6 months

Today, our boys have been home for six months. It's funny, the time has flown by but it also seems like they have been our family forever. I just finished reading through all of the posts since they have been home. We've been busy ;). Oh my. It's so amazing to think how all of our pain, with the waiting and delays, has just absolutely disappeared. The boys have just filled up our lives with a love that I had never known. It's incredible, my relationship with them has caused so many other relationships to grow as well.

Nick and I are closer than ever. We may not have all of the alone time we we would like and our conversations are constantly interrupted but we have been filled with such a joy that we share together.

My mom and I are much closer. It took a little bit as we were finding our footing and what we could all handle; but my appreciating for her patience and willingness to help put or hang back has quadroupled. Plus I don't know how she managed all 3 ignite extra-curricular schedules.

Watching the patience my Dad has with the boys just makes mr respect him all the more. He is a very loving grandfather and Dad.

Nana and Poopa just absolutely adore the boys and thoroughly enjoy spending time with them. And they are always there for an encouraging word, we know how self soubt can haunt a parent

And my relationship with God has changed as well. Not because of a fulfilled promise but I can fully understand God's love for us. I couldn't quite comprehend his willingness to die on a cross for us. But I one hundred percent understand his desire for us to choose to love and praise Him.

I have been working on a slideshow but it's not done. Hopefully this weekend unwilling post it. Tomorrow, Nick and I are going to our 10 year reunion. Grandma is taking te boys to chuck e cheeses, so hopefully Sintayehu won't be upset that he is not invited. He thought it was really rude to put No children on the invitation.

For six months we have loved, battled, cried, mourned, grieved, rejoiced, learned, and grown. I can't wit to see what life continues to have in store for us.

Teeth

My little man has not one but two loose teeth. He is so excited. I am so bummed. My baby is growing faster than I think is ideal. He wont look like a little kid with those gigantic teeth in his mouth. This is all just going too quickly. Today I decided our family will stay 28, 11, and 5 forever. Someone let me know where I can buy that machine to freeze time.

Ethiopian New Year, Soccer and Skateboarding

We Are Blessed

Rocky Start

Today I woke up to an 11 year old telling me we were late for school. We weren't. It was 5:45 in the morning and he didn't have to even wake up for another hour. Well the pestering continued and the morning turned into ka-ka. Each one of us yelled at someone. Every person in the house hit. And we were all miserable. Plus ants invaded every room in the house.

I needed to re-do the morning. I wish I could. I went down to their level and I shouldn't have. So I am making it up. I prayed for patience, peace, understanding of the crazy mood swings. And thank God, I was renewed.

Our afternoon has been wonderful. Homework is going smoothly. Little man went down for a nap and we will soon be taking showers so we can go to Bible study.

All I have to say is Thank you Lord for your constant power. You are so big and perfect. I constantly fall short and fail in so many areas, yet I remain in Your grace. I don't deserve redemption and renewal but You are faithful. Please use me as you see will. I am your servant and I will answer your call. Thank you for your abundant blessings. Amen

Whirlwind

Last week went by so quickly. The Crain household was thrown into a blender and we all came out barely damaged.

I went back to work last week and while I only work part-time, the first week of school is a full week to get routines going, get to know the kids, and meet the parents. It was so difficult being away from the boys all week. I wasn't getting home until 4:30 or 5 and we were going straight to soccer practice, bible study or some other function. So it was a long week that went by in a blur. Plus add our 115 degree heat and a broken air conditioner, I was not a happy camper.

On Saturday, Sintayehu had opening ceremonies and his first "unofficial" soccer game. It was just a scrimmage, but they were in uniform, there were refs, and the mayor blew the whistle for the start of the game. Sintayehu was on cloud- nine. He had quite the cheering squad, Grandma, Poopa, Grandma Kathy, Uncle Richard and Trinity all showed up to watch his game. When his team scored, he ran to the nearest kid on his team and hugged him. It was really cute. Here are a couple of pictures from the game:

He got to do the kick off so he was super excited

Running for the ball

After the game.

This week I only work on Thursdays and Fridays so life is back on track. The boys behavior was so much better already. Mixing their routine up throws them for a loop which can be very difficult to navigate sometimes.

Sintayehu still loves school. I am proud of how well he is doing. He comes home and starts his homework with minimal hassle. We are working on him completing it and I checking it when he is done. His confidence level isn't very high for math so he wants constant reassurance that he is doing the step correctly. I am hoping by October he can do the lesson and let me look it over after he has finished. Luckily he is loving reading. He has almost finished all 4 "Diary of a Whimpy Kid" books in three weeks. He has about 40 pages left of the last book.

His mother had instilled self pride and effort into him so well. She is a woman that I respect and hope to meet the same expectations. I am so honored to get to know her through them and to raise them with the same values.

First Days of School

Sintayehu started school on Monday. He was so excited. I was able to get a few pics before school but I goofed and the battery died after only a couple. I did get video though. It was really cute to see how excited he was. I walked him to his classroom and met his teacher. He immediately found a friend and joined the boys in his class.

When I picked him up he looked hot and tired. He said his brain was exhausted. It was difficult for him to translate so quickly. But he was eager to go back. Each day has gotten easier for him. He understands more and is slowly getting to know kids in his class. He got his first weekly progress report and the teacher said he is getting it. He got excellent on behavior, homework and classwork. He was even excited to do his weekend homework.

We were fortunate in that his teacher has had three students from Africa in the past five years. So his teacher was really excited to learn about another African country.

Dawit is still getting used to the day without his brother. On Day 3 of dropping off Sintayehu at school, Dawit says in a small little voice and a single tear on his cheek, "Good bye Sintayehu. I miss you" Check out the video of their reunion after the first day. *** sorry it's shakey. I was a bit excited myself ***

I am also going back to school next week. It is so hard to leave them. I hate it. I may be exhausted, tired, and overwhelmed; but I want to be the one to see them wake up, get home from school and learn new things. I don't like missing those moments. I am praying for peace and understanding as I return to work.

On a very happy note, our good friends the Doll's had a beautiful baby girl on Thursday. Her name is Ellery Von Doll. The family is healthy and smitten with their baby, and maybe a little sleep deprived. I am so excited for them. I can't wait to meet her, but I know how transition time is needed. So I am patient :)

Catching up Part 2

So...

We had Sintayehu's 11th Birthday party on Saturday. It was beautiful weather. The kids all played very nicely together. Again I was expecting melt downs, especially from the little man but he did really well. Sintayehu allowed him to help and they got along very nicely. It was lovely. Everyone stayed long enough to dig up some dinner and continue chatting. It was great to have family and friends together twice in one month.

Opening gifts

It was a batman themed party

The next day we headed to church and after church we headed up the local mountains for some camping. Nick took this week off to spend as a family before there are some big changes (Sintayehu going to school, Me going back to work, and Dawit spending some days without his brother). It was great up there. The weather didn't peak above 75 the entire time we were there. The boys enjoyed the time up there. They learned how to play horseshoes, shuffleboard, and played some basketball with the "Big Boys" which resulted in some skinned knees. The boys also showed off their soccer skills and rode a horse for the first time. It was great. I told nick we should sell our house and live in a little trailer. And then no one would have to work. We could just spend our time as a family. He wasn't too keen on the idea. But we had a great time.

D-man checkin on his brother

Skills...

Family photo

Rock Climbing

A great way to carry your drink around the campground without looking like a lush.

Well we got home from camping and I called to get Sintayehu signed up for soccer and wouldn't you know it, he was going to have practice in two hours. So Nick and he ran out to get soccer gear while Dawit and I did some unpacking. We went to his first ever soccer practice and was tired but he loved it. He even asked to go running to build up his endurance. So cute.

Catching up part 1

We have had such a good time lately that blogging has been neglected. But we are starting to get back into the swing of routine. So much has happened in the last month and a half. The boys are doing so well. Their English is wonderful. I can't even tell you how much they have learned. They are my heroes and my inspiration. I can tell you that I will be a very different teacher this year. I am coming at teaching with a whole new perspective. They will have made me a more effective, compassionate, patient, and repetitive teacher.

I am going to break this into a couple of posts. Updates on events, behavior, and how parenthood has changed me.

So first this is what we have been up to.

In July we had Dawit's Birthday party. We were expecting total meltdowns from both of them and to our surprise, they were both patient and extremely well-behaved. We were blessed with the presence of many close friends and family. We tried to keep it a kid oriented party; so we invited family and friends with kids.

Blowing out his candles.

So excited for his car.

After his birthday was done and over with we started getting Sintayehu ready to go to camp at forest home. He was up there for a week. I wasn't comfortable with him spending the night, even though a very close friend was up there with him. So we dropped him off at 7:00 in the morning and Nick picked him up around 9:30 at night. On Wednesday, Nick went up as the male counselor and he was able to spend the last two nights up there. He loved it. I am not sure how much of the biblical message he understood, but the social aspect was wonderful. He was able to hang out with 300 kids that were the same age. He had to make choices, be responsible, and make friends. The experience was priceless and he made memories and bonds that helped him feel more welcome in the US. He realized he had commonalities with these kids even though he has grown up with a completely different background.

The hike to their tent.

Straight into the pool

Meanwhile, Dawit and I had a very busy week. We went to the water park with a great friend and her two kids. Dawit is right in the middle of their ages. It was 113* that day and even the water felt hot. The kids had a great time and it was wonderful to be able to have some time with another adult. We also went to the circus, where my camera died, but Dawit was amazed the entire time. His eyes were big and the smile was huge. All of the kids around us were asking for glow in the dark necklaces Dawit wanted the motorcycle that they were riding in the globe.

My silly boy with his peanut butter sandwich.

Yes, we are sitting outside the park eating because we are CHEAP. They want $7 for a hotdog...CRAZY!

It was Nick's Birthday while they were at camp so Dawit and I made a cake and a birthday banner for him. We had a delicious dinner and the boys behaved very well all day for Daddy.

That following weekend we went to Camp Pendleton to camp with some great friends of ours. We had so much fun. Their were three families and the kids all got along great. It was a great time. It was some much needed connection with other families. We are so thankful to have the Brownings and Harris' in our lives. They fill our cups when they are low. Every family needs a few great people in their lives to help you keep going. They are ours. The kids swam in the ocean, flew kites, kayaked in the bay and we all went to see Toy Story 3. And of course, there were the campfires, where trivia, stories and jokes were being told. And the trip was topped off by a dolphin show in the waves not more than twenty feet out.

Kayaking with the crew.

Kids at Pizza Port in Carlsbad.

We celebrated my dad's birthday when we got home on Sunday. It was nice to swim and relax and of course, eat a delicious meal. It was a great evening and my whole family was there which is hard to do these days. The boys had fun playing in the pool with the family and my dad seemed so happy to have everyone home for his birthday.

The next day the boys and myself were treated to the aquarium of the pacific by the Rosenbaums. They are this amazing family, who also just grew their family through Ethiopia, that live close by and are friends with very old family friends of ours. It is amazing the connections being made. We had a great time. Our boys enjoy their boys so much and little Ruby is just a little princess. I am praying that a deep friendship will develop with this family.

Sintayehu loved the seals. He told me he wants to swim with the seals for his next birthday. Dawit was in love with the "Scudda divers" I can't wait to break out our equipment and let them try it in the pool.

Feeling the sting rays and sand sharks.

Sintayehu's profile and the jellyfish.

He loved watching all of the animals.

We enrolled Sintayehu in school last week. He is so exited. He brings it up several times a day. He was assigned a teacher and we tried to find his classroom but was denied access to the campus. Oh well, I think we might go check it out this weekend just to get some jitters and anxiety out. We got all of his school shopping done except for some clothes that he needs. He has grown so much in five months. 4.5 inches and 16 pounds. It's no wonder his legs hurt.

Last weekend was Sintayehu's "11th American Birthday". His real birthday is March 14th but all of the legal paperwork says August 7th. This is quite a big deal for a kid, but that is for a later post. We started the celebrations Friday night in Los Angeles. We went to Little Ethiopia and let him choose which restaurant he wanted. We can highly recommend Rosalind's and the Merkato. Meals by Genet is a little pricier and has more of a European flare to it but the food is delicious. But he wanted to try a new place so we went to the Little Ethiopian Restaurant. It was small but the service was excellent as well as the food. They all doted on our little men. After they found out it was his birthday they brought out a full birthday cake with 11 candles and some Ethiopian coffee and chai. DELICIOUS!!! You have not had good coffee till you have had freshly roasted Ethiopian coffee. The men sitting in the bar each congratulated him and gave him money with their handshakes. He was excited. The people are beautiful and there are few better activities than listening to the comfort of the boys speaking in their native tongue. It is a warming feeling, and I feel privileged to be part of it. We gave Sintayehu an Ethiopian drum for his birthday that we bought while in country. When Dawit asked to play with it, he said,"yes, but be very careful, this is very special to me." It brought tears to my eyes to hear the excitement and gratitude in his voice. We were also honored to have two of the three grandmas with us on this trip.

The family meal.

MMMMM... Chai "pronounced shy"

My Love

The little drummer boy. They both had a surprising amount of rhythm. (You should see them dance. People will blame us for their lack of skills :) )

Well that takes us up to last weekend. I will finish tomorrow because I am exhausted.

And just because it was so funny to see all three of them in the little blow up pool. Right after the final World Cup Game.

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