Life as we now know it!

It has been a while since I have posted anything, and lots has gone on since the last post! So....here are the highlights and lowlights...the condensed version!

Highlights:
1. School
Both girls love school and are learning a ton! Since I teach, I am fortunate enough to have them at school with me. Our school has been so amazing at helping the girls adjust. We are obviously modifying a lot of the girls work since they don't know English yet, but the other day they both did their math homework completely on their own! They even did some word problems!! (They didn't know what the words said, but they were able to write out the problems the way I do for them and then solve them!) They have both also been able to learn some spelling words each week and have been waking up each day excited to go to school!

2. Food/clothing
So these were our big issues when the girls came home. I am glad to report that we have had very few issues with what they wear and eat. We went through their closet and I asked them "yes" or "no" for each piece of clothing they had. If they said no, Kaley got it...if they said yes it went into their closet. Now....anything I pull out they said yes to.....so they have to wear it! Food had been easier as well, since we are finding more and more things that they like. Some new additions to what they will eat are: steak, macaroni and cheese, hamburgers, Chick-fil-a nuggets, and french fries. They still love most fruits, chips and salsa, pasta, corn, tomatoes and onions. Most of the drama has been limited in these two areas!!

3.Schedule
The girls have been great with their schedule new/fluid schedule! They are great about getting up and ready for school, and then doing their h.w. after school is over. There is usually always something going on during the week, and they are pretty good about going with the flow! They love being around people as well, so that makes it easy for us to bring them anywhere! They are great going to bed, and after a book, prayers and 20 kisses, they fall asleep as soon as we leave the room (and sleep all night without waking up!!)

4. Attachment
The girls are really doing well with this! They love kisses and hugs, playing, and watching movies with us. They are sometimes a little shy and will hide behind us when we go somewhere new, but adjust relatively quickly. They are now okay with going somewhere with just me, or just Esteban. They were able to stay with Esteban's parents for a day, and have been babysat two nights by our friends Ray and Julie. They were a little afraid at first that we weren't coming back, but by the second time we did that, they were okay! It definitely feels like we have been together for way longer than 6 weeks!

5. Dance
The girls started dance and they are loving it! They are both taking ballet and jazz. They love watching any dance on t.v./movies, and will dance around the house all day if we let them! (They also enjoy singing all day long!)


Lowlights:
1. Layla's health has been an ongoing thing since we came home. While she acts totally healthy and seems to have no problems, their is still and unexplainable mass in her lung, that we thought might be a result of TB, but doesn't seem to be (her last tests showed that she did not have any active TB). So right now we are waiting to hear back about having to possibly go to Cincinati Children's Hospital to have it removed. We are not sure at this point if that is a certainty, but it is likely that we will have to go! Right now we are praying that God would heal her, and make whatever is in her lung disappear! He is totally capable, and we would love to avoid any further invasive procedures for her sake. She hates doctors and she hates being put to sleep even more. She cries when her sister gets to go to school and she has to go to the doctor. Whatever He chooses to do in this situation, we know it is good, b/c it is given to us by a loving Father who desires good for his children (spiritual good.... not circumstantial "good" by the worlds standards). If you think about it, please pray with us!

2. Language
Not speaking the same language is getting a bit old...and sometimes frustrating! Dealing with behavior and attitudes are difficult when you can't really deal with the heart issues behind them due to a language barrier. While we are getting much better....a lot of things would be easier if we all spoke the same language!

3. Learning to cope with the many "inconveniences"
I never realized how much I clung to my life running smoothly (as determined by my own standards). There are so many things that come up each day that throw things off balance, and it was super frustrating for me! I realized that the reason I was frustrated was because I was being "inconvenienced" and I obviously didn't want to be! How selfish and ridiculous is that? Well.....I am still dealing with it...and trying to trust God everyday as the daily inconveniences occur. I am learning to show grace, and deal with these inconveniences with joy, teachable moments or patience. I feel like I fail more than I don't, (I feel that way about a lot of things lately), but am learning to show myself some grace as well. After all, these children are not my own, neither is this life! God has entrusted them to me for a time, but they are His and He will work in them and through them. I just need to be an accurate representative of Him, His character and His love. While that is impossible for me to do, it is not for the Holy Spirit to do, so I am learning how to be that, by His grace!


That's all for now...I know it is long (sorry :)

Here are some pics!

Maya....after a long day of school! She doesn't appreciate homework very much!

The girls playing in the sprinkler.

Layla on her bike!!

The girls and their abuelitos!

The girls (dressed as Fancy Nancy) on Halloween (with a friend!)

From Esteban

Hey Everyone! I have a lot to post....but very little time to do it! For now, please continue to pray for Layla's health. She needs to do a few more tests to find out some more about what is on her lungs. Right now she is on some meds to prevent the TB from becoming active, but the doctors want to find out if the TB meds they are giving her are necessary, or if it is something else. She seems to be doing well and has been acting quite healthy (not one cough!). We are definitely ready to figure out what is up...and the course of action necessary so that we can do whatever needs to be done to treat her (with as few invasive tests as possible). The girls are doing really well and I will have much more to say and some more pictures soon.....I promise!


For now, Esteban asked me to post this!

Dear friends and family

It has been almost a month since we were able to come back from Ethiopia with our two little (right!!!) girls. I am amazes at the incredible support we have had in the last year and especially in the last couple of weeks. We have gotten food, clothes, calls, money, and lots love. Layla and Maya don’t understand yet what all this means, but we do. I never thought that there would be so many people praying for us, visiting us and sharing God’s love with us. I would like to share a small testimony of this:

When we arrived in Ethiopia, our guide told us the bad news about Layla. Most of you know she has inactive TB. The US government reinterpreted a law where it will be impossible for Layla to travel. Of course you guys know that God did a whole bunch of miracles and we were able to come home. I remember the first night that we were in Ethiopia; after we heard the bad news, I was telling Danielle that everything was going to be ok but when I look back now, I realize that I did not believe God could do a miracle. I look back and I am embarrassed by my attitude. That night, I was overwhelmed, mad and frustrated. Danielle woke up in the middle of the night and we prayed, because neither one of us could sleep! I still get teary eyes when I think about it, because when we prayed I remember actually felling God’s presence for the first time! I knew that God was going to do a miracle, but I did not want to believe. My ego and my sinful self were tired and mad at God. The next couple of days God really changed my attitude. In His grace he allowed me to see His work, and allowed me to hear about the prayers from all over the world. That Thursday night when we found out we could fly back home, I cry again but this time because I was ashamed. God had done so much for us, why I did not believe?

Well I sought forgiveness for a lot that night, but especially for one thought that I had. I never truly believed in prayers like I should have. “Prayer is not magic” is what I used to say to people that wanted God to answer them. Prayer is just a way to talk to God, we cannot expect for God to answer us or give us what we ask for, He is God we are nothing. Well these last couple of weeks I have learned of people in Ecuador taking time out of their schedule and praying for us, people in El Paso (not just family) praying for us, people in Cuba praying for us, people in Columbia, North Carolina, Norway, Ethiopia, and many other friends, family, and people that read our blog. So many people praying and some even fasting for us. Why? I don’t know but I thank God for all of you who did!

Prayer is not magic, but it’s more than just talking with God. We say that we know that, but do we? It amazes me that after all that today I still struggle. It has not been easy, I just don’t believe God and and I am still struggling with that. Now I have two little people, beautiful girls, who we pray with, but there are days that my sinfulness stops me to believe that God is bigger than us, that God can do, and will do miracles. I am breathing today and that is a miracle, Layla and Maya are healthy as they can be, that is a miracle, Danielle loves me still… that is a miracle, God forgave me, He has put my sins as far as the East is from the West, and that is a miracle.

Believe it or not I still struggle, there are days where I forget what God has done, there are days that I still struggle to believe... why? Because allowing God to change me is hard. When I think about that first night in Ethiopia I wish that I had more faith to believe…since we have been back, I still need more faith every day. As I pray with the girls I need to remember that He does miracles still and that His love for me has no limit.

I hope that one day Layla and Maya hear the stories, see the people that prayed for us, and loved us during those hard days. I hope that every time I remember that night in Ethiopia where I was broken because of my unbelief that I am reminded of God’s grace, forgiveness and patience.

I hope that this will remind of you of the power of prayer, God’s forgiveness and grace. I hope that this reminds you that we have a reason to believe Him….He is good! Prayer is not magic, but it is our privelage to see God work through us as we approach Him and His throne of grace.

I want to say thank you to all of those who have prayed, given, loved and been there for us! I am thankful for your lives and your great belief!

Esteban

First day of school 10/8/2009

While we have been having lots of fun (with a little drama on the side!) at home, we were all excited about the first day of school! On Wednesday nighe we got our clothes out (with a few adjustments due to some clothing drama.....as usual), packed our lunches and went to bed excited for Thursday morning! I am pleased to say that not only were we on time for our first day, we were 10 minutes early!!! (not too shabby :))

I took Layla to class first. She happened to have a substitute that day, but that didn't seem to bother her. Her teacher had assigned a classmate to help her, and the little girl was super sweet! We unpacked her things, and filled her school water bottle. Then after 5 kisses and some hugs, I left her and brought Maya to her class! When we got to Maya's class the little girl right next to her asked her if she wanted to play at recess! Maya had no clue what she was saying...so we just moved on! We unpacked and got her settled and then Mommy was off to work teaching her students down the hall and the girls were all alone in their classes!!! No tears.....no major clinging (just lots of kisses and hugs), everyone was okay!!

I checked on the girls several times during the day and they both passed my classroom on their way to lunch and related arts. They were always surrounded by several friends and seemed to be doing well!

At the end of the day one of the little girls in Maya's class told me the following:
When the ESOL teacher came to our class, Maya didn't want to go. But then I said that I would go with her and she said she would go. So I went to ESOL with her and the teacher asked her lots of questions and she knew lots of the words, but there were some she didn't know, but she did really good!

Obviously Maya's friend didn't need ESOL....she could speak quite well, but I thought it was so sweet that she was willing to go with Maya so that she felt comfortable!

I also found out that several of the second grade classes read a book called Painted Words about a little girl from another country who didn't understand English..but did understand other things (like smiles, etc). So apparently at recess a bunch of kids ran over to Layla and started smiling and saying their names!!!

At the end of the day, we called our friend who speaks Amharic to get the run down from the girls! Both girls loved school and and wanted to go back the next day. The only complaint that they had was the juice I had sent for lunch. Other than that, they both said that everyone kept coming up to them and talking, but they didn't know what to say, so they just smiled and said their names! Our friend told them not to worry in a little while they would understand everything!

The girls did so well and I was so glad to be working at such a wonderful school! Everyone there has done so much to make sure that the girls felt welcome and comfortable and I can't wait to see how much they learn and grow in such a caring and welcoming environment!!

Here are some pics from the day:

Before leaving for school....Layla is not so much a morning person!

Maya, her teacher and I getting her settled!


Layla and I getting her settled!

The girls and I in my classroom!

At the end of the day the girls had some fun on my smart board!

All around town!

We have been doing a lot since we have been back in town! Here are some highlights:

The zoo:

We took the girls to the zoo with our friend Fran and her kids. They girls had a good time looking at all of the animals and climbing up big rocks (see picture!). Maya even thought it would be fun to climb over the fence by the giraffes!!! I kind of freaked out trying to get her back on our side.....good thing it wasn't the lions (in her defense...she couldn't see very well from where she was :))

Haircuts:
Both girls got some haircuts on Friday thanks to Granna L! They thoroughly loved getting their hair washed by a professional! Layla got a cute bob/like cut that she wasn't crazy about.....but needed b/c of how uneven her hair was! Maya just got a little trimmed and her hair looks a lot better! We are still waiting on some hair goodies that I ordered online. Once we get those we should be good to go!!

Doctor :
Not such a highlight! Neither girl was very happy with us! They both had to have blood taken and did not appreciate that! Maya was pretty mad at us for making her do that, and once she finished she wanted Esteban and I to both get our blood taken as well! Sorry for her luck.....we weren't there for us! But, both girls did well once they were in the chair!

Outlets:
So we went shopping at the outlets to get the girls some fall/winter clothes! They loved this as most of the time they got to choose what they wanted. There was of course, some drama (we were dealing with clothes) but for the most part they did well!!! They both now have closets full of clothes that they like and that should fit for about a week!!

Ethiopian gathering:
A friend invited us to an Ethiopian celebration on Saturday night. They girls both got plates full of Ethiopian food that they devoured! They also got to play with some children their age and we got to have some things translated! Esteban and I met a bunch of great people, one in particular (Ngist) who has been really helpful with translating for the girls! She has even brought us some Ethiopian food, so the girls like her a lot!!!

Church:
We went to church again on Sunday, and this time the girls wanted to go to children's church and didn't make one of us stay! There are two sweet girls around their age (maybe a little older) who have really made them feel comfortable! They love playing on the swings when the lesson is over!

Shots:

The girls got some shots and did not appreciate that one bit! It took three nurses and a translator on the phone! Much drama!!!!!! Little do they know how many more times they will have to do that :(! I am praying for them!!!!

For the most part the girls have been wonderful! We have spend a lot of time praying for them and with them (mainly for thankful hearts...since that seems to be something that they are in need of) and have been able to deal with some discipline issues despite the language barrier (sometimes better than others). We have also just been able to spend a lot of time enjoying them and getting to know their very different personalities!!

God has taught me a lot about my attitude toward Him! Just like the girls seem to have completely forgotten where they came from (yes...already), and expect lots of "blessings" in the form of clothes, toys, etc., I too have forgotten what I was saved from, and expect God to make things in my life perfectly fair and easy. I was rescued from far worse than the girls were, and have been given far more (spiritually), yet act like a ridiculous child who is entitled to whatever she wants! So, while I am always praying for and with the girls, I have to constantly ask God for forgiveness....b/c I don't have a thankful heart either. I do not praise Him daily for His forgiveness, and every spiritual blessing that He so freely continues to give me!!! I guess as God works in the girls hearts He will be working in mine as well ;)!


Here are some pics (in random order again!!)

Granna L and the girls after hair cuts!

Layla getting her hair evened out!!

Maya getting her hair trimmed

Layla was born for this.....Maya had fun helping!!

Kaley came over to play and the girls and I dressed her up! Here she is!

All of us at the zoo!

Layla loved the birds....I did not so the picture is through the glass!!!

This was a cute one!

Maya

Layla

This one is Maya trying to climb the fence again!!!

Rock Climbers!

Since we've been home....

We have been adjusting to life as a family! It has been really fun getting to know the girls and their personalities! They are both total girly girls....although Layla is definitely the girliest! When we got home they loved seeing their room, their clothes, and their toys! They loved their bows, their bears (from abuelitos) and their pantry filled with food!!

Upon arrival, we quickly found out that both girls are picky about two things....food and clothing! Sunday morning breakfast was tough, as was lunch and dinner. However both girls are now trying everything without making any faces! They have both found things that they like to eat and that makes Esteban and I happy because they really need some nutrients!! Clothing was hard at first as both girls have some strong opinions about what they want to wear. There were some tears over shoes that had to be worn to church, and then about one of them having more shoes than the other. However, this morning I gave each girl two choices and they both picked an outfit and were happy!!! Yay!!

Since being home we have been to Target, Publix, the pool (which Maya woke up this morning asking to go to before saying anything else!!) Moe's and a Chinese buffet (which they absolutely loved). We have had some time outs (sitting right next to mami or papi) and have had fun playing outside with neighbors and friends! We have had lots of people come over and the girls have been great with everone! They are a little shy at first, but warm up quickly!

We have had lots of fun the last few days and have really seen God soften their hearts even in this short period of time as we have prayed with them and for them!! We are loving spending time with them! Both Esteban and I look forward to more of what God has in store for us as we continue to learn about the girls and they continue to learn more about us!

Here are some pics. from the last few days (in random order!)

Playing with their kitchen!

Papi and Layla (she had just finished pouting!!!)

Saturday night looking around their new room!

Checking out their basket of bows!(Layla had already found her dress up crown!)

Papi and the girls on their first night home!

Cute pic of Maya!!

Having fun in the pool!

Layla playing with her toy cell phone. Her and Maya call each other on the their phones every time we are in the car! They won't leave home without them!!!

Getting ready to go to lunch. They love those purses and won't leave home without those either! Sooooooooooooo girly!

Maya teaching Kaley about ipods!

Going to church Sunday morning! There were three outfit changes before everyone was happy!

Some friends that came over Saturday night to welcome the girls home!

Here are a couple of the people who met us at the airport! It was so fun to see some familiar faces to welcome the girls home!!!

Our trip home!

We have been home since Saturday night....and there is no one who is happier to be back in the US than me! Of course, it took a long trip (three planes...and 24 hours), but it is great to be getting back into normal life!

The trip

The girls were excited to come back to "America" and about going on a plane. We left Ethiopia at 1:35 in the morning and flew to Germany through the night. Then we waited in Germany for

5 and a half hours and got a flight to DC. From there we had to go through customs and immigration and catch our plane to Columbia all within an hour and a half! The highlights were the girls seeing escalators, and moving walkways for the firs time. They were hilarious!! At first they were a little scared and held on to us as tight as possible! However, during our layover in Germany they wanted to walk up and down the terminal on the moving walk ways over and over again!! They did really well on the plane and for the most part slept, colored, watched movies, and played cards. The not-so-highlight was trying to get them to eat. They have been super picky and plane food is generally gross, so each meal (and there were a ton of meals!) was a bit of a battle since we couldn't explain to them why they needed to eat. They would just make funny faces and say no. We were able to get them to at least try things, but it was a bit of a battle the who trip! Other than that, they did great! The trip was super long and we were all soooooooo happy to be back in South Carolina.

Here are some pics!

We are home!!

We are finally home....and I will have a lot more to write about that later! I wanted to post some pictures from our time in Ethiopia, since I wasn't able to do that while we were there! Enjoy!!

Traditional coffee ceremony after our successful embassay date!

The girls and Ace!

Future Volley ball stars?

Papi and Maya