Ellyana's "Forever Family Day"

1 year ago today, Dad & I landed & precious Ellyana got to meet Brian and the boys...what a happy day that was!!!

Tonight we celebrated the beautiful country from which Ellyana came & our wonderful year together as a family! We enjoyed a nearby Ethiopian restaurant.
The restaurant is beautiful, it was fun to be back with the sights, smell & food of Ethiopia.

The food was delicious & fun to eat...

Here's Brian & BJ in their Ethiopian T-shirts, with Ellyana in her traditional dress, one of the men at the restaurant said the dress she was in, was similar to the wedding dresses from the Wolaita region that she came.
Zach thought the HOT cloths that they gave us at the table (before & after we ate) were awesome!
Ellyana trying her first tastes of Ethiopian food (she was mostly on the bottle & just ate bland food when we were there). She was suspicious at first, but then seemed to really like it. At the end she got some spicy lentils, it was hilarious to watch...she ate them then drank A LOT of water, then ate some more, drank a lot & then a little bit later ate some more...it was so cute...she really did seem to enjoy the place! She danced a little to music & seemed to take in all the sights!
Back home she got an Amharic Children's Bible Story book that she liked looking at (Amharic is the language spoken in Ethiopia)

We all enjoyed a few Ethiopian themed cupcakes
And mostly we spent the evening...humbly grateFULL for the blessing of the precious daughter God has entrusted to us, and totally are amazed at the JOY that she brings to our home & wherever she goes! Ellyana, you are SUCH a blessing to our family! We all love you so very, very much!

Little Getaway

The kids & I had some free days, so we headed to Chicago to visit my brother & his wife! We got to see their great place, their church, meet some of their friends...it is so amazing to see how God is using them in the city! We also got to take in the zoo, meet up with my cousin (no pics from the meal, it was hectic to say the least ;), eat a Chicago hot dog, & take in Shedd Aquarium. Pretty good for only being in the city about 24 hours. We had such a great time & made so many great memories, we thank the Lord for such a good trip!

The boys LOVE monkeys, the Lincoln Park Zoo has tons of them, always fun to watch!!!

The kids with Jay & Bonnie, it was fun to be together!

Not sure if the kids grasped the awesomeness of the view...but I loved seeing it again!

The boys really LOVED being at the Shedd, they ran from thing to thing...saying, Mom look at this...this was a great fit for them right now. And I have to highly recommend "Fantasea"...it was kinda like a broadway show, overlooking the lake, with real dolphins, whales & seals performing...it was awesome. Shedd tickets are expensive, but the show was definately worth the couple of bucks more, Ellyana even really loved the show!

Lunch on the Shedd Patio

Play area in the basement, was nice way to get energy out before we headed home

We totally appreciate Jay & Bonnie letting this crazy crew letting us "crash" at their house ...we felt so blest to be there!

Our Miracle Baby turns "8"

On August 7, 2002 our biggest blessing arrived in the smallest package...1 lb. 10 oz...BJ came into this world 3 months early...3 months, 3 NICU's & a move to Indiana later...he finally came home!!!

Thanks to the prayers of countless friends & family our tiny baby, grew & grew...it has been a long road...but God's faithfulness & BJ's amazing progress has been soooo humbling!

In 2005, BJ's best buddy joined our family & we had our move to Michigan!BJ graduated from preschool.Enjoyed T-ballAnd he continued to grow in wisdom and stature!
He graduated from more intense speech & now is just continuing some speech at school.He graduated from a wonderful year of Kindergarten. Loves basketball, bikingSwimming And now has graduated from 1st grade

He got to play on the All-Star team this summer

And he loves his Mom & Dad & brother & sister

So tomorrow he turns "8"...he wanted cupcakes with a lot of M & M's


And to go "Glo-Golfing"
He's the best oldest brother!!!

Tears fill my eyes as I've went through the pictures of BJ growing up, each milestone we hit does that to me. I think I would be that way a little just because he's the first one hitting these steps, but as I think back about all the things we didn't know if he would ever be able to do...they really are a BIG deal. And they are also a BIG deal because we believe in a really BIG God who answered A LOT of prayers...and today he stands like a real "man" in our living room...it is sooo humbling!

He has a precious, tender heart that comes from the Lord. He perserveres through struggles with such a good & thankful attitude. He is a blessing to all those that know him, and we also believe without a doubt that God has actually brought each person into his life to encourage him & love him on this amazing journey of the past 8 years!

Here's a piece of the prayer, I pray with the boys at night, it seems so fitting today...

May you grow up to serve Him all of your days,

May He lead you & guide you in all of your ways,

May He bless your future with friendships that last,

May you cherish your youth & not grow up too fast...

As you rest in God's care I will rest too

Knowing that Jesus is watch over you. Amen.

Here's 1/2 way to his 16th birthday...