A sparrow when I'm broken, and eagle when I fly.....

Welcome to my world. I am an ordinary wife and mom who has been extraordinarily blessed by an amazing husband and house full of beautiful children. My prayer is that you will be somehow blessed by our family's story. It is a tale of God's grace and forgiveness...His loving kindness and patience with us His children as we strive & struggle everyday to bless His name with our lives

Monday, October 6, 2008

Back in Addis with the kids!

Lalibela was AWESOME!! We saw the top of the world. No regrets about making the trip. I will never forget that place. I did manage to get a bit of altitude sickness so you can pray for strength for me. I hear it lasts just a few days and I just need to rest and drink a lot of water.

Phone and internet access have been extremely challenging. We are unable to hook our laptop up anywhere so can’t send photos. Never know when or if we can get access so I am writing a detailed travel journal to share once home.

We got back from Lalibela yesterday afternoon (Monday) and hired a driver straight away to take us to little AHOPE to see baby Assefa again. All the children there are lovely! I want the waiting parents to know that Mike and I are taking our duties very seriously meet your waiting children. I lost my notebook with names of kids to see but the staff is very helpful when I ask about any names I may have forgotten. It is an honor to meet your children, give them a love and pray for them. Today we hired a driver for whole day and will be visiting KM, Layla/Wanna and Little AHOPE again. As time allows we will be at Opportunity and big AHOPE. The only agenda we have our remaining 4 days is seeing kids...yours and ours!

It is so wonderful to have the opportunity to meet and spend time with baby Assefa when he is still so small. He is a beautiful baby and very much loved at AHOPE. I can tell it will cause much grief to a few wonderful caregivers when he leaves after his adoption. But they are ever so gracious to us and are happy he has a family. There is a new little girl at little AHOPE that I am sure will have a new family soon. She has fallen in love with Mike and him with her. She is the sparkliest little girl we have ever met!

I am so excited to see Edelawit today at KM. She is so timid at times but also smiles a smile that lights up the room. Her little friends (and children-to-be of my email friends) crowd around us for loves and goldfish crackers. Having a camera that you can show them their photos after you take it is a nifty invention. We found out Edelawit has a living father and we may be able to meet with him. Edelawit was seriously ill when she arrived at KM over a year ago. Some doubted she would survive. I met a volunteer that spent a lot of time with her her first year here. It is heartbreaking to hear how sick and empty she was. But she has come alive this last year and walks and talks and plays with other kids now. She is at least fours years old but maybe weighs 20 lbs and is size 2, but she was wearing size 12 months pants when I met her. We owe the nuns and staff at KM much for bringing her this far. We are so grateful for both her and Assefa. It is mind boggling always that the Lord loves us enough to bless us again with precious children. We just pray they are home soon!**

**heard that AAI has 50 cases for court once as it opens this week. 10 cases a week...we may have our court case for the kids in November. Travel then most likely after the first of year...but we can pray for miracle right? Sooner is always better

5 comments:

Ely said...

Julee, I am so excited to hear from you. I've been checking your blog several times a day to see if there were any news. I'm so glad you are getting to spend time with your new babies. I'm sure it won't be easy to come back home. We'll pray that God will speed up the process so you can bring them home sooner than expected. I can't wait to see pictures and to hear more stories about your trip when you come back.
Enjoy the rest of your trip...

Andrea Hill said...

Julee, thanks so much for sharing your time in ET with us and tell us about the children at all the orphanages. What a blessing for you to have gone before you were able to pick them up. I will pray for your safety back and hope you have a really wonderful time because I know you will love on all of them.

Leslie said...

What an amazing trip. I can't wait to hear more. PS I "tagged" you on my blog. :)

Signe said...

Julee, thanks for taking the pictures. The kids are so beautiful. I'm so sorry to hear that Edelawit has to wait longer. I pray that you are able to go back for her, she is so precious.

Jody said...

Julee,
I am so excited to hear you are adopting again. I think I go to church with your parents (Bob and Judy? at Westside in Richland). I have been working way too much and haven't visited with them for some time though. You and all of yours are in our prayers for a special few more days in ET and a safe trip home. We are just starting our adoption journey and I would love to visit with you at some point if possible.