No Longer MIA

I'm back and no longer "Missing In Action". I leave in one hour for the airport. Pasco-Seattle-WA DC- Addis Ababa Ethiopia! Finally Judah Gezehegn is coming home. It is a short trip for me, just 3 1/2 days in Addis and gone a total of only 7 days. I am so excited to get Judah Gezehegn in my arms and be able to visit Assefa. I will have to go back to Ethiopia after Assefa passes court to get him, hopefully by November.

I have really been out of the loop since baby Jarib came home three months ago. How about a speed reader catch up?

Jake, Holly, grand kids Silas and Lauren came for a nice visit after I got home from Alabama. Holly is having a new baby next month! Pray for her and their new baby daughter to be. We also went later in summer to Brookings where Jake and Holly live for vacation. It was so beautiful there and I think it was the best vacation I have ever had. We visited the beach everyday and stayed in a cabin up the river. Not camping out in the rain sure has it's benefits.

Jarib started getting casts on his legs to correct his club feet as soon as we got back to WA state. I drive him to Shriners Hospital for his casts and he also has had lots of other appointments in Spokane to see neurosurgeon for CAT scans and to check the pressure in his head. No VP shunt yet and this is TERRIFIC news. Jarib has had four surgeries in his short life...his spinal repair in AL, then since coming here surgery for spine wound repair, another for a HUGE hernia, and last week had his heel cords cut(for club feet). Poor guy is such a trooper. Unless he is in pain from getting new casts he is such an easy going little guy. I am SOOOO ready to be done with making the trips to Spokane for casting and I know Jarib is too. He is smiling and laughing now and constantly cooing and "talking" that adorable baby singing talk. We are all enjoying him so much. I am weeping as I write this to know I am LEAVING my baby in one hour for seven days! ugh. Jarib will be with my sister Katie when Mike is at work this coming week so he will be well cared for and loved on I am sure.

All the kids started school a few weeks ago and are liking it a lot. Yasab is even in public school this year. Solomon is in Preschool four afternoons a week, Tamar MyHao in 1st grade, Maggie, Berhanu and Josiah are in 2nd grade, Anna and Miriam in 4th grade, Meseret in 6th and enjoying her first year in middle school, Yasab in 9th grade and Tigist in 10th. Michael is working as checker at Safeway and saving money before picking back up at CBC to finish his degree. Mulu Hope is out of Job Core and on her own. Roza and Haimanot still finishing up Job Core. Kayla as always is a huge help and is watching the kids again for my trip to Ethiopia.

The whole family LOVED the AAI (Adoption Advocates International) get together at Warm Beach Camp. So fun to see all the families with adopted kids and catch up with my email friends. Of course the teen Ethio girls were in heaven.

Early September Maggie, Jarib and Solomon all had a couple days of clinic appointments at Seattle Children's Hospital.

Mike and I mostly just trying to keep our head above water. Strive for a little sleep, a little peace, and keeping the kids belly's full and clean clothes on their backs. We just want all our little ones home...and are longing for the day that Judah Gezehegn AND Job Assefa are both home. Psssss...we also are praying that big chick Cody will be moving back to town, and maybe another one of our grown kids too.....

I am not taking laptop to Ethiopia but may be able to access facebook or give Mike info to share on blog.

God is doing such amazing things. We feel we do live life on a battle field sometimes more than others. Serving a living powerful King is exhilarating and wonderfully rewarding....but we do get bloodied and beaten up at times. Pray for us. We have been so blessed in so many ways, but we are still get weak and tired and weary needing to remember constantly to fill up with His living water.

Great News!!

Introducing our new son....Judah Gezehegn Feser. He passed court in Ethiopia yesterday. It was the last day court was open before they close it for rainy season...not to be reopened until October. It has been a long battle and AAI has jumped through a lot of hoops to get his paperwork in order. His paperwork delays were numerous and varied but it finally all came together. We are overjoyed to say he is all "ours" now! Our little Assefa's file will be complete in a day or so. Assefa had needed a newly required letter from town where he was found and it took quite awhile to get it. Too late to get through before court closure but he should be able to pass as soon as they reopen in October. It has been such a battle for these little boys this past year. One thing after another. I truly was starting to doubt they would ever come home. Now....Gezehegn is! Yah!!!

With a baby at home and Mike not having any vacation days we had thought to use the escort option when the boys passed court. It adds time to their homecoming if we choose to use an escort rather than one of us travel. Once Gezehegn passed court yesterday we knew there was NOTHING that was going to cause us to delay his homecoming even one more day. I agonize over leaving baby Jarib here at home but we think this is best option. (I'd bring him with me if Mike would let me!) I will make it as quick a trip to Addis as possible to pick up Gezehegn. It is good I will be able to visit Assefa at AHOPE again. He is almost 14 months old now and we have concerns for his health. At least we know he is happy at AHOPE but it sure will be good to see his sweet face in person again.

I think I will be leaving third week in September but will know for sure later this next week. I am so happy our Judah Gezehegn will be in my arms again soon.

I know I disappeared on all of you. I think it is the longest I have ever gone without posting. Lots of reasons. I will try to update more on baby and family later (promise)

Praising God for His perfect timing and for our new son Judah

Home Sweet Home

Jarib and I got home to WA state last night. My friends outside of Mobile came and got us in Birmingham for a visit with them. It was so wonderful to spend time with them..More of our visit with them later. Then Wednesday I got the call from lawyer that we had interstate compact approval . Yah!!! Got a plane ticket home for Thursday. I got a big smacking kiss from Heaven when I was mistakenly put in first class all the way from Houston to Seattle. Boy was that nice! Mike picked me up at the airport and I just sobbed to hold my man again. The kids all just adore the baby of course. Jarib very quickly has learned that he likes to be help 24/7 and luckily there are lots of arms waiting their turns to hold him. I am exhausted but oh so happy to be home. I got to see Mulu before she had to leave and Cody comes tomorrow and Roza next week. I think Jake and Holly are coming for visit next weekend. Everyone wants to meet their new baby brother. I am loving have a baby again but will need to start implementing nap time. That means ME having nap time when littles are having their afternoon rest. I need it after being up with Jarib at night. I feel a bit like a zoombie today. Thank you all for your prayers for this sweet boy. Jarib has appointments in Spokane July 6th-7th for VP shunt and also his club feet.

Now keep up the prayers for Assefa and Gezehegn to pass court and get home too.

Julee

Alone At Last

Jarib and I moved to Ronald McDonald House yesterday afternoon. Monday he sees his neurosurgeon to check his head size. Except for that appointment we are free just to hang out here at RMH and enjoy each other. Jarib LOVES being worn in a baby sling, He LOVES getting to eat whenever he is hungry and not on a hospital schedule. I miss the rest of the family but am sure enjoying my time with him....just mommy and Jarib. I'm so homesick but am committed to cherishing every moment of this time together.

Today Mike and I had to sign a "At-Risk Placement Regarding Indian Heritage" and fax it back to lawyer. Every once in awhile the fear of losing Jarib to the tribe will cross my mind and my heart races and my blood runs cold. The I remind myself quickly that God orchestrated all the events leading us adopt Jarib. No matter what happens in the future we are just where we are suppose to be right now. No matter what happens He will be with us and our baby. We have to wait here for interstate compact approval between Alabama and Washington. As soon as I get that "okay" we'll be getting a flight home!

Yesterday while still at the hospital we had a nice visit with Jarib's birth parents. I was able to get some photos of him with each of them alone and all together. The plan is for an open adoption with sharing of photos, letters, phone calls etc...Mike and I know this is a huge blessing for Jarib. So many of our children have no contact nor any information about their birth parents. Some feel deeply the loss and "blankness" of biological knowledge. Some of our kids suffer a lot of pain because of continued knowledge and contact with bio family. It's a mixed up bag of good and bad emotions. So far the good in birth parent contact outweighs the bad.

Baby has full tummy and sleeping. I think I should go scoop him up just to snuggle in his peacefulness and baby sleeping sweetness. Those newborn baby funny faces are priceless but don't last forever....I don't want to miss a single one.


Julee

Baby Bliss 24 Hours A Day...

I now have our darling Jarib 24 hours a day! It started out yesterday with a CAT scan at 4:00 AM. His head size hadn't grown and neurosurgeon on duty said he was;t ready for a VP shunt yet ad to follow up in weeks. I guess his ventricles are not even enlarged enough to put a shunt in. Wouldn't it be awesome if he never needed one!?!

So my question was "why does this baby need to be in hospital?". I have to spend a day or two in a "rooming in" room and then can be discharged to RMH. (Ronald McDonald House) So I now have our little guy all to myself in a regular room. Jarib has no monitors or wires attached to him. The staff just check his vitals a few times a day. We are left alone together to bask in mommy/baby bliss. It is lovely. I have to watch a car seat video and do the CPR training this morning. Monday he sees his neurosurgeon in clinic to check his head size etc...

So the only obstacles now to homecoming are just the court stuff (birth parents need to go to court this afternoon to sign their final papers) and interstate compact stuff. Please pray that court goes smoothly today and that the approval from interstate compact offices come back quickly. Mike at home sounds tired. Kids at home are okay but want mommy home.

thanks friends!
Julee

Prayer

Mostly I pray by just talking to God as I go about my day. In my "normal" life most days I never have a quiet moment to sit down for official "Quiet Time" with the Lord. I used to get up at 4:30-5:00 AM for my quiet time...but now when I get up early there are little ones up too. Tamar MyHao wakes at the slightest noise and is often found up long before sunrise. It's just very difficult to find a quiet time at home. I live for my long walks along the river. The big girls watch the kids for me and I try to take a walk a hour or more at least once a day. It becomes a nice private talk with the Lord enjoying His handiwork in the beauty along the river paths. When I have a child in the hospital I have the loveliest quiet times. There are endless quiet hours to sit by the bedside of a sleeping child. Now,like many times before in the past I find myself beside the bed of a much loved child. Worries and concern float around my consciousness constantly. I am mostly alone with no family and friends here. What a grand opportunity for the Lord to fill me up! How wonderful it is to find myself in a place where all I have is God to count on. Of course that is always true. Every day. Every moment. Every breath we take comes from Him. But it is just too easy to be so busy in regular daily life and not focus on Him. Finding myself scared, lonely and needy makes me hungrier for Him. Great need is a great thing. Talking to Him. Praising Him. Listening to Him. It's all praying. On my knees beseeching Him for my desires (court in Ethiopia, Jarib's healing, family at home, etc...) At the elevator asking Him for food to be in cafeteria without gluten that I can eat. In the NICU waiting room asking Him for perfect words to share with others what He has done for us. Asking Him while getting caught in downpour on the walk from hospital to RMH to keep me from getting so wet that I am "indecent" looking for mixed company. It's all prayer. Here is a great quote below.

The only way to pray
is to pray;

and the only way to pray well
is to pray much.

If one has no time for this,
then one must at least pray regularly.

But the less one prays,
the worse it goes."

~ John Chapman

Introducing.....

One of the world's most adorable babies..

Jarib Ezekiel Feser



Jarib is a Hebrew word that means "he will fight". As a verb: “he will fight”, like in the verse “Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the gate, for the Lord will plead their cause (יָרִיב רִיבָם) and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.” Proverbs 22, 22-23. Ezekiel means "God will strengthen or God's champion". We prayed about the perfect name for our new baby and feel that Jarib Ezekiel is a powerful name that well suits this precious baby. We pray he will someday be a mighty champion for God and he will in the Lord's name fight and plead the cause of those afflicted and oppressed.