parenting a child who speaks a different language while living in a foreign country.

I never have really posted a whole lot on parenting, mainly because I'm still learning but I thought this was important to talk about. While I had dreams of what this time would be like, we magically bonding and having no language barriers, I scarcely understood the reality of what would happen.Let me first say that we are able to get across a lot of what we need to say and there are times when I'm amazed at how much we've learned about each other, but then there are times when i see a long road ahead of us. Exactly how do you explain to a child (who speaks a language I do not know fluently) that even while we are in his home country that the parent is still the one in charge? How can I effectively say that I will take care of HIM and make the decisions on day to day activities? Well the truth is you can't...I tried and it only came across as me being a mean mommy. Now, we are silent towards one another and it's breaking my heart. I've tried talking with him but he turns away. Did I make a mistake by asserting myself? I don't know. He needs me and I need him, but mainly I need to be his mother all of the time despite however mad it may make him. I want him to just be a child and have no worries but I'm seeing that may be easier said than done. Ugh, it feels like we've taken a few giant feet backwards.

quality time with my boy

mia

I apologize for not having updated my blog in a while. We passed court on July 24th and it was official Natinael is a Miles!!! We spent some great time with him which I will chronicle more when I am home. Leaving him was the hardest thing I think I've ever done. It wasn't long after being home that I decided to come back to Ethiopia early. I wanted to be with him while we wait for embassy clearance. As of Aug 22nd I have had custody of him. There have been some truly great moments and some moments where I want to cry out in pain for him. This update will be brief but again I will update more when I'm home. I am hoping that is within the next 2-3 weeks some photos from before our gotchya day!

Our first meeting.

Today we met our first son for the very first time. It was a surreal moment. He was crying as we're we. I couldn't have asked for a better day. I am more in love with him then I ever thought possible. He is amazing and I don't ever want to spend another day apart from him. From his adorable accent to his glowing sincerity he is a gift. It's safe to say there has never been and never will be a day where we feel disconnected from him. Ptl.

Tonights the night!

Tonight son while you sleep we begin to fly. Fly to Washington DC where we spend one night before we take flight to Ethiopia!!! Then on Monday if all goes well we will be meeting you and hugging you!!!! I told you we were coming for you. Soon son, soon!

fly, fly away!!

In exactly 12 days we will be appearing before the judge in Ethiopia!!! That's right, our court date is July 24th!!!!! We love you son and were coming!!

such a bad blogger...

Ok, so I am such a bad blogger. I forgot to write about how our first court date went. It went..well!! Our sons birth relative showed and we were given a favorable outcome. Now we continue to wait for our federal mowa letter and pray we get our travel date before the courts close for two months. We desperately want to see and hold our son. Please help us in praying for a speedy court date.

court date #1.

Tonight during the wee hours of the morning our sons case will be heard in Ethiopia. Please help us in praying that all needed.parties will be in attendance and that the judge approves all of our paperwork. This is a very necessary step before we can travel to meet him. We are hoping and praying beyond belief that we will hold him in our arms before the rainy season. Waiting even just a few more months feels like an eternity. He is growing everyday without us there. We have to get to him as soon as possible. So please help us in praying for him.

update

Well it's obvious that I have not updated everyone on our adoption journey, so I feel the need to do so now. Our dossier was turned in about a month ago and was finally registered in Ethiopia on May 20th. Yesterday, Monday, our file was submitted to the Ethiopian courts. This is great news! It may mean that we have a chance of traveling to meet our son before the courts close! We are hoping to receive our birth relative court date within the next few weeks and then if that goes well we wait for our table date!! We are getting closer everyday and it feels great!! Please say a prayer that we get to our son sooner rather than later please, thanks!!

Changing the world for one

This is the first time I have ever written about another family on this blog, but I felt it necessary this time. Amy and Sten Olsson recently suffered a major tragedy. Their Ethiopian princess, home in 2012, Marra died in a car accident this past weekend. She was racing to the playground and was hit by a car. A devastating loss at such a young age; she was merely a toddler. I know she will be dearly missed by many and never forgotten by her family. While I am asking for your prayers for those closest to Marra I am also asking for another favor. The Olsson's are currently in the process of adopting their second Ethiopian daughter. They have recently passed court and are now waiting to bring her home. In this very difficult time I am sure that the stress of financial obligations is one they would rather not have. So, I ask for your help. I believe together we can raise enough money to cover the plane tickets for all of the Olsson crew that will be coming home from Ethiopia as a family. let's cover the Olsson's in prayer and do what little we can and move this mountain. Let them focus on preserving little Marra's memory while we worry about the rest. R.I.P. Marra Olsson I have included a donate button at the top of the page. Please help us bring their newest addition home!

dossier on its way!!!

After what seemed like years (7 months) our dossier is finally on its way to our agency! We are praying beyond belief that there is nothing we need to correct and that we can be submitted to court asap!! Hold on son your day in the sun is coming!!

our second i171h approval!!!

I remember the first time I saw that we were approved by homeland security. It was for our daughter. We were beyond thrilled and let me tell you we are no less thrilled this time!!! Hang on son we're coming!!

easter

Tomorrow we will be spending our first easter with all 3 girls. I cannot wait to see their faces as the day unfolds. Hopefully next year we will be enjoying it with our son as well. Prayers appreciated for him and us. Happy easter everyone!!

fast, fast, faster!

Well we have learned a few new things about our adoption journey that may have us a bit more fast tracked than we had planned for. This means that we need the finances even sooner than we thought. So, we are asking for your help because it could mean our sons life. He needs to be home. He needs to be where he can drink water with no worry. Help us get him home!! There is a donate button at the top of this blog and we would appreciate it beyond measure if you would consider helping us. Prayers are also very appreciated God bless!

fingerprints for our son!

Friday March 22nd we will be completing the last piece of work to complete our dossier. One step closer to our son!!! Praying April will be the month we turn everything in and get this moving!

sick ugh

I woke up sick today...happens more often then I'd like these days, but my son is on my mind and that always brightens my day. Just the thought of his face and knowing this will be the year that I meet him makes me giddy with glee. Hold on son we are coming for you!!

just a little update

Well I see that I have not yet posted this here and probably should. We started this process requesting to adopt an infant boy, however God had different plans for us. We are now en-route to adopt an older boy. We can't publicize the details just yet, but keep an eye out for "the post" in the next month or two!!

sorry this is late: Feb 13th and 14th

Feb. 13th-One year ago AJ was placed in our arms forever. Happy gotchya day baby girl!!! (We chose to celebrate this day on vday bc that was the day we were granted her visa.) Feb. 14th- Happy Visa day to us!!! One year ago we got the most amazing Valentine's day present; our daughters approval to leave Ethiopia and enter America. We also got one other precious gift that day. It was a very small, 2x2, photo of AJs birth mother. Prior to that day we had never seen her face. Now we will never forget what she looks like and will be able to show AJ when she asks (because she will.) It was an all around priceless day. Fast forward a year and we are spending this day with all three of our girls home! No one will ever know how grateful we truly are. Happy Valentine's day to my babies both near and far!!!! Love you to the ends of the earth and back! (One Year ago and Today!)

birth mother

Today one year ago AJ's birth mother appeared before the US embassy and told her story for the last time. I can't imagine how painful it must have been to tell. To tell yet another "official looking" stranger why she chose adoption for her child could not have been easy to do. She has a sort of bravery that I will never know. For that and many other things I thank her. Our lives at forever changed all because of the decision she made. Words cannot begin to express how much we owe her. She is truly a blessing to our family and will never be forgotten. Bless you BM.