Day two… September 5, 2009

(posted by Marsha)

Hi!

Just time for a quick e-mail. We picked up the girls today and it went better than we hoped again! They are just adorable and we’re having so much fun getting to know them. Abebech is our little neat freak – everything must be in it’s place and put away. She’ll tell her sister too! Abebu – not so much. She just walks away to the next thing! They are giggling and trying new words. You should have seen their eyes when they opened their suitcase!! We spent a LOT of time trying on everything (some over others that didn’t make sense, but it was fun!) They were very excited about their bathing suits and LOVE shoes!! We had opportunity to see many of our friends children and took video and pictures.

Other news is that we have a meeting with the birth mom on Tuesday. We are driving on Monday to Nazeret to visit Lisa and Jason’s birthmom. That is where Faya is and we’ll stop there to bring baby blankets. Our birth mom is in a different town, so separate days. Pray that we have a good meeting. We were so thrilled to know she made a special effort to talk to Haregewain when we had our court date. She asked if we could please see her and bring the girls before we leave. A huge answer to prayer.

Supper’s coming so I’m off – we’ll try to send pictures tomorrow if we can buy a flashdrive!

Jenn

The first meeting!!! September 4, 2009

(email posted by Marsha – Jenn’s sister)

Hi family!! We arrived at the airport in Addis and after a quick stop at the hotel we went to see the girls! You can only imagine how nervous I was (jenn) when we finally pulled into the compound. Lisa and Jason’s children came in first so we could video for them. It didn’t take long and our girls were brought in. They are so adorable. They came out wearing the outfits we had sent for them. They were a bit shy at first, but gave us hugs.

We broke the ice by taking them outside to play with bubbles, the beach ball, and the squishy balls. Soon they were smiling and we were feeling more at ease. They were very interested in the photo album of the family that we made. We got very very big smiles when Mesfin (our driver) translated that the pool that Chelsey and Noah were swimming belonged to their new grandpa and grandma! We told them they have new bathing suits and they were very excited! About half way through our visit Abebech crawled into my lap and “helped” put my arms around her. She just snuggled right in. Abebu is more outgoing and she and Dave were running all over the yard playing with bubbles.

The biggest hit for the girls was a shock to mommy. Chelsey and Noah – you won’t believe what Daddy did!! He gave them the Iphone!! I KNOW!!!! It took them two seconds to figure out the camera and they were off and running! They were so funny and they got so excited that they starting jabbering in Amharic to each other. Abebu loved Daddy’s sunglasses and made Abebech take a picture of her on Daddy’s lap wearing his glasses. Then they had to trade. By the time we left they gave us huge hugs and kisses and were calling us mommy and daddy. It was so amazing. It really couldn’t have gone better.

We did notice that they are very skinny still. Just tiny arms and legs. Abebech still seems to have a cold in her chest and was coughing.

Haregewain was there and greeted us all with big hugs. She mentioned that all the girls friends were in another room crying because they were leaving. We’re glad we left them there to have this night with their friends. She also mentioned that their birth mom had asked at the court hearing if she could please meet us! This is an answer to prayer and we are waiting to get something set up for next week with her.

Our plan is to go back to the foster home tomorrow at 11:00 to pick them up. Things are going really well with Lisa and Jason’s kids too and we get along with them. (although Bemnet is scared that the plane will fall out of the sky!)

We’re going to try to buy a flashdrive tomorrow (we left it at home) so we can send pictures. We have great video of us meeting the girls and playing outside too (but that will have to wait until we get home.)

All our love,

Jenn for both of us!

Three more sleeps little ones! September 1, 2009

It’s been a long journey to these two little sweeties and we can’t wait to hold them in our arms.

Leaving on a Jet Plane!! August 31, 2009

I can hardly believe I am writing this. We have visas. We even have flights thanks to our amazing travel agent! We are leaving this Wednesday!! That’s two days to pack and clean my house. No problem. My mom and my close friend Coralie came down this afternoon and we have three of the four suitcases packed already (and weighed). Fifty pounds isn’t all that much once you start packing! Gotta go – we’re off to celebrate for supper!!

Getting ready for back to school – no visas August 28, 2009

We’re slowly starting to get ready for back to school. It’s a bit bitter-sweet because we really thought the girls would be home. The school supplies are bought and ready to go and Peanut and Budder are getting their brain around the fact that summer (well, technically we didn’t have summer in Manitoba – we just had a break) is almost at an end.

I have started to plan some lessons and wrap my brain around the fact that I will be walking back into my classroom to put up bulletin boards once again. My reaction has been mixed. I am really really excited about the new ideas I’ve had over the summer and can’t wait to get back into my room to try them out. By now I’d be a bit sad if I couldn’t teach my amazing pointillism lesson that has a new twist for this year. But at the same time, I’m stunned that I’m going to be walking into my classroom to teach for…. well that’s the part that has me spinning. Two weeks? A month? Longer? Realistically we know it won’t be that long, but until the visa is issued we have no guarantees. So with the end of this week finally here, and no visa news… I have made the mental shift – I go back to my classroom next week to get ready. Now I just have to sort through my many many boxes that I brought home at the end of the year and pull out what I need!

For Peanut’s friends! August 18, 2009

Our daughter has the most amazing friends. Grade nine is going to be such a great year for all of you! We couldn’t have hand picked a better group. You are encouraging, silly, sweet, and just plain fun to be around. We hope you all visit LOTS this year and come hang out at our place! And we also know that she will have great support as she waits for us to come home. It will be so hard for both our kids to be at home while we are in Ethiopia.

I think some of you are almost as excited as she is to have our girls home. Today she was taking pictures after we started packing so that she could share the excitement with everyone!

The backpacks are totally me – my students at school can attest to that! Inside are everything a little girl could want: a doll with clothes and a blanket, a blanket for them, crayons, coloring books, sun glasses, princess pencils, pencil sharpeners, a scribbler, a squishy weird ball, and some bubbles. We also have some other treats to pack somewhere else (the backpacks are full!) – like balloons for making balloon animals, a beach ball, fun dip and nerds, some Pollys, and nail polish!

Progress is happening! August 17, 2009

We found out today that our girl’s names have officially been changed on the Canadian Immigration website – they are now listed as Abebech David Lehman and Abebu David Lehman! This is wonderful news. It assures us that the visas are being worked on and things are happening. Our adoption agency assures us that this is very good news, but doesn’t mean the visa is imminent. So we continue to wait, but we know that things are moving along which is very assuring at this point.

Back together again August 16, 2009

This picture was taken at my sister’s wedding earlier this summer in B.C. (one little one missing) This weekend we are celebrating again, but here in Manitoba! All the cousins are happy to be back together once again and tonight we are having a family gathering at my parents. It’s going to be great to have everyone around to celebrate their wedding- and it doesn’t hurt that my mom made FOUR of her amazingly delicious five layer cheesecakes that are my personal favorite!! (that’s what happens when you help plan – you “suggest” certain things!) Thanks Mom!  We have also all mentioned how wonderful the NEXT family gathering will be – when our girls are home to add to the mix. We’re all pretty sure they will be the last of the cousin train and it will be truly amazing to see all nine of them together.

Fun at Grandma’s pool August 12, 2009

Almost done! August 11, 2009

The girl’s room is almost done! I’ve been sewing up a storm and finished their pillows before we left on holidays. Surprisingly, the little owl pillows that are so adorable, didn’t take as long as I imagined. I had them designed, cut, ironed on, topstitched and finished in one day! I had so much fun making them that I’m already thinking of other pillows I could make! Thanks again to my mom for helping me with the girl’s quilts! We had such a great time sewing for “babies” again.

I also had a lot of fun sewing clothes for their itty bitty twins that we bought on-line. I didn’t get as many outfits sewn as I would have liked, but it at least they have something to change them into when they play! Thanks to Dave’s mom who gave me patterns, and a whole whack of little treasures to play with! And thanks to Peanut who let me raid her ribbon collection to find just the perfect ribbon for that cute fabric I’ve been saving for four years!! Then I found the flannel fabric that reminded me of the other fabric, so I had to buy that and sew their babies blankets! The striped blankets are actually really large and are for the girls for in the guest house and the plane.

We had news this week that the medicals were expected to arrive in Nairobi on Monday and we are now on the final countdown! I’ve been on the phone with our bank, a travel agent, my hairdresser (every girl needs great hair for traveling!), and family as I hunt for suitcases I’m borrowing. There are so many little things to do now at the end and it’s so wonderful to be finally DOING something!! (although my family might think I’m crazy and panicking with all my lists and lists and lists!)