Snow Fun!!

Founders Monument

Founders monument in Hartford, CT. My great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather's name is listed. Samuel Greenhill. His widow's second husband is also listed and his name is Jeremy Adams.

Miles Morgan statue

I've been doing more ancestry research and came across this picture of my great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather Miles Morgan who possibly helped found the Springfield, MA, area and was also a political leader.

Rainy days

The sun decided to take a little break and give us some cold and cloudy weather. We've even had spots of rain here and there. Our creek has had some flowing water giving the kids some motivation to go outside and play.


Adah and Anna with umbrellas bigger than they are.
Isn't she beautiful?
She's adorable.

John is hiding the fact that he doesn't have a shirt on.
Joelie boy
Miss Mulu
Addis

Adah & Dori

We met Dori back in 2007 after we had brought Anna & Adah home. Her family and ours attend the Yahoo Southern California Ethiopian Adoption get-togethers. Dori is also from Ethiopia. These pics were taken by her mom at some of the gatherings.

Fun with Nathan & Sarah

We went to Sarah & Nathan's the day after Christmas.
Mulu & Addis

Adah & Anna-partners in crime

See the mischievous look on Adah's face?

Most of us felt like this..........

James & John
Miss Anna
Sarah
Joel & Addis waiting for their turn.
Nathan and Adah
Yours truly

Mulu the cow

Mulu (what we're calling her now) was in a Christmas play at church. She was one of the animals at the nativity. Good job, Mulu!!!

Best friends

blI was going to title this "Peas in a Pod" or "Adah and Her Man" because I do see Adah and her friend as an old married couple. They're hilarious together. Sometimes she allows Anna to sneak in but not for too long!

Thanks Marcia!

Class Day playtime

Today was "Messy Day" at Class Day preschool. The girls played with shaving cream, gak and made edible playdoh. Fun!

Livesay Haiti Blog

My friend Rachel has followed this blog and was kind enough to post the link on her facebook page. They're a large family serving in Haiti.


http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/

Joe & River Valley High

Joe has spread out from under my wings and now attends River Valley High Charter School. He attends two days a week and takes Algebra 1, English, World Geography and Earth Science. He loves it. I love it. There is after school tutoring four days a week in any of the four subjects if he should need it or he can go to soccer practice. I love that he is accountable to someone else. I love that someone else explains things to him.

He is on the soccer team and got a hat trick (three goals in a game) against Julian High School last week. It was the first time his team had won in two years. I could not belive how nice the boys on his team that rode in our van were. Very polite, positive, and outgoing. Very refreshing to see in our young men.

Makenna Joy

This is my granddaughter Makenna Joy. She is due to make her entrance around the middle of March. Isn't she cute?!

Grandma was here for a visit back in October

I just got my computer fixed so now my internet is working like it should be. I'll catch up on pictures and such from the last six months. Aren't YOU the lucky ones?

My mom came for a visit and before she left for the airport I grabbed the newly awakened boys who graciously posed for a picture with grandma.

Jesse & Sage's wedding pics are up!

Go to www.timothytylerblog.com to see them! They turned out fabulously!!!

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!

Merry Late Christmas! Hope you had a wonderful day with your family and friends. We did despite Sarah not being with us this year. Times are bittersweet. Jesse and Sage were with us but we know that next year they will most likely be in Florida. On the other hand our new grandbaby Makenna will be here.

We had extended family with us for Christmas dinner and the Charger game. Arianne's mom and Simon's mom were able to join us. I consider Simon another son of mine so we won't count him.

We took off to visit Sarah and Nathan on Saturday. They graciously watched the kids for us while we stayed at a hotel. In the day we went to eat and to the movies with them. We even went bowling and I have officially gotten worse, if that was possible.

We came home Monday night arriving about midnight and spent all day Tuesday cleaning and putting Christmas 2009 away. Today has been more cleaning and even hit the blinds. I hate cleaning blinds. But it must be done.

Looking forward to our time tomorrow night with friends enjoying Mexican food. I'm going to make Chalupa Grande, Nachos, and some kind of yummy dessert. If you live near us and you have nothing to do please join us! We're starting the fun about 4pm and will finish around 9pm since we have a soccer tourney this weekend.

My internet has been acting up and it's the provider's fault. Will send out our newsletter as soon as I can actually upload a picture.

Happy New year!

Twas the night before Christmas for the parentless child

Twas the night before Christmas
and all through the land
There are parentless children,
with no toys in hand

No stockings to be hung
by the chimney with care
No hopes for a family
soon to be there

Their beds are not snug
but cold and quite bare
There are no goodnight kisses
no one to care

While we in our homes,
laughing in delight
All settled down
for a Merry Christmas Eve night

When in some one's heart
there arises a clatter
There are children in need
who's lives really DO matter!

Away to the computer
please go in a flash
To see the sweet face
with whom YOU could be matched!

While a child you see
their beautiful face all aglow
Could this be MY child?
Could I already know??

When in the dreams of the orphan
what always appears
Is a family to love them,
to care and hold dear

As you stare at that child
your heart beats real quick-
For you know in your heart
that sweet face will stick

More dreams sweet children have
to call parents by name-
Come mama! Come daddy!
Come family to claim!

To the ends of the earth
your heart seems to call
Now child--I'm coming--
I wish for you ALL!

So on a plane to your child-
over rooftops you flew
To hold this dear soul
a wish did come true

And then in a twinkling
I saw through the door
This child of my heart
that was waiting no more

As I got my camera and
was turning around-
Into my arms did
he come with a bound!

He was dressed in many layers
from his head to his foot
and into my heart his life was just put
There was no round face
no plump little belly
just sad little eyes,
and legs shaking like jelly

In a swirl of a pen,
and a stamp and a seal
My world became brighter-
like I could suddenly feel!

We spoke not a word
they weren't needed at all
And I knew in this moment
where I got this call

God layed his hands on my heart
and to the occasion I rose
And He could do it for you
this question He'll pose.....

It won't be a shout
No not even a whistle
It won't be real clear
but faint like a whisper

Can you make room in your heart
if you try with your might?
And make a difference for one
help them see the light?

I can see you exclaim
as you hold your child tight
Thank you Lord for this gift
you got it EXACTLY right!

Written by Amy D. Adoptive mother

Ethiopia Window Decals

http://www.juliegumm.com/orphanadvocacy/EthiopiaWindowDecals.htm

Life goes on!

As you can imagine life has been busy here at our house. Sarah's wedding was beautiful. I hope you were able to go the link I gave in another post and saw her pictures. She was a beautiful gorgeous bride. We miss her, of course, but we know that with Nathan she is in great hands. They've had a rough start with sicknesses and car problems but it's getting better!

Jesse is getting married in less than two weeks! He and his bride will live here with us until he goes to boot camp in June. They've been busy putting away their shower presents, moving furniture into his room to make it look more like a little apt, school and work. I gave her a shower a few weeks ago at our home. We had a wonderful showing from our family and church family. Last Friday I was invited to her bachlorette party. We rode the ferry across the bay to Cornonado and ate at a wonderful Italian restaurant Al Fornio. I had an absolutely scrumptious meal and ate EVERY SINGLE BITE. There wasn't anything left for the dog if there had been one. My pasta dish had barrel pasta with salmon, asparagus, in a smoky tomato sauce. Yum.

Adah was sick Thanksgiving morning. I spent the morning in urgent care with her. She was crouping. Even in the daylight she was pretty bad. She was given a steroid shot to open her airways and then oral steroids for five days after that. Oh.My.Lanta. I stopped after the second dose. She was in pain, writhing around like a mad woman one minute, lethargic the next. She was growling, kicking boxes, and well quite frankly she is a spitfire and certainly does not need help in aggressive behavior.

We made our turkey dinner today. I taught myself how to make gravy. Pretty darn yummy if I do say so myself. Not bland like most gravies I've had. The girls helped me make pumpkin pies. I wouldn't let them help me with the crust since I'm not a good crust maker. I didn't need to mess it up. I can do that myself.

Joel and John are on tournament teams for soccer. Joe is playing soccer for River Valley Charter School where he'll start attending twice a week in January.

I think that's all the news for now. I'm not ready for Christmas in any way, shape, or form. Can't believe it's only twenty-four days away. Too much going on in daily life to think that far ahead!