Five Years Old

Yesterday was Dawit's Birthday.

He woke up very excited. After I told him Happy Birthday, at 5:45 when he crawled in bed, he stood up and said, "I'm big!!" He looked down at me with a big ole' smile on his face. This birthday idea is new and he was so excited and anxious he was on the verge of tears all day. We ate his favorite breakfast; waffles and Chai. Then he played on the computer for a while.

I was happy for him but five years old sounds so much bigger than four. Silly I know, but I am sad they are growing up. It was a year ago that we saw their beautiful faces and fell in love with them. His face has changed so much in a year. He looked like a baby in the referral pic and he looks like a elementary school kid now :)

Well later that morning Grandma Kathy surprised us with a short visit and a Curious George Baseball bat. Then we joined Poopa for lunch to celebrate both of their birthdays. The boys were able to play in an arcade for the first time. They choose air hockey a couple of times and it was fun to watch them play each other.

We ran to the store to get some ingredients for an Ethiopian Cuisine and then home again. Uncle Josh came over with a remote control car for the birthday boy. He loved it. He played with it for a good long.

Daddy finally came home and we ate a meal of turkey kulet, vegetable aleecha, sambusas, injera, and lentils. And then we had cake... It was so funny to watch his little face blow out the candles, not once, not twice, but three times. First on accident and then again just for fun. And then we gave him his big Tonka truck. His eyes lit up to the size of saucers. He was so excited.

It is so amazing to think that God hand picked our family. A year ago we were trying to apply for our sons and this year they are out of the orphanage celebrating their life with us, their family. God is so amazing, so great, so wonderful, so perfect. I know it's hard to trust when life seems so uncertain, but our God is faithful. His plan is perfect, His time is perfect, He is perfect. Thank you God for being so big. Thank you for loving and caring for us. Loving us enough to give us this absolute gift of life. I am sorry for the worry and the doubt. Please forgive me for the questioning and self pity. Please help me to remain strong in my faith during the hard times as well as the great. But most of all please let your love and grace shine through me for all to see. Help me to sing your praises every day of the year.

Racing at the arcade

Uncle Josh is caring for baby Marta

New present

Ethiopian cuisine

Feeding each other... Ethiopian Style

Zega Jue?... are we ready?

Making a wish and blowing out the candles

Happy Birthday

This is mine?

The smile says it all

Momma I love it

MIA from the blogworld

Yes I am apologizing. Not that many people read this... I keep it mostly for myself. But we have been just enjoying our family so much that by the time everyone is in bed, I am beat which means no time for blogging. Our boys are growing leaps and bounds. We are getting ready for the little man's birthday this weekend. He is so excited. The excitement seems to get the best of him some times and melt-downs happen. Oh well.

We have seen some regression in Dawit's behavior; ie: thumb-sucking, needing to be held and cuddled more, being rocked to sleep at night. Our therapist told us this was actually a good sign. She explained that he is letting down his guard and is depending on us, which means attachment is occurring. Yeah!!!

Sintayehu on the other hand is becoming more independent. He is playing with age appropriate toys and games and doesn't want the baby stuff like he did when he first came home. Again Big Yeah!!!! Their English amazes me. They can both speak in complete sentences. Questions get all mixed up but we get the gist of the question. I get a little worried when they talk to others. I totally understand what they are saying but through the accents and the jumbled sentences, some people get very confused. But they are learning.

We are going to the beach tomorrow. It will be our first official day at the beach. We went to San Diego but it was a quick ocean trip. Basically exposed them and took pics and left. So it will be fun to play in the water. It's supposed to be cold so who knows how it will end. Their temperature tolerance is very small.

I have two bike riders now. They both can ride with out training wheels. They were very excited. I think Dawit was just as excited for Sintayehu to ride as he was for himself.

Nick and I celebrated our 6 year anniversary last week. We went to a Grease sing a long at the Hollywood Bowl with some very good friends. It was great to be able to have a second glass of wine and grown up talk with out any interruptions. I didn't realize Nick and I don't have full conversations anymore. They are usually only 1-2 sentences interrupted by questions, whining, or fighting. So we decided the kids are going to bed earlier so we can have some husband/wife time. It was really hard leaving the kids. And they did not seem to like being left behind. They had fun with Grandma, but their feelings were hurt.

We celebrated the fourth of July with lots of swimming and eating. Dawit slept through the fireworks. Sintayehu's amazed face was priceless. Like a bonehead, I didn't take any pictures so that beautiful expression will be burned in my and Nick's memory forever

We are utilizing the free/cheap activities around. We have been to the movies, concerts in the park, played the drums at the library and there is much more to come. It has been so fun spending time with them. I love being a mom. It is the second greatest thing ever. The first is being a wife. I am so abundantly blessed by God's grace and graciousness.

ps. if you are waiting to bring home your kiddo/s, hold on the end is close and it's all a distant memory once they are in your arms. It is the greatest gift God will give you.

Wahoo the little wheels are gone

Yep, all three men in the house got matching tattoos

Level 3 percussion at the library. These were the coolest drums, sound shapes.

Look No Training Wheels!

Excited about his new overalls

Catching ants for the toads

My baby