FB Friday

May 18, 2013 ~ We are having fun in Colorado. Maya K is in heaven with twin cousins to play hide and seek with, a grandma to make cookies for her and to "help" with the turkey, a grandpa to let her dig with a shovel outside in the dirt, aunts and uncle to laugh at her silliness (another aunt and uncle to arrive tonight), and LOTS and LOTS of toys and "new-to-her" books to read!!!

May 19, 2013

May 20, 2013 ~ We spent the day at the North Pole, Colorado. Maya K had soooooo much FUN and loved every single ride she went on. NOTHING scared her!!!!

Having fun at the North Pole.

May 22, 2013 ~ Maya K: "I stopped it."
Nathan: "What did you stop?"
Maya K: "My yawn. I didn't want Mommy to see it."
Nathan and me: "??????"
Maya K: "Maybe Mommy see it and say no swimming at motel because I too tired."
She was FULL of funny quotes in the car today :-). We left CO this afternoon and started our trip home. We had a GREAT time with my family, but are definitely looking forward to getting home tomorrow!!!!

May 23, 2013 ~ Home. I love home.

May 24, 2013 ~ We have next to NO FOOD in our house (ate it all before our trip) and I have next to NO DESIRE to go grocery shopping. This could be a problem.

I found a good reason to quickly unpack and get everything put away after a trip. (No, I did NOT quickly unpack and get everything put away today. Wishing I had.) A friend's water might break and you might be needed to watch her little boy :-). It's a good thing that he's been good about not getting into everything!!!!

FB Friday

May 11, 2013 ~ I went to WalMart without Maya K this afternoon. As I was checking out, the check out lady (who I think is from the Sudan) asked where my daughter was. I told her that she was at home with my husband and she said "I like seeing you together. It is special to me."

As we were putting Maya K in bed tonight, she started asking her "usual" questions. "Why do we have books? Where did Mommy get the books?" etc. Nathan told her that I had bought a lot of the books when we were praying and asking God to give us a little boy or girl. Maya K was fascinated by this. "Mommy asked God for me? How did she hear God? Did you (Daddy) ask God too?" It was a very sweet conversation!!! Then, as we were telling her that it was time to stop asking questions and go to sleep, she asked Nathan, "How did Mommy get YOU????"

May 12, 2013 ~ This has been a blessed first Mother's Day for me. However, I am also remembering Maya K's birth mother and how on Mother's Day six years ago she was carrying my beautiful daughter in her womb. She gave Kisanet life!!! She didn't get to spend much time with Kisanet here on earth and I pray that someone told her about Jesus' gift of salvation so that she is celebrating this Mother's Day in heaven. I am humbled and blessed that God has given me this child I prayed for. Maya K has accepted me as her mommy and I pray that one day she accepts Jesus as her Savior!!! Happy Mother's Day!!!!!

Nathan is introducing Maya K to the "wonderful" world of computer games tonight :-). He is definitely doing more of the actual "gaming" but she is having fun sitting on her daddy's lap and yelling at the compute screen with him!!!!

Maya K is teaching her daddy how to do a "tip-toe twirl" on the trampoline. It's pretty amazing!!!!! (I REALLY wanted to record this "lesson" but Nathan forbade me!!!)

May 16, 2013 ~ We leave for CO this afternoon. So much to get done!!!!

We are four hours closer to our final destination (Colorado). Maya K go to go SWIMMING for the first time tonight!!! She loved it!!! And, even better, she LOVED the hot tub with her mommy!!!!

FB Friday

January 12, 2013 ~ We made it safely to Colorado Springs and are happy to be out of the car!! Maya K did an AMAZING job, but was one very tired and overwhelmed little girl tonight!! We get to go to Nathan's home church in the morning and introduce everyone to our little girl!!

January 14, 2013 ~ I'm enjoying the blessing of being at grandma's house today :-). Grandma Maxwell has been "on duty" this morning and I got to sleep in!! Maya K is loving the time with her grandma!!

January 15, 2013 ~ Making the pizza dough with Grandma Maxwell :-).

January 16, 2013 ~ We had fun today!!!

January 17, 2013 ~ My daughter just pointed to me and said, "You, Mommy, You pretty." Awwwww!!!!!! That's the way to start a morning!!!!

Maya K is outside with her Grandpa Carter playing in the dirt and LOVING it!! She is filthy from head to toe (tomorrow was supposed to be bath day, but I think it might get moved up to tonight!!) and having a BALL!!!

FB Friday

January 6, 2013 ~ My daughter changed her socks tonight when she put her pajamas on. When I asked her why she had changed her socks, she told me it was because the first pair didn't match her jammies. Dear me!!!

January 7, 2013 ~ Melkam Gena!! Merry Christmas in Ethiopia!!

Our 3-month post-placement social worker visit is DONE!! We have an amazing social worker and the visit was FUN!! (Although Maya K got VERY hyper and didn't exactly behave as well as normal. She did definitely show off her stamina and language skills!!)

January 8, 2013 ~ We just came inside from playing for over an hour in the snow. We needed that time outside in the fresh air!!

January 9, 2013 ~ I started burning a new candle today. A dangerous candle. One that I'm second-guessing my decision to have bought. Definitely second-guessing my decision to actually BURN the thing. It's called "Whoopie Pie". Guess who is having MAJOR chocolate cravings today?!?!

My new KitchenAid mixer is HERE!!! Now I just want to "play" with it!! (Instead of doing all the things that I NEED to do this afternoon!!)

January 10, 2013 ~ We leave tomorrow on Maya K's first trip since she came home. I told her about our trip yesterday and we've been talking about it ever since. Do you have any idea how many fears we are having to address to calm her?!?! Her life has consisted of trips that equal either being LEFT by someone of having to LEAVE someone permanently behind. Believe me, we won't be leaving her side this trip!!

Have I ever mentioned that I am a horribly stressed out person when I need to pack?? Always have been. That doesn't seem to have changed now that we've added a third person to pack for. In fact, it might have actually gotten worse. Maybe. Definitely.

What do YOU do when you are stressed out about packing for a trip? Me? I vacuum out the trunk of my car!!!

January 11, 2013 ~ We are planning to leave at 2 p.m. today and the morning is not going well. Why did she have to pick TODAY to have us work on obedience?!?! I would have been much happier to work on this yesterday or the day before!! (I know that the uncertainty about the trip is affecting her behavior, but she still has to obey!! There are certain things we just cannot ignore.) Prayers would be appreciated!!

We are safely in York, Nebraska. Maya K did VERY well riding in the car (and she enjoyed watching Curious George on the DVD player!!) and is in good spirits tonight. I got to crawl under a bathroom stall door for the first time, Maya K now knows what a motel is, she got to drink some orange soda in the car (we're pretty confident that she had it in ET, but we haven't given her any since she came home), and she is very happy that we brought her pillow with us!! Hopefully she'll sleep well tonight and then we have a LONG (probably 8-9 hours) drive tomorrow.

Maya K fell asleep FAST tonight!! I'm feeling very thankful and grateful for the way the Lord has blessed the first part of our trip!!