firsts

before AJ came home, a thought that frequently went through our minds (ok, my mind only) was "we've missed so much with him already".  in reality, however, even though his first few years were spent apart from us, we are currently experiencing many "firsts" of our own with this amazing kid.  and they are just as exciting to us as experiencing them with a newborn during the first year of life.  i have such a strong opinion (shocking that i would have a strong opinion, i know) that toddler adoption or older child adoption can be as completely fulfilling as infant adoption.  "easy for you to say now, while things are going smoothly", you're probably thinking.  fair enough.  although, i do read about and know of many adoption stories from real life people that would support this claim.  granted, there is always more to consider and the stakes are even higher, perhaps, when considering attachment and early trauma or hurt in the child's life prior to adoption.  after all, adoption is only necessary because of loss and pain in the first place.  maybe that is why the joy that often accompanies adoption is even that much more sweet when the child is a bit older. 
i am certainly not an expert.  so far from it.  what i do know is that AJ is proving to be incredibly resilient and very bright.  here are a few pictures capturing some of his "firsts"...

first van ride, leaving the transition home

          first close up mug shot, really just because i thought it was cute! :)

first towel wrap after first bath....he's like "who is this pale lady (who looks as though she's been bawling, but actually wasn't.  not that time, at least) gushing over me??"

first wrestling match and resulting giggle-fest with daddy.  unfortunately, last wrestling match for awhile until his enlarged spleen is resolved...

                                                                       and another...

first night with us after first bath.  tuckered out after first day with new parents.  the familiar ping-pong ball was there with him for comfort...

first breakfast of scrambled eggs made by the amazing KVI cook, Zeneba...he was focused and purposeful, and very capable with a spoon.  his early favourites at mealtime were eggs, french toast and warm milk...

there you have it~ some early firsts worth noting...we hope to have many more in the months to come.

my guest blogger Layla~ unedited

hi! i think aj is very funny. we are having alot of fun with him .i was very excited when he got here. he was sleeping . he is soooooo cute . he loves are home. i love him so very much.everyone loves him very much. he loves to color and go down stairs and play with the toys.he sleeps in  mom and dads room. soon he will sleep in hudsons room soon well i hope he will soon.well this note is from layla vanderslagt. by see you soon by.

the view from the siblings

i asked J, H, A, L and H if they were interesting in blogging their thoughts on AJ.  Layla was the only one interested, so that may still be coming, but i'm just sitting down to it now and she is fast asleep.  i did enlist my junior photographers today, however, and some cute pictures were captured.  i also got a few myself, so Boxing Day 2010 officially goes down in history and even a photo album too.  Sooo, back to the kids...Hudson is doing really well with this, so far at least.  naturally, he was/is our greatest concern as he loses the spot of "baby" in the family.  well, not to worry.  he is taking his role as big brother very seriously.  we've prepared him and he seems very pleased to finally be stepping up to duty.  asking Pastor Deve to mention his "big brother" status in church (yes, he did!) was confirmation of that.  so cute.  he is precious and has always basked in affirmation and praise, and we are conscious to give him that.  the first hour we were home, however, was a bit hectic.  Hudson felt the need to parade what seemed like every toy or object in his bedroom in front of AJ's eyes.  "AJ, look, a CD....AJ, this is my photo album..." etc...once we got that under control and explained that AJ was tired and didn't need to see every article in our house, things settled quickly.  of course, my hope and prayer is that these two boys forge a deep bond and connect together in a way that only they understand.  my wish is that they will openly share their adoption connection together, talking it through as they get older, sharing also the colour similarities of their skin (milk chocolate and dark chocolate).  being black in a mostly white family will come to the forefront of their minds one day soon, and at least now they aren't alone in wrestling through that reality.  we are a transracial family, and we as parents of these precious children will accompany them on their way to discovering all that this reality means to them.

AJ really connects with Joelle.  he'll often lean in for her, or seem to be drawn in her direction.  she, unlike Hudson, has the age and maturity to perceive his needs and gives space when space is needed, and cuddles when cuddles are needed, and silly when silly is needed.  she is a great help to me.  plus, her ability to retain Amharic in a brain that still has memory space (read~ my memory is fried  less than it used to be....yeah...) is very useful.  i love how she is constantly observing and processing.  my prayer for Joelle and Hannah (all our kids for that matter) is, of course, that they will internalize all of this and share a deep passion for orphans as they grow into adulthood.  that they would desire to serve the vulnerable children around the world someday, someway. 

dear Layla is oozing with love to shower on this child.  she sometimes tries to mother a bit more than AJ enjoys, like carrying him places he can walk to, etc....but overall she too is cluing in to his needs and responding.  she took great joy in hearing Alemayehu say her name yesterday.  she is such a compassionate spirit, and all of AJ's story and birth country moves her...one of her most common sentences starts like this, "Ohhhhh, i just feel so bad for......".  one day i hope to bring her on a similar trip, to Haiti or Africa or wherever, because i have no doubt she has the desire to serve and help where possible.  (in reality, i could see her staying long-term once she sees what we saw).  i'm so thankful the kids are home this week to share this time with their new brother.

Hannah also completely understands AJ's needs.  she is a helpful delight.  her obvious love for her brother is a blessing to observe.  we're talking lots with the five children about maintaining loving relationships with eachother, and not just saving the love for AJ.  she has always shared a deep connection with Hudson, and even Layla to some extent, and we're encouraging them all to continue to show kindness to the siblings that aren't "brand new".  for the most part this has been working.  of course, this week will be the true test when the hype of Christmas and new things wears off a bit.  we will have our moments, no doubt.  these kids aren't perfect and unfortunately neither are their parents (so not perfect), but we'll work through the issues as they arise and hopefully come out the other side (in like 15 years....help me) with our love and sanity and family unit intact.

oh look!  there's my favourite couch!  yep, still love it....
on to Adam (and hopefully you're still reading as this is surely the longest blog post ever)....Adam was the first name AJ said after daddy and mommy.  we'd show him his photo album in Ethiopia and he'd point to Adam and say "Ado" and this has stuck since being home.  he giggles lots at Adam and loves the boy toys he share with him.  Adam has a warm loving spirit with small children and is super excited to finally have AJ home~  to meet him and play together and get to know him. 

yes, i know i wrecked the black and white theme and i probably have a way to edit that somehow, but in the interest of getting my children fed this morning (just finishing the post now as last night i was simply too sleepy)  it will be staying in colour.  c'mon, i never said i was a professional blogger (still waiting for the ad requests from major companies. i'm sure they are still coming. likely drafting up a proposal to pitch to me as we speak :) )
so, there's the sibling update.  thanks for bearing with me.  the short version is that all is well.  we are transitioning and so very thankful to be doing just that!  one more question.  have you noticed by now my obsession with commas?  i'm sure i'm an English teacher's nightmare (KA).  but, hey, it's, my, blog, and, i, can, use, as, many, commas, as, i, want....so, there.....

the merriest christmas

was it ever....honestly, i mentioned to several people that really, i didn't need to even unwrap one present this year because having our family all together is about as much as i'd ever dared to wish for.  and it was sublime.  we've had a great few days.  Christmas Eve dinner and evening with my side of the family, Christmas morning just the eight of us, and Christmas afternoon and supper with Jeff's extended family.  so. much. fun.  seriously.  AJ was a complete champ.  we'd initially worried (correction, I'd initially worried...yes, you're catching on :)) about the potential for him to feel overwhelmed by Christmas occurring so close to his homecoming, and even our social worker echoed those same concerns, but honestly, this child rolled with the change in routine and seemed to have as much fun as we did.  he was comfortable to explore his new relatives and surroundings all while enjoying some of the typical traditional Christmas foods~ especially grandma's sweet potatoes!  finally, someone else in the family who likes them as much as me....amidst all the festivities this precious child will frequently return to his sister or brother or jeff or myself for a hug or a kiss or a smile.  he is so delightfully affectionate, almost as though he is making up for lost time. 
on the medical front, we did have our visit with AJ's pediatrician last Thursday.  lots of tests are being ordered to establish a baseline and get a full and accurate view of his current medical status.  we left the appointment and went straight to the lab for a whole ream of bloodwork.  i was just dreading it and wanted to get it over with for his sake and mine.  he did great and so did the staff because thankfully they found a vein on their first attempt and only one try was needed!  yay!  then we were off for a chest x-ray which was also quick and even painless, so that was good.  next week an ultrasound.  i'm so thankful for the modern medicine and diagnostic tools available to AJ here in Canada.  literally, a test was ordered and within one hour i'd had it completed at our local hospital.  and my mind drifted to my friend Jonas~ where medical help, for whatever reason, doesn't seem to be within his grasp.  not fair.  side note~ i will send an email next week regarding Jonas in an attempt to shed light on his plight...it will be a stretch but i'm hoping it lands in the hands of someone who might be able to check his status.  pray!  anyway, we drove away from the hospital and AJ was actually singing in his carseat!  what a relief to have that over with...on our way home i was once again overwhelmed with the emotion of finally having Alemayehu here.  we're getting started, we're tending to his needs, we're eight in the van now (yikes), we're settling in...that nearly makes me bawl every time i consider it.   how blessed am i? 
this Christmas my heart is full.  tomorrow i'll try to post some more pictures.  i also plan to mention a bit about AJ's five great siblings and their take on the newbie...

AJ and Jonas

 well, AJ was thrilled about our in-the-van-and-right-through-the-window-shopping we did when a young man approached selling these red shades....his claim in broken English went something like this~ " sun glasses, for the baby...very cheap"  we caved and AJ put them on with pride.  they stayed on the whole excursion and he has been wearing them around the house even today.

dear Jonas, with his sweet smile and deep and thoughtful eyes.  he wasn't around on our last day with the kids but i told the others to say good-bye for me.  i don't want to ever forget this child.  i am so grateful to have met him....
more pictures tomorrow.  i really am going to bed this time.

home

how sweet it is....24 hours together, all under the same roof.  this is such an amazing Christmas gift.  we have our son and brother finally here!  no more waiting for emails, updates, photos, documents.  no more dreaming, wondering, wishing.  it is a feeling of refreshing peacefulness and gratitude.  AJ is doing great.  from his perspective, what is not to love?  he's like a prince or a king in his own home.  he simply waves his hand and there are many little people here at his beck and call.  that will change, of course, and not be his reality forever.  but for today it has been so fun to watch.  for a child like Alemayehu, who has already in his three short years experienced so much loss, today was wonderful.  he loves the attention of his five siblings and two neighbour friends and cousins and parents and grandparents.  he continues to bask in the affection offered to him.  he also loves to hold hands and when i placed him in bed tonight he grabbed onto my hand and wrapped his two around mine. 
yes, AJ is doing well even though he seems to have a bit of a cold.  i went today and received his temporary OHIP number, and tomorrow he will be off to see the pediatrician for the first time.  it will be good for him to have a full medical exam and any necessary advice or treatment to give him the best chance to catch up physically and developmentally. 
backtracking a bit to the trip home~ flights went well, mechanically speaking.  however, scary and dramatic still (of course) as we seriously wondered for a few hours whether we'd make it to our connecting flight home.  we were about 20 minutes from landing in Frankfurt and noticed the pilot circling, when he announced that Frankfurt was closed due to weather conditions and we'd have to divert to Munich airport instead.  there we sat on the apron, waiting with at least 10 other long haul planes, not knowing if we were coming or going.  literally.  thankfully the time sitting there on the plane went well, considering.  we were just so happy to learn three hours later that the airport in Frankfurt had re-opened and we were back on our way.  having a long eight hour stopover proved to be such a blessing, because we were one of the fortunate families who made our connecting flight home.  we arrived at the airport to frenzied travellers, some running full speed to their gates, and many others in line trying to come up with a plan B.  there was just enough time for lunch and then we checked in for the final trek.  19 hours in a plane, too many pretzels, replayed cartoons, lots of head-bobbing and mouth gaping, leg shifting, beef goulash with red cabbage (mmmm..... :)), two freak-outs...well, it all worked out and we were thrilled to arrive in TO to our two dads waiting for us.  amazing.  so great to get home and sleep off a bit of the fatigue of the prior two days.  getting tired again here though, so i think i'll wrap up with a few pictures.  more to come, i promise...

above~ before leaving the guesthouse.  below~ AJ loving the technology at his fingertips.

saying good-bye

heading to the airport in about an hour. mixed emotions from both of us. feels strange, knowing it will likely be many years before we return to this amazing place. so thankful for what Ethiopia has shown us, taught us, given us...too many thoughts to put in this post when i still have some packing to do. so, i'll close with one really funny thing that still has us laughing from earlier this week. we were having some soccer balls pumped up at a little roadside shop, and the guy working there had this pink hoodie on. it read "i'd trade my boyfriend for a john deere tractor"....just one of the classic shirts we saw worn around the city. see you all soon. thanks again for praying us through and sharing in the journey. we're so blessed by you!

"weha"

today the three of us set out on another walk.  we enjoyed it so much yesterday that we decided to go again today. fascinating in endless ways.  we clearly stand out.  all eyes on us, which takes some getting used to.  however, there is so much to take in and the culture and busy city life on the streets never gets boring.  we set off to find a certain restaurant that we loved on our last trip.  we remembered it being tricky to find with our driver, so we tried our luck with a taxi on the street and not surprisingly he didn't know where it was located. so, the amazing oven-baked pizza idea was abandoned and we decided to walk to a restaurant nearby instead.  we arrived at Kaldi's, the Ethiopian version of Starbucks (right down to the sign and font and uniforms) and were delighted to see they served dinner as well.  we settled on fresh strawberry juice smoothies and jeff ordered a burger, i had a club sandwich (not at all like a club sandwich, but still very good) and AJ had the egg sandwich (because at this point all we know for sure is that he likes eggs and warm milk~ oh, and injera pieces with goat's meat.....yep, true...) it was a delightful meal~ just sitting there with AJ between us.  the place was hopping busy and the servers were unable to stop staring and engaging AJ in conversation. after our meal was finished we decided to order a chai latte for the walk back to the guesthouse.  the sweet waitress was taking our order and then said to us "he wants water"...we responded "no, he's fine, he had milk".  she said "no, you didn't hear him, he just told me in Amharic 'weha', that means water" she said....we all laughed, to think that he so quietly snuck in an order, schmoozing the waitresses and sneaking one by his new parents.  it was cute. needless to say, he got his weha...after all, this kid is so "accident free" and the toilet training is all done for us! we trekked back to the guesthouse without spraining an ankle~ so that was a successful outing.  AJ is still quite nervous in public, so he is completely cuddly while we walk anywhere with him.  he likes to wrap his arms right around Jeff's neck and point to the stray dogs and large trucks with people riding atop whatever the truck contains.  he is taking it all in.  it is quite the thing to see this child, so fully Ethiopian, yet so out of sorts in his own surroundings.  for so long already he's been in the confines of a walled compound, venturing out only for an immigration medical, and that's it. again, we had another amazing day connecting with AJ. day three, and classic textbook style, he is testing boundaries more and more.  he has the most adorable "ticked off" face, and he puts his hand up to jeff and kind of disses him with the way he whips his head around away from daddy.  we've been very intentional and affectionate today (that comes easy!:)), careful to balance boundaries with reassurance and our constant presence.  in time he will learn that we are "it", his parents forever, but still in charge...that's really tough for a child that has no memory of family structure in his life. add to that another child arriving at the guesthouse today, forever with her family.  the two know eachother from the transition home and it's the most adorable thing to hear them speak Amharic together.  anyway, he's never "shared" a toy.  toys he played with at the transition home and orphanage would have been obtained by force, or lost, for that matter, by force greater than his.  so, that was tricky for him today when a spunky girl his age showed up and certain toys had to be surrendered at certain times...poor fella...but he settled in his crib tonight and already shows that bits and pieces are sinking in.  he is so precious, and we're thankful for these days to start training before we land in another new place.  so, consider yourself warned if you "hear" AJ in a grocery store or during a church service.  he just needs time.... he's right on track and doing great... will try to update once more before we leave tomorrow evening, but no promises... lots of love from this amazingly warm and always sunny country (sorry, but the temperature is....well, pure perfection!) i waited to share that until after you all dug out from the snow.  wasn't that considerate of me?!  i thought so....

heartbreak

today our hearts were broken. by a thirteen year old boy named Jonas (pronounced YO-nas).  Jonas wasn't here on our last trip, but this boy came around today and Jeff and I were left deeply moved after meeting him.  this boy immediately presents as one with significant medical issues.  i may be rusty with my nursing skills, but anyone could see the signs of something systemically wrong in his body.  his eyes are jaundiced.  he has fine bumps on his face~ indicating some sort of rash or virus, as well as extremely dry lips.  his neck is covered with a large scar that appears to be burn related.  his eyes look weary and somewhat forlorn.  i said to Jeff, it's as though his spirit has come to accept the fact that life will include pain and sorrow, and not to ever expect more from it.  the other children pointed to their own soccer shirts and then to Jonas, indicating that he hadn't received one.  i went to my stash in the room and found one that would fit, with shorts that looked about his size.  he smiled wide, nodded and in perfect English whispered "thank-you".  when he noticed the children writing letters to Joelle (aka Joawhh)and Hannah, he wanted to join in, even though he'd never met the girls.  i watched him closely as he wrote the most beautiful letter, in English even. he shared in the letter that he had no parents, and that he'd never had any chance to play sports or have a sports shirt, so this was something he was so happy about.  he closed by saying "i cannot express my happiness"...i asked him about his parents. he said "they both died".  i wrapped my arms around him and said how sorry i was to hear this.  i think i figured out that he lives with his uncle now.  i don't know if there is a mother figure in his life.  i also find myself wondering if he has AIDS, and if his parents had the same before they eventually lost their fight.  anyway, his little spirit was so gentle and calm with the other children.  when jeff and i returned to our room later we both wrestled hard with the reality that Jonas is simply one child, on one street, representing thousands more just like him....the tears are here again.  it is not fair.  my dear 13 year old has never known such pain and heartache, thankfully. i wish for Jonas warmth tonight.  for security and peace and healing.  i long to see him receive the critical medical care that he deserves.  i wish for him to feel the loving arms of parents tucking him in at night.  to see him soak his dirt-covered feet in a warm soapy tub. to play and be free to explore his God-given potential.  to become the boy and man that he is meant to be.  i don't even know if Jonas will survive here very long.  it's hard to say. jeff would like me to ask him some questions, to try to understand if anything medically is being done for him.  i'm not sure i can handle the answers.  we both feel so helpless.  please pray for Jonas tonight.  i will post a picture of him when we get home.  but his face is just an image of Ethiopia that will forever be etched in our minds.

on to a happier note...another beautiful day with Alemayehu.  we woke him this morning at 9:00 am (yes we did!!).  apparently the injera and goat's meat from the previous evening sat well in his tummy and he slept content and peacefully. we are relishing in the moments we've been given to get to know one another.  honestly, it is like AJ just can't seem to soak in enough of our affection.  he randomly reaches out and kisses our cheeks.  he makes lots of eye contact and is becoming more vocal and silly.  we saw a little bit of attitude at lunch~ not much, but a little.  it was actually a good sign, because we see how his comfort level is increasing.  he is testing boundaries a bit, yet responding well when directed.  tonight we bathed him again and wrapped him in a towel.  he rocked on my lap, not moving a bit.
then i laid him down on the bed and massaged the lotion onto his skin~ rubbing his arms and legs and face and tummy.  i see the many scars on his body and i wonder what he experienced during his first few years of life.  his belly is bloated.  his feet are peeling.  i was singing to him and he just stared (might have been my vocals, not sure) being super still.  his eyes were heavy and he looked like he was thinking life was pretty good...well, we agree.  life is good and we're so blessed to be here living this dream.  well, once again, dad and AJ are asleep.  i will wrap this up, realizing i'm rambling some tonight....tomorrow is another day, and hopefully i'll update again soon.

pictures

Hi, Deborah here. I'm Jeff and Shana's blogger while they're in Ethiopia. Jeff and Shana were able to send photos through. Shana recommended I attach them where appropriate, so if you scroll down to some of their previous posts, you will find photos!! Be sure to see these beautiful faces --especially as there is one of their precious little guy, AJ! Enjoy!

first night

i thought it was time for an AJ update. i apologize for not posting pictures. there is no problem uploading them but we're having trouble getting them to attach to an email for some reason. i will try again tomorrow. if i could
summarize our first full day together in words, i would have to say this has been blissful. AJ is such a treasure. but really, aren't all children? our time together has been so special and worth every single day of waiting. what a gift

we feel we've been given to take this child under the care of our family and love him as our own. this morning we woke before Alemayehu did. his crib is about a foot from our bed, so jeff and i just laid there staring at him. he slept
great, all night through. he woke at 7:15 am, and this was better than we'd expected as the transition home staff told us his typical wake time was 5:30 when all the other kids woke. we brought him into bed with us and he laid between us
looking very serious, clearly trying to process his new surroundings and the pale people on each side of him. he didn't seem afraid or nervous, just very subdued. when we played cars in bed together he became much more animated and playful
again. for breakfast he gobbled up the scrambled eggs and bread with jam. we enjoyed the morning playing ball and cars and he was so happy just to hang out. this afternoon we went on an excursion up mount Entoto again and it was obvious
that travelling in a vehicle was not something he's done often. he was nervous of the noises and loud trucks, even stray cats and dogs. it's so cute to hear him saying words in Amharic, and even jeff and i are picking up a few. just
this past hour has been hilarious too. we clearly have wrestler #6 joining the crew. he is all out belly laughing while jeff rolls and tumbles with him on the floor. he keeps putting his head down and coming back for more, and
getting upset when jeff stops. Adam and Hudson, you'll soon be tackling (gently!) your brother and he'll be able to hold his own and have a blast with you, if he can stop giggling, that is. we really need to get some mats for the basement...this evening we're off to a traditional Ethiopian dinner with entertainment. not sure how jeff will do, considering he will be having injera and doro wat, and definitely not french fries tonight. one more thing. he's got "mommy" and "daddy" down~ music to our ears... more soon from Ethiopia.

no more good-byes!!

we just tucked in our new son!!! huge surprise today! i'll start at the beginning, because i know at least a few readers are "detail people" like me.as we talked about our upcoming visit with AJ this morning, Jeff mentioned that he hoped they'd let us take him with us today. never really occurred to me that they would. well, they did!! we left late morning for a trip to the KidsLink office where we received all of AJ's required paperwork. court documents, birth certificate, passport and THE visa. that was an amazing moment as the sum of 2.5 years was gathered in one beige envelope. so special to talk to the adoption facilitator here in Ethiopia, and to get her blessing as we proceed as AJ's parents. then it was off to the transition house with another family where we watched our two cutie pies walk into a room and greet us with warm hugs. so crazy emotional. seriously, no words...AJ nuzzled right in, and had obviously been well prepared that we were mommy and daddy and were here just for him....we stayed and played and learned of his routine. we took pictures, participated in a coffee ceremony and just enjoyed the moment. AJ was definitely warm and comfortable. we also heard him speak for the first time. he does have a pretty extensive Amharic vocabulary, and we heard him mention the name of his friend when looking at pictures taken of their side-by-side cribs. he enjoyed any form of ball~ kicking, throwing and bouncing...maybe a baseball player yet, mom?! Hudson will love his new playmate because they seem to have so many similarities already. the nurse observed lots of the visit and at one point said to us "Solomon said you were hoping to bring him with you today, is this true?" we were like "yes, we'd love that"............"that's fine" she said, and gathered his things and told us all the info we'd need to get started. his teacher Rebecca also came and wanted
pictures taken with him. she gave us his first school workbook and told us what she did with him during each daily session of "school". the transition home staff obviously love these children and i was blessed to observe their care and nurturing. so off we went in the van and spent the afternoon here at KVI, just relaxing and connecting. at one point this afternoon AJ fell asleep lying snuggled against me. it was divine. he's playing great with the toys we brought, repeating words from the books we took along, and generally seems to be reaching out to Jeff and i for affection already. so much more than we expected on day one....or maybe i should clarify, so much more than I expected on day one. jeff knew it would go like this :)....remember, cup-always-half-full-guy! a small tangent here~ he is
amazing with this child and i couldn't imagine sharing this without my best friend...enough of the sappy stuff...back to the facts...ok, where was I? yes, just when we thought the day couldn't get any better, the dear neighbour kids
returned home from school. Rikik, Fikru, Soliana (yes, that's it Joelle) and all the rest were thrilled to see us. lots of hugs and kisses. we then systematically called in one at a time to be fitted with a soccer shirt, shorts, and/or crocs/flipflops, and the pictures we'd brought along. the excitement was delightful and then there was a huge round of new photos to be taken, all posing in different positions in their new attire. J&H, the three that received letters were thrilled, and they say they will write you back. they want to know when you'll be returning to visit and i told them when you save enough allowance, so maybe in like thirty years ?! :) who knows...hopefully before then.

overall, it was pretty much the best day ever. the perfect ending was when we had our "first" bath with AJ (oops, we didn't have the bath with him, we gave him the bath) and i lubed him up with baby lotion (yes i did Barb! figured we'd missed those newborn days, so why not now?). he could barely keep his eyes open while i rubbed lotion into his skin. i put on clean PJ's and rocked him in my arms while we prayed before bed. his eyes were so heavy. he smelled so nice. we laid him down in his crib and covered him with the tie blanket (thanks Maria R.!)and within five minutes he was off to a happy place. not to mention daddy just beside him in his own bed... sorry for sharing the long version, if any of you are still reading! personally, it is good for me to write it down because in many ways this will be like a journal to keep and remember the early days...I'll try to post some pictures as well, but am not positive i'll figure it out! i need you Joelle!! :) hope all at home are well. we are following the ongoing craziness of the snowstorm. also praying for you Leisha and your family. hugs to J, H, A, L and H...miss you!

Addis Ababa

we're here!!! can't believe it myself even....what an unbelievable journey.  so amazing to be back in this incredible country.  the smells are the same, the sights, the sounds, and this incredible guesthouse was warm and welcoming as usual.  all flights were uneventful. no major delays, snowstorms :), or issues....we are thrilled to be here, and hoping we are able to sleep well tonight.  it is just past midnight, and jeff has decided to have a bowl of soup before bed. so, we're catching up with the staff (jeff's tormenting them already) and Asnaku tells me that the children across the street have been asking about Joelle and Hannah (aka "Henneh" as the gate keeper has already called you...) and when they are coming back.... :(  J&H, hopefully your kind letters and pictures and some of our treasures will excite them to lesson the blow of us showing up without you.... tomorrow we'll wake and have breakfast, then arrange a time to visit with AJ so he can get a bit familiar with us before we bring him with us the following day.  i hope and pray his little spirit is ready for the changes he will face.  we'll also deliver some of the many donations we brought (thanks to all that contributed!  soccer shirts, crocs, flip flops, medication, sheets, etc...) to the transition house and to the neighbouring kids. can't wait. so, there's a brief update. sorry there isn't more to say at the moment, but my brain is weary~ imagine that...love to all!

london heathrow

wow....remember what i said previously about two days travel feeling like three weeks??  yep, uh hum.....
where do we start?  how about a hello to my five little cherubs at home.  J, H, A, L, and H...we miss you and can't wait to be all together for Christmas....J&H, it feels very strange to be in so many similar places without our amazing travelling companions with us.  you'd be loving this too....well, most of it....
so, we boarded a VIA rail train Monday evening, dropped off by my brave brother Joe and my dad also along too for support.  barricades and road closures would not deter us.  Jeff had earlier dropped off our girls to his parents, and isn't quite sure how he made it home.  he surely felt protected and covered, and had conceded that we'd likely not even attempt to go to the train station after tackling what he saw on Confed. and Telfer.  but, thanks to Joe and some snow tires we got through just fine, and once we were at Modeland things drastically improved.  we waited for several hours in the train station, just happy to be there.  until the chill of no heat in the station began to take over and we started shivering. literally. we finally boarded and what should have been a four hour ride to TO turned into 8.5 hours.  frozen switches, disabled freight trains in front of us, shift change of engineers, etc....whatever, we were still thankful to be on our way.  we made it to TO with about an hour before we were supposed to check in for our first flight!  so, needless to say, we scrapped the hotel idea and went right to Pearson.  after a brief luggage scare when we appeared to have said good-bye to our cab driver without having possession of our personal clothing (good times), we located the missing bag and were on our way.  the flight to London was delayed an hour and a bit, but uneventful otherwise.  we slept a few hours in the airport here, and are now checked in and through security and will board shortly for the flight to Frankfurt.  then, about three hours after arriving there we'll board for the final leg to Africa.  amazing.....we should be in Addis by about 9:30 this evening.  they are eight hours ahead of us back home.  jeff and i are holding up fine.  the train ride was actually surprisingly refreshing, albeit long.  we thawed, we slept, read, talked (yay!! :) ) and just generally unwound after a very hectic and stressful day.  we sat in Pearson airport this morning...i mean yesterday morning, and listened to the news reports of the state of emergency back in Sarnia.  we hope and pray all are safe and warm.  what an adventurous ride that will surely make for an interesting read in AJ's lifebook one day.  we are so thankful to be here, and realize that in just two days we'll likely have AJ in our arms for good, for as long as we're blessed to be his parents.  thanks for praying for us.  we're doing well and will try to keep you posted as we go.  to dear Ome Jan and family in Holland, we are so close to Amsterdam that we really wish KLM could compete with airline fares, because it would have been great to see you all......hopefully the thought is worth something! :)
love to all....

breathe...

ok...taking a deep breath.  nothing like crazy high intense excitement and curve balls right up to the final minutes....so, the latest is this.  the highway route is out.  i guess considering it is closed and all. :) however, the train is in...thanks to a few who suggested it, we booked with Via and will leave this evening!!!  we will arrive in TO after all, stay in a hotel for a short sleep, and be up early in the morning for our first flight out.  overnighting in London, then on to Frankfurt, and finally (what will feel like three weeks later) we'll arrive in Addis on the Wednesday evening.  assuming, of course, that the snow doesn't interfere with function at the airport tomorrow morning.  i mean, what are the chances of that happening....like really....
so, Lord willing we'll be back in TO on the 21st, with AJ in tow, just in time for Christmas.  i'm beyond grateful.  so overwhelmed.  so in awe.  so totally speechless about this entire adventure. 
might not have a lot of internet time before Thursday, but we'll try to update if there is a place to do so.  thanks again to our amazing families and friends and church.  we love you all!!

VV

we're coming little man, we're coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bright and early this morning, we received the amazing news that the visa was in the pouch and has been picked up by our agency in Addis. we are cleared to travel. Cleared. To. Travel....that's the visa verdict~ so exciting!!!
the next hurdle is the MASSIVE snowstorm that has all but shut down the city. so, not exactly sure how or when we'll get to Toronto to catch a flight. we are scheduled to fly Toronto to London tomorrow morning, but will likely end up changing that flight because i just don't see how we'll get there in time. anybody have a hummer they want to lend us? :)
we'll keep the blog updated with our flight arrangements. we're again praying for a way that is clear and safe...
thanks for sharing this with us, and for all the love and prayer support!
more news soon...

monday

not just any other monday.  no sireee....in two days we will wake, packed and ready to go to TO for the starting point of THE final leg of the journey.  the journey to Zake, aka Alemayehu, but most recently known as AJ.  however, whether we get in a car and hit the highway hinges on one phone call.  one defining call.   either the agency will call us bright and early with the delightful news that our visa WAS IN THE POUCH (you know, the mysterious pouch that i want to hunt down and tear open with my own crazed hands....yeah, that one...ahem...) or we will break down and call the agency to learn that the visa missed the delivery, or who knows what....so, as we approach d-day i feel like i'm starting to brace myself for the possibility that the trip will be delayed, possibly until after Christmas even.  hoping it isn't but wondering if it will be...
in the meantime, i know time will pass quickly because the weekend is full.  two Christmas parties for the kids tomorrow, play date with Hudson's Haitian friend, cleaning bed linens x6 (because i'm type A and must do that before any extended time away.  thanks for that mom. :)  the Dutch in me may even make me wash the floors.  call it nesting, like pre-delivery with a pregnancy because in many ways it feels the same.  plus, five kids need their bags packed and then there is an errand or two in there as well.  also, church on Sunday~ always good.  so...i'll be back really soon with the visa verdict.  or VV for short.

"decision made"

check out that title!!!!!!  wow...does that ever feel amazing to type those words...after 2.5 years, the last hurdle has been beaten, in super speedy fashion even.    the visa is issued and will leave in the infamous "pouch" tomorrow, on its way back to Ethiopia.  that's ten days for our visa that we were ready to wait five months for!!!  we feel so blessed to have the final stretch miraculously shortened, just at a time when the wait was getting really boring. :)  our agency expects it will arrive Friday at the Embassy, be opened Monday, and hopefully we receive clearance to travel and bring AJ home that same day.  we learned of this last Friday, yet wanted to speak with our agency before going too far into the flight preparations. since then we've been scrambling to find suitable flights for next Monday or Tuesday.  we may all be together this Christmas after all....So thankful and overwhelmed~ this is such an answer to prayer....
hopefully we'll firm up the exact flight tomorrow, with the realization that if the visa does not make it into the pouch for whatever reason we may need to postpone our flight for a later date, like right after Christmas instead.  risky and scary, but it looks like the surest way of securing a pre-Christmas flight.  please pray the visa leaves the High Commission tomorrow and that we hear word of its arrival Monday.  we'll keep you posted!  see you soon AJ!!!!

hang on....

....will be back soon with more information....but let's just say this song might, just might ring true after all.  we're praying about the details, and i'll fill you in as more becomes clear...

bringing back pictures

tonight was fun....J and H helped me sort and fasten pictures to colourful cardstock.  pictures of our Ethiopian friends who live in tin shanties across from the Kingdom Vision guesthouse we stayed at in October.  we promised we'd bring them back pictures, perhaps their first ones of themselves.  we grouped several of each individual child, and tomorrow i'll take them to be laminated.  my guess is that the chance of them lasting otherwise is unlikely...Joelle even wrote a note in Amharic (with help from the Internet) to Rikik, the twelve year old she became really close to.  can't wait to see them again and pass on some love from Canada...but honestly, i know it will be a huge letdown when we show up without the girls.  hopefully the keepsake photos will ease that a bit.

oh, almost slipped my mind..................................our travel friend from trip #1 who shared the same court date as us is on a plane right now to Addis from Dubai.  TO PICK UP HER SWEET DAUGHTER!!!!!!  amazing news~ a visa for her in eight days, to be exact.  too early to say if this major accelerated pace will become the "new normal" for the CIC in Nairobi, but for two families it has been a wonderful dream come true.  but it's not like i'm paying attention or anything.  i'm calm, cool and collected, as always.  hardly even aware of the current trends.  weird feeling though, i mean if i were to ponder it thoughtfully, hypothetically speaking only.  cuz i'd probably feel like i was somewhat torn.  between feeling the need to be organzied, presents wrapped, things in order, etc....in case of "the call", yet chillin' out for the long haul and the real possibility of a trip later in February/March....sigh....