Monday, December 29, 2008
Pictures of Bayoush!
For those of you who have followed our blog I can imagine you were anticipating finding out whether we were successful in getting pictures of our kids mother for Christmas. We were not...Our wonderful friend Carla went all the way to Asela and gave it her best shot but the family had no pictures in Asela and would have to travel to grandma's house to get them. It just logistically didn't happen. The good news though is that the Great Grandfather was given pictures of our kids and they all know we are looking for a picture of the mother. So we are hopeful. We also just want to thank Carla who was there to pick up her kids. She adopted two gorgeous children and is settling in with them as we speak....I still am hopeful that one day we will receive a picture and ask that all keep praying for us to be successful one day...
First Christmas as a family of 8!
As you can see from the multiple posts we had a busy first Christmas together. A year ago we spent a bittersweet Christmas longing for the kids to be home. We had failed court 5 times and didn't hear until after Christmas that we had passed court. We had prayed and prayed for them to be home by Christmas last year but it didn't happen. Still God gave us a blessing. When we laid eyes on the adoption papers when we were in Addis in late January we saw that they were stamped 12/25/07. Our children officially became ours on Christmas day last year. I had received a note from Grace when she was still in Ethiopia. She said "Don't worry mom we will have many holidays together." So, this year was special. Last night the girls and I went to see the Nutcracker with the African Children's Choir sharing auditorium seats with us. At one point Ella looked up at me and said "This is not TV?" I had told her it would be real people dancing but it took her until almost the end of the first act to figure out that this was real. They laughed at the men in tights (saying they looked naked). And thought it was funny when Clara's brother was spanked on stage....We also spent time with Aunt Debbie in Asheville and had a nice visit with Aunt Denise and family at my house. The girls said "Mom all your sister cook." They have spent time with all 3 of my sisters and enjoy them greatly. We had 5 children's parties at school. Two school programs. One church program. One visit to Asheville to see the gingerbread houses. A few parties, a few Christmas movies...too many cookies, christmas cards, Italian Christmas eve dinner, turkey Christmas day dinner...two large Christmas trees and 4 small ones (two in front of the house with lights), the kids will say there were too many church services....It was special and one we will always remember....I am so at peace knowing that my family is complete and that we can rest knowing that we have been obedient in adopting these children into our family,....It is loud, noisy and still the kids are out of school (it has been almost a month)...but it truly was Merry...
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Kings Park International Church Christmas Program!
Amazing Grace!
African Children's Choir!
Matea's favorite friend Miss Sarah!
Jared trying to figure out what he is doing in a sea of children!
Jared doing the hand motions!
Gorgeous Miss Ella with her hair straightened!
Ella loves to sing!We are so blessed to go to such a perfect church for us. Our kids get to go to sunday school with the African Children's choir. These pictures were taken from our Christmas program! I just was in tears during the program because I couldn't believe that my dreams and prayers had been answered. I remembered praying the year prior for them to come home and watching last year during the same program just imagining what it would be like to have my kids singing with the other kids during this program. I was so thrilled and touched to really be witnessing God's miracle just before me.....incredible.
Trip to Asheville to See the Gingerbread Houses, Aunt Debbie and Uncle Peter!
Grove Park inn with the kids...
Andrew and Jared in front of the gingerbread houses
Trying out Aunt Debbie's makeup
So we visited Aunt Debbie and Uncle Peter. I took the youngest 5 who are tracked out for a month to Asheville to see the Grove Park Inn and the gingerbread houses. We also made cookies with Aunt Debbie and the girls played in front of the vanity. At one point Matea came out of the guest room after placing gobs of gel in her hair. She has no clue that her hair is not the same as her african sisters and is constantly greasing up....the last picture here will give you an idea of how crazy it was to have 4 kids and myself in one room. Matea is jumping on Uncle Peter's back.....
Rudolf lost His Antlers!
Pictures from our little angel Matea's christmas show. When she wasn't biting her nails she was trying really hard to keep her antlers up. It was really funny....They just would not stay on and she was determined to keep them on during the song but to no avail....
Santa and the Burnt Cookie!!!
On Christmas Eve day we made cookies. We used an old sugar cookie recipe and then planned to decorate them...Well my sister Denise and I forgot that Ella left a clump of sugar cookie batter on the cookie sheet in the oven. We all started to smell something burning and then found Ella's "special" cookie. This was the one she had reserved and created specifically for Santa...so she was very upset and then I told her that sometimes Santa likes the ones that are overcooked. Ella decided to write to Santa to explain...and then she drew him a picture. It was really funny. Jared and Matea kept eating the frosting with the food coloring. So Jared's teeth turned green. We had fun with cousin Dominick and Aunt Denise and Uncle Dave. We really enjoyed Christmas..Here are some pics with the famous cookie...Santa came and ate the cookie and said it was his favorite. Ella woke us up around 5:45 am to show us the note that Santa wrote about the cookie.....It was an incredible first Christmas with the family in tact...
Thursday, December 18, 2008
A Child is Born in Rockford
I had been wanting to come out of the closet on an issue on this blog for some time but was really reluctant and waiting for the right time. I know this is an adoption family blog but one of the reasons my family is so incredible to me is because I had an abortion at the age of 19. I sat down last year because I felt led to write a book about adoption and my family. During prayer time the good Lord made it clear that I had to tell my whole story. So I wrote a book about the miracle of my family and God’s incredible outpouring of love, forgiveness and grace in my life in the form of my children. There is a whole book called TO BE A MOTHER getting formatted now and will be ready probably in February or March if you are interested in hearing the entire story.
This time of year has been difficult for me throughout the years. I always knew that the baby would be born in the middle or end of December. There was so much I wasn’t sure of during that confusing and difficult time in 1981. But even though I had an abortion when the baby was only 8 or 9 weeks I had somehow known the baby was a girl and her name was Aubrey. I had the abortion in May and had named her prior to the abortion. I fell into deep despair after the abortion. In December of that year as I was making the bed the radio alarm clock went off and the song “AUBREY” by the band “Bread” mysteriously started playing. As I heard the words “I never knew her but I loved her just the same” I became unglued and had a hard time even continuing with the singing job I had at Disneyworld. Eventually I couldn’t even work and quit my dream job from incapacitating depression.
Years have gone by. I have gone through therapy. I have been healed. I have given birth, adopted my children and been blessed with a fantastic marriage. I am genuinely happy and praise God for bringing me out of that awful unexpected abyss post abortion. I have a passion now for chatting with other post abortive women who may need healing. I have also just finished a healing bible study called “Tender Mercies” written by a Christian Psychologist. The class is over but the one thing I have never done is had a memorial service for Aubrey which is recommended in this class. I know to some it sounds really strange to do this. But surprisingly in the past month my grief has been very close to the surface. Just the thought of the service this January 7th(there will be two other mothers there too) brings me to tears to the point of sobbing. So, the other day in the car I was just thinking that I wanted her to have a middle name. I thought about Aubrey Faith and Aubrey Hope because of the significance of both of the words to me. But then I decided to give her my name as her middle name. In aborting her years ago I lost a part of myself. In denying myself that child a part of me died but I have faith that Aubrey Deanna is in Heaven where i would long for us to be together one day. I pray that having my name as a part of her name will guarantee that although a part of me died the eternal part of her lives forever and we too are united forever….I could go on and on but that is what the book is for.
I always knew that if I had given birth to Aubrey we would have moved back to my hometown in Rockford Illinois to get our bearings before deciding what to do next. But unfortunately I made a choice that I would regret and never moved back to Rockford with a baby daughter in my arms. Still, God has been extremely loving and extravagant to me. The reason I am telling you this today is because something miraculous and sweet has happened today. Sometimes things happen that are like little secrets that you have just between you and God. They are small little miracles where you feel like He is smiling down on you and just saying “I love you so much.” I have a cousin named Diane in Rockford who had all boys. One of her boys ERIC and his wife Felicia gave birth to his second daughter today. Diane and Eric haven’t read my book and because I have been in the closet she doesn’t know my story. Very few people even knew about Aubrey or that I named a baby I would never see. Eric is married to a sweet woman named Felicia. Tonight I received this email on what could have been the birthday of my daughter who would be a younger cousin to Eric.
Hi Deanna, Diane called this morning and Eric and Felicia had a 10# baby girl yesterday and guess what they named her? Aubrie Hope.........
coincidental!
Mom
I don’t believe in coincidences but do believe God loves us immensely. A child has been born in Rockford named Aubrie Hope who has blessed a cousin in North Carolina merely by taking her first breath and sharing a name with a Heavenly cousin. I just want to celebrate her life and know that God is great and His forgiveness and sweetness is available to all. I pray that Eric and Felicia can feel the joy that their new little ‘noble and bright’ princess will bring to them. I promise not to make this a heavy, controversial or depressing blog but wanted to share my personal story, today’s miracle and show you why my enthusiasm for my magnificent family is so great. They are truly a gift from a forgiving and extravagantly sweet Father who knows how to gently surprise his daughter on earth by whispering a precious "I love you..look at my new miraculous creation. Merry Christmas!".
This time of year has been difficult for me throughout the years. I always knew that the baby would be born in the middle or end of December. There was so much I wasn’t sure of during that confusing and difficult time in 1981. But even though I had an abortion when the baby was only 8 or 9 weeks I had somehow known the baby was a girl and her name was Aubrey. I had the abortion in May and had named her prior to the abortion. I fell into deep despair after the abortion. In December of that year as I was making the bed the radio alarm clock went off and the song “AUBREY” by the band “Bread” mysteriously started playing. As I heard the words “I never knew her but I loved her just the same” I became unglued and had a hard time even continuing with the singing job I had at Disneyworld. Eventually I couldn’t even work and quit my dream job from incapacitating depression.
Years have gone by. I have gone through therapy. I have been healed. I have given birth, adopted my children and been blessed with a fantastic marriage. I am genuinely happy and praise God for bringing me out of that awful unexpected abyss post abortion. I have a passion now for chatting with other post abortive women who may need healing. I have also just finished a healing bible study called “Tender Mercies” written by a Christian Psychologist. The class is over but the one thing I have never done is had a memorial service for Aubrey which is recommended in this class. I know to some it sounds really strange to do this. But surprisingly in the past month my grief has been very close to the surface. Just the thought of the service this January 7th(there will be two other mothers there too) brings me to tears to the point of sobbing. So, the other day in the car I was just thinking that I wanted her to have a middle name. I thought about Aubrey Faith and Aubrey Hope because of the significance of both of the words to me. But then I decided to give her my name as her middle name. In aborting her years ago I lost a part of myself. In denying myself that child a part of me died but I have faith that Aubrey Deanna is in Heaven where i would long for us to be together one day. I pray that having my name as a part of her name will guarantee that although a part of me died the eternal part of her lives forever and we too are united forever….I could go on and on but that is what the book is for.
I always knew that if I had given birth to Aubrey we would have moved back to my hometown in Rockford Illinois to get our bearings before deciding what to do next. But unfortunately I made a choice that I would regret and never moved back to Rockford with a baby daughter in my arms. Still, God has been extremely loving and extravagant to me. The reason I am telling you this today is because something miraculous and sweet has happened today. Sometimes things happen that are like little secrets that you have just between you and God. They are small little miracles where you feel like He is smiling down on you and just saying “I love you so much.” I have a cousin named Diane in Rockford who had all boys. One of her boys ERIC and his wife Felicia gave birth to his second daughter today. Diane and Eric haven’t read my book and because I have been in the closet she doesn’t know my story. Very few people even knew about Aubrey or that I named a baby I would never see. Eric is married to a sweet woman named Felicia. Tonight I received this email on what could have been the birthday of my daughter who would be a younger cousin to Eric.
Hi Deanna, Diane called this morning and Eric and Felicia had a 10# baby girl yesterday and guess what they named her? Aubrie Hope.........
coincidental!
Mom
I don’t believe in coincidences but do believe God loves us immensely. A child has been born in Rockford named Aubrie Hope who has blessed a cousin in North Carolina merely by taking her first breath and sharing a name with a Heavenly cousin. I just want to celebrate her life and know that God is great and His forgiveness and sweetness is available to all. I pray that Eric and Felicia can feel the joy that their new little ‘noble and bright’ princess will bring to them. I promise not to make this a heavy, controversial or depressing blog but wanted to share my personal story, today’s miracle and show you why my enthusiasm for my magnificent family is so great. They are truly a gift from a forgiving and extravagantly sweet Father who knows how to gently surprise his daughter on earth by whispering a precious "I love you..look at my new miraculous creation. Merry Christmas!".
