Let Our Baby Girl Go!

So exiting news and sad news all at once.  The exiting news is that the US Government has approved the Hendrickson family to bring home a child from Ethiopia!  Woo-hoo!  The sad news is that we are now in the waiting game again.

We are waiting for the orphanage director to release her paperwork and her to our US Agency.  I can't even imagine how this process must feel for them and how hard it must be, but the ultimate goal of her having a family is the purpose of this process!!!  So, we are asking for your prayers, that his heart be softened and as Moses called to Pharoh to "Let my people go" we ask for the orphanage director to "Let Our Baby Go!" We have a home, two excited brothers, parents who are ready to dote on a little girl and animals ready to chase and play.  It is time.

Thank you for your prayers in advance.

Great Kindergarten Reading

Last week I asked on Facebook what some good non-scary books to read to your kids (novels) would be good to read to Dane...I wanted to archive this and share, so here you go!

• Harry Potter
• The Never Ending Story
• Diary of a Whimpy Kid
• Ronald Dahl Books (Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, etc.)
• The Giver
• The Indian and the Cupboard
• The Sideways Stories from the Wayside School
• Mouse in the Motorcycle
• Beverly Cleary Books
• The Narnia Chronicles
• Where the Sidewalk Ends
• Nate the Great
• Flat Stanley
• The Velveteen Rabbit
• Junie B. Jones
• Lafcadio
• Mrs Pigglewiggle
• The Little House on the Prairie Books
• Dick King Smith Books
• Skippy John Jones Book
• The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

 One person left an awesome link I wanted to share too!
http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2010/04/13/the-top-100-childrens-novels-poll-1-100/

I hope you find this helpful!!! 

Sweet Home Alabama

It's been a while since I posted, sorry friends, it's been a busy time around here. 

I am away on business again and heard a birthday party in the courtyard of my hotel, the cake looked good and well as they say, the rest is history.

I walked by said hello, and was offered some cake.  Of course, I had to, because in the South if you are offered food and say no, it's a big deal, so I HAD to eat the cake, right?

As I enjoyed the tasty morsels I learned that yet again, this hotel is housing people from another set of tornados (1/23/2012).  Large families staying in the hotel until their houses are rebuilt, and others who aren't sure where their next home will be, maybe out of work, or maybe lost their jobs or houses.  But there was a common thread, they were all there for one another.  Watching each others' kids while going to another house inspection, doctors appointment, or job interview, everyone is in it for the common good.

As I have traveled and stayed in many hotels, I have realized that this is the only hotel I have stayed at where family and friends are made.  Where people have come to make the best of what they have (or don't have). They were happy to have another person to tell their stories, to pray with them and to hope for the future with them.  And at the end of the night, I realized, that this is really what is meant by Sweet Home Alabama.

Rolllllll Tide... :)

2011 - The Year of Isaac

2011 was an amazingly quick year.  It feels like just yesterday we were telling you we were embarking on our international adoption journey and now Isaac is home and adjusted pretty well and we are so blessed.

Isaac, Age 2

Senior Portrait, note the hand in his pocket. It says it all!

Don't let his happy face fool you.  He did not like lunch this day!

Sometimes we have to stop and think, wow, he's only been home for 6...7...8...9 weeks, so it's okay if he {insert not so good action here}.  It's amazing to think that it was only in March that we first saw his cute little face in an email, and almost immediately following that our case was held up because of the change in staffing in Ethiopia and then the US Government changes, yet here we are home with him.

It's also hard to think that it was just a few months ago that we traveled 20,000 miles together to meet Isaac for the first time, and then have the HUGE garage sale and then I traveled the 20,000 miles to pick our little man and bring him home.  It's amazing how the access to world class medical care, supplies and doctors healed many of Isaac's issues so quickly too.  Sometimes we wonder if God brought him home sooner, because he needed the immediate medical attention.

Today we went to the mall and we ran into another family with a little boy from Ethiopia.  I actually had bought the same hat in Ethiopia for Isaac as the little boy was wearing, so it was pretty need to see how the two boys interacted and how the parents and siblings were so excited to see another Ethiopian-American family!

As we look to 2012, I am almost immediately heading back to work, the boys are heading to my Aunt's while we work.  More changes and more blessings I am sure.

But the part of 2012 we really hope to see is how God will use our knowledge and experience to bless others.  There are still other children waiting to come home of families we met and know, and yet other children, waiting to be matched to a family and come home.  While our prayer is that Ethiopia will be able to keep more of the children in their families and in their country, with 1/6 of the population orphaned, we pray that international adoptions can continue to move forward and more children can have families that care for them and love them.

We pray God will bless you in 2012 as much as he has blessed us!!!

Busy as a Beaver...Or a Crocodile as Dane Likes to Say

More and More and More....That's what it feels like:

• New Mirror for the F150, oil change and troubleshooting on issue
• Made a GREAT stew!  Everyone ate it without complaint!
• Lots more work-work accomplished and a big project is winding down!
• Kevin had 2x as many patients as a normally busy day, 4 of them new patients!
• Made a fun project with Dane that is a game too.  Seems kinda like he makes up the rules as he goes, but that's okay.  It's fun.
• Purchase the stroller and final decor (including bedding) for they boys' bedroom (this was painful, as I had to make sure I got the best deal on everything, and probably spent 10 hours over the last two weeks on searching upon searching)
• The boys put the train set back together in the playroom.
• Taught Dane some things you can and can't do with little brothers.  (Yes to putting weird socks on them, no to spitting in their eyes - You're welcome Paul) ;)
• Camera for the Foster Home arrived!
• Laundry supplies arrived!
• Bought supplies for orphanage at Spokane Discount.
• And re-prioritized list of things to do before we leave.
• I'm working on ordering photos to put in the frames we have had for a while and finish up some decor around the house I have bought, but never put up. 

Tomorrow's agenda includes some big items on the list, and we hope to take Dane to eat at the local Ethiopian Restaurant and explain to him how the food tastes different and how this will be what Isaac is used to and what all of our food will seem like to him (strange, flavorful, and sometimes hurt a boys tummy).

I'm thinking it will seem like a million times busier every day with two busy little boys, but I can't wait!