e got a hair cut

someone has been waiting for these...

I told him one day he would have a sister to play with...and he believed...and he expected...and I can't tell you how open and loving his arms have been. They are beautiful

Merry Christmas

We got through Christmas with just 1 melt down...very exciting. We gave the kids each a stocking with the same gifts and that seemed to help some. They are all sleeping now and I am starting to believe that having them home is one of the sweetest gifts I will ever receive. Yose is doing a lot better and after our third lice treatment EN appears to be nit-free. Merry Christmas! May you all know the joy of our Savior's birth

Christmas Eve

JH is my picture of grace and love right now...

Graeden is the most delightful baby i have ever met. He is a really precious part of my day and is getting BIG!

our boys

Y

Y is really sick. We are working hard on getting him well. He sleeps bent in half or on his side. The nursery is now his and he naps a lot and sleep through the night. He LOVES mimi. I am expecting dog to be his first word, but I have yet to hear english out of him. Each day we are seeing more life in his eyes. he is walking okay, but cannot climb stairs and tires really easily. He likes to push buttons on the toys and really loves to be close to graeden (yikes!)

EN

Nardos has a major case of lice...I have combed her hair out twice and finally resorted to mayo and a shower cap! She is sweet natured. She folds laundry and cleans and calls me mommy. She already says Harvey's name and is scared of Mimi. She sleeps through the night and stays in our room in the pack and play. She sits still for hours while I comb out her hair and loves to have any kind of lotion or cleaner squirted in her hand. She eats so well! we are hoping she will rub off on Harvey (her new bff)

Sorry I have not updated on the blog! I have been trying to get Ben on a flight out of newark. By the grace of God he is scheduled to leave there tonight and arrive here around 11pm. Sounds like Y is sick with a fever and vomiting. E is doing well. Ben is exhausted!
My social worker had very good friends who used to live in Ethiopia and now live in Newark. They came to pick up Ben last night at the airport and brought him to their house indefinitely.
Most airlines don't have a flight until tues or wed. Praying Continental will get him home today

Talked to Ben again. EN sounds tiny! I sent size 8/9 crocs, but she is wearing 4/5 and they are big!
All the paperwork is in order. they go to embassy tomorrow morning.

In between gettin the house ready and having sweet visitors, I am OBSESSED with this site:

www.foodgawker.com

Talked to Ben briefly this morning. The coordinator did show up to their meeting (PRAISE!) and he did some shopping and was just about to head to the orphange to play with the children. I will talk to him again in a couple of hours.

Talked to ben this morning. He sounds great. they are 7 hours ahead of our time and he did sound very tired. We are thrilled though because the right people picked him up from the airport and he has a place to lay his head.
He said EN seems very excited and nervous, but Y was slow to warm up. He gave each a small toy today. They told EN to call him Ben and Ben said no, Aba, Papa Ben. She put her hand on his knee and then held his hand and wouldn't let go. She is a daddy's girl already! He meets with our agency coordinator tomorrow morning to go over paperwork and will also do some shopping and time spent with kids. EN sounds smaller than JH and Y can walk but doesn't want to. Sounds like they have a great schedule and are good eaters too.

Ben leaves tomorrow! Monday morning at 6 am. We have been busy packing in our house. Ben has 1 suitcase, a duffel bag, two carry ons, and a deer in the headlights look.
Somebody should pinch me! I have been crying all day with the BIGness of all of this. So glad we have a big God!