Ellie has a magic wand this morning, she is very eager to grant you a wish, if you like.
I heard her grant Hannah a wish, “Abra Cadabra, Alla Kazam, turn you into a lion…or something…”
Archive for February, 2010
We’ve been approved by the Ethiopian court to adopt Julia Joy!
We are over the moon and are looking forward to traveling in about 6 weeks to bring her home.
I cannot wait to kiss her cheek.
I have so much to do today, but I can’t seem to focus on anything from up here on Cloud 9.
I was awakened early this morning by someone in the condo moving around. Not sure who it was – Ellie has a little bit of a cough, Ryan is usually restless after 5:00 am, and the little guy inside is making use of his knees and elbows more and more in the last few days. (Hannah, on the other hand, has always been a dependable sleeper, once she is out – usually very quickly after tuck-in – she is out for the night.)
So, I was wide awake thinking about the scenario in Ethiopia. Our court date is tomorrow – now at 5:00 am, it is almost evening in Addis Ababa, so really just a few hours away. Is all of the paperwork really in order? Is everyone healthy and able to do their job tomorrow to present, hear, and decide on our case?
Wow, all these changes for Julia, a whole new identity while she has a regular Tuesday at her orphanage, one that I hear is a good place. So many more new things are for her around the corner. I pray all the time that her little heart will be able to bear all the new changes – positive, permanent changes, but some will be a loss – a loss of familiarity, a loss of culture and country, after so many in her short life.
I decided, I’m not really worried, I’m just waiting. I was thinking about all our time spent waiting. I’ve done a lot of waiting in my time – hopefully, I have learned from it. Maybe some trust, maybe some patience, maybe some peacefulness in hope in the Lord. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”
I could jump on a plane today. Tears come to my eyes when I consider the time is short now to hold my Julia. I can’t wait to feel her in my arms, figure out her personality, teach her to trust Ryan and me, watch her be loved on by her big sisters, her grandparents. There are some precious moments to come for my Julia, moments that this Mama, like Mary, will treasure in her heart.
So it is 2 pm in Colorado – midnight in Addis Ababa. Two things I can be sure of for me tonight: I won’t be sleeping very well, and I will be trusting and waiting.
…has a pink eye today.
Bummer!
I wonder how long until my blue-eyed girl turns pink. They were both exposed the same day to the same child. I would rather it be sooner than later and get it over with.
My girls have been given more household chores recently and have been held very accountable for cleaning up after themselves as well. They do most of them together and sing songs from “Annie” the whole time.
Hannah, always with a heart full of gratitude, changed ‘Its a Hard Knock Life’ to, ‘Its a Good Knock Life.’
They have been doing very well with their chores, little do they know the paradigm of faithfulness with a small amount will get them entrusted with more. MWHHa! Ha! Ha! (That was supposed to be crazy parental laughter filled with assurance that I know what is best for them.)
Hannah “got” to vacuum the other day. She did a great job!
Ellie was green with envy.
Feb. 23!
Next Tuesday! This is an answered prayer…I have been praying for a date in February!
One step closer.
We tried Pei Wei for the first time today. It is PF Chang’s bistro style restaurant. Ryan said it has been called the Panera Bread of Asian style food. We all thought the food was great, but Ellie was very sorry that they didn’t have dumplings. Of course, she went to town on her noodles and my lemon pepper shrimp.
While we don’t really believe in “ancient Chinese proverbs”, we do have fun reading our fortunes cookies after a Chinese meal.
We read our fortunes at the end. They gave me a giggle.
Mine said, “This is the year to make your family a priority.” Hannah said, “Well, of course, Mom,” to that.
Ryan’s said, “The package you have been missing will arrive within a month.”
Hmmm…..can anyone guess what or more specifically whom we would love for that package to be?
I walked out into the Denver sunshine with a big smile on my face.
2010 is the Year of the Tiger.
We figured out that Ryan was born in the year of the Tiger – his son will be too. A Tiger is known as having a bold, brave, and confident character. He is a fierce protector and loyal, and wants to be the very best at whatever he puts his mind to. Sound like anyone we know?
Our family celebrates a few traditions. We will share oranges with one another which symbolizes “a sweet life”, we give the girls money in red envelopes, and celebrate with a Chinese meal. YUM! Our friends who live in China are saying that the fireworks are never ending in their neighborhood as the two week celebration began this weekend.
Ellie zinged me last night.
I was talking about my ballet teacher from when I was a girl. Hannah asked me how old I was when I had this teacher. I said, “Well, I was about your age.”
Hannah replied, “I wonder how many years ago that was.”
I started counting back, and gee, it was more years than I cared to remember.
Ellie commented, as she chewed on her carrot, “I think it was a million or something.”
Thanks, kid, it was a lot, but not quite a million.
It was another busy week around the Hale household. I am thankful for a quiet Saturday. I am getting ready to leave everyone in their jammies and head out on some errands (and quiet time) in a bit. It was a busy week with several “extra” activities thrown into our schedule, just to keep things interesting:
-I started teaching Ellie to read. It is the same program that I used with Hannah. Ellie is doing great and is highly interested. My goal is to complete this program by the time the baby is born.
-I finally met the doctor who will delivery the baby – I had been dealing with his nurse practitioners so far and liked them a lot, but alas, the guy with the degree gets to do the grand finale. He is very personable, openly a Christian, and seems like someone who is good at putting people at ease. Don’t really want a super excitable doctor when the situation will call for someone with a good bedside manner.
-Hannah was prescribed glasses. We picked out a cute pair last night at Costco. They are cute and make her look chic and studious – which is my Hannah Kay to a T. I told her they look like the kind that Nancy Drew would wear – so she of course loves them!
-Ellie was invited to be on the mini-competition team at her gymnastics studio. She can’t compete legally until she is 6, but the coach is very excited to have her on the team. I sort of have mixed feelings about pigeon-holing her at this young of an age, but anyone who know her knows that she has both the physique and the tenacity to do well with gymnastics. She will now have two practices a week which will be a greater commitment on my part, so I only made the commitment with the gym that we would do it until the end of the school year and then see from there.
-I bought the book, “Bringing Up Boys”, by Dr. James Dobson, which I have always heard to be an essential read if you have a son – which we will have soon… seems unreal!
-We received notification that our request to the US Immigration Dept. to extend our approval to immigrate an orphan is now September 2011. This wasn’t really a new hurdle, just more of a “having all of our ducks in a row”. Hopefully, Julia will be home by around Easter. I keep looking at Easter dresses…wondering…
-My parents signed a contract to purchase a winter home near Phoenix, AZ and my in-laws are awaiting the delivery of a new vacation home on wheels, an RV. We are going to be playing, “Where in the World are the Grandparents?” around here as they all enjoy many new adventures! Of course, as a homeschooling mom, I can see that US geography isn’t going to be a weakness for my children!