was so into peek-a-boo when she first came home that the name just seemed to fit. Hence the title of this post, "Books with Boo". Bedtimes rituals have changed around our house as Boo has gotten older. Lately we do some book reading, a Bible story, and a prayer time. We all love books and if you spend any time at all with Boo you will find that she loves to be read to. I am going to start posting some book recommendations for all of you out there who may or may not want them. Consider this my first one.

One of my favorite books for adopted kids is called "I Don't Have Your Eyes", by Carrie A. Kitze. I love it because it goes through physical characteristics that we don't have in common and then reminds us of the things about ourselves that are the same. We have seen this with Boo. She may not look like us but she does have our sense of humor, our love of family, our hearty laugh, and so much more.

Here is a link to the book on Amazon so that you can see for yourself what a great book it is.

Our Dossier is In!!!

2010-06-02T18:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a busy day for our family but was a day where we reached a big milestone in our adoption. We all piled in the car, went to Salem and had our home study certified, piled back in the car, drove down to Eugene, and turned in our dossier. The dossier is a compilation of documents we have gathered that lets Ethiopia know about our family and our desire to adopt. It is such a good feeling to have this done. This means that we are now on the wait list for a referral! One of the most amazing things about all of this is that we will most likely only have to wait 3-6 months for a referral. That seems like nothing compared to the 3 years we waited for Eliza. It's surreal to think that somewhere in Ethiopia is a baby either born or soon to be born that will join our family. We are praying daily for "baby Africa" (a nickname given by Eliza), baby's health, and the transitions to come.

The kids posing in front of Governor Straub's portrait. My parents live in one of his old houses.

One of the cutest things growing in the garden at the capital.

The next thing we are waiting on is our fingerprint appointments for immigration. Once that is approved we will have everything we need to schedule a court date after our referral is received. Once that court day is scheduled we will be off on our first trip to Ethiopia.

In other news, we are finishing up our curriculum this week! I don't know who is more excited, me or the kids. Finishing our second year of home schooling all three of our older kids is a huge accomplishment. Not only did we finish, we had fun, and we actually want to do it again next year. Granted, bringing home the baby will keep it from being dull, but we are up for the challenge.

It's the Little Things.......

2010-05-20T20:33:00.000-07:00

Last week we had the chance to take the kids to Seattle for the day. We rode Amtrak up, spent 5 hours in the city, and then rode the train back home. It was a fun trip. Pike Street Market was a hit for me. I think that is where I fell in love with Seattle. They had vegan chocolate chip cookies!!!! Three of the six of us have found we are allergic to dairy so buying a cookie from a bakery has been one luxury we have had to go without. Eliza really enjoyed the street band outside the Space Needle. I gave her a few dollars to put in their donation case. It's a good thing she is so cute because she tried to take some of the coins with her when she was done. Of all the things we did while there, the older kids enjoyed the bumper cars at the Space Needle the most. Little things can mean so much.

We are VERY close to having our dossier off to Ethiopia. It's amazing how quickly things are progressing this time around. As of now we have seen the draft of our home study and are expecting the approved home study any day. Once we receive that we can have it state certified and send off our dossier. At that point we will be on the wait list for a referral. We have no idea how long we will have to wait for a referral but we do know it will not be three years like our first adoption. Just for the record, though, I would wait that long again just for the chance to parent our sweet baby.

Today God reminded me once again that he pays attention to the details. Sometimes you need those reminders. When we started the adoption I knew I wanted to buy the baby crib bedding with African animals on it but everything I saw was pretty spendy. Today I took the kids to a sale of used kid items and found an African animal bedding set! I was so excited! On the way home I called one of my closest friends to share my excitement and she informed me that she had bought us a crib sheet with African animals on it. The sheet matched! I took it as a sweet reminder of God's care about the details.

Garage Sale!!

2010-05-05T20:13:00.001-07:00

Things are moving along with the home study. We had our first interview this week, which went very well. Our social worker is great! Next week we will have our home visit and the kids will get to meet her.

We are having a garage sale on June 25-26 to help raise the some of the money needed to travel to Ethiopia twice. The Lord has graciously provided for all of our expenses up until then. If you are interested in donating to the sale, we would appreciate it. We are even willing to pick it up.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. Of all the things you could do to show your support, your prayers are what we need the most.

Sorry for the short posts lately, I promise to highlight more of the happenings in our family next time =).

Quick Update

2010-04-30T21:54:00.000-07:00

We are pretty excited to have heard from our social worker and scheduled our home study visits. The first one is next Tuesday and the second one is the Tuesday after. It's so exciting to be one step closer to meeting our newest blessing! The home study is the last thing we need to complete our dossier, then our paperwork will be off to Ethiopia. Hopefully by this time next month we will be waiting for our referral.

Little Steps

2010-04-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

It has been almost two weeks since my last post. I am trying to update the blog at least once a week but, alas, it is harder than you may think to take an ordinary life and make it interesting for others to peek in on. Not to say that anything I write on here is all that interesting. I do have some great things to write about when you consider that most of my posts are about my family.

We did make a little progress on the adoption over the weekend. We were able to attend two classes required for our home study. Every little step gets us that much closer! Also, our background checks came back and we were billed for our home study. This is something we had been waiting for. Now we are waiting to be assigned a social worker and for our home visits to commence. We met both of the social workers for our agency at the training and both were very down to earth and sweet ladies.

Here are some other highlights from the past week:

1. Faith got her braces on and much to our dismay she is still adorable. We were hoping that her cuteness factor would go down a bit considering all the interest she already generates from boys. At least Toby has the scary dad look down pat!

2. Toby came home safely from South Korea. He was only there a week but we really miss him when he is gone.

3. Eliza informed us that she is planning on helping the new baby with water, juice, and bath toys. This was the first time she has responded to our talk about the baby. So sweet!

4. We found ourselves doing a lot of laughing during school. It's amazing how sometimes the quietest of our children can be the silliest. I'll let you guess which one of our blessings that is =).

5. Ethan found himself the recipient of a very intense kiss from Eliza. I think it made his day and mine too. It happened after they had been apart for a few hours while the kids were taking SAT tests. When we started home schooling part of the reason was so that Eliza would have special time to bond with her siblings. It's great to see that prayer answered in the form of shameless affection!

Have a great week and remember, "This is the kind of love we are talking about--not that we once upon a time loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God." 1 John 4:10 (taken from The Message)

Celebrations

2010-04-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

Today marks two years with our sweet girl, Eliza. I can't help but think about our first night together. We had the hotel crib up against my side of the bed and had snuggled her up for the night. I don't remember how many times this happened but I do remember sweet moments when she and I would wake up and gaze at each other through the crib bars. A few times I reached out my hand and held hers. She was so quiet and curious. Two years later and I am in awe of how perfectly God has formed our family. She is such a little Zimmerman!

Taken on Gotcha Day, April 7, 2008

Eliza Today--Such a silly girl

This post would not be complete without pictures from Easter. We had a great weekend. On Saturday we braved the cold and wind and met my parents at a tulip farm nearby. It was beautiful. Sunday we remembered Christ's resurrection at church and then hung out at home. The weather was iffy so we had an indoor egg hunt.

Two Trips

2010-04-01T21:42:00.001-07:00

We just got the official word today from our agency that as of May 9, two trips to Ethiopia will be required for adoption. We are trying to stay positive. This does mean we get to meet our little one sooner--we just have to rely on God's grace to get on the plane without them after the first trip. We also will be able to bring them home on a visa that will make them a US citizen as soon as we get them home. I admit, we are concerned about the additional travel expenses. It will be exciting to see how God will provide.

Psalm 146

"Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord while I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.

His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made the heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them;

who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed;

who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free.

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind;

the Lord raises up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous;

the Lord protects the strangers;

He supports the fatherless and the widow, but He thwarts the way of the wicked.

The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord!"

Goodbye Spring Break......

2010-03-28T21:22:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we start back up at school after our Spring Break. We did manage to throw some learning in this week. Unfortunately, I don't think it was much fun for Wolfie. You see, we visited Fort Vancouver with some friends of ours and while we were there, we were able to see the "furs" the pioneers would gather and trade with. When Eliza saw the Grey Wolf in the pile she was initially excited, until she realized the wolf was dead. As she put it, "Oh, no!" She seemed to get over it quickly but Wolfie was traumatized and later passed out on a bed in the counting house.

This is a short post but I do hope you enjoy the pictures and that you remember to count your blessings this week.

The kids with some of our dearest friends at Fort Vancouver
Ethan smiling in the jail =)
Wolfie passed out in the counting house with Ella, Eliza's best friend, looking on
Ella & Eliza in the room with the furs
What a good looking group!

Wolfie Visits the Zoo

2010-03-23T19:56:00.000-07:00

In the last 13+ years of parenting I have seen some pretty cute things, but I have to say that this past weekend at the zoo I about burst from the cuteness. Eliza was pretty insistent that she wanted Daddy to come to the zoo with her and see the "yions". Well, her best buddy Wolfie came too. It was so sweet to see her. Whenever she saw an animal she wanted to share with Wolfie she would run to the wagon, grab him, and then hold him up to see the animal. At one point, she showed Wolfie some wolves. Emma and Faith asked her if they were his cousins. She was pretty sure they were his "brudders". All of the kids did great-and the adults did too! It was a very busy day at the zoo but one of my favorite trips there as of yet. Here are some pictures of the overflowing cuteness.

Wolfie found himself in a tough situation by the "yions". Luckily, Eliza was able to save him.

One very big polar bear decided to sit down right in front of Eliza. So cool!

Here is Eliza showing Wolfie his "brudders".

My favorite people by the tractor.

Dossiers, Band Aids, & Injera

2010-03-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

A week has passed since our last post and we have been trucking along on the paperwork. We were contacted by the Ethiopia team on Monday and are now gathering the necessary papers for our dossier while we wait for our background checks to go through. For those of you who are not familiar with international adoption, the dossier is the document we send to Ethiopia telling them about us and requesting a referral. Our hope is that we will have everything notarized and ready to be certified before the home study is written up so that we can get it off to Ethiopia quickly. Even though we have been through one adoption with China, Ethiopia is a bit different. For one thing, we have found that the documentation required is less intense than with China. This is a welcome change and is one of the reasons the process takes less time.

Adoption is definitely a hurry up and wait game. You hurry up, get your paperwork done, and then you wait for a referral. You then hurry up and send in your acceptance documents. Then you wait to pass court and get the okay to travel. We have had much practice in the waiting after our experience with Eliza's adoption--we shall see if we have gotten any better at it.

In other family news, we are officially on Spring Break!!! We are taking next week off from school to hopefully enjoy some extra sleep and sunshine. I am not sure about the kids, but I know I am looking forward to it. This is the time of year where I get a little worn out and very ready to be done. I truly do enjoy teaching and learning with the kids, but I am not kidding when I say it is A LOT of work. It's hard to turn it off and just be in "mom" mode sometimes. Right now I am over analyzing my grammar in this post--have I ever mentioned that I prefer just about every subject over grammar?

Here are some important lessons I know I have learned in the last week. I'll share them with you in the hopes that you can learn from my craziness =).

1. If you put a band aid on your daughter's favorite stuffed toy--it won't come off easily. Seriously, we did this with Eliza's Wolfie last week when she got shots and spent a lot of time trying to pry it off piece by piece before bedtime. He still has some goo on him that Eliza reminds us to pray about every morning. If you remember you can pray too for "wolfie Doro band aid", as Eliza would say it.

2. God will and does find new and creative ways to grow you. Just go with it. Finding out we may have to travel twice to Ethiopia was not what we wanted to hear but I have no doubt the Lord will use whatever happens to grow our faith in Him.

3. Mommy time-outs rock! I took one of these a few days ago after dinner and really enjoyed sitting in a quiet room alone finishing up a book. Of course, what really helps is having an awesome husband like Toby who will hang with the kiddos.

4. Sunshine really does make even the most serious person cheerful. The girls and I were so giddy the other day about the sunshine we just had to dance in the kitchen. Really, even Emma, our most serious child, was getting down to the 50s music on my iphone.

5. When going to an Ethiopian restaurant in Portland for a cultural experience, the culture shock is more likely to come from Portland itself. Really and truly the food was so delicious and fun to eat. You use your hands and a bread called injera to eat even the salad. The drive around Portland afterwards in search of dairy free donuts--now that was a bit shocking to this small town girl.

I hope you all have a wonderful week full of God's many blessings!!!

Introducing Our T-shirt Fundraiser

2010-03-12T15:48:00.000-08:00

Along with our Just Love Coffee fundraiser we now have a store open through Adoption Bug. They have some pretty cool t-shirts and from each purchase from our store we receive a portion for our adoption expenses. We included t-shirts in Amharic (Ethiopian) and Chinese to celebrate not only this adoption but Eliza's adoption as well. If you now of anyone who wants a fabulous t-shirt feel free to direct them to our site =)

Here is a link to the store:

http://www.adoptionbug.com/tobyandamy/

I do have to say that any financial support we get from these sales is great but we appreciate your prayers most of all! Please keep them coming! We just found out this week that the requirements for Ethiopia may have changed and will likely involve two trips; one to meet the baby and one to bring them home. This will add expenses not to mention the hard task of getting on an airplane without our kiddo. It is nothing the Lord cannot work out. I am so glad it is not a surprise to Him.

Our Just Love Coffee Fundraiser is up and Running!!!

2010-03-11T14:24:00.000-08:00

Our first official fundraiser for the adoption is up and running. We are excited to be able to partner with Just Love Coffee. Not only do we receive a portion of each sale but so does a school in Addis Ababa. Also, the coffee is purchased by Just Love Coffee from the coffee farmers in Africa so the money helps them feed their families as well. It's a winning situation all around. The only bummer is I'm allergic to coffee beans so you will have to let me know how good the coffee truly is.

Here is a link to our fundraising store:
http://www.justlovecoffee.com/TobyandAmy

Moving Right Along....

2010-03-09T16:07:00.000-08:00

This morning Toby and I went in to the doctor's office to get our medical forms filled out. Let me tell you, adoption is not for the faint hearted. I just love that when you grow your family through adoption, the Dad has to get poked along with the Mom. We very happily donated some blood for the tests required and are on the fast track to complete our first "hill" of paperwork this week. So far, everything seems much simpler than our first adoption. Maybe that's because we're pros? Or just that Ethiopia is a simpler process than China? I do have to say that if everything goes well and according to plan, we may have just moved to the express lane.

On another note, while we were at the doctor's office, Eliza happily tagged along until we mentioned the shots she was due for. Poor girl! I hate that part of parenting--you know--the part where you have to do something that is good for them but painful. It was kind of funny to hear her yell, "NO WAY!!!" when they nurse told Toby to pull down her pants. Did I mention that "NO WAY" is her favorite phrase right now? Well, it is. Her wonderful siblings thought it was cute when she said it the first time so it is now said way too often. Let's just say Momma is working on reminding her to say "No thank you" instead. Although, the phrase was said at a birthday party last weekend and last I heard the birthday boy is now using it too. Oh well, whatever we can do to make an impact, right?

Here are some of my favorite moments from the last week:

1--Getting Emma all to myself--poor girl was sick and had to stay home from church but I loved getting to hang out with her

2--Seeing Ethan's new smile after he got his braces on

3--Showing Faith how to cable knit and purl

4--Having Eliza fall asleep on me while rocking her for bed time--you have no idea how huge that is!!

5--Seeing Toby get giddy with excitement every time we cross another "to do" off our list for the adoption

6--Finishing a very long book on international adoption even though I found out it wasn't required for the home study (I was pressured by the kids & Toby to not finish it but I wanted to set an example--can we say PRIDE.)

Our Big Announcement

2010-03-01T14:30:00.000-08:00

We are approaching our second anniversary of the day we had Eliza placed in our arms. I can't tell you how much we have grown. The Lord has used our daughter to teach us so much. During the LONG wait for her we learned a lot about patience, when we met her face to face we were shown how God's timing truly is the best, and during the last two years we have learned that when God teaches you to love--it knows no bounds.

What does that have to do with a big announcement? Well, we have spent much time in prayer lately about whether or not the Lord would have us grow our family yet again. Can we handle another baby? Would Eliza be able to handle a new brother or sister? Are we crazy to even think about having five kids? What if.....? We found that it was easier to talk ourselves out of it the later in the evening it was. We even decided at Christmas that we were indeed "done" having kids.

Let's just say that the Lord would not leave us alone about it. Last week we stepped out in faith and submitted an application to adopt from Ethiopia. Today we found out that we have been accepted into the program. So far we have seen God do some amazing things. Without our knowledge, Toby's brother and his wife have also decided to adopt from Ethiopia. They submitted an application to the same agency last week. What a journey we get to take together!!!! We also have seen God provide most of the money we will need for the adoption. We are about $10,000 short of our goal. With that in mind we have decided to try to raise the money through a garage sale in June, selling items through companies who help with adoptions, and donations from those who feel led. We are excited to see what God is going to do in the coming months.

Please keep our family and Toby's brother's family in your prayers as we start in the adoption process. Also, please pray for our child and our new niece/nephew in Africa.

A Week Full of Firsts and Lasts

2010-02-28T21:56:00.000-08:00

This last week has been one full of firsts and lasts. Ethan had his last basketball game of the season, Faith played in her first official piano recital, Eliza spent her last night in a crib and her first night in her new toddler bed, and Emma was there to see it all. They have all handled it very well. Eliza's first night in her bed was a little rough but as I sit here she is sleeping well in her new bed--and it's only night #2. Here are some pictures of some of the exciting happenings.

I have been working on some changes on the blog and preparing it for some exciting news we are hoping to share with all of our readers (no matter how few). Stay tuned to find out what big changes are coming for our family.

Off and Running in 2010

2010-02-02T18:48:00.000-08:00

January has come and gone already and we have reached an important milestone--we are halfway through our curriculum!!!! This is a big deal to all of us-me included. Home schooling is not an easy task for the kids or for the parents. Knowing that God has brought us over halfway to our goal for the year is an encouragement to us all. It is now time to start praying about next year. Do we continue home schooling (so far the consensus is yes), do we keep using the current curriculum (so far that is a yes as well with a few tweaks here and there), and do we include mandatory spa days for mom in the home school budget (I can at least try, right?)?

On another note, this week marks two years since we received our referral for Eliza. We waited for a long time to bring home our daughter and I still remember feeling that we would always be waiting. I look at her now as she plays at my feet and am amazed at all God did to bring us together. She is without a doubt our daughter through and through! It seems amazing that God would bring the perfect match to our family yet when I consider that this is the same God who placed the stars in the sky--it seems more like an "of course--how could He do anything less?"

Many families have now been waiting five years. Please pray for them! They need encouragement, love, and understanding. Please remind them that God has not forgotten them. Remind them that He has a plan for them and their children will come home. God will lead you in ways you can minister to them--please listen to His direction.

Here are some pictures from our January adventures--including Toby's 35th birthday. Enjoy!

Eliza went shopping at Toys 'R' Us with her Christmas money and came away with a free Kai Lan computer game. She is right on track to be a computer genius like her daddy.

Toby took advantage of our OMSI membership and took the kids to see a T-Rex skeleton they had on display. Cool!

Happy 35th, Toby! He's not near as old as the T-Rex and MUCH better looking =)

We had a brief snow storm at the end of December. Can you tell Eliza is more into tropical climates?

Christmas, Two Birthdays, and a Happy New Year!

2009-12-28T21:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a busy time at our house. This year was no exception. I only hope that amid all the busy happenings, we are able to pass on the true meaning of Christmas to our children. I do feel especially blessed to have a child born on Christmas Eve. It always reminds of what Mary went through to have Jesus. Sweet memories of that Christmas as well as the one when we were expecting Emma and had her on December 27th are special gifts.

This year was a big deal to Ethan. He is now a teenager, having turned 13. I was trying to relive his first Christmas when he was just a day old by playing some Neil Diamond cds I played then. He wasn't interested in dancing around with me but Eliza did take me up on it. It's an exciting time in his life.

Emma turned 11 a few days later. She is such a laid back girl. So much growing up is going on at our house. It is bittersweet for us as parents as we are excited to see what God will do in their lives yet want to hold on tight to the years that we have them home.

This Christmas was a lot of fun. It was Eliza's second Christmas home and she had a great time handing out presents and opening them. We took her to see Santa this year and during the wait in line she kept telling us she was going to sit on his lap and ask for a dollhouse. When she finally got up there she clung tight to her brother and had Faith tell Santa what she wanted. Not a bad set up for her when you think about it.

Here are some pictures of the festivities at our house. Enjoy! May your new year be one full the God's blessings!

Christmas is Coming.....

2009-12-22T12:50:00.000-08:00

The season of Christmas is upon us and our home is bustling with activity. Here are a few pictures from the last few days. We were able to visit our family last weekend. We first stopped off at Toby's parent's house and then headed over to my brother's place. All 13 of my parent's grandchildren were present for a few minutes. Fun!

Decking the halls....& paws?

2009-12-12T21:09:00.000-08:00

December is going great at our house. We had a lot of fun taking the kids up to our usual tree farm to get our tree. Eliza wore her new mud boots and walked all over looking for the perfect tree. Christmas is so much fun when you get to see it through a child's eyes. After all, a child is what it is all about.

The kids already opened one of their presents. Of course, they had to--this one needs food, water, and potty breaks. We are now the owners a very sweet little cocker spaniel named Sadie. Everyone is enjoying her--even Sisko.

Well, enjoy the pictures of our December so far. We wish you all a Merry Christmas.

We are so very thankful.......

2009-11-29T20:36:00.000-08:00

We were very blessed to have our second Thanksgiving with Eliza. She was very helpful at counting the eggs and apples that went into the pies. She is definitely going to be a busy little cook someday. We truly enjoyed a restful week with the kids. We took the week off from school and spent some quality time building a Lego Yoda, putting together a puzzle, and playing board games. Tomorrow we start into our last three weeks of school before Christmas.

I always get on here with the intent to write so much more and then find it hard to put it all in writing once I get going. Here are a couple of pictures from the last couple of days. Enjoy!!!

Harvest Time Again

2009-11-07T12:39:00.000-08:00

Harvest time has come and gone already. This was Eliza's second year of joining in on the fun. She was a lot of fun--as always!! She got right in on scooping out the goo from the pumpkins and, after one demo by the kids, got trick-or-treating down. She was the cutest little lady bug! It was a bittersweet year as Ethan decided that he was too old to dress up :( I understand his point but where did the time go? Emma went as Sarah Crewe from the book "The Little Princess" and Faith went as Lucy Pevensey from the Narnia series. Is it a sign of supreme nerdiness when your kids start dressing as characters from books? I thought it was great and the dresses we found at Goodwill were perfect.

Fall Fun

2009-10-20T20:04:00.000-07:00

It's that time again. The leaves are changing, the weather is cooling off, and the pumpkin patch is calling. This is Eliza's second time at our favorite pumpkin patch. She had lots of fun picking her pumpkin, riding on the hay ride, and visiting the goats. She later informed us that her favorite part was the tractors and the goats. Such a sweet girl!

We were also able to visit our friends from China recently. It is truly a blessing to see Emily and Eliza play together. Those Yangxi sisters really know how to have fun!

Starting the School Year off Right

2009-09-18T13:34:00.000-07:00

We have been back at school for three weeks now and are having a great time so far. The Science experiments in Ethan's curriculum are fun for all of us, Eliza has some cool Preschool toys, Faith got glasses, and we have been on a couple of very fun field trips.

We found ourselves at Champoeg again this year for Farmstead Day. It was not disappointing at all. Emma got really involved in it all and made a nail (with the help of a blacksmith).

On another note, Eliza is potty training! She is doing very well. So well in fact that we took her to the zoo to celebrate. They have a new "big cat" exhibit there which was so cool! The cheetahs came up to the window right by the kids a few times. Eliza would laugh and say, "more, back, I happy!" It is such a blessing to see her get so into the zoo these days. So much joy in our little girl! It is bittersweet to have her growing so fast--sometimes you just want to keep them little forever.

Summer Memories

2009-08-29T18:51:00.001-07:00

In a few days we will start our second year of home school. This summer sure has flown by. I have so many pictures of our adventures since Great Wolf but I will just post some highlights. We enjoyed our annual trip to the fair, Faith turned 9, and we were able so spend a few days at the coast. One of the big events of the summer was seeing Emma & Faith get baptized. They had both accepted Christ as their Savior a few years ago and recently decided to follow God's command to get baptized. It was a joyous day! We tried to video the event but the camera didn't cooperate--thankfully some friends loaned us their camera to take photos. Enjoy the photos.

Adventures at Great Wolf Lodge

2009-07-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

We recently returned home from a 2-day getaway to Great Wolf Lodge in Centralia, Washington. It was fun for all. We were blessed to run into some friends of ours the first day there which turned out to be great for all of us. I found myself "borrowing" their daughter to go on the bigger water slides since my own kids are not very into "dare-devil" rides. The indoor wave pool was a hit with Emma and Eliza. Emma could usually be found in the middle of the action there while Eliza enjoyed playing in the waves on the "cement beach" (as Toby called it). Faith liked the pool with the basketball hoops and was talked into going on the "Howling Tornado" a few times by both Mom and Dad. Ethan had fun on everything except the slides. I did get him on the "Howling Tornado" once which resulted in a "good lecture" directed at me for talking him into it--I had to laugh since he is such a compliant child until I put him in "danger"--as he put it.

Ethan & Emma in the wave pool

Faith at the bottom a small slide in the shallow play area

Eliza in the waves with Daddy--she never misses a chance to do her "cheese face" in pictures--silly girl!

The trip was full of sweet memories. The night of our first day there I took Eliza to our room to bathe and get her jammies on. Afterward we went to the store to find a souvenir. She looked all over the store and examined many stuffed toys. I would ask her, "Do you want this one?". Every time she would say, "No". After about 10 minutes of this I handed her a stuffed wolf. This one was a keeper! I then said to her, "Okay, lets go pay for your new friend." She then replied, "Tank To, Mama." I melted. Such a sweet girl we have been blessed with!

This all got me thinking about the Lord. How many times does he lovingly give us something and we are faced with the option of saying thank you. Does my Heavenly Father "melt" at a heart felt thank you the way I did with Eliza? I think he does. I bet He draws us close and says, "You're welcome, dear one," in much the same way we do with our children--only better.

Eliza and her new friend "Wolfie"

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

This Fourth of July was full of seconds--Eliza's second 4th of July parade, our second year of taking her out to my parent's house for our annual family BBQ, and our second time seeing our newest nephew, Hunter. What a fun day!!!! Eliza is now old enough to get up and "dive" for candy at the parade. Once she figured out that they were throwing goodies she started waving and signing "please" whenever a new group would go by. The older kids soon figured out that you get more goodies when you have a very cute baby sister near by--a win win situation I think.

Waiting for the Parade to begin.

Eliza modeling some of her goodies--a flag and a new necklace.

After the parade we drove down to my parent's house for the annual family BBQ. It was a fun day for all! Eliza and her cousin, Seth, played a new game together where she would go down the slide and he would sit at the bottom and pretend she knocked him down. The girls had a great time with all their cousins and the great toys Grandma & Grandpa had for them to play with. Ethan is coming up on a new stage. He know is more interested in sitting with the adults than playing with the little ones. He did have a great time teasing his uncles with his "quick wit". Even Sisko was having a great time eating up all the "dropped" food and even a hot dog from Grandma.

Faith and Hunter.

Matt and his youngest, Olivia, taking advantage of a comfortable swing.

Getting ready for Grandma & Grandpa's fireworks display.

Han Lin Visits & Faith has a Dance Recital

2009-06-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

We have been very blessed to have Han Lin visiting for a few days. He has been studying English at the university in Cincinnati. This Fall he will be starting his studies in nursing at the university.

Yesterday was a big day for Faith. She had her dance recital and was able to show everyone the dance she had been working on during the school year. The video is a little hard to see. At the beginning of the dance she is in the front row, second from the left.

Eliza Turns 2

2009-06-13T20:32:00.000-07:00

Today our baby girl turned two! Such an exciting age to be. She had a two day extravaganza since we were able to visit family yesterday and celebrate with them as well. She really got into her presents this year. Some of her favorite gifts were her table and chair set, her tea set, and her Wow, Wow Wubbzy toys. While I was in the kitchen frosting her cake she set up her Wubbzy friends in chairs around the table and started serving them tea. So cute!!! We are so very thankful to the Lord for choosing us to be her parents.

Wrapping up the School Year

2009-05-30T22:09:00.000-07:00

So many times I sign in to update the blog and find it hard to know what to write. There are a lot of things that I want to say but when I sit down to do it I draw a blank. We are finishing up our curriculum for the current school year which is a huge accomplishment for all of us. I am amazed most of all at how the Lord has used this time home schooling the kids to shape my character. Here I thought it would be a way to shape their character but I am finding I am benefiting from it in ways I could not have imagined. There have been moments of frustration, tears, exhaustion, laughter, joy, humility, & redemption--you name it we have probably experienced it. I am forever grateful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; my Father God, my Holy spirit. All three parts in one. Although my pride says I would much rather go on pretending I am not in need of pruning; happily ignoring my sinful nature, He loves me SO much that He does what is best for me.

There were times during this school year that I wanted to walk away and take the "easy" road--to step back into my comfort zone and send the kids off to school but I knew in my heart that God had called us to this--had called me. So I kept on and in the process have learned more about selflessness, grace, and patience than I could have ever imagine. I am not speaking of my patience with the kids--I am speaking of God's unending patience with me. Don't get the wrong impression, I am not suffering in this calling. On the contrary, I have found an unending fountain of blessing. I have found my calling for this season of my life.

I am not saying home schooling is for everyone. I will say this--many people have made the comment that they couldn't do it. I want you to know that you can. If God calls you to home school He will equip you. It will, without a doubt, remind you of how much we need Him.

In the interest of sharing more "cuteness" than anyone can stand--here are some pictures from this last month. Eliza happily had her first pedicure--given by an amazing man--her daddy. She also treated us to a fashion show and a little rock concert. You would think we have only one child with as many pictures as I've been taking of her lately. Just to reassure you they are all still here and we are still blessed beyond measure by them all. There are no words to describe it! Thank you, Lord!!!

New Name for the Blog

2009-05-09T20:31:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that our blog has undergone a name change. Since we are no longer "waiting for Eliza" we thought it would be appropriate to change the name. We will keep the web address the same to make it easy on family. Enjoy the updates :)

Springtime Fun!

2009-05-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

These last few weeks have been busy. No big surprise there. We were able to visit a nearby tulip farm and enjoy some family activities. The flowers were beautiful! Hopefully it will become an annual outing for us.

Just a few more weeks and we will finish up our curriculum for this last school year. It has flown by. It has been a year full of transitions and blessings. We are gearing up for some summer fun and looking forward to another year of home school. It is quite an adventure!

On one of the sunnier days last month Eliza put on her sister's shoes and showed us how to walk--too cute!

Easter Fun, Softball, & Field Trips

2009-04-17T14:13:00.000-07:00

It was with great joy that we were able to celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior with all four of our children. While we were waiting for Eliza we often thought about the holidays we would celebrate when she came home. We go to the same Easter Egg Hunt every year and would wonder if the next year would include our new daughter. There were a few "hiccups" to the "perfect" holiday we envisioned (the fridge stopped working Easter morning) but to be with our children and see Eliza participate in our family traditions was truly a gift. She was not at all sure about the Easter Egg Hunt we went to on Saturday but by the time we did our family hunt on Sunday she was ready. She also thought the coloring of the eggs was pretty cool. Her favorite part was eating the chocolates in the eggs. It is because of Easter that we have Eliza. If God did not send His Son to die for our sins, if He had not risen, and if we did not have a relationship with Christ we would not have the capacity to love her like we do. We love because He first loved us!

On another note, Emma has decided to play Softball this Spring so here are some snapshots of her first game.

We recently visited the Portland Art Museum with one of our favorite people, Nancy. Nancy is married to Claude who was not able to come with us. They are a joy to be with always. She is an amazing artist (though she would never admit it). We were able to see some paintings from the collection of Madame Pompadour (Louis XIV's mistress). The way the colors "popped" was amazing! It was a thrill to be up close to paintings from the late 1700s. We were not able to take photos but I do have one of all the kids and Nancy outside the museum.

Happy 1 Year Gotcha-versary, Eliza!

2009-04-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

One year ago today Eliza was placed in our arms. It has been an amazing year! Some of her favorite things lately include pizza, chocolate, playing outside, her brother, giving kisses, Elmo, and seeing new things. It is hard to believe it has been a year already. Once again I feel an abundance of thankfulness to the Lord for changing our hearts and bringing us together. Words cannot express....

Spring Break 2009

2009-03-31T20:52:00.001-07:00

We took a week off from school and enjoyed exploring some local areas. We enjoyed hiking on the Banks-Vernonia Trail,

seeing all we could in the Japanese Gardens,

and learning all about the Pittock Mansion.

We had a great time with the kids. Eliza was so cute walking through the Chinese Gardens and then "peering" through the railing on our hike. It's amazing how time flies and kids grow! There is not doubt that we are abundantly blessed.

Eliza's Gotcha Video

2009-03-24T20:02:00.000-07:00

I recently finished Eliza's Gotcha video and although it took some doing, got it posted online for everyone to see. Enjoy!

Eliza's Gotcha Video

March News

2009-03-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

In the last few weeks Ethan finished up his basketball season. It was a lot of fun to watch him play.

We also enjoyed another visit with our friends the Fortlanders. Eliza and Emily played really well together and had us all laughing.

One of My Favorite Things.....

2009-02-20T21:07:00.000-08:00

This is our first year home schooling our three oldest children and I have to share one of my favorite things about it----field trips! I love that we can go out as a family and have fun together on weekdays or any day we wish without missing any "school". We had one of those fun days today. Toby took the day off and we all spent the day at the Children's Museum and one of our favorite parks. Eliza went down a slide all by herself for the first time today and it happened to be the same slide that Ethan, Emma, & Faith all used the first time they went down a slide alone. It was a beautiful day to be out and about. Here are some pictures from today and a few snapshots from the last few days to go with them. Enjoy!

The Blessings Keep on Coming

2009-02-01T13:36:00.000-08:00

Things continue to go well. We have settled into being a family of six and are truly blessed. Emma had another piano recital this month and did fabulous! Eliza continues to amaze us with her silliness and loving personality. Here are some pictures from the last few weeks of fun:)

January Activities

2009-01-17T21:30:00.000-08:00

We are halfway through January and still a happy, busy, family of six. Ethan started basketball and is enjoying the season so far. It is a lot of fun to watch him play. You can tell he is having fun. The rest of us cheer him on from the stands. Eliza loves to watch sports and sat through his last game without any complaints. At the game today I was able to snap a great picture of Eliza and Toby. Oh, the joy!!

Happy 10th Birthday, Emma!

2008-12-27T08:44:00.000-08:00

Today our daughter, Emma, has hit the double digits. She is 10 years old. Unbelievable that it happened so fast. We are amazed at her calm spirit and goofy nature all rolled into one. We have found ourselves saying some interesting phrases over the years due to this sweet girl--for instance "No bouncing before breakfast," and "Where did you put your ears?" Happy birthday, Emma Gracie Girl!! Your are an amazing blessing!!!

Merry CHRISTmas!

2008-12-26T19:23:00.001-08:00

We hope all of you had a blessed Christmas. We enjoyed seeing it all through Eliza's eyes. Even though it was new to her she really tore up the wrapping paper! We have been snowed in for over a week now. We are trying to not let it get us down. Nothing like quality time with the sweetest family ever!!!!

Happy 12th Birthday, Ethan!

2008-12-24T09:31:00.000-08:00

It was twelve years ago today that we sat in awe of the baby boy God had given us just shortly after midnight. Since then he has grown to be a sweet boy--sensitive to other's feelings and striving to obey the Lord. We love you, Ethan!!!! We are forever grateful for the blessings of being your parents. Have a wonderful day!

Eliza Praying

2008-12-20T12:13:00.000-08:00

Our sweet girl is learning to pray! These last few days Eliza has been putting her hands up to her face to "pray" at meals. I just had to share this picture of our sweetie!

Christmas Fun

2008-12-17T16:41:00.001-08:00

We have had an interesting week. Just today we had 3 inches of snow fall at our house. It has been fun to play in. It's turning out to be a white Christmas--this is the first time since we have lived here that we have had this kind of weather before Christmas.

We have had a truly blessed season so far. It has been such a joy to take Eliza for her first visit to Santa and get our Christmas tree with all of our children. We have been loving every minute of it all. The pure joy and enthusiasm in a child experiencing it all for the first time is so precious.

Emma and Faith were able to sing "Silent Night" at church with their friend Shawna Ashley. I'm posting the video. Nothing like sisters to push each other around on stage during a church performance. It is pretty cute regardless of the pushing.

We hope you are all having a wonderful and blessed Christmas. I can't help but marvel at the birth of a baby born to save us all so that we can be adopted into God's family. I am in awe of such a gift.

Emma Plays Piano

2008-12-06T17:58:00.000-08:00

Although I just posted a few days ago, I could not resist posting a video of Emma playing piano at the library with her teacher. She has only been playing since September and has worked very hard. We are all proud of her. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving and Other Fun Times

2008-12-03T14:11:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since my last post. We have had an exciting November! We were able to visit the Fortlanders and see how big Emily is getting. The girls were so cute playing together. We had to say good-bye to our dog, Lucy, after realizing how much pain her hips were truly causing her. Eliza also had her hair cut for the first time in the U.S.A.. She did not like the hairdresser messing with her heard. Also, we had a great Thanksgiving with family. It was a big group with all 12 of the cousins on my side along with their parents and grandparents. (There are actually 13 cousins but Jason's wife is not due until next summer.) I am also going to try to post a video I just took today of Eliza learning the countries of South Africa with the girls. Sorry about the camera rotation--I will work on it for next time. She is still very cute!!!! I hope all of you have a blessed holiday and your Christmas is full of the joy of the Lord! Take this time to remember the first gift of Christmas, Jesus.

Eliza's Yangxi girlfriend, Emily
Eliza's hair cut
"I want you for the Zimmerman family"
Eliza and Grandpa
Eliza and cousin Olivia
Eliza and Grandma
All the cousins

Happy Harvest!!!

2008-10-31T21:55:00.000-07:00

These last few days have been busy! Emma had an informal piano recital, Eliza went to work cleaning the house (see pictures), we carved pumpkins, and we did the traditional trick-or-treat and harvest party night. We also reached the end of our first quarter of school. Toby and I made out report cards for the kids and they all did great. One of the things we are loving about home school is that we can take our time with the kids and make sure they understand a concept before they move on. It is really helping them to learn more and feel more confident. We are very proud of them all. Believe me, they work very hard.

Here are some great pictures we took in the last few days--one day, during school, Ethan was sweeping the kitchen and Eliza decided to help--soooo cute!!!! She didn't really like her cute bunny costume but we still got some great pictures. She is even adorable when she fusses! It is wonderful to have all of our children home for the holidays this year. There are no words for how blessed we truly are.

Eliza's First Trip to the Zoo

2008-10-25T20:32:00.001-07:00

Today we took advantage of the beautiful fall weather we have been having and took Eliza to the zoo for her first visit. Ethan was at a youth retreat so it was just us and the girls. Eliza really liked the animals. She laughed when she saw the new baby elephant play with it's mom. It is always fun to see it all in our children's eyes. Eliza was taking it all in for the first time and Emma and Faith still get excited when they see all the animals. Eliza really enjoyed the elephant ears and ended up with an extra sweet smile!

Pumpkins, Books, and a New Duck Fan

2008-10-24T20:55:00.001-07:00

We have been having fun in our first 8 weeks of school. Eliza has been getting into her books too.

Toby went to Malaysia and Shanghai for business and brought us all back some goodies. Eliza really liked her new purse. Look out mall here we come!

Emma has been doing great at piano. Last week she came home with a prize that Eliza enjoyed. I think we have another Duck fan in the house!

We had a great time on our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. It's such a blessing to finally get to share our family traditions with Eliza.

6 months ago today......

2008-10-07T20:13:00.000-07:00

I remember being nervous and excited all at once. There were six of us couples cramming into the elevators at the Guangzhou Civil Affairs office building, important papers in hand and cameras ready. Who would be first? We thought for sure we would be last with the last name Z----.

We walked in the room and tried to peek at any babies. None yet. Then, after a few minutes, we saw some. Was one of them her? We weren't sure but one did have some pretty "spikey" hair. Toby video recorded the women walking by with them just in case.

They started to call out names. One couple went up and a woman came out with a baby and handed her over. A new family was born. As I watched it all unfold I looked up and there she was, in the doorway with one of the women. Tears came to my eyes. I finally saw that sweet face I had been studying in a picture from afar and dreaming of for three years. I turned to the expectant father next to me and said, "I just saw my baby!"

They called our name. Two women came out, one holding her. She caressed Eliza's cheek and said, "Misquito bites." Then they put her in my arms. "Does she look like picture?" the woman asked.

"Yes," Toby and I said in unison. Cameras were flashing and try as I might I couldn't get her to look at me. She was too busy looking around the room. Her pants were too big, flapping around past her little legs and making her look much taller. She had socks on and underneath we could see that her feet were dirty.

She locked eyes with Toby, seeing her Daddy for the first time and laughing. No tears came to her eyes but man could she laugh. We tickled her and played with her. We took turns holding her while she looked everywhere. God had kept His promise.

It's hard to believe it has been six months. In a lot of ways it seems like it has been longer. I'm amazed at this girl and at a God who loves us so much that He would trust us with such a gift. This scared little girl and her scared parents have come so far. Today, while at Emma's piano lesson, I walked just a few feet away from her. Then I heard her. She had followed me over and placed her sweet hand in mine. This little one who wouldn't look me in the eyes was reaching out to me. THANK YOU JESUS! I AM BLESSED!

Growing, Laughing, & Learning

2008-09-20T18:38:00.000-07:00

We are into our fourth week of school and we are having a great time. It's a huge blessing to have the kids home and to be able to be a part of their learning. Everyone is being cooperative most of the time and we have more time to have fun together. I am a really blessed mom. Eliza is handling it OK although she is not thrilled about losing the attention she used to get from the kids and Mom. She does some interesting things to get attention during school time which can be distracting and funny at the same time.

We had the chance to visit with my parents a few weekends ago and Eliza had a blast playing in their playhouse. It was just her size.

We also went on a field trip to the Oregon Garden and Silver Falls. It turned out to be a two day field trip thanks to my negligence in leaving my wallet at the park. The Lord truly protected us in that the Ranger found it and called. So, we went back on Saturday to pick it up and do some more hiking.

This weekend we went to the local Families with Children from China Moon Festival Picnic. It was fun and Eliza came home with her first temporary tattoo.

Please keep us in your prayers in the next few weeks. Toby will be traveling to Malaysia and Shanghai for work the first two weeks of October. We will definitely be missing him. Please pray he will have safe travel and we at home will not have any "big problems" while he is away. It will be the first time he has traveled for work since Eliza has come home and I have a feeling she will miss her Daddy a lot.

Our Many Adventures

2008-09-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

We are starting our school tomorrow (home school) and we are all excited about the cool things we get to learn. In the last few weeks we have had loads of fun. We enjoyed taking Eliza on her first trip to the Oregon Coast. Although it was 100 degrees at home it was rather chilly there.

Eliza has gotten so good at feeding herself that it was time to get the "naked spaghetti eating" picture. (She was wearing a diaper.)

Eliza has been walking and getting better at it all the time. Here are some cute "toddle" pictures. My favorites are the ones in her "monkey" jammies.

We had a great time visiting with our friends the Fortlanders. Emily is getting so big! It's such a blessing to have such great friends and to be able to get the girls together for play time.

This last weekend we were able to take the kids out to pick peaches and apples. It was a great photo opportunity.

We were also able to visit the Champoeg State Heritage Center where the kids were able to experience some "hands on" pioneer fun.

More Summer Fun!

2008-08-14T09:28:00.000-07:00

Here are some snapshots of the last few weeks. We were able to visit the Chinese Garden for the first time with Eliza! Faith had a great birthday and enjoyed the fun of a little sister getting into her presents (up until now that had been her role). Eliza is growing and is SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!! She is still struggling with naps but we are all much more rested. Thank you for your prayers. She is also starting to walk. She has gone up to 5 steps unassisted so far. Another "big deal" to us is that she is now picking up food and feeding herself. It helps when we all clap for her when she succeeds. She is a lot of fun for all of us!

Happy 8th Birthday Faith!!!!

2008-08-07T12:14:00.000-07:00

Eight years ago today we welcomed Faith Lauren into our family. It's hard to believe it has been that long. She has grown to be a loving, beautiful girl who loves her family and her Lord. She has recently become a big sister to Eliza--a challenge she has welcomed and enjoyed. Just the other day she said to me, "Mom, I think Eliza is the best present I ever got." We are so blessed to have this sweet girl!

Busy Days

2008-07-31T13:41:00.000-07:00

We have been busy! We have enjoyed the county fair, had a visit with Uncle Dale, Aunt Amie, and cousins Blake & Jaden, and been enjoying watching Eliza grow. She is crawling very quickly and so close to walking. We are still struggling with some sleep issues so that is one BIG prayer request. Here are some pictures so enjoy!