First time at the ocean-any ocean!

Addis touching the ocean for the first time.
Mulu touching the ocean for the first time.
Getting our feet wet!Beautiful Addis
Anna Anna Mihret & Adah Derartu
Abi Mulu and her spectacular smile. See her new teeth?
Handsome Joel
Adah the spitfire
Mulu goofing off
Anna & Adah Sweet, sweet Anna Mulu and Daddy
Daddy and his girls
Addi & Abi discover how much fun the sand is.

More wedding pictures

Jake & Arianne before the wedding.

Arianne & Steve before the wedding.
Making their vows.
Exchanging rings.
Mr. & Mrs. Jake G.
Congratulations!

Vikki, Jake, Arianne & Steve
Vikki, Jake, Arianne & Stacy (Arianne's mom)
All of us but Jared & Miranda.
The beautiful bride!

There's a wedding in the house!

Jake and Arianne were married this morning at the County Recorder's Office in San Diego!!! He told us at the beginning of the week that they were getting married. We are exceedingly joyful. Arianne is a wonderful girl and we welcome her into our family. The background was the ocean and the Star of India. They were married under a beautiful arbor with lush green plants and bouganvillas. :)

These were taken before we left. Other pics to follow.

Sick, Sick and more sick

Seems that some of us are sick at my house. I had vertigo really bad on Friday. I threw up four-five times from the motion sickness. I'm not one that ever gets sick on rides, but my head was a spinnin'! Sarah had to call Steve home from bible study for me because I wasn't quite sure what was going on.

I think it started with my head cold that I have which is really a sore throat and very swollen glands. My neck hurts so bad to the touch I can hardly turn it. I've been on Tylenol/Advil for days. I've also lost my voice much to Steve's dismay. HAHAHA!!!!

Most of the kids have had the sickies and I'm not liking Adah's cough. Hopefully she doesn't get croupy or asthma symptoms.

We sold books at a used curriculum sale on Sat. morning. Then we went to a wedding that afternoon and had a great time. It was fun reconnecting with old friends and acquaintances.

Sunday was a full day with church, VBS meeting and a birthday party. Today we woke up bright and early to take Jesse & Sarah to have their wisdom teeth taken out. They're resting now with ice packs, pain meds, and gauze. Sarah wasn't doing too well a little while ago. She looked very pale as though she were going down fast. We got her to the couch with the fan pointed at her and she perked up a little. Jake thinks she's not drinking enough with the Vicodin she's taking. Probably. He got her some water to help her out.

I'm ready to call it a night. My neck is sore, I'm tired, and I think it might be a long night with my patients.

Have a good one!

Nothing exciting

Nothing exciting going on here. Just thought I would check in and say "hi" and hope you're enjoying your summer.

I've decided to not do anymore school during the summer. I need a break from the teacher role and need to be mom for the next month and a half.

I've joined Weight Watchers so think of me as you're enjoying ice cream treats. Actually, WW has some pretty good ice cream treats out so I won't be too deprived.

The kids enjoyed their week at Hume Lake. They all came home in one piece. Apparently Joe turns out to be quite the Romeo. He's at "that" age when girls are noticing and well.....he's tall and handsome, but girls? Neither one of us are ready for that! He's only twelve. Never mind that he shaves and he's taller than I am and I'm 5'6". He'll turn thirteen next month.

We now have eleven of our children in our house. Sometimes they're all on my last nerve and other times it's complete bliss. (like between 10pm-6am) just kidding! Seems the queen bee is ending up doing a lot of the work because the worker bees are off galavanting for the summer. The mess is still here, but no one to clean it all up. Oh well! This too shall pass.

Waiting for a chance to take the boys to see the new movie that's out, the Center of the Earth one. It looked good to me and awful to Steve so I'll take them and we'll enjoy our selves. :)

Update for the week

Our July 4th was splendid. We had two different parties to go to and both had pools! Oh Glory Day!! Addis & Mulu both went swimming in deep water for the first time. They each had on arm floaties and a swimming ring. Addis panicked a few times when no one was around her, but with all the flotation devices she had I didn't think she was going anywhere!

Sarah & Anna
Abi Mulu getting ready to jump in.
Sarah, Anna & Addis Mommy & Adah staying dry.
Joe
John
Joel

On Sunday Jesse, Sarah and Joe took off for a week at Hume Lake with our youth group. It's been kind of quiet around here believe it or not.

I've been selling stuff on ebay. Sorting through school books. Regular house and kid stuff. Kind of a boring, uneventful week.

shhhh.......do you hear that? what? quiet.......shhh.....don't tell anyone, but there isn't a sound to be heard except me typing.

I have high speed internet!!!

I can now keep with ya' all!

I've missed recommended You Tube videos and iTunes songs that needed downloading LAST summer because my dial-up couldn't keep up. Hmmm....Matthew Redman and Michael W. Smith are what was waiting.
I'm having fun downloading Leona Lewis, John Mayer, David Cook, Ethiopia children's song and more with my iTunes cards I received for Mother's Day and haven't been able to use.

Aunt Peggy made aprons!

Steve's sister Peggy made Addis, Mulu and me an apron. Thanks Aunt Peg! This is Addis & Mulu wearing theirs which they've worn much of the day.

Boys and snakes

My seven and nine year old sons had a friend spending the night last night, which meant they had today to goof around our property. It is blazing, scorching hot here and our property is full of dirt and overgrown weeds (our riding mower is broken), just the right elements for a snake.

While I was at the computer (which is often) they came in very excited that they had killed a snake all by themselves. I didn't even know there was a snake out there much less that they were killing it. They were all boy and lovin' every minute of it.

They received lectures from dad and big brother Jake on how you don't kill gopher snakes and other "good" snakes. Can there REALLY be a GOOD snake? I think not. In their minds there was a danger and they were going to take care of it. Good for them, I say!

After they were done killin' the snake they went on an hour walk down the road stopping at our friend's house for some water. I told them they were having a "boy day." To top it off; dad brought home pizza for lunch!

My bathing beauties

My friend Dawn at Plaid Hearts offered to make the girls some modest swimsuits. She pointed me to an Ebay seller that sells fabrics and I found two that I really liked. The one pictured is beautiful, but there is also another that is a white cream with various sized brown and cranberry dots with the brand name Roxy all over it. Very cute!

If you're interested in Dawn making a suit for you please email her at plaidhearts@gmail.com

Growing girls!

Our post-adoption reports are due for all the girls. Anna & Adah have their one year report due and Addis & Mulu have their three month report due. We submit pictures and measurements to see how they've grown.

Addis has gained 13 lbs and 2" in three months. (they've only been home for two)

Mulu has gained 8.9 lbs and 2.5" in three months.

Anna has gained 7.7 lbs and 7.3" in one year.

Adah has gained 8.8 lbs and 6.2" in one year.

Adah has also gained the ability to run! When I think back to when we brought her home she couldn't even roll over. She had no lower body strength due to being a crib or laying in a chair. God is amazing. When Mary from Early Start would visit we placed our goal for Adah to run by two which would be this September. She's been running for months. Maybe she'll live up to the name Derartu after all. If you don't know who Derartu Tulu is, google it! You might learn something and that is a good thing.

All My Books

All My Books is a wonder of wonders for the book lover. If you are like me then you have shelves and shelves, bookcases and bookcases of the written word in your home. How to keep track of all those jewels in one place? This is where All My Books fits in! It keeps track of your collection for you! Check out All My Books at http://www.bolidesoft.com/allmybooks.html for your book inventory software.


All My Books is an EASY book inventory software to use: All you have to type to get complete information about a book is to fill one of the fields - book title, author name or ISBN. Select the necessary book from the search results and all the information is before your eyes, including the book cover! This way you can add hundreds of books per hour! Then, all the advantages of the electronic book organizer become available - quick search, grouping and sorting by various fields, automatic calculation of statistical data and others.


I'm a mom of twelve and don't have a whole lot of time to keep track of my books and Audio CDs.. All My Books is about to change that. I won't rebuy the same book twice, I'll know who I lent a book to, and I can easily send my book list to a friend if needed. There is even a spot to note where your book is located. No more wondering, "Now where did I put that book?" You'll know! The possibilities are unlimited!


Easily download your book inventory software All My Books from http://www.bolidesoft.com/allmybooks.html for a free thirty day trial. If you love it like I think you will the cost is $34.95 or take advantage of their special offers!

Literature and Living books

I am teaching three classes in September, but two I'm a little more stumped on what to actually use. So I typed in " living books in co-op class" and up came Nature Study Through Living Books--Queen Homeschool Supplies I excitedly went there and found my answer!

I will start the fourth-sixth grade class with My Side of the Mountain. I have ordered all the study guides for the different books available from them and some of the books. (some of the books I have) I am so excited to have found this! I have already read My Side of the Mountain and LOVED it.

What are some web sites that have inspired you lately?

Lots going on

Our Friday started with me taking the four boys to see Wall-E. We had gone to the library previously and there was a reward program for having read ten books throughout the 2007-08 school year. The reward was a ticket to the fair. Ummm...........no thanks...........reward? Yes, but the fair? uh-uh So we made a deal with the boys. Three movies each for a fair ticket. In the end I think we would end up saving money at the movies. So far they've seen Wall-E and Kung-Fu Panda. My eleven year old son kept leaning over during Wall-E and telling me how much he loved me. Of course, he was melting my mama heart.

Since the girls were left at home I decided to take them for Ethiopian food at the Red Sea restaurant here in San Diego. We arrived and were seated by a lovely lady named Shewit (sh-weet). How little did we know then what God was doing for us.

Shewit has four children of her own and so I asked her if she knew of any Ethiopian children's activities that took place. She got a little smile on her face and told me that she teaches volleyball to girls about Addis's age at her church and would be teaching the next day if we wanted to come. Be still my heart.

We talked a little more and she asked the girls some questions for us and some of her own. As it turns out she is from Debre Zeit as are Addis & Mulu. She said her mother still lived there and would ask her if she knew of the family. She did. She does. Oh my.............God is working..........He is amazing in how He orchestrates our lives...............They want to get a picture of their father and grandmother together for the girls and then the girls can write to them with Shewit's help. Wow...

So Saturday we went and signed five kids up for soccer and then headed to the Ethiopian church. It is an evangelical Bible believing church! How cool is that?! The pastor met us at the door and invited us in. We went in for a Bible class, but unfortunately it was in English and Addis & Mulu don't speak very good English. After the class we went down to the gym and Addis played volleyball. I forgot to mention tha Shewit was on the National team in Ethiopia. Wow.............. After volleyball was over lots of pizzas were brought in and we had lunch there. The Ethiopian people are very hospitable. They really put us Americans to shame. We are so stand offish and keep to ourselves. (in general as a people) They are very affectionate and welcoming. We couldn't have felt any more welcome than we were. The women took the girls on their laps and stroked their hair, talked to them in Amharic, and nutured them. It's a wonderful thing to see God's hands at work in everyday people.

One lady told John, who for once was speechless, that he was going to be a missionary to Africa so he needed to talk to God everyday and read his Bible everyday. His eyes were as big as saucers and his little mind just took it all in.

Sunday we went to our church http://www.mapleviewchurch.com/ to teach Sunday School. I teach the 3's, 4's & 5's with the most adorable children in the whole world and Steve works with the elementary aged kids. After that we hurriedly left so we could drive through Sombrero's for lots of rolled tacos to eat on the way. We got to the ET church just about eleven which is when it is supposed to start, but they run by Africa time, which is; when it happens it happens. We were warmly welcomed by the people and stood out like sore thumbs. We were the only caucasians and the only large family there. It didn't seem to matter to these people. They think that we have an extra dose of God's grace. I don't know about that, but we do love kids and want to serve the Lord so we do it this way.

The service lasted about three hours and was in Amharic. Their worship is very passionate, fervent and intense. I was mesmerized. I couldn't understand a dog gone thing they were saying, but I knew they loved the Lord and were excited about Him.

After the service we were invited downstairs for Ethiopian bread and coffee. One of the ladies that came up to talk to me was asking about the girls. I told her Adah's name is Derartu and that she was from Sebeta. She nearly jumped out of her skin. She was from Sebeta! She has family in Sebeta and was going to do a search for Adah's family. Oh my! All she needed was her name and approx. time she was born. Hopefully she'll find something out. Wouldn't that be amazing?

At the church the girls go by their Ethiopian names. There is a special way to say Mihret. It's not Mir-et, it's Mi-rrrret and Derartu is not Der-are-too, it Derrrr-arrrr-tu. Much rolling of the r's. Mulu was Mulu and Addis was A-deese.

Great weekend and we finished it off with pizza and spaghetti at the local Italian restaurant. Just what a multi-cultural family needed.